The team at Parkdean Resorts have done some digging to find out exactly what’s at the top of your bucket list for 2021, and the results are surprising.
Humans all have things they want to accomplish in their lives: some people want to travel the world, others want to gain fame and fortune, while others want to raise a family. However, a lot of those plans have been put on hold in the last year, so Parkdean Resorts wanted to see if our bucket lists had changed as a result.
By taking some of the world’s most popular bucket list ideas and comparing them with their popularity online, Parkdean Resorts has been able to find out which activities, milestones and goals are on the rise.
Read on to discover how milestones and personal development have become the forefront of people’s ambitions, while international travel has taken a backseat.
The Top 10 Bucket List Items for 2021
| Ranking | Bucket List Idea | Search Volume | Ranking Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| #1 | Buy a car | 74,000 | +87 |
| #2 | Donate blood | 49,500 | +13 |
| #3 | Skydive | 27,200 | -1 |
| #4 | Buy a house | 27,100 | +5 |
| #5 | Scuba dive | 14,800 | +2 |
| #6 | Write a book | 12,100 | +8 |
| #7 | Learn to play guitar | 9,900 | +35 |
| #8 | Learn French | 9,800 | +50 |
| #9 | Learn sign language | 8,100 | +29 |
| #10 | Fall in love | 6,600 | +19 |
#1 Buy a car
It might seem surprising that something as mundane as buying a car is at the top of our bucket lists right now, but it looks like the craving for independence and to get out of the house has sent it skyrocketing for 2021. Originally sat at 88th place, people looking to buy a car have increased placing it high above any other idea. Life-changing purchases are a common theme of the 2021 Bucket List, with more of us managing to save for these milestones over the past year.
#2 Donate blood
It seems in 2021 people in the UK are more eager than ever to help others and ‘do our bit,’ as the second most common bucket list idea is to donate blood. The hard work of the amazing NHS staff, and the many charitable deeds by people like Sir Tom Moore, have been so inspiring to watch that good deeds seem to have spread across the country.
#3 Skydive
Thrillseekers are still looking for things to add to their bucket lists, and skydiving is by far the most popular request. Possibly due to the ability to skydive almost anywhere in the world, it looks like our taste for travel has turned into seeking adrenaline at the dizzy heights of 14,000 feet. The spine tingling activity originally sat in 2nd place, but has seen only a slight decline in the past year.
#4 Buy a house
Many of us have been living and working exclusively from our homes recently, which may explain the rise in looking to buy a place of our own. Edging up the ranking by 5 places, people are looking to buy a home more than ever, likely spurred on by the increased ability to work from home meaning many don’t need to live as close to the city centre as they once thought.
#5 Scuba dive
Scuba diving is always a popular bucket list item, but for 2021 it seems like Brits are less interested in the where, and more interested in the what. Similar to skydiving in its location versatility, scuba diving provides adventure and exploration without the need to travel half way across the world. Why not book a scuba diving lesson at Sea Acres Holiday Park in Cornwall and try it for yourself?
Top 10 activities for 2021
| Ranking | Bucket List Idea | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Skydive | 27,200 |
| #2 | Scuba dive | 14,800 |
| #3 | Bungee jump | 12,100 |
| #4 | Ride in a helicopter | 4,400 |
| #5 | Swim with dolphins | 3,600 |
| #6 | Ride an elephant | 1,600 |
| #7 | Ride a camel | 1,150 |
| #8 | Go kayaking | 1,050 |
| #9 | Fly a plane | 1,000 |
| #10 | Learn to ride a motorcycle | 720 |
Although travel has fallen out of the top 10, activities and experiences have managed to keep a steady hand, with those that can be done in Britain rising to the top of the list. Skydiving, scuba diving and bungee jumping are the top 3 activities chosen, all with huge interest online in the past year. It seems that the public are less interested in where to go and more concerned with what to do, with location becoming irrelevant and our hunger for new experiences in the UK becoming the top priority.
Top 10 milestones to hit in 2021
| Ranking | Bucket List Idea | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Buy a car | 74,000 |
| #2 | Donate blood | 49,500 |
| #3 | Buy a house | 27,100 |
| #4 | Write a book | 12,100 |
| #5 | Fall in love | 6,600 |
| #6 | Write a song | 6,600 |
| #7 | Get married | 5,700 |
| #8 | Adopt a child | 5,400 |
| #9 | Run a marathon | 2,900 |
| #10 | Get a tattoo | 590 |
The joy of the every day has never been more appreciated than in the last year, and the public are all looking forward to the simpler things in life returning. Things that have maybe been considered ‘everyday’ are now the things they crave the most - family, love, charity and self-improvement! Falling in love comes in as the 5th top milestone, and while it may be one of the hardest to achieve, romantic holiday in the UK may help move things along.
Top skills to learn in lockdown
| Ranking | Bucket List Idea | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Learn to play guitar | 9,900 |
| #2 | Learn French | 9,800 |
| #3 | Learn sign language | 8,100 |
| #4 | Learn to swim | 1,300 |
| #5 | Learn to surf | 590 |
Lockdown gives a lot of time for reflection, self-improvement and learning (what else can you do with your time?) and it seems like plenty of people are finding this to be true as they add learning new skills to their bucket lists. Skills such as learning French, playing the guitar and learning sign language can be done comfortably at home, whilst others like learning to surf can be done in various locations across the UK.
Top 10 travel goals for 2021
| Ranking | Bucket List Idea | Search Volume |
|---|---|---|
| #1 | Go to Greece | 5,400 |
| #2 | Travel the world | 4,500 |
| #3 | Visit London | 4,400 |
| #4 | Visit Ireland | 1,300 |
| #5 | Visit Australia | 1,000 |
| #6 | Visit Italy | 880 |
| #7 | Visit Rome | 760 |
| #8 | Visit Thailand | 720 |
| #9 | Ride a gondola in Venice | 590 |
| #10 | Visit New York | 580 |
Travel has taken a huge hit in the last year, and although it has previously reigned as leader of the bucket list, there aren’t any travel ambitions in the 2021’s top 10. In past years, seeing The Northern Lights has sat at the top of people’s bucket lists, but it’s now seen a significant drop to 37th place. Destinations worldwide are seeing less searches, with people choosing to focus on the ‘here and now’ rather than far off places.
Fancy ticking some off your list?
Fingers crossed, in the not-too-distant future Brits will be able to head out of our homes and start adventuring again.
So, whether you’re looking to discover hidden gems on your doorstep, hit a major milestone, learn some new skills or take on a brand new experience, you can find it at all at one of our locations across the country.
Methodology
Parkdean Resorts compared the top 100 Bucket List items from bucketlist.net with Google Search data from the last 12 months to determine which items have seen the most searches over the last year. Any double ups were removed.