Year in Review: 2023 Travel

‘Tis the season to reflect, while also looking forward to 2024. Below are my five favorite destinations of 2023, plus five highlight experiences and a collection of photos from each trip I’ve taken. Cheers to 2023, and Happy New Year!

5 Favorite Destinations of 2023

St. Thomas, USVI
We started the year in St. Thomas and I quickly fell in love with this little island! It was the perfect tropical start to 2023, and we enjoyed a day trip to St. John while we were there, too!
San Antonio, TX
Despite flying through Houston and Dallas many times, April marked my first true visit to Texas. The National Art Education Association conference was held at the convention center in April, and I loved having an excuse to visit the city! I loved all of the artistic influences and the River Walk was so fun.
Oregon
Although I did two trips to the Oregon Coast, the long weekend we spent there in April was probably my favorite of the two. The long weekend included a little mix of the coast and Portland, plus a tulip festival. It was the perfect spring escape from snowy Alaska.
Mérida Mexico
A friend from college reached out to invite me to her new(ish) home of Mérida, and we had a fantastic time exploring the Yucatan during July! Mérida is the capital of the state of Yucatan and was once a thriving economic center. Mayan culture and Mexican history blend in this colorful little city to create a really fun destination. And that friend just moved to Germany so who knows, maybe that will be in the cards for 2024
Mt. Rainier, Washington
Washington during October was incredible. We loved exploring Rainier National Park and small rural towns throughout the state, and the fall weather was great! Hotel Packwood was such a fun spot to stay, and we loved the spooky Halloween decor!

One of the things I love about National Parks? Each one of them is so uniquely beautiful and drastically different.

5 Highlight Experiences of 2023

Snorkeling with Sea Turtles in St. Thomas
During our trip to St. Thomas we booked a VI Cat Catamaran Tour out to Little Buck Island, where we got to snorkel with sea turtles. It was amazing watching the turtles graze along the bottom of the cove and a gorgeous ride out to the island on a beautiful sunny day. 10/10, would obviously recommend.
Mardi Gras in New Orleans
Sometimes when the stars align, you just have to make the most of it. When I realized Mardi Gras celebrations in New Orleans fell on Presidents’ Day Weekend, it was game on! It was a quick, four-day-weekend trip but so cool to see the infamous celebrations in-person for myself.
Getting Back to Ireland
I made it back to Ireland for the first time since my initial trip in 2019, and honestly it felt like picking up right where I left off. I got to visit some old favorites like Giant’s Causeway and St. George’s Market in Belfast, while also discovering some new gems like Newgrange and Connemara National Park.
Touristy Alaskan Experiences
As much as I love traveling, it’s always fun to play tourist in my own state, too. I started the year with a visit to Girdwood’s new nordic spa in January with friends, which was so much fun. I then went fishing on the Kenai for the first time in July, and also made it to the Midnight Sun Festival in Fairbanks in June.
Exploring California More: Griffith Park, LACMA, & Hiking Santa Catalina Island
One of my goals for 2023 was to hike during each full moon, and this year’s eleventh full moon just so happened to fall the weekend before Halloween. A Queen Mary ghost tour and then hiking under the full moon through Griffith Park was incredible. That particular weekend ended with a visit to LA County Museum of Art, and earlier in the year I hiked 2/3 of the Trans-Catalina Trail. Even though we got rained out and didn’t get to finish the last segment of the trail, having to come up with a Plan B created some really fun opportunities. We ended up seeing Flogging Molly perform at the Palladium for St. Patty’s Day and then went and checked out Grand Central Market, which is easily one of my favorite places in LA. Every time I go back I feel like there is something new to discover, and I am so here for it!