I know I say this every year, and yet I can hardly believe we are closing in on the end of 2022. This post kicks off my V favorite series of reflection posts and a way to highlight some of the brightest spots in my year. This annual post gives me so much joy because of all the things I enjoy, traveling is my very favorite. There is nothing more significant to me than being able to experience something or some place new and to share it here.
I am still working my way through visiting all 100 counties in North Carolina, with several trips planned already for 2023 to continue working towards this goal. 2022 took us to some of my favorite places, including a birthday trip to Charleston, our annual anniversary trip to New York City, and a couple of weekend getaways to Nashville and Chicago. Grab a cup of coffee and check out our travel guides for this year of travels. I hope you’ll be inspired to visit these places, especially some of the weekend getaways that are short drives from the Triangle with a lot to offer!
For more on my 100 county tour, follow this page for the most up-to-date guides. For previous travel adventures, check out this page.
2022 Review: Our Year of Travels
Charleston, SC
To celebrate my 35th birthday, David and I spent a weekend in Charleston while calling Hotel Emeline our home away from home. My birthday is January 12 so the city was still decorated for the holidays and was quite stunning for a winter weekend getaway!
For more scenes from this trip, check out Part 1 and Part 2 and a tour of our suite here.
Perquimans County, NC
My first NC county trip of 2022 was to Perquimans County, home of Hertford, NC, and 400 miles of coastline. It was an absolutely spectacular day trip with the kindest folks around!
For more scenes from this trip, here is a reel where I was surprised with a snow storm before heading out of town.
Clayton, NC
Photo by GloryRoze Photography
I spent the afternoon in Clayton with girlfriends and had one of the best meals I had in 2022 at Crawford Cookshop. Clayton is less than half an hour from our house and offers quite a lot to do for a Saturday afternoon in their downtown!
Buffalo, NY
David and I spent part of his spring break in his hometown of Buffalo, NY. It has been a while since I updated my article here with places to visit, so here are some scenes from our trip via Instagram!
Asheboro, NC
One of David’s favorite spots in North Carolina is the NC Zoo, which is located in Asheboro. We stopped in town for brunch before heading to spend our day at the zoo for a lovely afternoon!
Fearrington Village, Pittsboro, NC
Photo by GloryRoze Photography
Looking for a spot to feel like you are far away yet is less than an hour from Raleigh? Look no further than Fearrington Village in Pittsboro, NC. Glory and I spent a fantastic Saturday afternoon relaxing, shopping, and eating our way around.
For more from our day trip, check out our meal at Fearrington House Restaurant here.
Nashville, TN
For Memorial Day, David and I headed back to Nashville for a quick getaway. Flights from RDU are so quick and affordable making it a perfect spot for a weekend trip. We stayed at The Graduate and had the best time walking around the city and finding new places to try.
For more scenes from our trip to Music City, here is a round up video!
Tryon, NC
Photo by GloryRoze Photography
Glory and I headed up to Tryon, NC for an overnight getaway in this quaint mountain town and we were blown away by the hospitality and wineries in the area!
Here is a roundup of more scenes from our trip to Tryon!
New York City, NY
It isn’t a Grant anniversary without spending it in New York City at the Library Hotel! This is our absolute favorite home away from home and I often daydream about our next trip to stay there. New York City is so dreamy and fabulous and it is definitely New York or no where for us.
For more scenes from this trip, check out Part 1 and Part 2 and a tour of our suite here.
Asheville, NC
My sister-in-law flew in for a long weekend and we took her to Asheville. Truth be told, this was our first summer adventure in Asheville and I’ll say I don’t know what took us so long! We had a fabulous time visiting some of our favorite spots.
Here is a roundup featuring Asheville, Edenton, and Ocracoke from our travels throughout July and pictures from this trip here.
Edenton, NC
David and I may have started an annual tradition of stopping in Edenton overnight while making our annual trek to Ocracoke. We have the best time in this charming town and it has so much to offer in the summer. If you have not visited, be sure to add it to your list in 2023 and add a little extra time on your trip to stop in neighboring Perquimans County, too!
Come take a tour of our room and property at Inner Banks Inn here and more from our trip in pictures here.
Ocracoke, NC
My parents and I have been vacationing at Ocracoke for over 20 years now and it is one of my most beloved spots in my home state. I recently updated my recommendations for this travel guide after a few years. Ocracoke is truly a magical place to unwind and unplug and is a trip that David and I look forward to every year.
For more highlights from our time at Ocracoke, check out a video recap here.
Washington, NC
Washington holds such a special place in my heart. I spent so much time here during my college years because my best friend was born and raised in this town and we both worked in a boutique together on Main St. David and I spent a day in town checking out some of the newer spots and wandering around, which is one of my favorite things to do.
Click here for more scenes from our day trip.
Kinston, NC
Over Labor Day weekend, David and I headed down to Kinston to catch a Wood Ducks baseball game. We had not been to Kinston in a couple of years so it was nice to get back! It is not a far trip from the Triangle and is a fun spot to catch a game during the season!
Chicago, IL
Now while I have been to Chicago a few times before, our November trip was the first time David and I had been together. We stayed at the lovely Le Méridien Essex Hotel right across from Grant Park and Lake Michigan. It was the perfect home base for exploring the city with unbeatable views!
For our a look at our weekend in Chicago, check out this video!
Valle Crucis, NC
We took my parents to Valle Crucis this fall for a weekend at Mast Farm Inn. We just absolutely adore this spot for a relaxing weekend and we even woke up to snow flurries on Sunday morning while there. This is one of my biggest recommendations for a romantic weekend getaway.
For scenes from our weekend getaway, here is a video review.
Wilmington, NC
Our last trip of 2022 was such a delightful coastal weekend in Wilmington, NC. We love a weekend trip to Wilmington no matter the season and this one featuring all the holiday cheer was so wonderful! Bookmark it and add some calendar reminders for getting tickets to Enchanted Airlie and the Candlelight Tour!
For more scenes from this trip, check out Part 1 and Part 2.
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