A Year of Going Deeper: Our 2025 Travel Recap
In this end-of-year episode, we sit down to recap our 2025 travels — not as a highlight reel, but as a reflection on how we travel, why our preferences are changing, and what we’re carrying forward into the next year.
Puerto Rico (New Year’s) — navigating island infrastructure realities and adapting plans on the fly
Chicago — the Travel & Adventure Show, favorite neighborhoods, and standout food
Mexico City — private guiding, home cooking, and a trip that permanently raised our expectations
Traverse City, Michigan — spring camping, fall wine country, and a destination Thanksgiving
Watkins Glen & the Finger Lakes — camping, hiking, and cool-climate wine
New Orleans — one of the best food cities in the world
Summer Camping Road Trip (3 weeks)
Connecticut & Rhode Island
Michigan Favorites — Ludington State Park, the Straits, Fayette, and Detroit day trips
Why private and small-format experiences consistently outperform big group tours
How long weekends can deliver outsized value with less burnout
The tradeoffs of camper travel — and when it shines vs. when it’s hard
Food as a decision-maker: Mexico City and New Orleans set the bar
Returning to places at different life moments — and why that matters
Learning to travel well without always flying far
Michigan wine discoveries and joining another wine club
Standout meals in Mexico City and New Orleans
Unexpected gems in Detroit’s food scene
Cooking Thanksgiving away from home — and why we’d do it again
This isn’t just a recap of where we went — it’s about how our travel philosophy continues to shift:
Less checklist travel
More flexibility and context
Fewer crowds, better conversations
Trips that fit real life, not the other way around
As we look ahead to 2026, we talk about what we miss, what we don’t, and why traveling thoughtfully continues to matter more than ever.
