Meet Lesley Carter | Owner of Bucket List Publications

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lesley Carter and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lesley, what makes you happy? Why?
Traveling and discovering new countries and cultures has been a consistent place of happiness for me since I was a child.

It offers me a new perspective on life and allows me to experience new cultures and customs. Every country has its unique culture, language, cuisine, and traditions that can be fascinating to explore. From learning about the ancient architecture of Greece to experiencing the vibrant culture of Fiji, traveling broadens my horizons and exposes me to new ways of thinking and living.

Additionally, I enjoy the sense of empathy and understanding towards other cultures that travel provides. Traveling exposes me to new perspectives and ways of life that allows me to be more open-minded and accepting towards other cultures and ways of living.

It’s also a great way to connect with others and form new friendships. I have met people from all over the world that will remind friends throughout my life. These connections provide a sense of belonging and community to the world.

Finally, traveling has created lasting memories. From skiing in Colorado with my children to sailing to Antarctica on a tall ship, traveling has created unforgettable experiences that will stay with me forever. These memories provide a source of happiness and inspiration for years to come.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I am the creator of Bucket List Publications travel blog and Instagram account. I started travel writing and blogging almost a decade ago, before blogging was popular. I brought a small blog from a couple hundred views per month to couple million within the first year through partnerships, education, and hard work. Now, I own one of the most shared travel blogs in the world and an Instagram account that is quickly approaching 1 million followers. I’ve had partnerships with tourism boards, hotels, PR firms, and major brands. I visited more than 100 countries through blogging and posting on Instagram and I participated in some of the most extreme bucket list adventures in the world including skydiving, piloting a fighter jet, swimming with great white sharks, racing Formula One cars, and performing aerobatics in a biplane. I learned over the years that the more unrealistic you are with your dreams and goals, the more you are able to achieve. As an Influencer, the first step is creating a brand that you can stand behind and then asking for everything that you want. The worst case is that a brand or a sponsor will say, “no”, and that’s ok. Keep going, keep asking, and keep succeeding.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I suppose it depends on the person’s interests and tastes.

When my brother recently visited, he was very interested in Texas flavors and the cowboy vibe. We visited The Silver Spur Resort to sleep in the Conestoga Covered Wagons and enjoy some authentic Texas smokehouse-style BBQ and Q & Brew. We also spent a lot of time in Fort Worth. Some of the top experiences in Fort Worth include witnessing the historic cattle drive at the Fort Worth Stockyards, experiencing the World’s Largest Honky Tonk at Billy Bob’s Texas, visiting the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, experiencing the John Wayne: An American Experience exhibit, and shopping at Fort Worth Stockyards for cowboy hats and boots. For some of the best BBQ in North Texas, we ate at Rudy’s “Country Store” and Bar-B-Q and Hutchins BBQ. We also ate at Torchy’s Tacos (I never miss visiting Torchy’s Tacos when we have guests in town).

When friends visit with kids, we still enjoy a lot of the same restaurants but we add more kid-friendly activities like SeaQuest Fort Worth. One of my favorite experiences at SeaQuest is swimming with stingrays. It’s such a unique opportunity to snorkel with stingrays, sharks, and tropical fish. Another unique experience near us is dining with giraffes at Blue Hills Ranch. It’s the closest experience to an African safari that you can get and it’s only a short drive away. Additionally, we love KidZania, TrainTopia, and the National Videogame Museum.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My husband, Cord Smith, is a major contributor to my success and happiness. He is the greatest father to our children and sees the role as a joint responsibility. This partnership as parents allows me to be confident when traveling without one or both of my children. He is not only supportive of my unrealistic dreams and goals, but he helps make them a reality. When I discuss wanting to break world travel records or participate in the most extreme adventure, he doesn’t ever discourage it. He accepts me and all of my insane ideas and goals.

Website: https://www.bucketlistpublications.com

Instagram:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lesleymcarter/

Twitter: https://twitter.com/LesleyMCarter

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BucketListPublications

Image Credits
Lesley Carter