Travel. Such a loaded word in 2020. For much of this year, leaving our own homes, cities, states or especially countries has been by and large out of the question. Some have been lucky to still have some freedom of movement, while others have been driven mad by the same four walls for days on end. Perhaps travel is still quite taboo for many, but for others modest movement beyond our usual sphere might just be possible again.
Though I find it challenging myself to plan time away (chalk it up to a career with no paid vacation time), I still very much enjoy getting away when I can. Each year we usually try to plan at least one quick reprieve from the usual daily routine, even if it is just staying an hour away for a few nights. I've never traveled far abroad, though I do have plenty of places on my bucket list that I hope to check off some day. Even just in the United States there are tons of new places I would love to see in person!
As much as you can't actually beat the travel portion, sometimes the planning and anticipation is just as fun! I've known people who plan vacations a year or more in advance just to know they have something to look forward to on the calendar. This year, even that was challenging as planning anything in these uncertain times has been nerve-wracking, to say the least. However, I for one think it can still be quite enjoyable to either take a trip down memory lane to reminisce about some of the fun places I've been already or daydream about the places I want to visit for the first...or second...or third time...
Good thing our monthly 
I have to say I'm feeling pretty lucky in that after almost 2 years without travel (I am not counting a stressful 48 hour girls trip getaway that was a bit of a disaster last October), I have a few quick weekend trips not far in the distant future. No airports or passports for my plans, but if I didn't put something on the calendar soon I was just about at my breaking point. My dear friend and client, who also happens to be my psychiatric support system, insisted I plan SOMETHING, so I was just complying with my homework. Mental health is just as important as physical, and after working nonstop lately, it's time for a break. Past time, really. Given that bucket list travel may still be a ways away, my choices for the contest are pretty simple and based on where I've been and where I would like to go again. I'm a simple gal, and my toes in the sand or head in the trees appease me just as much as visiting the most well-known tourist attractions. Perhaps sometimes even more...
This months topic is FAVOURITE TRAVEL DESTINATIONS
My Nominations are:
Nomination Number One
Portland
My Reasons for the Nomination
Oregon or Maine, take your pick. They are both on my list to visit again! I was actually hoping to be able to hit both this year when 2020 first began, but maybe 2021 will be the year. If not there's always 2022. 😂 I equally adore New England and the Pacific Northwest for vacationing, despite not having had nearly enough time to explore either. They're like many other places in the world, I'm sure, in that you can experience so many different adventures in one trip. City to country, ocean coastline to inland rivers or even mountain ranges all in a short drive making it easy to make a worthwhile and varied vacation experience.
I'll start with Oregon as it has been a longer time since we have been there, and it probably ranks higher up the list on where I'd like to visit again first. My cover photo was from our visit back in 2014, as is the photo above, which coincidentally I just had a memory pop up that it was this actual day when we arrived (September 4th). I had so much fun when we went out to see some friends who live right in the city of Portland. We were able to see quite a bit right in the heart of the city. So much walking and hiking, and we hit it at the perfect time of year when the weather was absolutely gorgeous.
Multnomah Falls was a highlight, but so was the hike up to the fantastic viewpoint of the Columbia River. I loved the trees as the forests are so different than they are here in the Southeastern part of the country. After spending a few days in the city, we rented a car and drove out to the coast for a few days. Growing up watching The Goonies, I had to see Cannon Beach. However the hike down to Crescent Beach was the best part of our quick visit to the coast. We had to hike down a quiet trail just to get to the secluded beach. I think we were there on a weekday, so it was mostly just myself and 
We have some more friends that moved out that way last year, so a big draw to go visit again. I would love to actually hit Seattle, Washington and maybe even Vancouver next time, as well. Though I might need a few weeks to see everything I would want!
We had the pleasure of visiting Maine more recently, although that was already three years ago, as well! This time of year is a common time for us to travel (the benefit of not having kids--you can travel in non-peak times), so I saw those pictures pop up recently on my memories. I've had the pleasure of hanging out in Boston a few times in my life now, which is a great spot to start out and venture further up into that beautiful part of our country. One of my former clients, turned friend, moved back up to New Hampshire almost four years ago now. She was the one we stayed with when we visited last time, along with an old high school friend of mine in Boston.
So many cool spots really close to her town like the park above, but we also spent a full day just driving up the coast from Portsmouth, New Hampshire all the way to Portland, Maine. The lighthouse shot from the rocks was somewhere in Maine, but I can't recall exactly where as we just stopped here and there along the drive. I would love to make it back up and check out more of Maine, especially further north to Acadia National Park. Plus, now I have an extra incentive to finally gab in person with my blogging pal 
Nomination Number Two
The Mountains
My Reasons for the Nomination
Since I cheated a bit on my first nomination and picked two places, I'll go super generic on my second and third choices. Plus I'm a panel member and my choices don't count for the contest anyway. 😉 Given the choice between the mountains and the beach, I think the mountains take a slight edge. Getting up in the trees and seeing those views where it feels like you could reach out and touch the clouds. Man, that's just a slice of heaven. I always feel like I get that perfect mix of relaxing and enjoying some hiking when I've visited the mountains before. Most often it has been up in the Blue Ridge area of Georgia, but I'm not opposed to checking out some other spots. My parents also used to take us to the Pocono Mountains in Pennsylvania when we were kids growing up in New Jersey. The love of that type of vacation was instilled in me early on! So early, in fact, that it is family lore that those are quite "fertile" grounds. My sisters and I might all have been conceived in those mountains...🤐 It would be fun to head back up there and visit as an adult, though no intentions of making my own babies there, haha!
From where we live, we can drive just a short ways and hit any number of spots along the Appalachian Trail (Preacher's Rock pictured above is right near the Georgia start of the AT) or further off that popular path. Asheville, NC is high up on my list, both for the hiking and vegan restaurant scene. Plus I seem to recall just learning that a certain duo I met on the ol' blockchain might not be far from that 'hood...
Nomination Number Three
The Beach
My Reasons for the Nomination
Ok, ok, I know I said the mountains edge out the beach, but there is also just something soothing about toes in soft sand and the sound of the waves lulling you to sleep. My dear
The beach is one of those spots, though, that I'm good for about a 3-4 day trip. Too much more than that and I get a bit tired of laying around on the beach unless there are other attractions close by to check out. I have an aunt who lives down in Sarasota, Florida, so we grew up heading to Siesta Key Beach, which is still my mom's favorite spot to relax. She can stay on the beach for hours on end. It is a beautiful place, but I enjoy checking out all different spots if I can.
We'll be hitting up this particular patch of sand shortly, but I won't tease you too much until we actually head down there and get to enjoy it. I have big plans to pack a few books and unplug for a long weekend away soon. I do love to get out and run on the beach since the scenery is totally different to my usual runs at home, but the beach provides some major chill time for those few days before I start feeling too lazy!
So many other beaches in the world that I would love to hit, Australia and New Zealand are soooo high up on the bucket list. I've never been to Hawaii either, or even California to check out that part of the country. Man, this list just gets longer and longer! Not to mention plenty of non-beach areas. Copenhagen has always been on the list to see where the Danish side of the family came from, along with Poland to see where
We hope you all will take a trip with us! Down memory lane or to actually look forward to being somewhat mobile again. I'm sure there will be some epic choices to add to my ever-growing list. Now if only Hive would moon so we all have plenty of funds to check off more of those boxes...
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