I did a “Best of 2021” blog post last year, and it was so much fun to reflect back. I hope to make this an annual thing!
The Best Hikes of 2022
If I’m being honest, I didn’t have my best hiking year in 2022. I got to hike all over Utah in 2020 and Hawaii in 2021, so looking at my spreadsheet while typing this up – I am a little underwhelmed. Since my summer trip was to Florida, everything I “hiked” was flat and full of mosquitos. I am very, very excited that 2023 is a hiking trip!
That being said, I genuinely enjoy every hike I do, and am thankful I have the ability to get out there and go for 10+ miles. All 3 of these hikes are in Virginia, and it will be no surprise that 2 of them are in Shenandoah.
The Best National Parks of 2022
My first and second choice was easy to pick, but the 3rd slot – not so much. I really enjoyed all the parks I went to. If I were to give an honorable mention it would be Big Cypress!
No. 3: Steamtown NHS
When I go to National Park sites I try and do everything there that I can. I might need to break this habit if I ever want to finish seeing them all, but I don’t want to miss out on anything that makes the park a park, ya know? There is so much to do at Steamtown, which is why I loved it. There are multiple museums and train rides you can take. I definitely recommend taking one of their longer excursions!
No. 2: Biscayne National Park
When I planned my Florida trip, I tacked on the Everglades and Biscayne simply because they were close by and I didn’t want to have to come back. However, I loved Biscayne. I would love to go back and do some of the things I missed out on like snorkeling and the light house tour.
No. 1: Dry Tortugas National Park
This was no contest, Dry Tortugas will always be one of my favorite parks. I know I have a lot more to see, but the beauty and magic of this place is unlike any other.
The Best Hikes of 2022
No. 3: Bears Den to Keys Gap
The scenery on this hike was meh, since I did it in February. However, at that point it was my longest hike ever, and I did it with a dear hiking friend, which made it more special!
No. 2: Passamaquoddy > Furnace Spring > Stony Man Overlook
I love this hike because of the diversity. Furnace Spring was like a forest, and of course Stony Man was an amazing overlook. There was also an overlook on that hike that I didn’t know about, that might have been just as good as Stony Man!
No. 1: Jones Run/Doyles River Loop
This hike is in the southern section of SNP. I had heard about it, but you don’t see people do it as often as the hikes in the Big Meadows area. I did this hike on Easter and then stayed at a cabin in the Lewis Mountain Campground. It was definitely a memorable experience, as the weather went from absolutely beautiful on Easter, so sleet and freezing rain the next morning. I barely made it off Skyline Drive!
The Best Destinations of 2022
No. 3: Scranton & Honesdale, PA
I spent most of my time in and around Scranton, but my AirBnB was in Honesdale and I loved this town! There were a ton of breweries and great places to eat. I would love to pass through that town again!
No. 2: New York City
I should not be allowed to put NYC on my list anymore since it’s not a new destination, but I love it so much I can’t help it! I will say, I went a few days after Christmas and all the light displays were still up, which was so fun!
No. 1: Homestead, FL
There is nothing special about Homestead, besides that it is the town closest to all of the Florida National Parks. But it was easy to navigate, the traffic was not bad at all, and I felt like I could live there (not actually though because FL is the worst).
The Best Food of 2022
I ate so much good food in 2022, it was very hard to pick! Once I paid off all my debt, I heavily inflated my food and beverage choices while on my trips. Instead of eating as cheap as possible, I pretty much let myself get the meal I want, and I always look for a local brewery so I can also get a good beer. It looks like pork and french onion were the picks of 2022 🤣
Honorable mention: Pork tacos in Honesdale, PA
No. 3 Pork Nachos & Blackberry Margarita in Assateague
I’m not kidding when I tell you I think about this meal often.
No 2. French Onion soup in Scranton
So, so delicious. I’m picky about french onion soup, so the fact that it made this list is impressive.
No. 1 French Onion dip and Cherry Sour in Johnstown
This dip was INCREDIBLE and the cherry sour was the best sour I’ve ever had in my life. I brought some home and wish I had brought more.
That’s a wrap!
I cannot wait to see what my ‘best of 2023’ looks like. It is the end of May as I’m publishing this and I have only been on one day trip. The best is yet to come, including: a completely new state, finishing up the National Parks in another state, a few beach and camping trips, and somewhere new in the fall!
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