2022 travel was a juxtaposition of city and country life. I loved every second of it. And made it to hotels and cities I had been wanting to visit for years! I cannot say enough about the collective travel experience of this year. Let’s discuss.
New York
I have been itching to get to New York city for several years, probably 10 years. But it just had not worked out, especially with the pandemic. But this year we made it happen. Probably largely due to the Mets (early) success last season. We both had something drawing us to the city. And it really lived up to the hype I created over the past few years. We only had a long weekend, but it felt like longer. Being in NYC is such an experience, just walking around is enjoyable because of the architecture and chaos. Of course there are also so many shops and food available everywhere it keeps you busy.
We stayed at the Roxy at the recommendation of my cousin, the travel expert. The hotel was a boutique, unique stay which definitely added to the experience. There was a cool old timey theatre, and a jazz lounge. The restaurant inside the hotel had delicious food, and the coffee was convenient and tasty. A cool feature for guest comfort was a noise machine right outside the door of the rooms on the first floor near the band, which allowed for a good nights regardless of the room.
Favorite meal: Momofuku, which was very cool. We are big fans and love their sauces and noodles we have purchased from their website.
Favorite experience: The Met, another amazing institution in the city. Cannot believe the sheer size and history in the building.
Burlington
We traveled to Vermont for a wedding in October. The wedding was actually in upstate New York, and Burlington was the closest airport we could find. And this was an unexpected gem. I don’t know what happened when I came here, but I felt calm. There was something so beautiful, and inviting about this town. We were there in the early stages of autumn, but there were still plenty of oranges and red painting the tree line to make you appreciate the season. I absolutely did not get sufficient time exploring Vermont, and so we have another birthday trip coming up next month. Can’t wait.
Spoiler alert, we moved here.
Montana
The dream destination. I have wanted to visit Montana for probably a decade. But it is a city that is difficult to get to, kind of expensive, and maybe not as cool as other big cities so it never felt worth it? Or the right time? It felt like there were other cities you had to get to first. Or our friends and family would be going to a more popular destination, and that is where we would plan to go. BUT THIS YEAR, the most beautiful travel year, led me to Montana. We opted to visit Triple Creek Ranch for our honeymoon, a beautiful resort in Darby, Montana. The ranch is about 1.5 hours south of Missoula, the town we flew into it.
This trip was the perfect selection after a hectic wedding season, and after the stress of the past few years. It was such a treat to travel, and have everything taken care of for you. It felt restorative to disconnect. We were blown away by the quality of the food, the service and the beauty. We spent our days hiking, riding horses, playing scrabble and eating. We enjoyed being able to spend the day together and not make any decisions.
It felt like last year was a bit of a reset. Relaxing travel, more about the experience, food and beauty. In between the excitement of planning a wedding. Next year may be a bit more hectic, but I think I will prioritize one restorative vacation a year.
