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Scottish landmark beats Taj Mahal, Colosseum & Route 66 in Brits' top Bucket List destination

Scottish landmark beats Taj Mahal, Colosseum & Route 66 in Brits' top Bucket List destination

Scottish Sun11-06-2025

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A SCOTTISH landmark has beaten iconic tourist hotspots including the Taj Mahal, Maldives and Route 66, in Brits' top Bucket List destinations.
A list of the top 40 dream holiday bucket list choices for families across the UK has been compiled by experts at Boundless.
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Visiting the Taj Mahal in India came in 40th on the list
Credit: Getty
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Driving Route 66 across America ranked 23rd in the list
Credit: Alamy
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Mount Ngauruhoe, used as Mouth Doom in Lord of the Rings, came in at 34
Credit: Image Bank - Getty
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They were all beaten by Arthur's Seat in Edinburgh, which ranked 15th
Credit: Getty
The firm issued a new poll to 2,000 British parents to find out what experiences they would love to share with their children if money were no object.
And it included some of the best of the best experiences across the globe.
The research found that one destination in Scotland ranked high on the list.
And it won out over trips to exotic places like surfing in Hawaii, celebrating the Day of the Dead in Mexico, and exploring the Grand Canyon in Arizona.
Looking over Edinburgh from the top of Arthur's Seat came in at number 15 on the iconic list, with 19 per cent of families naming it as a dream trip to do with their family.
Coming in at the number one spot was visiting the bright lights of Times Square in New York at night.
Almost half (44 per cent) of British parents named visiting the iconic Manhattan destination as the most desirable thing to do with their children.
This was followed by tucking into a pizza in Naples (32 per cent), travelling on the Orient Express (30 per cent) and seeing the Northern Lights in Reykjavik (27 per cent).
Other family adventures to make the definitive list, were experiencing the thrills at Disneyland Paris (25 per cent) and discovering the ancient Roman world of Pompeii (24 per cent).
Swimming in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia also came in high at tenth place with 22 per cent, closely followed by spotting wild animals on safari in South Africa at 21 per cent.
W Edinburgh Crowned Scotland's Hotel of the Year 2025
Parents would also love to take their little ones to enjoy deep dish pizza in Chicago (19 per cent), trek along Hadrian's Wall (18 per cent), explore the lost city of Petra in Jordan (17 per cent), and see an original Van Gogh painting in Amsterdam (15 per cent).
The research also found that almost eight in ten (78 per cent) mum and dads believe travel helps to broaden children's horizons and encourages them to learn about different cultures (77 per cent).
However, 71 per cent go a step further and say that exploring the world together helps give children more confidence in later life.
And 39 per cent are travelling more with their children now compared to three years ago.
It is clear UK families love to travel – it has the power to educate, inspire and bring people closer together
So much so that two-thirds (64 per cent) say their children travel more than they did when they were their age.
In contrast, a third (35 per cent) are travelling less because of the cost (64 per cent), while two-thirds (66 per cent) wish they could travel more with their children.
And 64 per cent are currently working their way through a family 'bucket list'.
More than half (53 per cent) of the parents surveyed think that the best way to make family memories is through travel.
And one in two (50 per cent) admit that lots of their favourite childhood memories are from family holidays.
Almost all parents (96 per cent) hope that family holidays will inspire their children to take their own kids away when they grow up.
While two-thirds (63 per cent) would love to explore and travel in the UK more.
Darren Milton at Boundless, which commissioned the survey of 2,000 British parents, said: 'It is clear UK families love to travel – it has the power to educate, inspire and bring people closer together.
"Sadly, it's not surprising to see that a third of families are travelling less now because of the cost.
'We're proud to help our members make the most of their time off by offering great value days out, travel deals and inspiration for holidays in the UK and abroad.
"Whether it's a staycation or ticking off a bucket list adventure overseas, we're here to help create lasting family memories without breaking the bank."

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