My 40th Birthday Travel Wish List - Help Me Decide!

Hello and happy new year! Did you have a nice holiday? Did Santa bring you everything you wished for? He didn’t for me! I did not get my film house deed. It does stop my belief in the big man, but it does make me think my dreams were too lofty.

In 25 weeks, I will be 40. That seems like a lifetime away, but I am not wishing the weeks away. Winter is wintering and I am leaning into the slower days, wishing everyone some time to relax and recharge before the warm weather. Once that hits, everyone will spring back into action. The recharge can do us all good. Let that be the only resolution you deem a requirement for your year ahead. Do not commit to anything you honestly believe you cannot follow through on.

Speaking of.

Before my 39th birthday, I had made a promise to my husband that I would do one thing: pick my 40th birthday trip. This would give us one year to plan the details, save and make proper arrangements. On June 27, 2025, I was no closer to figuring it out. Two trips were on the shortlist, but that has since grown to four and I cannot decide. Yet, I must.

Birthdays are cause for celebration, doing something you love. I just hope my 40th is not similar to my 30th, with my pre-trip car fire, before leaving for Las Vegas. The end of June is a transition period: school has ended, summer is here with a short period to enjoy the sun, clear skies and rebirth of the world. We are out of our caves and ready to absorb as much UV as is healthily possible. That is when my birthday falls and I love it.

My promise to decide had pure intentions and I was hopeful I could settle on one route. But the more I think about it, the more confused I get. There’s so many activities, locations and bucket list items I want to do, see and check-off. Milestone birthdays should be a multiday affair. I am not looking to make June or July my month to celebrate, but a few days to reflect, recharge and renew my year ahead. I have at least narrowed it down to these four ideas. So please, help me out. Which one should I choose? Which one screams “RON” and “YOU ARE 40” and “YOU ARE AN AGED MILLENIAL WHO'S SUFFERING FROM A POTENTIAL MIDLIFE CRISIS”?

My criteria for choosing are as follows:

• Europe is my preferred general area
• I like cruises or train trips. Both take me to where I want to go while still being able to explore the area, plus neither Phil or I have to drive.
• Temperature is a variable. I like a calm, cool day as much as I love a sunny, active day.
• New, unique experiences and actively absorbing the lifestyle of our visiting locations is important to me

Croatia, Slovenia and the Adriatic Sea

Croatia and Slovenia have been on our bucket list for a few years, since our last trip to Europe. My vision is to wake up in a seaside hotel or apartment, hearing small bursts of bustling locals. The sun is up, shining straight into our accommodations and begging for attention. We rise for a full day outside. The plan is to eat a hearty breakfast, grab coffee and make our way to a beach for a relaxing day in the sun and sand. The aqua waters are calling me, clear and crisp soak in, combating the heat from the sun. Don’t worry, we have an umbrella to keep us sheltered for breaks. Mid-afternoon, we head back to the room for a nap and freshening up. Dinner is at a local restaurant, something hidden from other tourists, with captivating smells of the freshly prepared foods we barely can pronounce. A stroll around the town to cool down before heading back, ready for the rest of our trip.

It sounds like a perfect day, but it would be one of many days. We would tour the Adriatic Sea and Dalmatian Coast. A pilgrimage to Lake Bled and Ljubljana, Slovenia, is a must. As well as a visit to Plitvice Lake National Park would be on the itinerary.

Pros: the sun soaked area has beautiful coastlines and stunning architecture. Warmer weather is a higher possibility for nicer days. Traveling around the coast and countries by train is one of my favourite modes of transportation. Slovenia is still underrated as a destination. Potentially to visit neighbouring countries like Italy, Bosnia and Herzegovina, or Montenegro.

Cons: tourist season kicks in at the end of June, which can draw out larger crowds. This also could yield higher prices for rooms, dining and transit. Larger crowds can affect the mood and impact the experience. With this type of travel, everything is paid for individually versus a package deal. I don’t want to dance in a frying pan again.

Cruise to Iceland

Iceland is a magical place, from what I have seen. The small Nordic island has become a sought-after destination for adventurers and I cannot deny its appeal. There are two cruises to Iceland that combine my hope to spend a birthday on a cruise with venturing to new territories.

Leaving from London, England, we would sail one of two routes: either a roundtrip up to Iceland with stops in Northern Ireland and Northern Scotland with Carnival Cruise Lines; or, London to Reykjavik with stops in the UK and Norway with Norwegian Cruise Lines. The passage to Iceland might be dicey, but there’s nothing more relaxing to me than staring out at the vast ocean expanse. The weather will be cooler, so we won’t have the same experience onboard as we might with a Caribbean cruise. This could also include more hikes and sightseeing. The cruises both go around Iceland, with multiple stops, to see the natural beauty this land possesses.

When Carnival announced a change to their rewards program, we no longer felt loyal to the brand. The changeover was to take place June 1, but now has been delayed until September 2026. Perhaps someone was reading my mind at Carnival. This cruise would bump us up to the platinum level, which was part of the reason we wanted to take this cruise. The itinerary has since changed, totaling four stops in Iceland versus three (they removed one stop in Northern Scotland). On the other hand, I like the route for NCL because it stops in Scotland with a chance to see Edinburgh. You will read more about this desire to visit Edinburgh below, but at least I would get a taste. I also like that it starts and ends in different spots. We would get one night on the ship in Reykjavik before disembarking, allowing for a longer visit without having to spend more on accommodations, food or transit.

Pros: this is a unique cruise I have thought about for a long time. It sails over my birthday, which is where I would like to celebrate from at least once. Both itineraries give us a chance to go back to the United Kingdom, which I love. We see different locations and get to visit Iceland without the added costs that come with visiting such a remote location. Potentially shorter flights as well, if we end in Reykjavik, which I like. All the costs, except flights, are factored in. You pay once and you are done. It would be a different experience, something we may never do more than once.

Cons: the weather is temperamental and we would have to pack for the random weather. Many blogs I have read and vlogs I have watched state that the weather is unpredictable. It could be as high as 15 degrees Celsius, but also a chance of snow in June. The rate for this cruise is high, which my frugal side cringes at.

United Kingdom, Pop Culture Tour

I have been an anglophile forever. My own British invasion started with Mr. Bean and the Spice Girls and continues to expand. For this trip, I want to visit England, Scotland and Wales with the primary purpose of visiting popular culture spots. I want to watch a live taping of any of my favourite British chat or game shows: Taskmaster, Graham Norton or Cats Does Countdown, to name a few. I adore British comedians and have seen a couple when they visit Canada, but it would be fun to see them live on their home turf. My husband and in-laws got me onto Coronation Street, which I tune into every so often, but would crawl the cobblestones of the studio tour, begging for Tina’s return. Roald Dahl is one of my favourite authors so a visit to the museum would be necessary. We would start down south and work our way north, visiting family and friends if we can, and ending in Edinburgh. I want to see where Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga was filmed, but also feel connected to my vague Scottish roots. Oddly enough, I want to know what Tim Hortons coffee tastes like over there. I dislike it immensely here, so I need to understand why it’s internationally adored. To do so, I want to visit one of the two Timmie's in Wales.

Pros: I get my ultimate UK fix. I have been registered on the SRO Audiences email list for a couple of years, receiving notifications about upcoming studio audience opportunities. If we lived there, this would be a regular activity. This is a bucket list item that I could check off, especially Taskmaster. We would see friends and family, finally seeing places they talk about with adoration.

Cons: again, the cost could be quite high. While we love train travel, there have been complaints about the UK rail system that could impact our route. The visit would be timely, based on when filming schedules are, and may not coincide with my actual birthday. Plus there is no guarantee of the tickets or schedules this far in advance. This might need to be a whim trip versus a thoroughly planned itinerary, which could be costly in accommodations and transit.

Christmas Markets

When the holiday season comes around, my vision of sugarplums is substituted for visions of market stalls. European Christmas markets are high on my bucket list. They have been recommended to us frequently over the past few years but our visits have been a month or two too early. My idea is to make a small route between two major cities, such as Munich, Germany, and Budapest, Hungary, and travel from town to town, making stops to visit large and small markets. Spend evenings under twinkling lights, sipping regional favourites like gluhwein, Lebkuchen, chimney cakes and the best of the wursts. Collect some handmade treasures to bring home and be invigorated for the holidays through classic traditions.

Pros: Christmas markets are a staple to European holiday traditions. It would be a winter birthday I never would experience unless properly planned. It combines my love of train travel with visiting historic cities at a magical time of year. It’s a concept I have thought about for years and would be the ultimate Christmas adventure. Given our history with European travel, we could create an itinerary that avoids hot spots…unless everyone thinks that way…

Cons: my birthday is in June, so this would not just be a birthday trip. November and December tend to be tough times for us to get away from work. Christmas market tourism is its own category of chaos. If you visit a large city like Vienna, you are bound to see a spike in visitors who can overcrowd the streets. The cost to visit markets is dependent on what you spend, but some YouTube videos have shown surge pricing for the foods, drinks and market goods, when you can get similar products for less on the outskirts of the general market area. Not to mention the cost to visit that time of year.

So which trip sounds most ideal for a 40th birthday? Please do not confuse me with another itinerary - I am easily susceptible to suggestions - but have you visited any of these locations and have recommendations to add on?

As I said, only 25 weeks to go until my 40th. Time to make a decision.