Friday Favorites: Travel

We are 14 days into NaBloPoMo, and I thought I’d try out some of the five things prompts that San shared.

I thought it would be fun to remember some favorite trips I’ve taken in the past. I’m hoping this will give me some inspiration as I think ahead to next year and what trips or local adventures we might do in 2026.

1. Costa Rica. This was our honeymoon, which we went to in 2017. It was one of my favorite trips of all time--we took it about a year after we got married. The biodiversity in Costa Rica is mind-blowing, and the people were so friendly. This vacation had a good mix of activity and time to relax. We spent time in the Arenal area, the Monteverde cloud forest, San Jose and Golfo Dulce. Memorable experiences included: visiting the hot springs, ziplining, guided nature hikes in the cloud forest, and the most amazing eco lodge we stayed in that was right in the rainforest. I loved hanging out on our porch and looking into the forest.

2. Argentina and Peru. I went on this trip with my roommate the year before I got married. We were both teachers and decided to plan an epic month-long vacation over the summer. We spent a week in Peru and visited Machu Picchu with her family, and then spent the rest of the time taking Spanish classes in Buenos Aires. We stayed in an airbnb with a super nice couple, and spent the whole time speaking only Spanish, which was really difficult, but helped me improve. I loved that we stayed long enough that we had a routine, and that we met people and got to explore so much of a beautiful city.

3. Kauai. We traveled here two summers ago, and it was the first time we’ve gone on vacation with both sides of the family, Joel’s and mine. We spent so much time at the beach, snorkeling, getting shave ice and just relaxing with family. Particularly memorable was sneaking away with Joel to hike the Kalalua Trail with stunning views of the Napali Coast.

4. Prague, Czechia. I studied abroad in Prague when I was 21, and it was the first time I ever visited Europe! I loved getting to live in the middle of the city. I lived near the national theater and remember packing lunches every day to bring to different parks and museums around the city. I loved being in Prague, and I also loved being able to easily hop on a short flight or bus to visit other cities. I dreamed of traveling a lot as a kid, so in many ways this was a dream come true.

5. Flathead Lake, Montana. This is my favorite childhood trip that I took with my family. We stayed at a lakehouse my mom’s boss owned, and I remember being totally blown away by how beautiful the lake was. It was an incredibly fun and active vacation full of boat trips and tubing, hiking, biking, and riding four wheelers. I think this was the first time I realized how much I loved more outdoorsy trips centered around nature.

What are some of your favorite travel destinations? Are there any trips you are hoping to take in the next year?