With still so much unknown about when we will be free to travel to our dream destinations, we can still set small travel goals and hope for the best. That is exactly what I have done. With a lot of time for reflection about what I want and where I am now, I have compiled a quick list of 5 travel goals for 2021. I want to know: what are your plans and goals for this year? Most of mine aren’t too specific, but with the pandemic still lingering, I hate to set unrealistic expectations. Who needs a New Year’s Resolution?? I’ll call these my New Year’s Goals!! Ok, so let me explain how I have come up with these goals and if I have plans in place to reach them!
New Year’s Goals: (in no particular order)
- Cross off more states! Visiting all 50 states has always been top on my bucket list for as long as I can remember. Growing up in Louisiana, it is easy to get caught up in only visiting the surrounding states (MS, AL, FL, TX…). It’s easy and who doesn’t love a nice beach getaway? I love visiting the beach, but there are so many cool places out there, I hate to spend every vacation I have in the same exact place. Some people are fine with that, and to each their own, but for me, I crave more. In 2020, I have surprisingly visited more states than I could’ve imagined I would in the midst of a pandemic. So why stop now? In April 2021, I have a really cool trip planned to Utah with my mom! I am very excited for a week of exploration and, hopefully, bonding with my mom.
- See more of the United States (my own country)– while this seems similar to my first goal, I promise I mean something a bit different. I am constantly inspired by the beauty of the entire world. I have no plans to stop traveling the world anytime soon, but I have begun finding a new interest in exploring my own country while we’re forced to remain idle for now. While I can’t wait to begin crossing off more states, within a span of several months, I will be crossing off many locations in Colorado alone. I have traveled to Colorado before, so it is crossed off my list, but during my latest road trip I was able to explore more of the state AND we’ll be flying into Grand Junction in April. Colorado, like many other states, have so much to offer throughout and I want to see it ALL!!! So even if I can’t cross all 50 states in the next year, I still want to explore more of my own country.
- Take better “blogger” pictures. LOL, I guess by this I mean I want to create better content for my Instagram account (travelbytorie). We’ll see how this goes because unfortunately, I don’t travel with any professional photographers and bloggers very often. Typically I travel with my mom and she’ll be the first to admit she has no clue what she is doing when I ask for a picture. I know she tries, but mix her inexperience with my awkward shyness in public and they don’t always make for the best content. BUT, my goal is to try harder. Also, I have a bad habit of forgetting my DSLR camera at home, and although the iPhone can take some beautiful photos, there is truly nothing like a DSLR camera capturing the beauty of where you are. This goal seems superficial, but I promise I just want to create more traffic and reach more people. If this will help, I am willing to try!
- Visit more National Parks in the US. National parks are beautiful and clearly, they wouldn’t be named an official National Park if there weren’t something special about each of them. I have crossed off a total of 3 in my lifetime. I am not sure if all 63 are necessarily on my bucket list, but there are so many I want to experience for sure. I planned to visit Yellowstone in 2020, but when we got to one entrance, it was closed and the open entrance was too far from where we were staying. This was a mistake on our part for not checking which entrance would be open! I did get a picture by the sign, does that count? Lesson learned for sure. Anyway, that trip we have planned in April will allow me to see Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park. I am SO excited and would also love to see Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park while we’re there. Any recommendations? I’ll take them!
- Travel internationally again! Don’t we all want to make that our goal? Well while many places are currently closed to travelers from the US, there are some beautiful countries open to visitors. Hopefully, more will begin to open this year, but right now I am hoping to spend a few days in the Riviera Maya in Mexico this summer. Mexico is open and I could use a tropical vacation!! Anyone with me? If I do go to Mexico, I am currently looking into AirBnbs in Playa del Carmen. This may be another solo trip, but we’ll see. I want to receive at least 10 stamps on my new passport before it expires in 10 years. So far I have one since I got my new one, and then COVID-19 happened. If you know me, you know I had two different international trips planned in Europe which had to be canceled. I won’t let the pandemic hold me back forever.
Just another life update: as of today, I have received the first round of the COVID-19 vaccine. I felt miserable the next day and got every mild side-effect as well. I may or may not be dreading the second dose and those effects, but whatever gets us out and exploring the world again!! I hope that getting the vaccine opens up additional travel opportunities in the next year. Check back for trip updates. I’ll be heading back to Jacksonville in a week!