Matt: /* Pacific Coast Road Trip */

2026-09-02T20:27:01Z

Pacific Coast Road Trip

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This page contains destinations, experiences, and travel ideas that I would like to consider for future [[Travel and vacations]]. Some are specific trips I hope to take, while others are ideas that simply sounded interesting and are worth remembering. Items can be researched over time and moved to [[Upcoming vacations]] when I decide to take the trip.

=== Highest Priority Trips ===

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! Destination
! Why I Want to Go
! Best Time to Visit
! Estimated Length
! Priority
! Status
|-
| Japan
| Tokyo, Kyoto, food, history, and culture
| March–April or October–November
| 10–14 days
| High
| Researching
|-
| Italy
| Rome, Florence, Venice, art, history, and food
| April–May or September–October
| 10–14 days
| High
| Idea
|-
| Alaska
| Glaciers, wildlife, mountains, and photography
| June–August
| 7–10 days
| High
| Researching
|-
| Iceland
| Waterfalls, geothermal areas, Northern Lights, and scenery
| September–March for Northern Lights
| 7–10 days
| Medium
| Idea
|-
| Yellowstone and Grand Teton
| Wildlife, hiking, photography, and national parks
| June–September
| 7–10 days
| Medium
| Idea
|}

=== International Destinations ===
This section contains notes on international vacation destinations.

==== Japan ====

* Possible Length: 12–14 days
* Places to Visit:
** Tokyo
** Kyoto
** Osaka
** Hiroshima
** Mount Fuji area
* Things I Would Like to Do:
** Ride the Shinkansen
** Visit traditional temples and gardens
** Explore Tokyo neighborhoods
** Visit a Japanese onsen
** Attend a traditional cultural performance
** Try regional Japanese foods
** Photograph Mount Fuji
** Spend several days exploring Kyoto
* Best Time to Visit: Spring or fall
* Research Questions:
** Is a Japan Rail Pass worthwhile for the planned itinerary?
** How difficult is independent travel without speaking Japanese?
** How far in advance should hotels be booked during cherry blossom season?
** Would it be better to fly into Tokyo and return from Osaka?

==== Italy ====

* Possible Length: 10–14 days
* Places to Visit:
** Rome
** Florence
** Venice
** Tuscany
** Amalfi Coast
* Things I Would Like to See:
** Colosseum
** Roman Forum
** Vatican Museums
** Sistine Chapel
** Uffizi Gallery
** Florence Cathedral
** Venice canals
** Pompeii
* Experiences:
** Take a cooking class
** Travel between cities by train
** Spend a day exploring Tuscany
** Try regional foods and wines
** Visit smaller towns in addition to major cities
* Possible Itinerary:
# Rome – 4 days
# Florence – 3 days
# Venice – 2 days
# Tuscany or Amalfi Coast – 3 days

==== Iceland ====

* Possible Length: 7–10 days
* Reasons to Visit:
** Northern Lights
** Waterfalls
** Glaciers
** Geothermal pools
** Volcanic landscapes
** Photography
* Places / Experiences:
** Reykjavík
** Golden Circle
** Blue Lagoon or another geothermal spa
** South Coast
** Jökulsárlón glacier lagoon
** Northern Lights tour
* Questions:
** Would I prefer visiting during summer for long daylight hours or winter for the Northern Lights?

=== United States Destinations ===
This section contains notes on domestic vacation destinations.

==== Alaska ====

* Possible Length: 7–10 days
* Ideas:
** Alaska cruise
** Denali National Park
** Glacier viewing
** Whale watching
** Wildlife photography
** Scenic train ride
* Trip Options to Compare:
** Cruise only
** Cruise plus land tour
** Independent land trip
* Research Questions:
** Which cruise route offers the best scenery?
** Is a balcony cabin worth the additional cost?
** How many days should be added for Denali?
** What photography equipment should I bring?

==== Yellowstone and Grand Teton ====

* Possible Length: 7–10 days
* Things to See:
** Old Faithful
** Grand Prismatic Spring
** Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone
** Lamar Valley
** Yellowstone Lake
** Grand Teton National Park
** Jenny Lake
* Interests:
** Wildlife
** Landscape photography
** Hiking
** Geology
* Notes
** Consider staying inside or very close to the parks to reduce driving time.

==== Pacific Coast Road Trip ====

* Route Idea: Seattle → Portland → Oregon Coast → Northern California → San Francisco
* Possible Length: 10–14 days
* Stops to Consider:
** Seattle
** Mount Rainier
** Portland
** Cannon Beach
** Redwood National and State Parks
** Napa Valley
** San Francisco

=== National Parks ===

Parks I would like to visit:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
! National Park
! State
! Primary Interest
! Priority
! Visited?
|-
| Yellowstone
| Wyoming / Montana / Idaho
| Wildlife and geothermal features
| High
| No
|-
| Grand Teton
| Wyoming
| Mountains and photography
| High
| No
|-
| Yosemite
| California
| Scenery and hiking
| High
| No
|-
| Glacier
| Montana
| Hiking and mountains
| Medium
| No
|-
| Acadia
| Maine
| Coastline and hiking
| Medium
| No
|-
| Zion
| Utah
| Hiking and scenery
| Medium
| No
|-
| Bryce Canyon
| Utah
| Geology and photography
| Medium
| No
|}

=== Experiences ===

Not every bucket-list item needs to be a particular destination.

==== Nature and Wildlife ====

* See the Northern Lights
* Go whale watching
* See a glacier
* Visit an active volcanic area
* Go on an African safari
* See giant redwood trees
* Visit a dark-sky location for stargazing
* See autumn foliage in New England

==== Transportation Experiences ====

* Take an overnight sleeper train
* Travel on a high-speed train in Japan
* Take a scenic train through the Canadian Rockies
* Take an Alaska cruise
* Take a European river cruise
* Take a long-distance road trip

==== Cultural Experiences ====

* Attend a performance at a famous opera house
* Attend a traditional Japanese tea ceremony
* Take a cooking class in another country
* Visit a Christmas market in Europe
* Attend a major international festival
* Visit important historical sites with a knowledgeable guide

=== Someday / Maybe ===

Destinations that sound interesting but are not currently high priorities:

* Australia and New Zealand
* Antarctica
* Galápagos Islands
* Egypt
* Greece
* Norway
* Switzerland
* Scotland
* Costa Rica
* Canadian Rockies
* Patagonia
* Hawaii
* South Africa
* Singapore
* Vietnam
* Peru and Machu Picchu

Travel bucket list - Revision history

Matt: /* Pacific Coast Road Trip */