Wrapping 2019 up with a Neat Little Bow
One of my favorite things to do is travel (obviously) - I like to go and see new places and return to those places that I've enjoyed. I spend time reading about travel and researching and planning for future trips. I enjoy hearing from others about where they have been and what they liked about those places. So a year in which I've traveled a bunch is a good year for me. 2019 was definitely one of those good travel years. Here's how it played out:
December began in New York City followed with a visit to Asheville to see my niece, and then a trip to Quebec City in all it's Christmas finery with our youngest daughter. We were blessed to have all three of our kids home for Christmas for the first time in 3 years so we went all in and hosted 16 of our nearest and dearest for dinner. Our youngest left right after Christmas to move back to Sydney and we then spent 2 days in Charleston celebrating our anniversary. Even I, who love to travel, felt like I was living in a tornado at times in the past 2 months. So now we are spending a quiet New Years at home. And doing what? Why, planning next years trips!!!
January
The Mister's and my anniversary is in the end of December which makes it difficult for anniversary getaways as we're celebrating the holidays and getting together with family. Over the last few years we've taken a weekend getaway in January. This past year was no exception. We took a weekend getaway to Blue Ridge, Georgia. We stayed in a tiny house and visited wineries & breweries ( the best time to have wineries all to yourself? Super Bowl Sunday!), walked to a waterfall and drove some scenic mountain roads. It was a fun getaway and start to our travel year.
Another January visit was to the High Museum in Atlanta to visit the Kusama exhibit of Infinity Mirrors which resulted in my most popular Instagram post of the year.
Another January visit was to the High Museum in Atlanta to visit the Kusama exhibit of Infinity Mirrors which resulted in my most popular Instagram post of the year.
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| Anna Ruby Falls |
February
February saw me heading to San Diego to help my sister babysit her grandson (she had recently had surgery and there was to be no lifting) while her daughter/my niece went to Hawaii with her husband. Not only did I get to spend time with my great nephew but I was also able to go whale watching, visit the Flower Fields in Carlsbad and enjoy the Birch Aquarium at Scripps through the eyes of a 2 year old.
I also was able to visit the Biltmore Estate through the generousness of my sister-in-law who provided me with a free pass. It's always interesting to tour the largest privately owned home in the US.
I also was able to visit the Biltmore Estate through the generousness of my sister-in-law who provided me with a free pass. It's always interesting to tour the largest privately owned home in the US.
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| The Flower Fields, Carlsbad |
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| My great nephew at Birch Aquarium at Scripps |
Read about Eight Fun Things to do in San Diego here
March
It was time for a beach weekend so we headed to Hilton Head in South Carolina. There happened to be a bit of a cold snap the first part of the weekend but we managed to hang out at a tiki bar listening to music and then spend a sunny day at the beach and at Hudson's on the Docks, my new favorite place on the island. Shortly after that, we gained a new roommate as our youngest moved home from Sydney.
April
I'd been wanting to get Mr. UR out to Bald Head Island, North Carolina for awhile and April turned out to be the time to do it. We took the ferry over from Southport, rented a golf cart and perused the entire island. We stopped for a walk on the beach, spent some time sitting with our toes in the sand and enjoyed a pre-ferry drink before our return to the mainland. We also had fun in Southport eating at Provision Yacht Company and seeing the sun set at American Fish Company. I love this area and always fantasize how fun it would be to live here someday. So you know I enjoyed my weekend here.
And I visited Amelia Island, Florida for the first time with my sister and mom.
And I visited Amelia Island, Florida for the first time with my sister and mom.
Read about a Weekend in Southport and Bald Head Island here
May
In May we met our daughter in Charlottesville, Virginia for a weekend getaway of wine and cider tasting and a visit to Monticello, Thomas Jefferson's home. The getaway was great fun - I love traveling but traveling with my kids is the best - but unfortunately, the weather was terrible. I think there was about one hour of sunshine the entire three days we were there. Still, we made the most of it and I think the Charlottesville area is truly underrated. (Did you know there are some 40 wineries in the Charlottesville area?)
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| Monticello |
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| Afton Mountain Vineyard |
Want to read more about Charlottesville? Go here
June
In June I knocked Ireland off of my Travel Wish List. Finally, after years of wanting to visit the Emerald Isle but it never happening, June saw me driving Ireland (well, not me but Mr. UR) for a six day road trip covering the Ring of Kerry, the Dingle Peninsula, Dublin, Galway, the Cliffs of Moher, the Aran Islands and the Rock of Cashel. Wow! I have to say it was most definitely worth the wait. Such incredibly nice people, drop dead gorgeous scenery and interesting things to see made it one of my favorite destinations.
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| The Cliffs of Moher |
And just when I thought it couldn't get any better, we stopped off in Scotland - one of my other very favorite destinations - for four days in Edinburgh, Stirling, St. Andrews and my first visit to Glencoe. Another wow! It just kept getting better.
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| Stirling Castle |
July
July had us traveling with our kids again - this time all 3 - to Mystic, Connecticut. We "borrowed" a friends cottage in Mystic and traveled to Martha's Vineyard and Nantucket at the beginning of the week and then enjoyed Narragansett, Mystic, and Newport with the kids towards the end. (Some made it for several days and some were only in for a day but I'll take what I can get!) I love New England - in the summer - and all it's coastal gloriousness. There was lots of lobster, sightseeing and laughs!
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| The Elms, Newport, Rhode Island |
Read more about New England here
August
Mr. UR surprised me with a birthday getaway to the Florida Keys over Labor Day Weekend. Except that it didn't actually happen. Hurricane Dorian flew through and I'm thankful that it wasn't as severe as expected and we could get full refunds on all our flights and hotels. So we scrambled and planned a last minute North Carolina visit to Bryson City - a new to me place to visit. We stayed at the wonderful Lakeview at Fontana boutique hotel and boated on Lake Fontana, had a delicious birthday dinner out in Bryson City, and finally saw the view from Mt. Mitchell - third time is the charm! It was a fantastic birthday present!
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| The unique floating cabins on Lake Fontana |
September
In September we drove to Ohio to attend an Ohio State Buckeyes football game. It's always fun to catch up with friends and family - and a Buckeye win was the icing on the cake. There should be a law against having so much fun!
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| THE Ohio State University |
October
I had patiently - or impatiently - been waiting on October all year. Our son was married in Hendersonville, North Carolina and we now have a new daughter-in-law! The day couldn't have been more perfect - or more "them" - and I loved every minute of it. So much fun to get family and friends together all in one place for one day. I wish we could do it every year!
November
Sadly, my father-in-law passed away at the end of September. We traveled to Cleveland to hold a Celebration of Life for he and my mother-in-law at the beginning of the month. We then segued into a trip with friends back to Charlottesville for some winery hopping. I took my sister to Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg for a few days in the middle of the month and then we ended with a trip to New York City to see my daughter and attend the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. Whew! I think I slept in my bed for only seven nights out of 30. Of course, there will be lots more on this crazy month coming up on the blog.
December
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Le Petit Champlain, Quebec City |
I know I'm beyond blessed to be able to go on all the trips that I do - from weekend getaways to two week road trips to other continents - and to visit with family and friends as much as I do. It's a blessed life for sure!
Here's hoping you are able to do what you want in 2020 - be it travel, needlepoint or windsurfing! I'm wishing you a blessed New Year with all - or at least some - of your dreams coming true!
Happy 2020!!!!
How about you? How did your 2019 play out? What were your highlights?
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