Wrapping 2024 Up With A Neat Little Bow!

It was an incredible year of travel for me in 2024 and I'm extremely grateful for all that we were able to do and all the places we were able to go. As always, travel is key to good mental health for me - and it doesn't have to be big budget trips (though those are nice, too) but can just be a day trip or a weekend away. Making travel a priority is the reason for my frugality and I've often said that I will willingly give up new furniture or clothes to travel. So come along with me on a little recap of what 2024 brought - and a little hint of what is to come on the blog!

January

Our wedding anniversary falls at the end of December which is usally when family is visiting and there are lots of holiday events. So I decided this year that it might be better to celebrate at the beginning of January, when things calm down. So we made a weekend getaway to Long Beach, Washington. I was hoping to see some King Tides and storms - I did see a storm but no King Tides. We spent a fun weekend, with really good weather, enjoying the Washington coast. (If you'd like to read about where we stayed here, then click here)There will be more on the blog soon! 

February

Our Southwest Companion Pass expired at the end of February so we booked two weekend getaways - one to the Hill Country of Texas and one to Tucson, Arizona. We had been to Hill Country many, many years ago - like the 1990's - when Mr. UR was doing some work in Texas and we had visited some wineries that were just getting started. So we did a day winery hopping - there are so, so many now - and taking in some of that Texas barbeque.

I had never been to Tucson and we booked it for the end of February with some hopes of warm weather. We did have sunshine and pleasant temps so that worked out for us. Throw in some Tex-Mex and a visit to touristy Tombstone and it was a quick but fun getaway. If you'd like to read more about this weekend getaway click here

March

My mom's 96th birthday was in March - along with her identical twin sister - so my sister and I traveled to Ohio to surprise her. And we definitely surprised her! My cousin planned a fun get together at the local pizza parlor and she got them a delicious cake. We visited with family and took in some dreary, rainy, cold Ohio weather - but fun anyways.

We, also, drove to Santa Fe and Taos, New Mexico for a weekend getaway with good friends. It was my first time there and I really enjoyed seeing the different landscapes of New Mexico and the highest capital in the US. If you'd like to read more about this getaway click here.

April

April saw me ticking a few long time bucket list items off my list as I met my college roommate in England for a week long adventure in Greater London and the Cotswolds. We had a fantastic time catching up, visiting castles, eating all the British foods and taking a couple quirky tours. Definitely a memorable week!

May

We didn't venture out of Colorado in May but instead had family celebrations. We celebrated Mothers Day with a visit from my mom and celebrated my grandson's 3rd birthday. A fun -and calm - month!

June

June was a busy month which started with a girlfriend reunion in Oregon. My high school girlfriends got together on the coast of Oregon and then drove to our friends in Bend. Wonderful all around! There are no words to explain how great it is to have such long time friends still in my life!

Right after returning from Oregon, like actually two days, we headed to California to meet up with Mr. UR's brother and his wife. They were doing a 3 week California itinerary and we jumped in on a weekend of it - we flew into LAX, drove up to Kernville and saw parts of Sequoia National Park including the Avenue of the Giants. Then while they rafted the Kern River,  I walked around Kernville and visited the Kern Valley Museum. It was back to LA after that to see our niece and heading home the next morning. A whirlwind - but fun - weekend!

I had read about the Hot Springs Loop in British Columbia in Canada and presented it to friends as somewhere I'd like to go. My friend, Jo, ran with it and came up with a fantastic itinerary - a road trip - through Alberta and British Columbia. So many mountains! It was one of the most gorgeous places I've ever been. Get yourself there if you can!

July

Upon returning home from Canada, we had a month full of company. My niece and her family made their first visit to Colorado and we took a weekend foray to Moab, Utah. We visited Arches and Canyonlands National Parks, Moab Brewing Company and did some shopping along Main Street.

Following along were visits from Mr. UR's sister and family and his brother and wife. Mr. UR took them to the top of Mt. Blue Sky, to Rocky Mountain National Park, we headed to the top of Winter Park via gondola, saw a Kenny Chesney concert at Empower Field, to the top of Loveland Pass and for lunch on Lake Dillon.

August

August was intentionally calm with just one short weekend getaway since September was going to be a huge travel month. We returned to Winter Park for another Happy Hour gondola ride - the gondola is free on most Fridays and Saturdays from Memorial Day to Labor Day - and stayed in a studio at the resort.

September

We took a European River Cruise with 25 of our closest friends from college in September - it was Avalon Waterways Romantic Rhine cruise - and then sauntered over to Oktoberfest for one of the most fun and memorable trips ever. Leaving from Amsterdam and cruising down to Basel, Switzerland, we saw so much of small town Germany and France along with happy hours on the boat and catching up with friends after so many years. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!

October

We met our daughter for our annual weekend away in October - this time we ticked off the states of Kansas and Missouri. We hung out in downtown Kansas City, drove to the middle of nowhere Kansas to visit the Little House on the Prairie Museum (if you're a Laura Ingalls Wilder fan, be sure to listen to the podcast, Wilder, that dives behind the scenes of her life, the books and the tv show. You'll love it!), hit up a few breweries, ate dinner in the university town of Lawrence, ate at a donut shop that sent a donut into space, visited the cute little town of Weston and just had a fun time being together.

At the end of October my sister came in to Denver for a week - she and I headed up to Estes Park for her first visit there and did a little shopping (as one does) and took in some views of the gorgeous Rocky Mountains.

November

November started with a visit from my brother and mom and right after they left we headed for Chicago to watch Ohio State play Northwestern at Wrigley Field - yes, that Wrigley Field. We met up with college friends and stayed at an Air BnB in Wrigleyville. It was a really fun place to stay and it's my new favorite area of Chicago. 

December

There were no travel plans for December and we had a very nice, low key holiday season with our son, grandson and our daughter who flew in from New York for a few days. We took in a few light displays, ate at Denver's famous Casa Bonita and tried a few other new restaurants during the month. A fantastic December to end 2024!

Please stay tuned to this spot for future recaps and 2025 travel! I appreciate all of your support to keep this little travel diary going - since 2013! - and am always excited for upcoming travel. 

I hope all of you have had a fantastic year and Cheers to 2025!