2023 Trips: Year in Review

2023 By The Numbers:

2023 was another amazing year of travel! The biggest highlights were using my passport for the first time to take a mini trip to Toronto, and finally heading out west to the mountains of Colorado and the beaches of California.

Read until the end of the post for some NYC and San Diego bucket list free downloads!

January: Miami, FL

This was a weekend girls’ trip that ended up being WAY colder than we anticipated. Apparently we brought the Ohio weather with us on this chilly weekend in South Beach. We stayed at our favorite hotel: MOXY in South Beach, which has an amazing pool and artsy rooftop. Being walking distance to everything is always a must for me when planning a trip! Some highlights were:

• Mango’s Tropical Cafe / Nightclub
• Brunch at Pura Vida
• Dinner at Taquiza
• Sunrise on the beach
• Brunch at 11th Street Diner
• People-watching on South Beach
• Art Deco Festival on Ocean Drive
• E11EVEN nightclub

February: Columbus, OH

Columbus is my favorite weekend trip from Cleveland, because it’s only a 2 hour drive. In my opinion, Columbus has some of the best rooftop bars in Ohio! I have a ton of friends here so I get to stay for free and can just spend money on the experiences – aka, the BEST way to travel. This trip was short and sweet, so not a ton of highlights, but if you are interested in a Columbus bucket list, email me!

• Pint House for drinks
• Mandrake Rooftop
• Seesaw nightclub (has since closed and is now my favorite club: Goodnight John Boy!)

February Day Trip: Tremont, OH

In February, I began my search for apartments in Cleveland. In February, my mom and I took a day trip to the Tremont neighborhood and toured some apartments in the area. Tremont is an eclectic, artsy neighborhood, just under 2 miles from downtown Cleveland. In this short day trip, we went to:

• Leavened Bakery / Cafe
• Roasted Coffee Shop
• The South Side for dinner

March: St. Paddy’s in Chicago, IL

This was one of my favorite mini trips of the year. My best friend and I celebrated my 24th birthday and St. Paddy’s in Chicago. We stayed, yet again, at our favorite hotel – The MOXY in River North. The River North neighborhood is my favorite place to stay in Chicago, and I would recommend it to anyone who loves to stay in the middle of all the nightlife and bar scene.

• Moe’s Cantina for drinks
• Zombie Tacos – located inside the MOXY hotel lobby (made for a convenient late night snack)
• Yacht Cruise down the river – watched the river get dyed green!
• Navy Pier
• Chicago Pizza and Oven Grinders – the best pizza I’ve ever had. Cash only!
• Point and Feather – drinks and dancing
• Charm’d Pop Up Bar for Brunch, cool decor, and vibes
• walked the Magnificent Mile: popped into a few stores

April: Spring Break Solo Trip

During my spring break, I made a last minute decision to book plane tickets to Milwaukee, WI and Denver, CO. I started the trip by visiting my friend in WI. We explored Madison, Milwaukee, and Chicago. Then, I flew to CO and explored Denver, Fort Collins, and the Rocky Mountains.

This trip was one that I will never forget and I am grateful to have friends all over who I can spend time with and explore new places.

Madison, WI: a day exploring

• Lunch at Great Dane Pub – YUMMY cheese curds
• Capitol Building – stunning from every angle
• Art Museum
• Madison Mural Alley – BIG mural girl

Milwaukee, WI: a night out

• Red, White, and Blue (RWB)
• Red Rock Saloon – legendary spiked capri suns

Chicago (I’m Back!) – always something new to do

• Beatnik on the River: drinks and apps; vibes were immaculate
• Pizano’s Pizza
• Millenium Park
• Greetings to Chicago Mural: Lincoln Square neighborhood

Denver, CO: an evening in a city by the mountains

• Dinner at My Neighbor Felix – yummy tacos
• Union Station
• Thrift shopping
• Larimer Square

Fort Collins: a few days in snowy Colorado

• Pancake flight from Snooze
• Old Town Fort Collins Shops
• Hiking at Horsetooth Reservoir
• Hiking in the Rocky Mountains

This trip was one of my favorites I’ve ever taken and the views and memories were unforgettable. Colorado, I will be back!

June Trip 1: South Haven & Saugatuck, MI

Every year for the past 6 years, my family has gone to South Haven, MI for our big family trip. Soon I will write a whole post about this perfect lake town but for now, here are some highlights of the Saugatuck part of the trip, which was a new destination for us. This quaint, quirky, artsy lake town is the perfect day trip for anyone who loves to shop and appreciate the little things.

June Trip 2: Toronto, ON and Niagara Falls

This trip was my first time out of the US, and I can’t wait to go back. We squeezed so many fun memories into this mini 3 day road trip.

• Went on a walk through High Park
• Stayed at the Chelsea Hotel Downtown – highly recommend, will stay again!
• Dinner at Earl’s Kitchen and Bar – delicious dinner and drinks
• Walked around Yonge-Dundas Square – Canada’s Times Square
• Explored the Distillery District: absolutely fell in love with this charming, industrial part of the city
• Ate Nanaimo Bar Ice Cream – delicious
• Admired the CN Tower everywhere we went
• Dinner at St. John’s Tavern – the best fish and chips
• RUEL concert at Danforth Music Hall
• Stopped at the World Food Market every night for some late night munchies (335 Yonge Street) because it was so close to our hotel
• Went Ziplining in Niagara Falls on the way home!

June Trip 3: San Diego and LA, CA

This trip was probably my favorite of the year – it was my family’s first time on the west coast. We stayed in a cozy casita in Ocean Beach for 7 days and then took the Pacific Surfliner Train up the coast to stay a few more nights in LA. Instead of typing up a list of what we did, I created a one-pager of all my recommendations for a trip to San Diego. I will also be dedicating a whole post to this trip so stay tuned! I also made a youtube video recap of all that we saw during this amazing 10 day trip.

December: New York City (Christmas Edition)

This was my first time in NYC during the holidays, and it was pure magic. Click the download button below to save your own copy of my Christmas in NYC bucket list for future trip planning!