For the past few years, David and I have prioritized traveling and experiencing new places, no matter how short the distance. Obviously, COVID-19 put a rather large damper on any travel plans people had in 2020. So, this post won’t look remotely like what was originally planned in January of last year, we were able to rediscover some of our favorite places, find creative ways to explore our local areas, and will continue to wait until we are vaccinated and travel can resume safely for us and those we interact with in 2021. In the meantime, grab a cup of coffee and check out some of the places we visited for this year in review. I hope you’ll be inspired to visit some of these places, especially the ones that are off the beaten path!
2020, a Year in Review: our Travel Adventures
Baha Mar – Nassau
I kicked off 2020 in style with my BFF Kayd and new friends. I couldn’t have asked for a better start and highly recommend this spot for a tropical vacation.
New Orleans
My best friend and I met in New Orleans at the end of January for belated birthday trips and had the best time! David and I had visited a couple of years before and while it was lovely, I was able to check off even more of the places I wanted to try while in town. That included finally getting beignets from Café du Mondé!
Charleston
David and I spent our 6th wedding anniversary in Charleston, which is where we spent our first wedding anniversary. We stayed at the Hotel Bennett, right in Marion Square, and enjoyed lots of take out, dinners in the square, and socially distancing by the pool.
Ocracoke
I’ve been vacationing at Ocracoke every year since I was in 5th grade and after Hurricane Dorian‘s damage + Covid, we weren’t sure we’d make it in 2020. We were fortunate to be able to take a week long getaway and enjoyed the socially distant time away.
Blowing Rock
My quarantine buddy, Clarke, and I spent a gorgeous weekend in Blowing Rock staying at the Meadowbrook Inn. We had such a great time and Blowing Rock is another great spot to enjoy some socially distant experiences, like Grandfather Vineyard.
Charlotte
My tall friend, Kayd, moved to Charlotte from Chicago and I went to welcome her back to North Carolina. We had been making a list of places with outdoor seating and outdoor markets so that we could explore. It was so much fun and I cannot wait to go back and cross more places off our list this year!
Asheville
David turned 36 in September, so for his gift, he asked for a weekend getaway to Asheville where he could try new breweries and hike with the boys. We found a great Air BnB right in town that had an amazing yard and gorgeous view and we did all of what he requested. I even hiked a really strenuous hike with minimal complaining.
The Streetery in Durham
David and I had the best date night at the Streetery in Durham. Even though the Streetery has ended, this is a still a great itinerary for a lovely date night because of all the outdoor spaces featured! Durham is really one of our favorite places to explore in North Carolina and we love visiting these spaces.
Western NC Wineries
Y’all may remember my love of the NC wineries from last year’s post and I got to visit again with my two best girls from college. I got to try more of the wineries on the Yadkin Valley Trail and it was so fun to get away and catch up with these friends.
Warrenton
I was so glad to take a day trip to explore an eastern NC town. Our itinerary made for quite an eventful and fun day and I highly recommend for you if you are looking for a spot within driving distance from the Triangle with great food, great drinks, and a welcoming atmosphere!
Christmas at the Biltmore
David and I traveled back to Asheville to experience Christmas at the Biltmore. As a native North Carolinian, I’d never been to the Biltmore before, so we decided to make our first visit together and see it at Christmas. We both highly recommend the candlelight tour if you’re going to do this experience. It’s definitely worth it, plus your ticket gets you in either the same day or the day after so you can experience Antler Village, the winery, and the gardens.
While this year certainly wasn’t what any of us expected or anticipated, these experiences were bright spots in the year. If you’re considering travel in 2021, here are some tips that worked for David and me through our experiences. We’ll continue to carefully travel locally as we are safe, healthy, and able to, and really look forward to when we can begin traveling by plane once we’ve received our vaccines. Stay safe and healthy!
See our round up of travel adventures here: 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016
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What would you include in your year in review? Let me know in a comment below!
So many Good ideaS!