Where I Traveled in 2023 + My Favorite Photos
2023 was another incredible year of travel, adventure, and discovery. I’m so thankful to have such a wonderful husband by my side who is always excited to try new things with me. Together, we had a splendid year of seeing new (to us) places around the United States. We even visited a few new states too! So, here’s where I traveled in 2023. Where did 2023 take you?
New York City (January)
We attended the Maker at Sephora Fragrance Launch Party in NYC and enjoyed learning about the new collection. While there, we visited the New York Botanical Gardens, ate at Sushi by M, and did lots of sightseeing.
Above: Sushi by M Omakase
Westport, CT, for the LTK.it Creator Luncheon (February)
We dined at Nomâde in Westport, CT, and listened to the LTK team and other creators discuss what sets one up for success and how to stand out in a sea of content creators.
Week Exploring Mystic, CT (March)
We ended March with a journey to Mystic, CT. Known for its famous seaport museum, fine dining, and beautiful ocean views, Mystic is one of our favorite places in New England. We stayed at the Whaler’s Inn, dined at the Shipwright’s Daughter, and plenty of other delicious eateries. The people here are so kind, and though it’s a tourist town, it’s never been too crowded in our experience.
Newport, Rhode Island (April)
My best friend visited for a week, and we journeyed to Newport, RI, another of my favorite New England towns. We went to Easton’s Beach, ate freshly caught seafood, and explored the quaint downtown. I visit Newport once a month or so, and I need to write more about it! If you’re in New England, you must promise to visit for at least a full day!
Biddeford, Portland & Cape Elizabeth, Maine (April)
We spent two weeks exploring Maine. We saw lighthouses, beautiful rocky coastlines, gorgeous beaches, and amazing sunsets. Thanks to its tremendous natural beauty, Maine has tied with Washington as my favorite state in the United States. Did you know it’s the most forested state in America? It’s roughly 89.1% forest – Majestic!
Atlanta, Georgia (May)
We spent a gorgeous week in Atlanta, Georgia, exploring somewhere we’ve never been before. I was very impressed by the excellent food, the kindness of everyone who lived here, and the sheer volume of stuff to do. We could’ve spent an entire year here and not seen or done even half of everything we were interested in. Despite this being an incredible culinary destination, it also had the highest parking fees we’ve ever seen anywhere in the world. Some of the parking garages were $60+ per hour! It’s sort of sad that’s one of the main things I remember about this place.
Above: St. Regis Atlanta | Le Colonial | OSHA Thai
Wildflower Farms & Gardiner, NY & Hudson Valley (May)
May is my favorite month of the year. It’s so warm, and everything is alive, from the plants, trees, and flowers, to the air itself. We visited Wildflower Farms (an Auberge Resort) for the first time, located in Gardiner, NY, and had a splendid time. We ate nourishing food at Clay, participated in countless wellness activities, and even took a pressed flower pottery class. Everything about our stay was phenomenal, and while we were there, we had ample time to hike and explore the Hudson Valley.
Mackinac Island, Michigan (June)
I’m originally from Northern Michigan, so after we moved to New England, I made it a point to visit at least once per year. We went to all of our usual places and spent an entire week on Mackinac Island, visiting one of our favorite resorts, Grand Hotel. Here, we swam in their new pool, ate even more amazing food, golfed, hiked, biked, played games, went sailing, and spent time walking the island together. This is one of my all-time favorite places on Earth, and I can’t say enough about the island and Grand Hotel. There’s a reason we come back year after year.
San Diego, California (July)
We spent a week in California visiting another city we’d never been to – San Diego! I haven’t even written about a fraction of all the amazing things we did on our visit because, as you can see, we were swamped this summer. But don’t worry; I will get these posts out ASAP and share all the excellent reasons you should visit. We dined at Michelin Star restaurants like Cloak & Petal and Morning Glory and visited museums, gardens, the beach, and so much more. I love California’s blend of cultures, cuisine, art, and experiences. Visiting is always such a great time.
Return to Hudson Valley (July)
July saw us return to Hudson Valley in New York to visit Mohonk Mountain House, a staple vacation destination for those in the know. Here, everything is included, including meals and activities, so we thought it was a great value. We tried paddleboarding, hiked in the clouds, took an archery class, practiced yoga, and participated in daily fitness classes; plus, we ate even more excellent food here. Are you noticing a theme yet? We need to eat, so we like to eat well! Seriously, look at the food photos I took below and tell me that they don’t look incredible!
Kent, Connecticut (August)
We’d never been to Kent, CT, before, and we had a great time exploring this darling little town from our base of operations, The Kent Collection. We hiked the state park, dined alongside friendly locals, and patronized the local shops. Overall, it was exceptionally fun!
Asheville, North Carolina (August)
My sister-in-law moved to North Carolina not too long ago, so we finally had a chance to visit her and her husband! We had a fantastic time with family, exploring Asheville together. We also visited the Biltmore Estate. Their gorgeous garden and conservatory caught my eye, and I still dream of someday having an indoor conservatory like that house!
Charleston, South Carolina (September)
From North Carolina, we dipped down into South Carolina and spent two weeks in gorgeous, historic Charleston. This is one of my favorite cities in the world, and if I had a good reason to move down there, I’d do it in a heartbeat! The weather is splendid, the people are welcoming, the food is outstanding, and there’s never a shortage of wondrous things to explore, see, and do. We stayed at Zero George, Hotel Bennet, and Wentworth Mansion during our time in the Holy City and loved every second of it. If we spend more than a few days in one place, we like to hotel hop to see what’s what and write better travel guides! I love researching so you can plan your dream vacation!
Newport, Rhode Island (October and November)
We returned to Newport a few times in October and November for work. It’s always so much fun. This time, we mainly explored the mansions and ate more food (shocker!)
Whaler’s Inn in Mystic, CT (December)
We ended the year just before the holidays by visiting Mystic again before spending our first-ever holiday season just the two of us. Previously we’ve always been with our family. We loved doing something different this year, and the holiday decor was just lovely!
Explore my luxury travel adventures.
I can definitely sympathize with the ATL parking costs! its painful that of us that work downtown have to pay for the privilege of working there….