Year End Summary
States/Territories Visited: NJ, NY, PA, DE, VA, MD, AZ, NC, SC, FL, LA, CO, KY, AR, WA & US Virgin Islands
Countries: USA, Canada, Dominican Republic, St Kitts, Dominica, British Virgin Islands (Tortola)
Key Cities: NYC, Philadelphia, Tucson, Phoenix, Scranton, Little Rock, Bowling Green, New Orleans, Denver, Victoria, Ottawa, Miami, Charleston
Art Towns – Cooperstown, Charleston, Hot Springs, Coral Gables, Charlotte Amalie
Parks: Mammoth Cave NP, Hot Springs NP, Wright Brothers Nat Memorial, Fort Raleigh NHS, Tumacacori NHP, Paterson Great Falls NHP, Saguaro NP, Coronado Nat Mem, Valley Forge NHP, Hopewell Furnace NHS, Steamtown NHS, Abraham Lincoln Birthplace NHP, Lincoln Boyhood Home Nat Mem, Fort Sumter NM, Little Rock Central High School NHS, Wolf Trap NP for the Performing Arts, Great Falls Park, Shenandoah NP, Montezuma Castle NM and Canadian National Park 1000 Isles, Dominican Republic National Parks Sanoa Island and the Caves; The Baths, British Virgin Islands; Morne Trois Pitons NP, Dominica
Concerts: Hall & Oats, Trombone Shorty, Santana, William Shatner, Tony Bennett, Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Brian Wilson (THE Beach Boy), Elle King, Bryan Adams, Chic, Duran Duran, Ricky Martin, Kristin Chenoweth, NSO and New Kids on the Block plus a lots of amazing Broadway shows (Allegiance, Finding Neverland, Waitress, She Loves Me, Beautiful, American in Paris, Fully Committed, Disaster, Bright Star, On Your Feet, The Illusionists, Sweet Charity [off Bway] and Holiday Inn ), tours Bridges Of Madison County, Maks & Val Dance, Grinch Stole Christmas and regional shows Freaky Friday. (I love live music and theatre)
Aquariums: Virginia Marine Science Center, South Carolina
Ghost Tours: Ottawa, New Orleans
Iconic or Plain Ole’ Amazing Sites: Central Park in the snow storm, Philly Flower Show, Canadian Capital, Little Rock HS, Bathhouse Row, Parliament in Victoria, Pineapple Fountain of Charleston, Grand Ave in Mammoth Caves, Coors Tour in Golden, Baseball Hall of Fame, Columbus Museum in Santo Domingo, The Baths in Virgin Gorda, the Caribbean Reef
2016 was a full year. It was a year filled with beauty, wonder and adventure, beginning with a crazy snowbound trip in NYC in the epic snowstorm and ending in the Caribbean visiting a few new islands.
I made more
headway on my next travel bucket wish list, a bit early. I took 2 trips to Canada with
friends
– an Ontario capital adventure – Ottawa, Kingston and Perth, and a quick
weekend to the capital of British Columbia -Victoria. My trip through Ontario was filled with art,
history, ghosts, giant spiders and scenery as I toured with my friend
Laurie. Ottawa is such a beautiful city
– the capital lights up with a history of Canada tutorial that would make
anyone prideful. While in Kingston, we
took a cruise through 1000 Isles National Park and I still “ahhh” when I think
about it – it was one of the most beautiful things I saw this year. My summer trip to Ontario was contrasted with
my November trip to British Columbia (it’s not that cold there, trust me), and
there Lesley and I interacted with insects at the zoo, starred into dioramas,
were given a private tour at the art museum, interviewed people for her blog
and drank the most expensive pot of tea ever!
I already know I am headed back to Canada to see more – it’s beautiful –
I just need to figure out where we are headed next.
So what do I have on tap for next year? I am not sure. As always, a lot will depend on United sales. I do know that I am headed back to San Jose California with friends for a girlsweekend with the New Kids in January, and maybe I can fit another to the Winchester Mystery House. My boyfriend and I will hit up Universal and Disney in Orlando while he is there for work. I am headed to Vegas to see my friend in May and take in some New Kids concert time. I will visit my Canadian friend for another adventure somewhere up there this summer (maybe Quebec City?) I have plans to visit mom in Florida and see Bruno Mars in October. I started planning my first park trip of the year (in May) to Lassen in Northern California and while there I hope to stop by Whiskeytown NRA. My boyfriend and I will see the total solar eclipse in the Nashville area in August. I will get back to Washington state to see my best friend, we will plan a tour at the San Juan Islands this year. And of course I will return to the City to take in as many shows as possible (its a never ending quest). Beyond that, there is talk. My friend I went to Iceland with in 2015 and I are talking about another trip to somewhere in Scandanavia. My boyfriend and I are eying a trip in the Caribbean, Mexico or in Ireland. I know some family wants to get back to Italy. I would like to explore Toronto Canada - I can't believe I still haven't been there! And there is Hawaii that is haunting me. I have a few national parks on my radar - some are more pressing than others due to changes in their environment - Glacier, Grand Tetons, Dry Tortugas, Redwoods, Dinosaur NM, Point Reyes Nat Seashore, Cape Hatteras. If I make it to the northern CA coast, I have my eye on Glass Beach and Eureka. Those Smithsonian classes are torturing me and making my never-ending list grow ever longer... I do love the adventure.
I can't do it all unless I hit the lotto. So, I will keep calling out to Hermes and Tyche - the Greek Gods of travel and luck.
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