2023 Recap + Travel Plans for the New Year
The best resolution? Travel more! ✈️ Plus: Tips on Road Trip planning
Hello fellow travelers! 👋🏼
If there’s one resolution (goal/intention) on your list for 2024, I hope it is this: Travel more.
There’s few things I’ve found that bring me as much joy as travel. Ultimately, it’s what led me to pursue a career in travel — to help others experience that same level of joy, curiosity, and adventure that I gain from traveling to new places.
Sign up for free flight deals, direct to your inbox. ✈️
I took my first real road trip in 2023. Yep! I’m typically a jump-on-a-plane, go-to-a-different-country type of traveller. Packing up the car and driving a thousand miles was new to me. And while being in the car definitely loses its shine after a while (but let’s be real, so does an airplane after the first 6 hours), I found it an incredible experience and a great way to see more than I normally would just flying in and out of my destination. Gino enjoyed it too! 🐶 Here’s some footage of him exploring the International Rose Test Garden in Portland, OR.
Road trips may be a theme of 2024. I’m planning two different (international) road trips for clients this year: one through the vibrant, historic island of Sicily and another through the green, gorgeous landscape of Southern Ireland. Most likely, I’ll wind up planning one for me and Kori too. New Mexico, maybe? Visiting the original Meow Wolf and exploring the state that Cormac McCarthy called home is on my 2024 Travel Aspiration list!
Ultimately, I love the challenge and the problem-solving required to successfully plan a road trip. It requires taking into a count individual skills and preferences among typical vacation planning factors. Road tripping through your home country is complex enough, but add on the layers of the differences in driving internationally, being unfamiliar with road signs, and it’s easy to see why having a travel advisor on your side is the best way to go! When planning a road trip, I like to ask questions like:
How comfortable are you driving in a different country?
How far can you drive in a day?
How long do you want to drive in a day?
How do you like to spend your time on vacation?
What sites are you interested in seeing?
What kind of accommodations do you require?
Do you value seeing more with less time in each place, or spending more time exploring fewer sites?
Interested in taking a 2024 road trip? I can help!
On the other end of the spectrum, I’ve booked and am planning quite a few cruises for 2024. Kori and I will be embarking on an 8-day Mediterranean Cruise with Viking Cruises in September. We’ve been waiting 4 years to take this cruise. It was scheduled for April of 2020, but then we all know what happened then. (This is also why I ALWAYS recommend travel insurance!!)
In 2023, I booked cruises with Norwegian and Princess Cruises for clients. My favorite among them? This 9-Day Greek Isles Cruise that departs from Athens, Greece, winding through islands like Santorini and moving up the coast through Split, Croatia, concluding in Venice, Italy. Visiting the multitude of Greek islands requires a boat - so why not do it aboard a cruise?
Looking for fun activities on your next vacation? Book travel advisor approved with Viator.
Cruises are always a favorite among travel advisors and travelers alike. If you are interested in exploring multiple destinations within one trip, but are looking for something more relaxing and hands-off than a road trip - a cruise is the way to go!
Do you have travel plans for 2024? I’d love to hear about them in the comments!
All-in-all, 2024 is shaping up to be a year of great travel. Whether or not I make it down to Belize remains to be seen — but that’s the beauty of a new year. We have some idea of where we are headed, and the joy of discovering the final destination can be just exhilarating as the journey itself.
Feeling inspired? Let’s chat about making your next vacation dreams a reality.
Til’ next time - safe travels and happy exploring! ~Lauren
ABOUT
Hi there! I’m Lauren Harvey, Fora Certified Travel Advisor and blogger at Taste Travel.
I’m a travel professional, here to alleviate the stress and hassle associated with travel planning so you can take the vacation of your dreams. If you’re interested in how I can help book your next vacation, send me a note here, or schedule a virtual meet-and-greet to get started. 🏜️