The Ultimate Couples' Travel Bucket List • Gold Coast Girls Blog

This post was written by Michael and Alexandra (Alex) Gallagher from the travel blog Couple’s Coordinates!

Over this past year we have had countless honeymoon-quality trips and adventures, and we aren’t even engaged yet! As one might expect, we’ve developed quite an awesome couples’ travel bucket list that we wanted to share with you all.

Here are our top picks of must-do adventures for your couples’ travel bucket list!

Kayak in Positano, Italy

Positano is the absolute epitome of a naturally beautiful, cliff side city by the sea coupled with truly amazing people, and some of the most delicious food one can find in all of Italy.

Rent a kayak by the hour from the main dock and spend your day exploring hidden beaches and enjoying the breathtaking coastal views… castles included!

Snorkel on The Gili Islands

When you can rent a snorkel and mask on the beach for $3 there is no reason not to take advantage of the crystal clear warm water that the Gili Islands has to offer!

Gili Meno in particular is known for having tons of sea turtles and beautiful fish. No need to even rent a boat if you stay on Gili Meno, you can simply walk out to the water in front of your hotel and make some new turtle friends!

Visit the Canals of Amsterdam

Amsterdam is one of the most beautiful cities we have ever been to. Take a romantic boat ride through the canals, or even just enjoy the views from above! The city is full of architecture, unique culture, and delicious food—our favorite thing were the stroopwafels!

Also, if you both love good music and dancing, attending Amsterdam Music Festival and the Amsterdam Dance Event are imperative!

Stop Time at Shibuya Crossing

Kiss in the middle of the madness. There’s something special about how love can stop time. Walk into the middle of Shibuya Crossing in Tokyo, Japan (during a green light of course), stop in the middle of the road, and just stand there kissing for a minute.

You’ll be surrounded by monotony but time will seem to stop for you and we found it incredibly romantic!

Visit Croatia’s National Parks

Hike the picturesque Plitvice Lakes and swim in the natural waterfalls at Krka National Park. Be sure to get to both parks right when they open to enjoy the beauty without the crowds!

Parasail in the South of France

Nice is home to a gorgeous coastline, cute restaurants, and a number of beautiful beaches. Take a walk along the boardwalk where you’ll find a variety of water activities. Our favorite was parasailing!

Ride ATVs on Greek Islands

The “Honeymoon Island” of Greece, Santorini, is covered with white buildings that are accented by a blue paint that mimics the natural blue beauty of the surrounding sea. It’s a stunning and iconic view.

Hike the volcano just off the west coast of Santorini with your loved one, or grab an ATV and explore the island’s surreal views.

Take a Cooking Class in Florence, Italy

How could we not include our second home and the birthplace of the Renaissance? There are numerous cooking classes offered to the public in Florence. We suggest booking a class that is offered out of the chef’s home.

It’s some of the most fun we’ve ever had in the kitchen together!

Go to Oktoberfest in Munich

Having fun as a couple is absolutely imperative. If you’re stifled by stuffy dates and too much seriousness you’ll always be left wanting more.

Playing, joking, and having a great time together are all such important aspects of a relationship.

So what could be better than drinking beer, eating pretzels, and singing your hearts out to classic German drinking songs!? Not to mention the new friends you’ll make in the process.

Catch a Wave in Bali

Bali’s warm blue waters host some of the best surf breaks in the world. Most public beaches will offer very affordable board rentals and even lessons if you’ve never surfed before. There’s nothing more fun than playing in the water or learning something new with the one you love!

Read More: The Ultimate Bali Travel Guide

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Spending a year abroad sounds exciting… until you see the planning involved.
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Flights, edits, contracts, itineraries — not to mention the admin of being a mom. I’m usually running everything at once, so having a laptop that can keep up makes a huge difference.

I’ve been using an AMD Ryzen AI–powered laptop to keep everything organized, run AI tools even when WiFi isn’t available, and work from wherever we happen to be in the world.

So I can finish what I need to do… and get back to what’s most important ❤️
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

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Spending a year abroad sounds exciting… until you see the planning involved.
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
Flights, edits, contracts, itineraries — not to mention the admin of being a mom. I’m usually running everything at once, so having a laptop that can keep up makes a huge difference.

I’ve been using an AMD Ryzen AI–powered laptop to keep everything organized, run AI tools even when WiFi isn’t available, and work from wherever we happen to be in the world.

So I can finish what I need to do… and get back to what’s most important ❤️
•••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#AMDPartner #AMDRyzenAIPower #ad

@AMD

Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

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Some places are worth coming back to 🐧

Boulders Beach, Cape Town with Oliver
9 months → 21 months → 3.5 years

I blinked and my baby become a toddler…
and my toddler become a little boy. 😭

January Wrapped 🗓️
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We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

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January Wrapped 🗓️
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
We landed in Cape Town mid-January and hit the ground running.

Oliver and I packed up our life and moved abroad for a year — chasing a simple question: what’s the best that could happen?

My parents joined us for the first month — which meant extra hands, loving support, and the sweetest way to begin this chapter.

Between toddler sickness (IYKYK) and playing full-time tour guide, we somehow managed to squeeze in so much life.

A long weekend in Paternoster.
Glamping under the stars at Camp Canoe.
Summertime in the city.
Oliver starting at his new preschool.
Adventures through the Cape Winelands.
Slow weekends at the farmer’s market.
Afternoons stretched long at the beach.

It’s been messy and magical.
Exhausting and energizing.

Somewhere between pharmacy runs and beach swims, it started to feel less like a move…

and more like the start of our biggest adventure yet! 🌍
••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••
#capetown

Sun-drenched mornings, salty air, and the kind of place that makes you instantly exhale @waldorfastoriacostarica ✌️
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Our stay at this brand-new property was truly a dream — sweeping ocean views, elevated design, and more pools than I’ve ever seen at a hotel in my entire life.

From award-winning wellness to coconuts by the pool, every detail felt thoughtful and intentional.

🧖‍♀️ The Spa
Recently named Costa Rica’s Best Resort Spa, this sanctuary blends modern wellness with local healing traditions — volcanic mud rituals, rainforest-inspired therapies, and grounding treatments that leave you floating.

🛎️ Amenities
World-class service, beachfront access, a stunning collection of pools (truly — endless), curated experiences, and those sweet elevated touches everywhere you turn. Newly opened, yet already operating like a seasoned 5-star icon.

💦 Kids’ Club
One of the coolest spaces for littles — crafts, games, toys, and outdoor play areas that made traveling with Oliver feel easy (and fun for him, too).

🥥 The Food & Coffee
Fresh, locally sourced Costa Rican flavors with elevated execution. Oceanfront bites, poolside snacks, handcrafted coffee experiences, and yes… plenty of coconuts.

🌿 Sustainability
Proud holders of the Bandera Azul Ecológica for conservation and environmental efforts — luxury and responsibility beautifully intertwined.

We truly cannot wait to come back. ✨

If you’re looking for a luxury, family-friendly escape in Costa Rica — this is your spot.

A huge thank you to @waldorfastoriacostarica for hosting us on this sunshine-soaked getaway.
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#costarica #waldorfastoria #luxuryfamilytravel #familytravel

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A little late sharing this — but I needed time to sit with 2025. It was so much more than what made it to Instagram.
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This was the year I stopped measuring life in miles traveled… and started measuring it in the days we weren’t promised.

Not in passport stamps.
Not in hotel check-ins.
Not in how far we could go.

But in the quiet relief of “clear.”
In small hands squeezing mine tighter.
In birthday candles and quiet camping mornings.
In laughter that came back after fear.

2025 was the plot twist year.

The year I learned strength doesn’t look like control —
it looks like surrender.
It looks like showing up anyway.
It looks like choosing joy even when you know how fragile it is.

And it looks like being surrounded by the people who love us most.

We traveled the world.
But more importantly —
we celebrated what we almost lost.

And at the end of it all?
We packed up our life and chose a new continent. 🇿🇦

2025, you were heavy.
You were also beautiful.
You changed me.

2026 — I’m ready.
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#2025wrapped