1000 Places to See Before You Die

This is one of my favorite books. 1000 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz. Because of its weight, it is what I like to think of as a coffee table book, rather than a travel guide book. As in, if I were to travel somewhere, I would not bring this book on the trip with me. I would leave it on my coffee table.

Whenever I go on an adventure, I enjoy looking in this book to see if there are any points of interest to visit. I jot any interesting points down (in a notebook) or circle the locations in the purse-sized travel guide I plan to bring along. When I return home from my adventures, I add any interesting bits of information I have accumulated to that particular entry and rank it (ex: 5/10, 10/10).

Now, lets be honest. Very few people will every see every place in this book, but it can still be fun to try (if you are one of the few, consider me jealous of you). If you happen to be in the area, it might be worth it to check out the recommended locations in these pages.

Here is where I turn this book into a game:

Whenever a family member goes on a trip, I make them consult this book (or do it for them). When they return home, I also have them review anywhere they have visited (everyone has their own ranking system - stars, some are out of 5 instead of 10 - it doesn't matter as long as it is understandable) and sign and date it. I may never see all of these places, but perhaps my family will over time.

I recommend you pick it up and give it a try. You may find you have already visited some of these spots. Perhaps even in your own home town.