Happy New Year!!! Every year I like to come up with some travel goals for the year ahead – goals to guide me as I explore more of the world and really focus my travel. This year we’re changing up a bit how we travel in terms of schedule and making some different efforts around where and how we travel so it will be interesting to see at the end of the year how we feel about the changes. But for now, looking ahead, here are my travel goals for 2017 in the year to come!
See more of the USA
Every year we check off a few places in the US, but this year I want to make it more of a priority to see more of my own country and our neighbor to the North, Canada. We already have trips planned to Virginia, a road trip from Portland to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone, as well as many Hawaii trips for work and family events. We’re also looking at a return trip to Vermont and upstate New York next Fall for more Fall foliage and maybe a weekend trip to Las Vegas.
All in all, I hope to see more of what is closer to me and within my own area of the world!
Embrace the unknown and more spur of the moment destinations.
As we travel more, we’re realizing that sometimes our favorite places are those that come up spur of the moment or that are a little bit more unknown. This year we’re trying to take advantage of more airfare deals with destinations that might not have been at the very top of our list or places that might just be more convenient in the moment.
For example, we booked a long weekend in Stockholm for January when an insane airfare deal came up ($350 roundtrip from LA to Stockholm) and while the city is on our list, it wasn’t ever a huge priority to get to. Though I’m super excited to enjoy a Winter weekend in this famous city.
Secondly, our trip to Bavaria and Austria in March came about when our first plans for a destination fell through. Sometimes, the unexpected ends up being an amazing adventure and I hope more of that comes about in 2017!
Shorter more focused travel.
We’re experimenting this year with shorter, more focused travel instead of long 10 day trips. We’re cutting our normal Spring trip down to 7 days this year and then taking more long weekend trips throughout the year to see how that works with our schedule. Often we find it’s easier for time off and work to be gone for less work days and easier to catch up when we get home. So we’ll see how this goes!
Embrace the road trip.
2017 is shaping up to look like the year of the Road Trip. So far we have plans for a road trip through the countryside of Virginia, driving through the beauty of Bavaria and Austria, as well as a trip from Portland headed to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone. We’ll also be road tripping around Provence in July – so my goal this year is to really enjoy these trips and take advantage of being on our own schedule, seeing as much as we can!
Melanie Fontaine says
Happy New Year, Casey! You and Nick definitely have some great plans for 2017 and I hope you’re going to have a blast on all your travels! 🙂
Casey says
Happy new year Melanie!!! I hope it’s a great one for you as well! 🙂
Rachel @ STCL says
So exciting! I just visited Stockholm and loved it – that’s an incredible deal you got!
Casey says
Ahhh I’m so excited for Stockholm! Any spots you’d recommend not missing?
Jenn says
Yay for Road trips! They are my favorite! If you need any tips for VA or Northern NY, let me know. I went to college in VA and dated a guy that lived in central VA for 3 years, and we’re currently living in Northern NY.
Casey says
I know, I’m super excited for road trips this year! And thanks for the info! We changed our plans for the Vermont trip (and booked cheap Paris tickets instead) but I’d love any tips for VA – we’re staying in Alexandria for a few days and then driving out to Lexington for a wedding – so anything on that route that you think would be worth seeing would be great!
Yvonne Ashon says
I have a road trip coming up later this year. Driving from NEW YORK to FLORIDA. Excited!
http://www.yourbeautypantry.com
Casey says
Wow, that would be an amazing road trip!!!! So much to see along that route!
Antoinette Johnson says
Happy 2017! A big focus for me this year is to travel more locally with road trips! Excited to read your future travel stories.
Casey says
That’s a great focus! I’m trying to do more of that as well – there is so much near us that we often overlook and can be so amazing!
Jordan Beck Wagner says
Can’t wait for all your exciting adventures in 2017!!! Have so much fun in Sweden!!!
Casey says
Thank you!!!! I’m so so excited for Sweden! Bring on all the cinnamon rolls and meatballs! 🙂
Sian says
Your plans sound fab! I’m looking forward to reading more about your travels in the US and Canada – I’m in the UK but have been really lucky to do several US road trips, and Yellowstone and Vermont were definite favourites. I also loved the Blue Ridge Parkway too – definitely worth a visit if you’re around there when you go to Virginia 🙂
I also visited Austria last year too, for summer for the first time, and that was gorgeous – you’ll love it!
Can’t wait to read more about your travels!
Sian xx Rebel Angel
Casey says
Thanks for the recs! I’ll look into the Blue Ridge Parkway! And Austria, ahhh I just fell in love with it last year in Vienna and can’t wait to explore more of the country! Thanks for following along 🙂
Emily of Em Busy Living says
Through Virginia!? Oohh come to Richmond! I’d love to have coffee with you 🙂 (If you have time!) I can also give you lots of Roanoke tips if you’re doing the Blue Ridge Parkway.
Casey says
Ahhh I wish!!!!! We’re staying more up North – driving from Alexandria to Lexington for a wedding. Any spots around that area though you’d recommend?
Emily of Em Busy Living says
Lexington is pretty and not too far from Roanoke (about an hour north). Natural Bridge State Park is right there and you can’t miss Skyline Drive (northern part of the Blue Ridge Parkway, alongside the Appalachian Trail.) Also look up the many breweries and cideries like Wild Wolf and Bold Rock that are closer to Staunton. My brother lives in Harrisonburg (north of all of this on 81) and he loves all of these things about the area. Jack Brown’s burgers in downtown Harrisonburg is a good lunch spot. I’ll let you know if I think of more!
Jenn says
I agree, Harrisonburg has such good food! I always stop in at the Wood Grill Buffet whenever I go back to visit JMU 🙂 Definitely a great stop for lunch!
Casey says
Awesome.. thank you!!!!!
Casey says
So good to know!!! Thank you for all the recs!
Megan Thudium says
Love your travel plans! I am also looking to enjoy more ‘at the moment’ adventures where I take off to new places unplanned. I’m also looking for more meaningful travel by combining educational or volunteer work (i.e. teaching English for a week, taking a photography class in Berlin or volunteering with animals in Peru) on travels. Can’t wait to read about your adventures!
Casey says
That’s a great outlook for travel!
Camila @ AdventitiousViolet says
Yeah I definitely am with you on the shorter and more focused travels! I usually wait until I can visit a place for weeks on end, which, with a job, gets harder in life. That’s the way I like to visit, but I think I have to give myself like week or two week trips instead of 6! Wishing you lots of amazing travel this year 🙂
Casey says
Love that! And I love that you’re shorter travel is a week or two and mine is a day or two 🙂 Whatever works right?