Growing up, my family only ever traveled to two places: Disneyland and Lake Tahoe. As I journeyed into adulthood, I started branching out a bit more by visiting Disney World, teaching English in Italy one summer, and then going to New York City, Maui, and Chicago after I’d left teaching and had more flexibility with my schedule. Still, I felt that I had so much more to see and knew I had to push myself out of my comfort zone to make it happen.

2025 was truly an unbelievable year for me for travel. In fact, so much happened that I still have posts drafted that I’ll need to publish in 2026! I thought it’d be fun to end the year with a few “superlative” awards for the places I visited in 2025:

Most Historic: New Orleans

Yes, I was in New Orleans for their biggest snowstorm since 1895. My partner and I had been hoping that a January visit to New Orleans would mean cooler weather, and we certainly got more than we’d bargained for. Be on the lookout for a blog post chronicling this trip in January!

Most Surprising: Pinnacles

Pinnacles National Park was low on my list of national parks because it had been described to me as a “death trap” with how hot it gets and having so little shade, so it pleasantly surprised me with its beauty. It’s less otherworldly than many of the other national parks, but it was a wonderful day trip in October (when the weather is more mild). The highlight of this park was the Old Pinnacles to Balconies trail, which leads you through a cave!

Closest to My Heart: Ireland

My partner is from Ireland, which meant I got to make two visits there this year, visiting Galway, Derry, and Donegal for the first time. Ireland continues to win me over with its beautifully green, rugged landscapes and its friendly people (although I might be biased). My favorite places to visit were Shop Street in Galway and Sliabh Liag in Donegal.

Most Scenic National Park: Yosemite

I can’t name a favorite US National Park, but if I could only recommend one, Yosemite would be it. With Half Dome, El Capitan, Yosemite and Bridal Veil Falls, and so much more surrounding you in Yosemite Valley, this park is truly awe-inspiring.

Favorite Landscape: Big Island, Hawai’i

It was tough choosing between Big Island and Peru for this one, but I especially fell in love with the diverse landscape of Big Island. The ocean, rainforests, volcanic rocks and craters, and mountains so tall you’re above the clouds made this trip especially memorable.

Best Work Trip: Missouri

Yes, you read that correctly! So many people told me Missouri wasn’t a great place to visit, but I beg to differ. I drove from Kansas City to St. Louis with an awesome work colleague and enjoyed delicious Italian food on The Hill, visited the Gateway Arch, and tasted my first Missouri BBQ (delicious).

Most Anticipated: Colorado

I’d been wanting to visit – and possibly even move to – Colorado for at least a decade now, making my visit there in June all the more exciting. My partner and I did so much while we were there – walking around Boulder, hiking in Rocky Mountain National Park, relaxing in hot springs at Glenwood Springs, gawking at the Garden of the Gods, and touring Denver – and yet we still felt like we could have spent an extra week exploring even more.

Most Memorable: Peru

I’ll never forget hiking the Inca Trail and seeing the Sun Gate just ahead, racing through it, and witnessing Machu Picchu in all its glory. The Andes were so magnificent that they seemed to put the Rockies to shame, which says a lot! Peru is a beautiful place with kindhearted people, and I’ll never forget the excitement of it all.

Most Fun: Universal Studios Hollywood and Disneyland

Don’t get me wrong; I love exploring new places, but there’s also something to be said for going to a theme park and knowing your only responsibility is to have fun. I hadn’t been to Disneyland in two years and hadn’t been to Universal in three, so it was a treat coming back and enjoying both familiar and new attractions, especially Nintendoland!

Most Colorful: Mount Rainier

Mount Rainier in late summer/early autumn is a kaleidoscope of colors: purple and red flowers, golden fields, green foliage, and white snowcapped peaks. I wish I could have spent more time there and would love to go back one day to explore more of its trails.

Favorite Scenic Drives: Oregon

Oregon is home to my favorite drives, whether it’s driving along the Columbia River Gorge Highway, to Mount Hood, or around Crater Lake National Park. I don’t think I could ever tire of Oregon’s tree-lined landscapes and clear blue waters.

I know it is a privilege to be able to travel like I’ve been able to this year. Many of the places I’ve had the pleasure to visit were due to work trips in the area. I’m grateful – at this stage in my life at least – to have a job that allows me to travel often to new places.

I wrote in my very first post that I believe there are no “bad” places to visit – that each place has a story and if we get to know a place well enough, we can at least appreciate it. I do want to clarify that there certainly are places that can be harder to love, and even after getting to know them, you might still dislike them. That’s ok. What I hope to express with this blog going into next year and beyond is that it’s well worth visiting and understanding a place firsthand rather than making assumptions. It’s ok if your opinion remains unchanged, or even becomes less favorable after, but I think it’s important that we work towards understanding, whether you personally make your visit or you live vicariously through someone else.

Thank you for being along for the ride with me this year. Here’s to more adventuring in 2026! What places would you like to see next year?