If extensive travel is a priority for your family, a fun and effective way to meet your goals is by embarking on a specific quest to do so.
My family, for example, aims to visit all fifty U.S. states before my oldest goes to college. He is currently 10 and we have a ways to go, but this quest has already opened us up to countless travel destinations we might not have otherwise considered and has motivated us to travel like never before. We love checking off each new state and studying our maps to decide where to go next. It has been a joy.
I was inspired to establish this quest for my family after hearing Chris Guilliebeau’s story.
Author and blogger Chris Guillibeau completed his own quest to visit every country in the world, and subsequently penned “The Happiness of Pursuit”—a great exposition of how a quest can improve your life.
In an interview with financial guru Remit Sethi, Guillibeau defined a quest like this:
“A quest is a journey with a clear goal or destination and a lot of milestones along the way. There’s always an element of challenge—it shouldn’t be too easy. Finally, there’s also usually an element of change or transformation that occurs along the way.”
A quest can take any shape. When taken on as a family, each step closer to the goal is a celebration and the momentum of success thrusts you forward to continue to take action toward your mission.
Perhaps you'd like to consider a quest for your family. The possibilities are endless. Here are some ideas to inspire your own.
Visit The Top 100 Best Ice Cream Parlors
Ride Every Rollercoaster in the United States
Send the Grandparents Postcards from 50 Cities
Eat at an Italian Restaurant in 30 Major Cities
Visit every European Capital
See Every Baseball Stadium in the United States
Travel Along Every Major River in the World
Collect Shells From 50 Beaches
Capture a Picture of 100 Different Birds, Statues, or Landmarks
Visit the Settings of 50 Favorite Books
Celebrate Each Family Member’s Birthday in a Different City
Visit All U.S. National Parks
Visit All 50 States
Visit Every Country in the World
This list could go on for miles.
If you decide to take on a travel quest as a family, beware. Doors have a way of opening, possibilities have a way of showing up, education happens like magic, and the truly great fun therein may just take you by surprise.
Happy Travels!
