60 Things to Do Before 60: A Guide for a Fabulous Second Half

Turning 50 is a big deal. It’s like halfway over, right? Wrong — it’s just beginning. It’s time to reflect on accomplishments and set new goals. A time to decide how you want to live the rest of your life. So, why didn’t I write about 50 things to do before 50? Well, I was rather busy working, and momming, and wifing, otherwise known as treading water. So, I am still momming and wifing, but I have since retired after a thirty-year career in Oncology Nursing. So, I have a little extra time to finish my bucket list of 60 things to do before turning 60.

Think again if you are about to turn 60 and feel like you should be winding down. There are plenty of things to do that will keep you young, healthy, engaged, and active. Whether it’s traveling, learning new skills, or simply spending time with family and friends, these activities will help you make the most of your years as you head into the fabulous second half of your life. 

You don’t have to wait until retirement either — why not book a trip around Italy while still working? Or go on a glamping holiday in Africa? If money is tight, consider some free activities such as visiting local parks, joining a book club, or learning how to practice yoga.

So that song by Bon Jovi (if you are reading this, you know the one), “It’s My Life?” The line goes like this.

“It’s my life

It’s now or never

I ain’t gonna live forever

I just want to live while I’m alive

(It’s my life)

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said,

“I did it my way.”

I just wanna live while I’m alive

It’s my life.”

Well, it’s your life, so live it! 

Affiliate Disclosure: There are affiliate links throughout this post. This means if you click on a link and purchase a product through that link, then I will receive a small commission for the referral. And that is kinda cool.

Begin Your 60 Things To Do Before 60 With An Epic Travel Bucket List.

I am going with the Dalai Lama and this mantra, “Once a year go someplace you’ve never been before.”

And don’t just travel more; experience more when you travel. Create your own epic travel bucket list and start checking things off. Here are 25 travel experiences to consider when creating your personal bucket list. Some I have checked off already; others are waiting.

1. Visit the Northern Lights.  

2. Spend two weeks island hopping in Hawaii.

3. Sail the Caribbean on a yacht with a Captain and a chef.

4. Go cave tubing or visit the Bioluminescent Bay in Puerto Rico.

5. Spend the day in Barcelona, touring the architecture of Gaudi.

6. Discover Flamenco dancers in the caves in Granada, Spain.

7. Ride up to Montmartre on the funicular and take in a show at the Moulin Rouge.

8. Rent a villa in Tuscany, Italy, and immerse yourself into the city like a local.

9. Run with the bulls in Pamplona, Spain.

10. Go rafting through the Grand Canyon.

11. Tour the Galapagos with naturalists from National Geographic.

12. Hike the Cinque Terra in Italy.

13. Swim with the Pigs in Exuma.

14. Visit the seven wonders of the world. Wow, imagine that? 

15. Attend Oktoberfest in Germany, the real thing.

16. Watch a baseball game at Fenway Park, the oldest Major League Baseball stadium in the US.

17. Watch the changing of the guard in London.

18. Party with the top revelers in the world at Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisianan.

19. Ride in a gondola in Venice, Italy.

20. Go glamping.

21. Attend the Super Bowl or the World Series.

22. Go on a wellness retreat solo.

23. Attend the Kentucky Derby.

24. Take the Road to Hana in Maui, Hawaii.

25. Visit the Taj Mahal.

Begin to Give Back.

While giving back will enrich and touch someone else’s life, I promise it will make a difference in you, too, by reinforcing humility and gratitude. So here are a few ideas to seek out in your community to give back. Just two hours a week can mean the world to someone in need.

26. Drop-in once a week to volunteer at the local food bank or soup kitchen.

27. Gather up jackets or clothes you no longer need and drop them off at the Salvation Army.

28. Volunteer to help build a house for Habitat for Humanity.

29. Pay for the person behind you at the cafe.

30. Gather the kids to help assemble care packages for the homeless shelter.

31. It doesn’t have to help a human. Adopt a senior pet and change the life of an animal forever.

32. Join a mission trip through the local church — this provides an opportunity to travel and help humans simultaneously.

Get Creative.

33. Learn how to paint. Or maybe just attend Corks and Colors with your girlfriends.

34. Take a cooking class — either live or online. THIS is my favorite girl for teaching me all the things about cooking. Check out her podcast, too. These are the things she has taught me so far.

• How to mince garlic and chop onions the easy way.
• For a little extra kick to a meal, add a delicious homemade sauce (easy, I promise).
• Create a hearty dinner salad that everyone will love.
• The importance of making a meal that is satisfying.
• And if you want to try meal planning (not necessarily meal prep), she has something for that, to.

35. Take piano or guitar lessons.

 36. Learn how to dance, and then do what they say, dance like no one is watching.

37. Have professional pictures taken of you. When was the last time you did that? Or have your portrait painted or drawn by an artist.

38. Build a website and start a blog.

39. Take a pottery class.  

Learn Something New.

40. Learn to play chess or take a wine tasting class.

41. Take horseback riding lessons.

42. Learn a new language. Already bilingual? Then learn a third language.

43. Try a new sport like pickleball or disc golf.

44. Teach yourself how to juggle three objects; I am sure there are YouTube videos out there to learn this skill.

45. Plant a garden. Or maybe get a hydroponic garden which is super easy and low maintenance. And you will have lettuce for days.

46. Begin a reading challenge for the year. Read a book a month. Choose from historical fiction, a memoir, a murder mystery, Harry Potter, self-improvement, romance. Or read them all!

This Should Absolutely Be On Your List of 60 Things To Do Before 60: Step Out of Your Comfort Zone.

47. Go zip-lining.

48. Learn how to surf.

49. Move to a new city for a few years and experience what it’s like to be a local.

50. Spend a weekend camping, not at an organized campsite, go primitive and rely on yourself and nature.

51. Take a helicopter ride over the city of your choosing.

52. Get a tattoo of something meaningful that will inspire you for decades to come.

53. Spend six months teaching abroad.

54. Dive with sharks or stingrays, with a professional guide, of course.

55. Spend time at an amusement park – and go on all the rides – even the ones that scare you.

56. Learn how to ride a horse.

57. Go skydiving or riding in a hot air balloon. By the way, this is not on my list, for real.

Stay Active.

58. Try yoga, or maybe even Goat Yoga.

59. Train for a marathon, ok, maybe just a 5K.

60. Get out on the water — stand-up paddleboarding, tubing, kayaking, canoeing, or snorkeling.

61. Hike the local trails. Better yet, plan to hike the Appalachian Trail.

62. Don’t use your car for a week, only walk and bike.

63. Learn how to play golf.

64. Get a Peloton and join people from all over the world on a virtual bike ride.

Check Out the Local Scene.

65. Craft beer is all the rage; head out for a tour and tasting of your local breweries.

66. Join a local book club.

67. Go to a Drive-In Movie. If there aren’t any operating Drive-In Movie Theatres close by, plan a driveway drive-in movie. Here’s how. Pull your SUV out of the garage and shut the garage door. Set up the back of the SUV with pillows and blankets, and stock with snacks. Project the movie onto the garage doors for an instant drive-in movie. If you don’t have an SUV or truck to back up to the garage, set up snacks and drinks in your car and watch the film from your lawn chairs.

68. Join the local art walk or art festival.

69. Are there any other unique things to do in your town? Now is the time to check them off of your bucket list. We have a bat conservatory in our city; I have never been. I always wanted to learn about bats.

70. Arrange date night at your favorite local restaurant.

Stay Healthy Physically and Mentally.

71. Have a bad habit? I mean an unhealthy habit, like smoking or overserving yourself at Happy Hour every Friday (it happens to the best of us). Well, break that bad habit and replace it with something that will not only help you feel more energetic but will help with longevity, too.

72. Start meal planning. Planning ahead of time encourages healthy meals.

73. Don’t forget to add No Meat Monday.

74. Join the local gym, download a fitness app, or join a local walking group. 

75. There is no time better than now to start your journal. My favorite journal prompt is make a list of the things that make you happy.

76. Practice daily gratitude, this can be written in your journal as well.

Last But Not Least, This Should Be On Your List of 60 Things To Do Before 60: Be Kind to Others.

As we mature, we grow wiser. As we become wiser, we learn compassion. The world needs kindness and compassion. So let’s spread the word.

77. Spend a day complimenting everyone you see. Make people smile; it’s contagious.

78. Learn to forgive others, and don’t forget to learn how to forgive yourself.

79. Listen to people. Be attentive. Be interested, not interesting.

80. Put the phone down and be present.

81. Leave an extra tip. People are working so hard these days.

82. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself and give yourself the greatest gift of all, which is peace in your heart.

So, if you are like me and have a few years left before hitting the big 6-0, don’t worry! There is still time to check off items on your bucket list. I suggest adding a few more things while you are at it. There’s no better time to start living life to the fullest.

Do any of these 60 things to do before 60 sound like they might be fun? What will you add to your list? Let us know in the comments below. And feel free to share this post with anyone who needs an extra push when it comes to staying young, healthy, engaged, and active as they get older.