Hey, Men! Here are 105 Things To Do Before You Die

Look, it’s cliche to say, but life is short, and honestly, we could die tomorrow. And if there’s anything we’ve learned over the last few years, you never know what could happen or how much time you have to do the things you love. If you have a bucket list, putting off doing the things on that list will almost surely end in regret.

Instead of looking back in your twilight years and wondering where the hell it all went, get out there and start living. If you need some ideas of how to take life by the horns, this guide on 100 things to do before you die is the perfect start. From horseback riding and swimming with sharks to climbing the Inca Trail to Machu Picchu and seeing a Formula One race in person, check them out below.

2. Shoot a Gun

Firing a weapon is actually holding an explosion in your hand, and there’s nothing quite as exciting as dotting the middle of a target and bragging about it to your buddies once the smoke settles.

3. Start a Business

Starting a small business and growing it teaches you a range of valuable skills including risk-taking, negotiation, time management, people management, marketing, interpersonal skills, and thinking outside the box.

4. See the Great Barrier Reef

The Great Barrier Reef is the largest living structure in the world, made up of over 2,900 individual reefs, it’s home to thousands of different species of marine life. 

6. Fly in a Helicopter

Take a helicopter ride. With all of the mobility and flexibility to go wherever the pilot wants to go, you’ll be able to experience the skies in a helicopter ride in ways most people never do. Just be sure to take a Dramamine first before taking this bucket list stop off your list!

7. Drive a SuperCar

There are plenty of places (particularly in major swanky cities) that will rent a supercar to you for a day. Get to know what it feels like to pull up to a restaurant and throw the valet the key to your Ferrari, or what it feels like to do zero to sixty in under 4 seconds while 12 cylinders of Italian passion scream behind your head… Yeah, this one’s pretty cool. 

8. Learn How to Drive a Stick

It’s a rite of passage that many guys never go through. While it’s getting harder and hard to find new cars that come with manual transmissions, grab an oldie-but-a-goodie from the 80s or 90s, channel your inner Dominick Turreto, and try your luck at heel-toe downshifting. 

9. Go White Water Rafting

Getting tossed from side to side by rapids while avoiding rocks and working together as a team is one of the craziest things humans can do.

11. Sleep in an Igloo

It can actually be rather cozy inside these snow homes, but you only have to do it once to be able to say you did it.

12. See the Northern Lights

Aurora Borealis (the scientific name for the Northern Lights) is caused by solar wind, or energy from the sun, and it creates some of the most incredible colors and light shows you’ll ever see. If you ever get the opportunity to see the Northern Lights before you die, don’t miss out. 

13. Take a Random Road Trip

Screw it. Pack the car and take off. Go see something. Go see lots of things. Have some life experiences. Take this list with you and check off some bucket list stuff along the way.

14. Go Dog Sledding

I don’t know about you, but growing up reading Jack London books and watching their live-action iterations has always made me want to drive a dog sled. 

16. Drive Route 66

Route 66 is a 2,400-mile route that covers two-thirds of this incredible country, from Lake Michigan through the Midwest, the Mojave Desert, and finally to Los Angeles, California. It’s a bucket list item for tons of people, so make sure to put it on your list as well.

17. Learn a New Language

Whether it’s the language your grandparents spoke before they came to the US or you want to be able to communicate better on an international trip, learning a foreign language will open up possibilities and teach you about other cultures. You might even consider sign language, as you never know when you can connect with someone and change someone’s life.

18. Climb to the Top of a Major Mountain

Lace up those hiking boots, guys, and climb to the top of a major mountain before you die:
Mount McKinley
Mount Rainier
Mount Whitney
Mount Shasta
Grand Teton
Mount Hood
Mount Adams
Mount Baker
Longs Peak
Mount Elbert
Mount Marcy
Mount Washington
Mount Katahdin
Mount St. Helens
Pikes Peak

19. Drive on the Autobahn

While there are regulations, you can probably set your personal record. Extra points for doing it with a Porsche. 

21. Go to the Live Performance of a Legendary Musician

You don’t know how much longer they’ll be around, how long their band will stay together, or how long they can take the toll of being on the road 11 months a year. Go see them before you die, and give yourself extra points if it’s at a music festival with other incredible performers.

22. Walk on the Great Wall of China

The Wall took over 2,300 years to construct, covers an amazing 13,171 miles, and passes through 15 provinces, municipalities, and autonomous regions. There’s really nothing else like it in the world. Put it on your own bucket list and go see it.

23. Swim with a Sea Turtle

Sea turtles have a habit of just letting the world pass them by, swimming gracefully through the water without a care in the world. Swim with them, take notes, and bring some of that relaxed persona home with you.

24. Swim with Dolphins

Dolphins are incredibly intelligent and playful, and to be honest, they probably want to spend time with you. Make sure to put swimming with them on your bucket list.

26. Drink a Guinness in Dublin

Enjoy this dark stout back in the city where it all started. 

27. Drink Wine in Tuscany

Soak in the sun and sip the best wines in the world in wine country itself. 

28. Drink a Beer at Oktoberfest

With so many biers to choose from, go buy an authentic German stein and fill it with suds at Oktoberfest.

29. Drink Tequila in Mexico

Give yourself an authentic Mexican experience and drink a top-shelf tequila. Made from the blue agave plant, the Aztecs believed it was a gift from the gods. The legend is actually quite interesting. 

31. Drink Champagne in France

Champagne originated in France, so crack open a bottle of bubbly in its homeland like a big deal. 

32. Ride a Motorcycle

You can’t die without riding a motorcycle. Sure, you can die on one… 

33. Climb to Machu Picchu

We’ve all seen the pictures, but can you imagine standing there yourself, taking in all there is to see in the Andes mountains? Climb the Inca Trail to the top and take it all in.

34. Jump Out of a Plane (With a Parachute)

Experience freefalling from a plane and the views from the strings of a parachute.

36. Learn to Surf

There might not be a better way to get in touch with Mother Nature than riding her waves. It takes time to master but take some lessons on your next tropical vacation. 

37. Kayak on a Lake

Exercise and relaxation in one package. Kayaking on a calm lake while the mist is lifting will give you a new appreciation for nature before dying. 

38. Go Paintballing with Friends

Whether it’s a bachelor party, a class reunion, or just a vacation, organize a paintball party with your friends. Show that annoying friend what’s what. 

39. Ride in a Hot Air Balloon

Is there a more amazing way to travel than simply harnessing the power of hot air and taking to the great blue skies? Hop in a hot air balloon and check this off your bucket list. There are hot air balloon races and festivals every year, and who knows, maybe you’ll be hooked on everything that hot air balloon piloting has to offer.

41. Learn to Play an Instrument

Guitar, drums, violin, clarinet… You’ll appreciate music in an entirely different way. You do have to keep practicing or you’ll forget, but once you learn how to play some of your favorite songs, it’s one of the best ways to entertain yourself and your friends. 

42. Learn a Badass Skill

If you’re looking to improve yourself and your abilities before you die, learn a new badass skill that impresses everyone who experiences it. If you’re looking for a new skill to learn, this guide on the best badass skills should point you in the right direction. 

43. Visit NYC at Christmas Time

NYC isn’t for everyone, but just about everyone enjoys the lights and Christmas spirit that floats around during the holidays. 

44. Stay for New Year’s Eve

If you came for Christmas, stay for New Year’s Eve. There’s nowhere in the world that takes New Year’s Eve more seriously than Times Square. Watch the ball drop, share a kiss, and sing Auld Lang Syne in NYC. 

46. Sleep Under the Stars

Check the forecast, lather up in bug spray, and set your sleeping bag out under the stars. My suggestion? Find a truck bed to keep creepy crawlies from climbing into the sleeping bag with you.

47. Post a Viral Video

Creating something that people can’t get enough of will give you the confidence to do anything before you die. It can be about anything, but try to bring some value to people so you’re leaving the world a better place than how you found it. Teach them a skill or educate them on issues that matter to leave a real impact. 

48. Learn to Ski

Winter can be tough, but you can make it a lot more enjoyable if you can strap a pair of skis on and go barreling down the slopes. Every trip is an adventure. 

49. Go Whale Watching

Go observe the largest known living creatures play, communicate, and show off in their natural environment. 

51. Take a Cruise

If you need to unplug and just enjoy yourself, a cruise is never a bad idea. Great food, drinks, and activities to unwind with for a few days. It’s far from the most rugged vacation, but it allows you to shut off your brain for a few days and just go with the flow, and some of us need that. 

52. See an Active Volcano

If you want to appreciate the earth’s power, go see an active volcano. Up to 2,200 degrees inside, you’ll have a greater appreciation for the destruction the earth is capable of. However, the fertile soil around most volcanoes also proves how it can create, providing nature’s perfect catch-22. 

53. Visit Stonehenge

There is no better example of a prehistoric wonder than Stonehenge. Believed to be almost 5,000 years old and a ritualistic burial site, this is one bucket list box so many people want to check, even from a young age. Make sure to put it on yours.

54. Ride a Gondola in Venice

Venice is a place like none other, and taking the most famous form of water taxi around town, especially with someone you love, might be the ultimate Italian experience. Be sure to take a gondola in Venice to complete your experience. You’ll want to see the city from the canals, anyway.

56. Take a 1-Month Trip

If you want to learn more about yourself and what you’re really meant to do, take a month off and go on a trip somewhere. It’s not a time to spend drunk, but a time for self-reflection. 

57. Visit Your Family’s Home Country

Get in touch with your roots and culture, and closer to your ancestors, by visiting the country that your family originated from at least once before you kick the bucket.

58. See the Pyramid of Giza

The Pyramid of Giza is on almost every bucket list, but taking these structures in person will blow your mind… Aliens???? I’m not sure, but how else could they get those blocks up there? 

59. Visit the Taj Mahal

One of the most beautiful structures in the world, be sure to take in the Taj Mahal and enjoy this mausoleum for everything it’s worth. A monument built by emperor Shah Jahan for his wife, Mumtaz Mahal, it’s both beautiful, sad, and romantic. Be sure to see it at least once in your lifetime. 

61. Sing Karaoke

Most people can’t fathom it, but those that do it, love it. Take a risk and belt out your best Garth Brooks in front of as many people as possible. 

62. Organize a Charity Event

Give back by organizing a charity event; a  fundraiser or an opportunity to recognize someone for what they do for those in need.

63. Brew Your Own Beer or Wine

Imagine kicking back and enjoying a libation that you made yourself. Learn the ins and outs and the art of homebrewing. 

64. Run a Marathon

Going from not being able to run a mile to running 26.2 is an accomplishment you can be proud of. Training to run a marathon can take years to accomplish, and the benefits of practicing all that time will be improved physical health, mental health, and dedication. 

66. Start a Garden

Gardening is great for the soul, and taking a few moments to go harvest the fruits and vegetables you planted will have you eating better and feeling better. 

67. Prepare a Meal from Things You’ve Harvested

Whether you’re gardening, hunting, or fishing, harvesting food yourself and preparing a meal with it is connecting yourself back to the earth and worth the effort. 

68. Fly First Class for No Reason

You’re worth it. Treat yourself like a big shot by booking that First Class Ticket and enjoying everything the airline has to offer. Dress nice and don’t tell anyone who you are. 

69. See the Grand Canyon

It’s something everyone—man, woman, or otherwise—needs to see in their lifetime. It seems like something we take for granted now, but grandparents would drive across the country just to see the great gorge, and that’s something every many should do before he dies. 

71. Stay in an Overwater Bungalow

Probably the most Instagrammable thing on this list, booking a bungalow over gorgeous blue seas is the epitome of treating yourself. 

72. Visit the Baseball Hall of Fame

Pay homage to our nation’s pastime and some of the greatest men to ever play the game by visiting the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.
Other Halls of Fame: Pro Football Hall of Fame: Canton, OhioBasketball Hall of Fame: Springfield, MassachusettsHockey Hall of Fame: Toronto, CanadaNational Museum of Racing and Hall of Fame: Saratoga Springs, NY

73. Win an Argument

Stand up for what you believe in, and don’t stop until you’ve won. 

74. Lose an Argument

Be respectful but take a risk if you think you’re right. But concede when you realize you’re wrong. This is a skill most men don’t learn before they die. 

76. Buy Your Hero a Drink

This is one of my favorite bucket list items: Do what you can to buy your hero a drink. Whether it’s your dad, your uncle, your football coach, past teachers, or a famous author… Do what you can before it’s too late to show them how much you appreciate who they are.

77. Spend Time By Yourself

Spend some time by yourself. Whether you need to do this in the remote wilderness or on a trip across the country, give yourself the brain space to think and plan.

78. Spend the Holidays in Another Country

If you really want to enjoy another culture, experience their holidays the way they experience them. 

79. Work on a Farm

If you haven’t had the blessing of growing up on farms, you don’t know how hard the salt of the earth is working to keep you fed. Take a summer and help out on a farm. You’ll appreciate everything that much more. 

81. Attend the World Cup

The other biggest spectator event in the world, the World Cup is unlike any other sporting event and it’s one of the most common sports fans’ bucket list items.

82. Attend Wimbledon

Tennis players are some of the most competitive human beings in the world, and nowhere else is this level of competition put on display better than Wimbledon. 

83. Enjoy Another Culture’s Cuisine

Take a risk and try something completely new. Hopefully, it doesn’t become an Along Came Polly incident, but understanding another culture starts with the food. 

84. Write a Book

It doesn’t have to get published, or even be good. But if you write a book, you are an author. Make it your life work and start writing.

86. Build Something with Your Bare Hands

If you’re not a handy guy, challenge yourself by creating something you need with your bare hands. A dog house is a good start, but a shed or deck are also perfect projects. 

87. Learn to Negotiate

Learning to negotiate is a skill that will benefit you in every interaction for the rest of your life. It’s not just a bucket list item. 

88. Play Cards in Vegas

Want to feel like a real hotshot? Sit down at a table in Vegas and do your best to hold your own. 

89. Visit the Hollywood Walk of Fame

Stand where so many greats of the Silver Screen have been and show homage for entertaining you all those years. 

91. Go On a Multi-Day Overlanding Trip

There may be no more rugged experience than packing that Jeep, Tacoma, or Discovery for a multi-day off-road trip. You’ll be able to knock a few items off this bucket list with a well-planned trip, as well.

92. Design a Home

Once in your life, design a home that would make you truly happy. You might not ever build it, but keep it as motivation to keep pushing and someday you might. But design it first. 

93. Set a Big Goal and Achieve It

Set a lofty goal and don’t stop until you get there. Maybe it’s amassing multiple millions of dollars in the bank, starting and selling a massive tech company, creating an incredible real estate portfolio, performing in front of tens of thousands of people, or running for office and winning. Go with your biggest goals or go home. 

94. Hold Your Great-Grandchild

Live well and healthy enough to see and hold your great-grandchild. My grandfather did and it couldn’t matter more to me. You can have that impact on someone someday as well. And, I’m pretty sure it was important to him, as well. 

You can change a kid’s life by coaching their team. Who knows, you may be the only positive role model they have. They’ll remember you forever. 

96. Tip Someone Big

At least once in your life, give someone the tip they actually deserve. If they’ve been kind, caring, attentive, friendly, and genuine, give them a surprise and tip them far more than they ever expected. It will change their life.

97. Help Someone Who Needs It

Too many men move past people in need and think “I can’t help them.” Yes, you can. Do the right thing and help someone in need when you get the chance. 

98. Attend the Indy 500

The quintessential motorsports Mecca, the Indy 500 runs every year around Memorial Day, and it’s a weekend steeped in tradition. It’s one of those things to do before you die, so don’t pass up an opportunity. 

99. Go To a Movie Premier

It might not be easy to get in, but rub elbows and hobnob with whoever you have to. Being one of the first people to see an incredible movie, and the events you had to go through to get there, will make for the story of a lifetime. 

101. Give a Public Address

Remember public speaking class from college? Put it to work by getting out in front of a crowd, convention, auditorium, or another place and telling a story. You’ll be nervous, sure, but the pride you’ll feel when it’s all done will have the dopamine flowing. 

102. Visit Arlington National Cemetery

Show your patriotism and appreciation for the men and women who died protecting our freedom. While you’re there, consider visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. There are four crypts, three of which are occupied with the bodies of unknown soldiers. Nothing should bring this nation together more than acknowledging it could be anyone, from any culture, political view, and socio-economic class in there. Thank you.

103. Spend Mardi Gras in New Orleans

Do this early, as the older you get, the less hospitable Bourbon Street will be. But you definitely want to experience Mardi Gras in New Orleans at least once in your life. 

104. Enter an Archery Contest

Go full Robin Hood and enter an archery contest. Practice, compete, and show yourself that you can accomplish something so difficult as hitting a bullseye with a flying stick and a piece of fiberglass. There may be no more rewarding hobby than mastering archery. 

Your Turn

Anything I missed? Love the list or freggin hate it? Either way, let me know below. Also, sign up for the mailing list below so you don’tmiss any updates or new articles. Now get out there and live your life! -Tom