2022 was full of adventure! In addition to reminiscing about the places we’ve gone and joy we’ve experienced, I’ve also been thinking about how much our kids have grown in big and small ways. Both kids love reading on trips, can pack their own suitcase, and are able to recognize spots from repeat trips. I’m so excited to see what’s next but also treasuring this particular time where the kids love bubbles, pool, crafts, and each other. I’ve highlight our year and have listed out our travels and posts from the previous year below…
January
We started our new year in Ft Lauderdale at the beach with family (link) In addition to the beach, we really loved the science museum and flamingo park. Later in the month, we visited friends in Raleigh, NC (link) and also flew for a weekend to SW Florida for a pool weekend at Coconut Point (link). A very nice way to escape the cold of Nashville, even if it was still a little chilly.
February
We took the kids to Disneyland in February! Do you have a preference between Disneyland or Disneyworld? I love that the rides in Disneyland are close to each other. Our kids had a blast exploring Cars land, Star Wars area (link) We have family in Cali and my family in Hawaii links to meet up in LA. This trip may become a yearly tradition!
March
For spring break, we took some time off and adventured to Puerto Rico! In addition to Old San Juan (link), we also spent some time exploring the El Yunque rainforest area (link), and wrapped up our week at a resort on the East side with great pools and our favorite perk: a drop off kids club! (link)
April
We have family in Pensacola and try to make the trip there twice a year. Its an easy drive and has Peach Park our absolute favorite road-trip stop!(link) While there, we explored the beach, a cool new science museum, and ate lots of seafood! (link)
Also in April, over Easter weekend, we took a trip up to NYC. One of our credit cards gave us a perk of a free night at any Hyatt hotel in the world so we stayed at the Park Hyatt with fancy room service! The city is always a blast with tons to see and do with kids. Just hold on tight! (link)
May
In 2022, we purchased season passes to Dollywood! Ben scoffed that we wouldn’t be able to find time between all our other trips, but we were able to make 3 trips! A really fun spot! (link) In May, we drove to visit our friends in Asheville and stopped by Dollywood on the way back!
Later in the month, Ben had a work trip in Savannah, GA and we joined in for a quick 24 hours at the beginning of the weekend. (link)
It’s become tradition to leave on a trip as soon as school lets out and this year was no exception. We took a big trip to Paris!! We spent several days exploring museums, food, palaces, playgrounds, and had an absolutely amazing time. (link)
June
Ben tried to make us take a break from traveling in June. lol. We took a quick easy trip to Dallas, TX to visit friends. Although technically a trip, it was spent hanging out with college friends and so was not as taxing as other trips. A lot of our trips throughout the year are trips to friends spread out around the country where we don’t always run around the city doing every adventure.
July
We were fortunate to be able to work remotely and spend some time with family in Honolulu, HI on Oahu. (link) My family lives here and we make this trip yearly, but it is still always a special trip full of food, family, and wonderful sights.
From Hawaii, we took a bonus trip to… Australia! (what?!?) Definitely a bucket list trip. Kangaroos, Opera House, Barrier Reef Diving, and more! So much fun! (link)
August
September
Took a break from traveling 🙂 Just kidding. We did squeeze in a one-night trip to Dollywood without Ben. So Ben took a break from traveling.
October
After a month mostly spent at home, the remaining months were a sprint where we spent more weekends out of town than in. We took a quick trip to Clearwater beach, FL close to Tampa. The beaches were lovely and we wished we had more time to explore.(link)
For fall break, we headed to TX! Whenever there’s a school break, I love to plan a trip! (Really, whether there’s a school break or not) We were able to take a trip with friends to Austin, TX. Seems like a weird spot for a trip but the Lost Pines Resort hotel is one of our favorites! This resort has animals, pools, and fun family-friendly activities (link)
At the end of the month, we drove out to Waynesville, NC to visit some friends! Always a joy and we enjoyed exploring main street and the many cool sites around town.
November
December
We took yet another trip to Dollywood at the beginning of the month for a very cold adventure. We renewed our season tickets for next year!
For Christmas break, we flew to Cancun before the snowstorm and southwest meltdown for poolside pina coladas, fun crafts, and so much delicious food. After Christmas, we did a quick drive to Pensacola for family time! And that’s a wrap for 2022!
