35 Travel Goals for Turning 35

I used to do a lot more of these goals that correlated to the age I was turning. And a lot more small travel goals, but I’ve gotten away from them in the last almost decade, but I sat down to write – as I’m writing this it’s 6 days until my 35th birthday – all I could think of was a list of small, simple goals for my 35th year. It’s halfway to 70 and feels a little more momentous than I expected it to. I don’t know if it’s because I’ve changed a lot in the last couple of years or so or what, but this year just feels big. So, here are my 35 travel and adventure goals for turning 35!

Visit 5 New National Parks

I initially had a goal to just visit one national park that’s new to me, but since writing that, my dad and I planned a trip that is taking me to three new national parks. I have a few more national parks that I’d really like to visit this year and I’m hoping I can hit two more new ones. This feels even more pressing under the current administration where positions are being cut, parks are limiting hours, and things might be more difficult in the next few years. So, I am really looking forward to checking off more parks this year!

Progress: 1 – Matt, my kids and I went to Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, 2 – Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado became a quick favorite, 3 – Mesa Verde National Park this has been a bucket list item for me but unfortunately I didn’t get tickets to tour any of the sites because I didn’t do the best at planning, 4 – Capital Reef National Park in Utah – my last of the Mighty Five in the state of Utah!

Visit a New Museum

I’d love to visit a museum that I’ve never been to before. I have no idea what this will look like, but I just love visiting museums and taking the opportunity to learn about something new while traveling. I used to visit a lot of museums while traveling, but kids and really digging into nature have meant that I haven’t spent as much time in museums as I normally would.

Accomplished: The Missouri Institute of Natural Science! This free museum is just about 20 minutes away from my house and was incredibly interesting! It holds one of the world’s largest triceratops skeletons, tons of other fossils, crystals and so much more! Plus, there’s a lovely little Greenway right outside of it!

Take an Outdoor Yoga Class

I’d really love to take an outdoor yoga class somewhere scenic. I don’t know if that’s Moab, Colorado, Asheville… I don’t know. But I want to experience an outdoor class this year. I have only done a couple outdoor classes, but it’s one of my very favorite things because it combines two specific loves of mine.

Completed! I actually got to do this at the brewery I work at here in town. One of my friends leads 2 outdoor yoga classes per month at one of our locations and I got to go to one of these.

Visit 15 New Coffee Shops

With so many amazing destinations on the books, I know that I’ll be around lots of new coffee shops, which I love visiting. So, I want to try 15 new coffee shops – local or while traveling – in my 35th year!

Progress: 1 – French Truck Coffee in Memphis, Tennessee, 2 – Wall Stompin’ Grounds Coffee House in Wall, South Dakota, 3 – The Coffee Cowboy in Telluride, Colorado, 4 – Coffee on the Rocks in Estes Park, Colorado, 5 – Taste the Occasion in Eminence, Missouri, 6 – Cherry Picker in Springfield, Missouri, 7 -Roots Coffee Bar in Springfield, Missouri, 8 – Sips & Scoops in Springfield, Missouri, 9 – The Garden Exchange in Aurora, Missouri, 10 – The Press in Springfield, Missouri 11 – Persephone Grae’s Cafe & Juice Bar in Manitou Springs, Colorado, 12 – Monroe Coffee Co in Fair Grove, Missouri, 13 – Cafe Jude’s in Lebanon, Missouri

Go 35 New Places

National parks, state parks, national forests, towns…. whatever it may be, I just want to experience 35 new places. I know I have a handful on the books already, so this will be a good push to explore new things in addition to revisiting my old favorites.

Progress: 1 – Tuttle Creek State Park in Kansas, 2 – Downs, Kansas 3 – Wind Cave National Park in South Dakota, 4 – Custer State Park in South Dakota, 5 – Meramec Spring Park in Missouri, 6 – Ouray, Colorado, 7 – Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado, 8 – Mesa Verde National Park in Colorado, 9 – Telluride, Colorado, 10 – Capital Reef National Park, Utah, 11 – Manitou Springs, Colorado, 12 – Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area in Branson, Missouri, 13 – North Carolina Arboretum in Asheville, North Carolina, 14 – Ritter Springs Park in Springfield, Missouri, 15 – Two Rivers Mountain Bike Park in Highlandville, Missouri,

CULTURE

Eat a Food I’ve Never Tried Before

I’m not sure what this will be or where I’ll try it, but I would like to try something I’ve never had before. I’m not an exceptionally adventurous eater, but I want to push myself a step this year.

Take a Basket Weaving Class

Okay, this sounds so dorky, and to be honest, it is kinda nerdy, but I really want to take a basket weaving class. I’ve done a tiny bit of research on it and it looks like our state parks board offers some in a town a few hours north of where I live, and I am going to try to get a group of women together to take this.

Visit a Christmas Destination

I took a girls’ trip with my mom last winter to Hermann, Mo as a little Christmas-time trip. It wasn’t quote as Christmas-y as we anticipated, but I still loved it. So, I would really love to find an even more festive destination!

35 New Restaurants or Food Trucks

Because we’re visiting a lot of places that we’ve been before, I love the idea of trying to challenge ourselves to try new things and to eat locally. I have to admit that a lot of the time, we hit up fast food restaurants on road trips because of how convenient they are. I want to prioritize local restaurants this year as much as possible – investing my money in individuals over corporations.

Progress: 1 Brother Juniper’s in Memphis, Tennessee, 2 – Stone Hill Winery Restaurant in Hermann, Missouri, 3 – Wakin’ Bacon Food Truck in Wall, South Dakota, 4 – Dockside Grill in Custer, South Dakota, 5 – Thai Chili in Ouray, Colorado, 6 – Brown Dog Pizza in Telluride, Colorado, 7 – Telluride Brewing Company in Mountain Village, Colorado, 8 – India Bites in Estes Park, Colorado, 9 – Rock House Inn in Estes Park, Colorado, 10 – Estes Park Brewing Company in Estes Park, Colorado, 11 – Tiny Greens in Nixa, Missouri, 12 – Heady’s BBQ in Nixa, Missouri, 13 – BRGR in Kansas City, Missouri, 14 – Cactus Jack’s in Moab, Utah, 15 – Sleepy Opossum Cafe in Springfield, Missouri, 16 – Cherry Picker in Springfield, Missouri, 17 – Avanzare in Springfield, Missouri, 18 – Steamy Joe’s in Branson, Missouri, 19 – Persephone Grae’s Cafe & Juice Bar in Manitou Springs, Colorado, 20 – Q39 in Kansas City, Missouri, 21 – ARs Breakfast and Brunch in Kansas City, Missouri, 22 – Stude-A-Baker’s in Camdenton, Missouri,

See a New Thomas Dambo Troll

I fell in love with seeing these Thomas Dambo Trolls last year. I saw three in Kentucky with my dad and fell in love with the whole concept. So, Matt and I went to the Dambo troll in Breckenridge while we were passing through, and I’d love to see at least one new troll this year too!

ACCOMPLISHED! My mom and I actually saw six Thomas Dambo Trolls at the temporary exhibit at the Memphis Botanic Garden in Memphis, Tennessee. Trolls Save the Humans was absolutely stunning. Watch for it to come to a destination near you. In fact, I got to see an additional twelve Dambo Trolls in Asheville with my mom and Charleigh later in the year as well!

See A Wild Bighorn Sheep with Charleigh

Bighorn sheep are Charleigh’s favorite animal thanks to the Bighorns Don’t Honk book we got her in Zion National Park when she was only 8 months old. Then, she got a bighorn sheep stuffie at Grand Canyon National Park (that she picked out and named “Bam”) when she was 1.5 years old and when we see them at Wonders of Wildlife she always freaks out in the best way! We also watch a lot of documentaries about bighorn sheep. So, seeing one in the wild – I’m thinking at Badlands National Park, with her will be such a highlight for me.

ACCOMPLISHED! We were able to see bighorn sheep on our trip to South Dakota in Badlands National Park and Custer State Park. We also had some cross our trail in Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park in Colorado.

Experience 10 New Things in Moab, Utah

I’ve spent well over a month in Moab at this point, but I love that I’m always able to find a couple of new things out there to experience. This summer, Matt, the kids and I are spending a little over a week there and this fall, I’m also planning on taking a trip there all by myself. So, I am hoping between those two trips, I can discover 10 new experiences for me in a place that feels like a second home to me.

ACCOMPLISHED! 1 – We hiked Tower Arch in Arches in June. 2 – We drove the Gemini Bridges Road and hiked out to Gemini Bridges. 3 – Long Canyon Road off-roading drive. 4 – I did the Fiery Furnace hike for the very first time! 5 – In the Island in the Sky section of Canyonlands I did the Aztec Butte hike which was really cool and incredibly unique. I loved getting to see an archaeological site. 6 – I also did the Murphy Point Overlook Trail in Canyonlands. It wasn’t the most beautiful, but it was still cool! 7 – Druid Arch down in the Needles was a new trail highlight of the year. This has been on my Moab bucketlist for a long time! 8 – I finally made it to Dead Horse Point State Park and did every hiking trail except the Big Horn Sheep Overlook in this park. 9 – I did the primitive loop on the backside of the Devils Garden for the first time too. 10 – I did the unofficial trail to Ring Arch while I was in Arches National Park too. A ranger told me about this hike last fall and I finally got to do it a year later!

Try to Take a Fall or Winter Camping Trip for at Least a Week

This is a bit of a dream and probably the most tenuous thing on this list, but I’m dying to get somewhere in the south for a slightly more extended trip. The kids will have a decent winter break and I would love to spend some of it in Sedona or Zion or Big Bend. I have so much that I want to do and see and explore and our extended trips in our camper are my favorite. I have so many dreams of living on the road.

See 35 Sunrises

I love sunrises. I love sunsets too, but there’s something that feels more special, more sacred about a sunrise. Not many make the effort to get up and see the day begin. That makes it more peaceful and more powerful. I want to make that effort at least 35 times as a 35-year-old. To embrace the first rays of sunshine of 35 unique days and feel the warmth of it on my face.
Progress: 1 on 3/19, 2 on 9/18, 3 on 9/27

Take a Solo Trip

I have this booked, but it hasn’t happened, so it is still a goal because who knows what could happen. I have a solo trip to Moab booked and I cannot wait to explore that place, on my own, for over a week. How lucky am I?!

ACCOMPLISHED! I got to do this and I am not the same having been able to take 11 days all to myself in Colorado and Utah.

Go Back to Asheville, NC

We haven’t been to Asheville since Thanksgiving of 2023. A lot has happened, I know a lot has changed, but I can’t wait to go back and support my favorite eateries, breweries and coffeeshops. Plus, and most importantly, we still have some dear friends who live there that I cannot wait to see!

Progress: We had a trip planned in July that we had to cancel, but I managed to squeeze in a pretty crazy trip to Asheville with my mom and Charleigh for a long girls weekend!

Hike with All My Favorite People

I have so many amazing friends and family members that I have the privilege of also calling “hiking buddies”. So I want to take the time to hit the trails with each of them. Also, special side goal within this goal, I get to take one of my really good friends hiking for the very first time!
Progress: 3/12 – hiked with Shea at Big Bluff in Arkansas, 5/2 – hiked with Shea and Keira at Busiek State Forest, I’ve hiked with my parents multiple times, with Matt’s parents a few times, Kate and Shea several times and all my lovely ladies from hiking club as well!

See 35 Sunsets Somewhere Scenic

Even though I say that sunrise is more special and more sacred, I also still love sunsets. So I’d love to see some sunsets somewhere scenic in this 35th year. Take the time to soak them up. I saw a quote that said sunsets are a great reminder that endings can be beautiful. That has really stuck with me.

Visit a New State Park in Missouri

We’ve been to a handful of state parks in Missouri, but this year I want to challenge ourselves to go to a new one. We’re lucky to have so many state parks in our state and I want to explore these public lands while I can.

Visit a New State Park in Arkansas

We’ve only been to three state parks in Arkansas and we keep returning to them over and over again. I don’t know why we haven’t branched out. So, this year, I’m challenging us to get to a new state park.

Go to a Concert Out of Town

Last year we went to so many concerts. While that isn’t the best move for us this year, I would like to get to at least one out-of-town concert. I have my eye on Gregory Alan Isakov or Twenty-One Pilots again.

ACCOMPLISHED: For true out of town concerts I saw Gregory Alan Isakov in both Bentonville, Arkansas and Kansas City, Missouri. I saw Twenty-One Pilots in Rogers, Arkansas and Chappel Roan in Kansas City, Missouri.

See Petroglyphs I’ve Never Seen Before

I do have this on my list too, but I still have to make it happen. The petroglyphs I’m planning to see require an 8 mile total hike, so I want to be sure to include this as added motivation to be sure to make this a priority.

Accomplished! I actually managed to do this in June when I discovered how close the Intestine Man Petroglyphs were! They were so cool!

Take a Trip with Just Matt

Since 2023, Matt and I have gotten away for a long weekend just the two of us once per year. I want to be sure we do that this year too. We don’t have a destination in mind, but I’d like to be sure we make it happen.

Stargaze in a New Location

Matt and I have gotten pretty into stargazing, so I’d like to make it a priority to stargaze somewhere new. I’m thinking Badlands National Park….

See 15 Waterfalls

We hike a lot, but we haven’t seen as many waterfalls in the last couple of years prioritizing mountains and deserts. But I’d like to see 15 waterfalls this year – not necessarily ones I have never seen before, I just want to hear that rushing water, maybe feel the spray and look at that beauty of them.

Progress (9): We’ve been to 2 repeats in Arkansas this year: Cedar Falls and Magnolia Falls. We saw 3 waterfalls we’ve never seen before in and just outside of Ouray, Colorado: Box Cañon Falls, Cascade Falls and Bear Creek Falls. In Rocky Mountain National Park we saw another waterfall that was new to us: Alberta Falls! While we were in Missouri on a camping trip with my family, we went to Rocky Falls Shut-Ins which is my favorite swimming hole in the state and I love the waterfall here too! My mom, Charleigh and I saw Looking Glass Falls which is always a favorite, easy stop on a trip to Asheville. Kate, Shea and I walked over the top of a small cascade in Branson at the Ruth and Paul Henning Conservation Area.

Visit a Swimming Hole I’ve Never Been to Before

We are finally in a position that we can swim in watering holes with our kiddos and we started to actually prioritize it again. Last summer, we went to two swimming holes we’d never been to, and this year, I’d like to find another one!

Take A Bike Trail I’ve Never Biked On

We bought mountain bikes in 2023, and then for Christmas I asked for a Burley Bee. We have done some neighborhood bike rides and a couple local greenways, but the goal is to take it all with us camping more. So, maybe we can hit a new bike trail!

Accomplished! We did a 6 mile greenway bike trail in Telluride, Colorado! It was really fun, definitely a challenge for me at almost 9k feet of elevation, but unbelievably scenic!

Experience a New Scenic Drive

We love a good scenic hike – if it’s a little bit of a rugged drive, that’s even better. There are a couple 4WD roads in Moab I want to take, and the Million Dollar Highway is definitely calling my name when we’re in Colorado!

Accomplished! We drove the Million Dollar Highway in Colorado! It was absolutely stunning, although a bit windy.

Visit 10 New Breweries

I love craft beer. I mean, I work at a brewery in the Ozarks, for those who didn’t know. I love getting to experience the atmosphere of a new brewery while tasting delicious hazy IPAs, sours and blondes from new breweries.

Progress: 1 – Ouray Brewing in Ouray, Colorado, 2 – Telluride Brewing Company in Mountain Village, Colorado

Write a Poem Inspired By a Trip I’ve Taken

This is a challenge that Matt gave me, and I kinda love it. I have read a lot of poetry lately and I love the idea of writing a poem inspired by my time out in nature. I think that sounds really cool. It may be super crappy, I may really like it… who knows?! But I would love to give it a go.

Attend Three Local Festivals

Local is relative to where we are, but just little festivals that are local to a town. Whether that’s our town or one we happen upon – like the random Elk Festival we attended last summer. It’s so fun to wander around and mingle with people. You never know what you’ll find in a situation like that.

Progress: 1 – Rivercrest Orchard’s Arkansas Tulip Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas, 2 – Toad Suck Daze in Conway Arkansas,

Finish the Buffalo River Trail

I started the Buffalo River Trail as a three-day hike last fall. After my 14.5-mile day, I was dealing with a pretty intense knee injury and I had to call it after one day. But, this year, I want to finish the last two days of this hike.

Kayak, Float or Raft This Year

I have been wanting to get out on the water more frequently. It’s hard to do with kids, but not impossible at all. Last year, I took a float trip with friends and I had so much fun! I’d love to get out on the Current River or the Buffalo River this year. We’ll see what happens!

Take at Least a Day Trip with Stacey

We’ve been traveling together for a long time now. Since we were 21 and it has changed a lot over the years. Last year we got away for a couple nights for the first time since 2019 and I would love to try to do that again this year, but would settle for at least a day trip together! This year marks the 10-year-anniversary of our 101-day trip to Southeast Asia together!

Accomplished! We met up at Bennet Spring State Park for a hike and then hung out in Lebanon afterward! I love these meetups we’re able to do.

Start a Podcast

I’ve been talking to Matt about this for years, and this year, while I was in Canada, he bought the equipment we need to make a podcast! We haven’t jumped on it yet, obviously. But I am hopeful that in the next year, we’ll officially have a For the Love of Wanderlust Podcast.

Some of these goals are loftier than others, but I have had this feeling about 35. That it’s going to be a big, life-changing year and I think having these goals are going to help with that. I am going into this year feeling empowered, inspired and in love with life. I hope to keep that going!

I plan to update this post at the end of each month to track my progress on these goals. I can’t wait to see how this progresses as the year goes on!

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