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2018 was a trying year, both personally and professionally, that caused a lot of stress and anxiety. When I feel this way, the best way I know to cheer myself up is to get out of town. A change of scenery really is the best medicine. It helps me feel relaxed to be getting away from my stressors and energized to be somewhere with all new opportunities.
Luckily, I had plenty of opportunities throughout the past year to get out of town and do what I love – travel! I took numerous roadtrips, some solo and some with friends, flew off to new and beloved states, and spent weekends exploring beautiful places. As the year comes to an end, I am taking time to reflect on my travels from the year.
I may not have left the country in 2018 but still managed to check off new states and cities on my to-visit list, and had the best time doing so!
New Orleans, Louisiana
I kicked off the year with a trip to New Orleans, a city I have always wanted to visit. My birthday this year fell over the weekend and I was able to celebrate with a NOLA trip with some friends. We spent a long weekend in the city trying to cram in as much sightseeing and history as we could. We wandered through the French Quarter, ate local cajun cuisine, admired gorgeous houses in the Garden District, experienced Mardi Gras at Mardi Gras World, learned plantation history at Oak Alley Plantation, and spotted wildlife in a nearby swamp. I am so happy to have had the opportunity to visit this lively city, and definitely plan to return one day!
Omaha, Nebraska
This was an unexpected trip, but one I am so glad I took! Nebraska has always been one of those states that I want to visit just so I can scratch it off the map on my wall, but it has never been a state I have been excited to visit. One of my roommates from college now lives in Omaha, which provided the perfect opportunity to visit. After taking this trip, I am pleased to say that I should not have overlooked this state. This is one flyover state absolutely worth visiting!
I spent the weekend reuniting with my best friends from college while exploring a new city. We spent time wandering around the cute shops and breweries in the Old Market, visited a local winery, and even walked to Iowa! It was a quick weekend, but filled with activities and wonderful people.
Chicago, Illinois
I’ve visited Chicago once before, but in a city of this size there is so much to do and I knew I needed to take another trip! My roommate and I spent a 3-day weekend in Chicago. Since we were planning to drive, we left Nashville at 3 a.m. to make the most of our time. We arrived in Chicago a little before noon and had plenty of time to explore the city before we had to leave for the drive back. Luckily, neither of us minds driving late into the night, so we didn’t leave Chicago until late in the afternoon. We tried to do it all, and even with our days jam packed with activities, I still feel like I need to take yet another trip to Chicago!
We ate deep-dish pizza, strained our necks admiring the skyscrappers, dipped our toes in Lake Michigan, went to a Cubs game, and spent time just riding the train around the city enjoying the benefits of public transportation.
Huntsville, Alabama
Huntsville is only an hours drive from Nashville, but somehow I had failed to ever actually take a day trip here. 2018 was the year I decided I wanted to finally visit Alabama, and Huntsville was the perfect city to spend a day in. I visited 2 places in the city on my trip – the Unclaimed Baggage Center and the U.S. Space and Rocket Center. Technically, the Unclaimed Baggage Center is in Scottsboro, not Huntsville, but it was close enough to visit in the same day.
Have you ever wondered what happens to the luggage that is left at the airport and unclaimed by passangers? This is where it ends up. I spent the morning wandering through the aisles of the center shopping through people’s personal items that they never picked up at the airport. In the afternoon, I drove back to Huntsville and spent the rest of my time visiting the U.S. Space and Rocket Center learning all about NASA and space exploration.
Santa Cruz, California
I am a Californai girl, so the ocean has always had a special place in my heart. I love to watch the waves roll in, listen to the crash on the rocks, and soak up sun on the beach. I flew out to Santa Cruz over the summer to meet up with my parents for a quick weekend. It was sunny, warm, wonderul, and so worth the airline miles! We spent time at my two favorite places in Santa Cruz – the beach and the boardwalk.
Grass Valley, California
Grass Valley is my hometown, and somewhere I haven’t been back to in a few years. A few too many years. I moved away, then my parents moved away, and I just never found a reason to come back for a visit. This summer one of my closest childhood friends returned for her wedding, and I finally had an opportunity to go home! This was such a special trip for me. I drove around, visiting places I once spent so much time. I wandered through the streets of downtown (which really didn’t take long in such a small town), visited my favorite river swimming hole, drove down my old street, and relived so many great memories. I hope I find opportunities to return home more often in the coming year.
Lake Tahoe, Nevada
There was no way I was going to go to Northern California and not make time to visit Lake Tahoe. I grew up spending summer days swimming in this lake, and winter days skiing in the mountains nearby. After my Grass Valley trip, I scheduled a few extra days to drive into the mountains and spend time by the lake. I drove around the lake, stopping to take in the breath-taking views of the water and mountains, and spent hours laying on the sand and dipping my toes into the frigis water. Iwill always love Lake Tahoe and cannot wait for another trip here!
Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville – the city I have called home for the last 3 years. I spent a lot of time exploring this city when I first moved here, then settled into my work life and stopped exploring. This year, I made sure to find time to see new parts of the city and remind myself why I fell in love with this town in the first place. I spent time enjoying live music, drinking local beer, wandering through parks, and just trying to soak in all the Southern charm that the city has to offer.
Portland, Oregon
I visit Portland at least once a year. Having family that lives nearby really helps motivate a girl to visit! I do love this city. There is so much to do and see. This year I came to visit over Christmas, so I spent most of my time with my family instead of exploring the city. We did get out to walk around the Portland waterfront. This is one of my favorite ways to see the city since you can cross over any bridge to get a different view of the city from across the river.
