2022 End-Of-Year Summary
& Sneak Peek 2023
2022 End-Of-Year Summary & Sneak Peek 2023
Published December 5, 2022
I can’t believe it’s the final stretch of 2022, but here we are! Since a new year is approaching, this post will review where I’ve been over the past twelve months. After that, I’ll provide a rundown of the trips I have planned for 2023!
This is my third annual “year in review and what’s in store for next year” post. I really like writing these posts because they’re a nice way to organize my trips. It’s also interesting to compare my travel plans from a year ago with what actually ended up happening! To read my other end-of-year wrap-up posts, click or tap here.
2022 REVIEW
1. Miami, FL (Jan)
My first trip in 2022 was a five-day getaway to Miami. I had been there once before, but wanted to spend more time in Miami proper (and not all in Miami Beach). I wrote a blog post featuring things to do there besides the beach, and it was a great first trip of the year!
2. Saint Martin & Anguilla (Apr)
My next major trip this year was a ten-day visit to the islands of Saint Martin and Anguilla. I had never been to this part of the Caribbean before, and I was absolutely blown away by how amazing Anguilla was. This small British Overseas Territory only has a population of about 15,000 people, but it’s an incredible destination that isn’t overrun by cruise ships or tourist traps.
All of my blog posts from this trip got significant traffic after they were published, which makes me happy that other travelers were able to use them as resources!
3. Indiana (July)
I spent the Fourth of July with my extended family in Indiana this year. We did the standard activities: a small-town parade, burgers and dogs on the grill, and fireworks.
I’ve been to Indiana multiple times since I started blogging, but I haven’t written about the state yet. That’s mainly because all my visits have centered around family and holidays, but next year might finally be time to spend a few days there as a tourist. I may try to write an Indianapolis weekend guide, or I may take a long weekend off to explore Indiana Dunes, which isn’t too far from Chicago.
4. Rhine River Cruise (July)
This Viking Cruise I went on with my extended family was the highlight of my 2022 travels! We boarded our ship in Basel, Switzerland, and sailed the Rhine from there all the way until Amsterdam. Along the way, we stopped in Germany and France at multiple big cities and small villages.
This was my very first cruise, and it was my first time visiting all four countries we docked in: Switzerland, Germany, France, and the Netherlands. I enjoyed finally writing about some great destinations in Western Europe post-pandemic!
5. Amsterdam, Netherlands (July)
After our Viking Cruise, my family and I stayed in Amsterdam for about five days. We had a lot of fun exploring this city of canals, and my Amsterdam blog post has become one of my most-viewed posts by the end of the year.
6. Germany and Austria (July)
The next part of our Europe trip involved splitting up and doing a smaller private group tour through Germany. I didn’t actually blog about our time spent in Munich and the small town of Ingelheim, where we have some family ties. That’s because each stop was so quick, and I didn’t feel like I got to explore either place long enough to write about it.
We also crossed briefly into Austria one day and walked around Salzburg. It seemed like an interesting place but I remember feeling a little unwell that day, plus it was a whirlwind tour. I don’t feel like I was able to really get a sense of the town, but I’d love to go back to Austria someday to explore more in depth!
7. Treviso, Italy (July)
The final leg of my summer in Europe trip consisted of a visit to Treviso, a small city not too far from Venice in Northern Italy. A friend from college lives there, and I’m so grateful that he was able to show me around and give me tips on what to do there!
All in all, I spent about a full month in Europe and made it to six countries. An extended EU trip was awesome after multiple years of travel restrictions. It really felt like a full return to normal. However, I feel like I’ve had my fill of long trips for a while, and I don’t plan on taking an entire month off in 2023.
8. Seattle & Conconully, WA (Sept)
For Labor Day weekend, three friends and I went on a short camping trip: an annual tradition that was interrupted by COVID. In 2021, we went out to Glacier National Park and Flathead Lake in Montana. Our 2022 trip was a little closer to Seattle and a little more lowkey. We drove to the tiny town of Conconully in Central Washington, where we camped at the local state park.
9. Lisbon, Portugal (Oct)
My final international trip of the year was a visit to Lisbon. This was a fun trip because it’s one of only a few cities I’ve blogged about twice. I found myself quickly remembering the layout of Lisbon, a very walkable city. It was nice to visit all the attractions that I missed on my first visit in 2018.
10. Seattle, WA (Nov & Dec)
It’s been many years since I spent both Thanksgiving and Christmas with my immediate family in Seattle, so I decided to fly out for both holidays this year. I generally prefer to visit Seattle in the summer when the weather is better, but am looking forward to spending the festive season there in a few weeks!
Looking Forward to 2023
1. Seattle, WA (Jan)
I’m putting Seattle at the top of my 2023 list because I would really like to write my first Seattle blog post in January. I’m spending a full two weeks there at the end of December and beginning of January, so I’d really like to use that time to revisit some of the city’s tourist hotspots.
After I head back to Chicago, I’m aiming to publish a Seattle winter visitor’s guide as my first blog post of 2023. Since Seattle is my hometown, I think I could offer some unique insights into this fascinating Pacific Northwest metropolis!
2. Fort Worth, TX (Jan)
3. San Diego, CA (Feb)
I also plan to travel during President’s Day weekend, and just purchased tickets to San Diego! This is a city I went to back in high school, but haven’t explored it as an adult. Hopefully this will be a long holiday weekend of sunny weather, good food, and lots of exploring!
4. Spring Break (Apr)
Given that I’ve worked in education for a number of years now, I am lucky to be able to travel during spring breaks! I haven’t bought plane tickets for this trip yet either, but a friend and I are leaning towards visiting Aruba and Curaçao.
Even if we end up going somewhere else, I know for sure that I’ll be spending that week abroad somewhere sunny! Stay tuned for more info!
5. Chicago (Summer 2023)
Since I went on an extended trip to Europe this past summer, I plan to spend next summer at home in Chicago. I’d really like to explore locally and blog about some more neighborhoods around town. I will probably do a few shorter, regional trips, but won’t be scheduling a month out of town in 2023.
6. Switzerland (Fall 2023)
A friend from college recently moved to Switzerland, and I’d love to visit him and his wife next fall if my schedule allows! After visiting Zürich and Basel this year, I am definitely intrigued by the country. There is so much natural beauty there, and I would gladly go back.
7. Pacific Northwest Camping (Fall 2023)
Three friends and I have done annual camping trips since college, and I’m hoping that we can organize one for late summer or early fall of 2023. We’ve talked about perhaps visiting Crater Lake, but it will depend on if we can manage to make a reservation before others get in before us. Stay tuned for this one as well!
Final Thoughts
Overall, I’m glad that I got to spend a significant part of 2022 in Western Europe! Ever since I began this blog in 2018, I have always wanted to feature countries like Germany and the Netherlands. I feel like my blog has “leveled up” now that I have significant content for North America, South America, Europe, and Asia.
I also feel like I didn’t blog or travel nearly as much as I wanted to this year. Part of the reason for that is the fact that I lived in Brazil from January 2020 to April 2021. I’ve spent my time in Chicago since then resettling into life in the US, focusing on my job, and getting to know America’s third-largest city. The other factor is that traveling has become so expensive this year. To be candid, I simply couldn’t afford to travel as much in 2022 as I could in 2018 and 2019.
However, now that I do feel settled into a regular routine, I am looking forward to a few more adventures in 2023! I want to take advantage of three day weekends, even if airfare costs more now. I am determined to blog about Chicago neighborhoods during summer of 2023, plus do a few more local Midwest trips!
If you’re wondering what my plans are for the end of 2023 and beyond, I have to admit: I’m not quite sure! I still want to move to Asia, but I really love Chicago and am not in a hurry to leave. If I had to put a date on it, I would say that I might end up moving to Japan (or possibly South Korea) in January 2025. That would give me exactly two more years to explore every corner of Chicago!
Whether you’ve just stumbled upon Caffeinated Excursions or followed along for years, thank you for your support! I love sharing the experience of travel with so many of you from all over the world and am excited for the blog to continue growing and helping folks plan their trips in the upcoming year!
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This post was published on Dec 5, 2022
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