Emerald Isle, NC - At the end of the month we're headed for our first sit down week-long beach vacation in five years. I cannot wait. Bonuses: we've never been there and it's a family vacation with my Dad & Carol, Stephen & Aubrey, and some of Stephen's college crew.
Badlands, Yellowstone, and Grand Teton National Parks - Our wild west fifth anniversary trip this September. We'll also check out Mount Rushmore, which has been on my list forever. It'll be heavy on the driving and light on the sleep, but I cannot wait to see all the things there are to see in these amazing places.
South Africa: Cape Town and Safari - January 2016. This is a major stretch for me and will mark the longest flight I've ever been on but MFD will get to cross a huge bucket list item off. Currently trying to dissuade him from including cage diving with sharks on the Cape Town agenda.
New Orleans - MFD has been. I've never been so I'm hopping down for a weekend in February 2016 while he's at a conference there. I'm playing the airline miles game for free tickets and I am enjoying it. A lot.
Paris, London, Ireland - Quick dips into Paris and London and a longer time going around Ireland in October/November 2016 as part of my dad's 60th birthday trip. I've never been to Paris or London and while I have been to Ireland, I haven't been to some must sees (I'm looking at you, Cliffs of Moher).
We turn 40 in 2017 so that entails a long weekend with my girlfriends and families and a friends trip to a yet to be determined location. The list of places we want to go is a mile long.
Some places on my short list:
Wild West Part Dos: Grand Canyon/Four Corners/Rio Grand Gorge/Roswell/Monument Valley
PCH
Charleston
Seattle
Savannah
Charleston
Seattle
Savannah
Italy
On MFD's short list:
He dittos my list (easy out)
Newport/Cape Cod/Martha's Vineyard
Carcassonne/South of France
Angkor Wat
Angkor Wat
Tibet
Morocco
Germany
Norway
What's on your vacation horizons?
What's on your vacation horizons?
Linking up for Wanderlust Wednesdays with Kate, Emily, and Kerri
I've done a wild west driving trip - across Texas, New Mexico, Colorado, and Utah. I've been to Mt Rushmore too and driving through the Badlands of the Dakotas. So, I think your WW trip part uno and part dos all sounds pretty great. I'd love to see the parts you're including that I missed. I've been to NOLA tons of times. The way you are doing it is perfect. I'm so jealous of your planned South Africa trip - cage diving with sharks and all. I've been to Paris, don't need to go back...but it is definitely one of those places to see. I've been to London and would LOVE to go back. Been to Italy several times (one of my bestest gal pals lives in Milan). Seattle is on my wishlist too. Your group getaway to Emerald Isle sounds fab! Hope you thoroughly enjoy yourselves. I could talk travel all day....
ReplyDeleteUnfortunately, I find that my travel has almost halted since moving to Australia. It seems like all my travel is planned around going home for visits. Plus, being small business owners that are open on weekends, the weekend getaway isn't too easy for us. It is something my guy and I need to put more focus into making happen. There are SO many amazing travel opportunities here that I haven't seized.
Charleston is lovely. I also recommend Folly Beach and Isle of Palms, if you have not been to either of those. Both are more quaint, small-town-ish settings.
ReplyDeleteI love the IOP :) Great pick!
DeleteXOXO
This post makes me realize that I need to pre-plan vacations too. We generally plan on going to places but hardly put these into motion. I will show my husband this post and try to inspire him too.
ReplyDeleteI love all the places on your current list, you really need this upcoming vacation so I hope it is very relaxing and enjoyable. I have been to Germany and it is really beautiful, lots of great food too. Italy is on my list and I really need to get on it already.
ReplyDeleteIt's all on my wish list, Steph. This summer, we return to Spain and we'll be adding Dublin to our itinerary as well. In June, I''m headed to Tampa and then to Nashville. As far as late 2015 and 2016, not sure, but there is a lot to see and I want to see it all. Here's to travel! You have a fabulous agenda! So excited for you!
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh the capetown trip is going to be unreal and you are just going to love Paris and London - how wonderful that you are going as part of your dad's celebration!! I think I could go to Charleston every year - we went last year and I'm going again in a few months! I love it! xo, Biana -BlovedBoston
ReplyDeleteThose sound like excellent trips - I'm particularly jealous of the Yellowstone jaunt. I've always wanted to go there. Next on my horizon is Mallorca (tomorrow....eek!) which is actually a half-work trip, and then we were hoping to travel to Seattle in September but I think that's off now, on account of the fact we just bought our first house. Which is probably fair enough.
ReplyDeleteTotally jealous on the Badlands and Grand Tetons! I would totally want to go there. We pretty much stick to the Carolina beaches and I have a work trip to Chicago in November that M is going to tag along on. I find it hard to actually take time out and plan/save for a vacation because they feel so extravagant...but I need to take a hard dose of "treat yo self" every once in awhile. :)
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the pics from Yellowstone and Mount Rushmore!! No one ever goes up that way!! I'm trying to think about out anniversary trip for September right now but don't have a short list yet.
ReplyDeletei love all of these travel plans! europe is amazing and there's never enough time to see all of paris or london! i spent 3wks in france and that wasn't enough time!
ReplyDeleteWow what great trips planned!! I have been dying to go on a safari! Hopefully I get to check that off my list soon.
ReplyDeleteah stop it! first i learn that you go to pretty much the same shore as me on the reg and now i learn you're going to emerald isle? yes! my parents used to have a house there on the sand and i just loved it. it's so peaceful. great list there sister! xo
ReplyDeletecheshirekatblog.com
Charleston is close enough for a lunch blate!!!
ReplyDeleteWhen my sister returns from her stint in Europe we're going to see America in an RV, pretty much the only way I can travel.
Emerald Isle, you will be in my land!!! You will love The Grand Tetons! How exciting with all your upcoming travel, I have heard great things about Cape Town, jealous!
ReplyDeleteCapetown is going to be so amazing!! I so want to go there one day. Love all the great trips you have planned.
ReplyDeleteI'm so jealous of all of your trips, they sound fantastic! I need to learn budgeting to save for travel. I had an epiphany yesterday that I suck at budgeting and need to have all of my credit cards taken away from me.
ReplyDeleteWe have a trip to Mexico planned for later this month and that's about all that is on the agenda at this point. I am dying to get back to San Francisco and Napa.
Charleston is on my list too. Savannah and Seattle were great trips. I just did one of those "what states have you been to" maps and I am pretty much missing the entire central plains/western area of the country. I need to get on that!
I love love love every bit of this list... so great! My list is a mile long but I think next year our travel is going to revolve around my kids' travel sports... we shall see!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a fun year of travel! Grand Tetons and Yellowstone are amazing! I can't wait to take my husband there one day! Lots of things on our travel agenda this year- Switzerland, Germany, other random places in Europe TBD! :) Also heading down to Florida in August to see family and go to Disney!
ReplyDeleteSafari in South Africa? REALLY? That is SO cool
ReplyDeleteCharleston, Savannah and Seattle are all on our short list. And New Orleans. As is Boston- which I think will likely happen this summer as a long weekend trip.
ReplyDeleteNot to mention all of Europe.
And apparently everywhere!
Charleston and Savannah are totally doable together. And I love Charleston so much. It's just amazing!
ReplyDeleteCertainly a variety of destinations there. I'm so jealous you guys are off to Africa. That's my dream trip; Kenya and Tanzania.
ReplyDeleteTell your man not to bother with the cage diving... It's overrated, expensive and it's such a tourist trap. They wonder why there have been so many attacks in SA and by Egypt, it's because they taunt the Sharks with bait and they've learned to expect being fed, which can mean they're more aggressive than they already are. I'd love to shark dive with Stuart's Cove in the Bahamas someday, but that's with reef shark, tiger shark, etc. not great whites. Plus, has your hubby seen those cages??!? Sharks can ram into and shove half their noses in between some of those cages. Holy, I'd shit my pants! Lol
Paris is my fave city; I'll always love that place. And London is a lot of fun and so much to see. You'll love it!! Sounds amazing what you've got planned for the next couple of years.
Btw, was Geege's 2nd booster uneventful last night or was he straight up pissed at you? Lll
Already planned:
ReplyDeleteChicago in August (I've never been and we're attending a wedding nearby!)
Germany, France, and maybe London for the honeymoon in March/April 2016
On the bucket list to happen soon-ish:
Seattle/Vancouver
Tulum, Mexico
So stoked for all the traveling coming up for you both (and your new car!). Brie and I (and the boys) are heading to OCMD in a week and a half, and Steve and I and are two friends are road tripping it through New England in mid-late September. Bucket lists includes Italy, going back to Switzerland, Amsterdam, Poland, Mt Rushmore, and there's some lake in Montana that is crystal clear... I forget the name
ReplyDeletei have a post like this in my drafts and it was getting a bit out of hand haha. i was like okay i'm not made of money, slow down.
ReplyDeletei don't think we'll get to see the Cliffs of Moher while we are in Ireland - but there is always next time! it's so cheap compared to other places so we'll most likely always fly in there. My main places are Italy & France. KC really wants to go to Germany, Belgium & the Netherlands. I would love to go to a million more places as well. Time and money and all that jazz. boo.
I want to go to Charleston just for the food! Also you keep saying that Texas bluebonnets are on the list but I don't see it above :P. And sadly, though it's only a six hour drive, I have never been to New Orleans! One of my friends goes twice a year and always has a debaucherous time. I want to crash but I think she's too wild for me. So excited for your travels, both near-ish and far!
ReplyDeleteAnkor Wat and pretty much all of that region are on my must see list.
ReplyDeleteI saw the Cliffs of Moher when I was studying abroad for a few weeks when I was 20. Spectacular to see. I'd love to see them again though because I feel like I didn't really appreciate them at 20 years old.
ReplyDeleteSouth Africa sounds amazing! I'll keep my fingers crossed that you don't have to do caged shark diving.
I'm heading to Italy next week for the 4th time in my life. We have family there so it's easier for us to get there since we're not paying for hotels or food really. Hoping to do Disney again next year but for my next big vacation I'm looking at Greece.
I say go for the cage diving with sharks! I mean, you'll be protected in a cage! How cool would it be to see one so close when you're safe. But I say that as I have no plans to do it myself, lol.
ReplyDeleteYour beach trip sounds awesome, NC beaches are definitely a priority for me at some point. They always look exquisite.
We are 90% sure we are going to Paris in Sept. for my MIL's 60th too! Just hoping for a couple things to work themselves out. And I want to go to the Cliffs of Moher so badly, mainly as a Princess Bride fan.
Of course my favorite destination on your list is Seattle, and you know you can hit me up whenever that happens for ideas on where to go/things to do. ;)
ReplyDeleteI'm DYING to hit up all the national parks, Yellowstone and Mt. Rushmore are at the top of the list of course. Someday when I can actually take road trips again!!
OH MY GOD TAKE ME WITH YOU! I want to go to Badlands and Yellowstone SO badly! Of course I want to go absolutely everywhere, but I'm on a mission first to see every U.S. state (13 down...) and as many National Parks as possible. Can't wait to hear about your adventures!
ReplyDeleteCan i please tag along?? you're going everywhere!! I'm totally jealous! South africa will be unreal!
ReplyDeleteSouth Africa?! Holy crap! You're going everywhere! I shall live vicariously through your photos :) Just the way I like it. The next things we have planned are going to Eagle Ridge (here in IL) and then visiting Helene ^^^ in Nashville. And I'm driving to both and bringing Hawkeye.
ReplyDeleteMy longest flight was here to Germany, Germany to India. It's not fun my friend. Best of luck.
A Wild West driving trip sounds all kinds of awesome! I love road trips because I'm not a big fan of flying so that'd be right up my alley! You have so much coming up, I can't wait to hear about all of them!! We'll be doing Paris/Germany next September/October and I can't wait!!
ReplyDeletePlease add Sedona to one of your wild west adventures! (And don't forget my elephants!)
ReplyDeleteEverything sounds amazing! I can't wait to see your Instagram feed when you're in Cape Town. As much as I would love to travel abroad, I have also have San Francisco and the California wine country on my wish list. My parents did this trip a few years ago. They did everything... the winery tours, cooking classes in Napa, and a great tour of San Fran. You're husband has a great list too!
ReplyDeleteWow you have some amazing trips already lined up!! I thought I planned well in advance but you have 2016 down...lol The Cape Town trip and your Dad's birthday trip are both going to be epic adventures! Can't wait to read about those places.
ReplyDeleteThis all looks like so much fun!!! I am currently trying working my way out of debt (hopefully by the end of the summer) then it's skies the limit. First stop Ireland!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness I'm so jealous of your travel list!!!!!!!!!
ReplyDeleteAwesome awesome awesome list gurlie! Cannot wait to live vicariously through your South Africa trip. And what a fantastic way for your dad to ring in his 60th!
ReplyDeleteSo many travel plans, I love it!!! I really wish I could lose my anxiety about flying. I would love to hit up so many places!! Greece, Ireland, Italy, France....I would love to visit it all! Right now the only things on my books is a trip to Gulf Shores hahaha. But its a beach so I take it!
ReplyDeleteI love all of your list. I would absolutely go to all of those places. We have been starting to consider our list. Our top spot changes so often, but now that Iceland has come and gone, it's time to plan our next adventure. I can't wait to hear about all your adventures.
ReplyDeleteMount Rushmore was fun. I do believe we're looking at Hawaii this coming winter. Cross your fingers.
ReplyDeleteAfter all, if we're not traveling, what exactly are we doing with ourselves?
Haha, I like how your short lists differ so greatly (minus copying yours). I've been to Grand Canyon/Hoover Dam/Roswell when I was really young, but would love to go back. That Cape Town trip sounds amazing, and though I'm quite adventurous, you couldn't pay me to go cage diving with sharks. I've never been to New Orleans but it is #1 on my USA list, and I'm hoping to go in December. Looks like you have a great year of travels ahead!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to Italy in September. Airbnbs in Florence and Vernazza and hotels booked for Venice and Pisa. Wine, food, wine, food! Can't wait!
ReplyDeleteThat sounds amazing Mary Jane! I hope you come back and tell me about it when you return.
DeleteI'm so jealous of the South Africa trip! My husband and I really want to go there at some point, but it wasn't in the budget this year.
ReplyDeleteOf the other places you mentioned, I've been to Paris, Seattle, and Tibet. All were amazing and definitely worth visiting!
Places you mentioned that I also really want to visit: South Africa (though I'm sure that's obvious based on my previous comment), Yellowstone, New Orleans, England, Ireland, Savannah, Italy, Morocco, and Germany. There are a ton of places on my personal travel list, but I won't leave such an extensive list in a comment.
As for long flights, my longest was from Vancouver to Beijing (we started in San Francisco and then had the layover in Vancouver). I think it was somewhere between 14-16 hours long. It was terrible on the way there, but only because I had the migraine from hell and thought I was going to vomit everywhere. On the way back, it was very relaxing ... I watched a couple of movies, read, listened to music, and slept. You may feel a little sore/cramped, but it's not as bad as you might think.
You have some great stuff on your travel agenda. Especially the SA one in 2016. I have been on many long flights trust me you will get so accustomed to being in the air it won't bother you. SA is on my list of places to go!
ReplyDeleteYes to all the places! South Africa, definitely out of my comfort zone as well! I want to take my kids to Taiwan, Hong Kong, and Japan one day. My husband wants to take them to Disney World.
ReplyDeleteI live in Charleston County. I'm not from Charleston, I'm a nomadic Texan. Charleston is nice to visit...
ReplyDeleteI lived in Germany when I was younger and I would love to go back with my husband and kids. :) Anyway, I hope you make it to all your destinations!
XOXO
oh all those sound amazing! take me with you!!!!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe how quickly the Africa trip is coming! I feel like you guys JUST booked it!
ReplyDeleteI would love to go to Italy, too. The food alone... MAMA MIA! I would bring only elastic clothing.