My Travel Timeline

Curious about where I've been in the world? You can check out my Destinations page to see everywhere I've been, or scroll down to see a timeline of some of my favorite and most memorable travel adventures.

A timeline of (some of) my travels

February 2011 – I took one of my first “real” solo trips to Hawaii, spending about a week on Oahu: 10 Beautiful Hawaiian Beaches on Oahu

May 2011 – I tackled one of the scariest things ever — the highest bungee jump in New Zealand: The Scariest Thing I Have Ever Done

August 2011 – My sister and I embarked upon an epic, 3-week road trip across America before I quit my newspaper job and went back to school; it’s always been a dream of ours, and did not disappoint: Road Trip ’11: My 10 Favorite Road Trip Stops

November 2011 – I decided that I was probably never going to leave everything behind to travel the world indefinitely. Hence my travel/blog philosophy was born: You Can Live a “Normal” Life and Travel,Too

Keystone
In Keystone, Colorado, August 2011

January 2012 – I stayed the night in a former-prison-turned-hospital in Ottawa, and stayed up half the night because I’m pretty sure it was haunted: My Night in Prison

March 2012 – I went to Iceland for my grad school spring break and almost died on the side of a mountain: The Time I Almost Died in Iceland

May 2012 – I spent a week exploring San Francisco for the first time: The Neighborhoods of San Francisco

June 2012 – On my very first solo trip to Europe, I started out in Budapest, which happens to be home to some awesome thermal baths: Soaking at the Szechenyi Baths

July 2012 – After having dreamt about visiting for years (thanks to the book The Historian), I finally visited Rila Monastery, hidden away in the Bulgarian mountains: Rila Monastery, In Photos

July 2012 – I stood in awe during my first visit to Hagia Sophia in Istanbul, Turkey: In Photos: Hagia Sophia

July 2012 – I splurged and bought a ticket to see some gymnastics at the 2012 summer Olympics in London: London 2012: My Olympics Experience

August 2012 – I got to hike on a glacier in Alaska: Ice, Ice, Baby: Glacier Hiking in Alaska

Matanuska Glacier
Glacier hiking in Alaska

December 2012 – I headed off to Edinburgh, Scotland, to ring in 2013 Hogmanay-style, with fire and Vikings and dancing and polar plunges: Hogmanay: The Most Epic New Year’s Celebration You’ve Never Heard Of

January 2013 – I swam/snorkeled with sharks, stingrays, and sea turtles at the Belize Barrier Reef: Of Sailboats and Sharks

January 2013 – This self-proclaimed non-camper camped in the jungle in Guatemala and didn’t die: A Non-Camper Sleeps in the Jungle. With Monkeys.

March 2013 – I satisfied a lifelong dream and watched the Northern Lights dance above the frozen tundra in Manitoba, Canada: A Dance of Lights: Awed By the Aurora Borealis

June 2013 – My sister and I went on another road trip, this time driving down to Florida through the Old South: Highlights from a Week in the Old South

July-August 2013 – I spent the summer traveling around Europe with Busabout. You can read about the highlights in my RTW Diaries from Month One and Month Two.

Florence, Italy
The beautiful Florence, Italy

August 2013 – Feeling like a true VIP, I got to get a really unique peek at the Colosseum in Rome: Behind the Scenes at the Colosseum

September 2013 – I spent 2 blissful weeks hopping around the Greek islands, eating way too much feta and soaking up lots of sun: My Big Fat Greek Islands Photo Essay

November 2013 – After traveling around Europe for 3 months straight after finishing grad school, I decided that long-term travel was NOT for me: RTW Diaries: A Confession, A Change of Plans

January 2014 – I spent the night on a junk boat in Ha Long Bay, one of the places I was most looking forward to visiting in Vietnam: Ha Long Bay: Just as Incredible as You’ve Heard

February 2014 – I got to explore the incredible temples of Angkor in Cambodia: Temples Galore at Angkor

February 2014 – I spent a week volunteering with elephants in Thailand: Volunteering at Elephant Nature Park

Volunteering at Elephant Nature Park
Bathing an elephant in Thailand

June 2014 – My partner, Elliot, and I took a helicopter ride over Niagara Falls: Flying High Over Niagara Falls

October 2014 – Elliot and I went in search of fall colors in northern lower Michigan: Things to Do in Traverse City in the Fall

November 2014 – On my way to New Zealand, I built in a stopover in Tahiti, which ended up being pretty blissful: Tahiti: It's a Magical Place

November 2014 – I teamed up with Red Carpet Tours and spent two weeks visiting Lord of the Rings filming locations in New Zealand: Exploring Middle-Earth With Red Carpet Tours

November 2014 – I went bungee jumping for the fourth time in NZ: Completing the Bungee Jumping Trifecta in Queenstown

November 2014 – I spent a few days in Kaikoura, New Zealand, and went swimming with wild dolphins: Swimming With Wild Dolphins in New Zealand

November 2014 – I walked around the top of a tower in Auckland; what a rush! Adventure in the Sky in Auckland

Auckland Sky Walk
Sky Walk in Auckland

December 2014 – My friend Liz and I hiked the Hooker Valley Track at Mount Cook, the tallest mountain in New Zealand: The Hooker Valley Track: The Best Half-Day Hike in New Zealand?

January 2015 – Since I've long been a big geek, I took advantage of some good timing and went with a friend to Harry Potter World in Florida: Visiting the Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando

March 2015 – I escaped the Ohio winter and flew down to Florida again, this time to go swimming with manatees in Crystal River: Swimming With Manatees in Crystal River, Florida

April 2015 – I went on my very first river cruise this year, to Eastern Europe with AmaWaterways: River Cruising: What's It Really Like?

April 2015 – After putting off visiting for years, I finally went to Barcelona Spain – and fell absolutely IN LOVE: Everybody Was Wrong About Barcelona

April 2015 – I visited the Alhambra in Granada, Spain, which contains some of the most incredible architecture I've ever seen: The Place Everyone Will Tell You to Visit in Spain

May 2015 – I road tripped around Norway, which included driving the Atlantic Ocean Road (which is EPIC): Driving the Atlantic Ocean Road in Norway

May 2015 – I became “Queen of the Fjord” above Geirangerfjord in Norway: The Most Famous Fjord in Norway

Queen of the Fjord in Geiranger, Norway
Above Geirangerfjord in Norway

June 2015 – I traveled around the UK with my mom, visiting places like the Scottish Highlands, York, Liverpool, and London: “When I'm 64 Tour” Highlights

June 2015 – I got to go back to my beloved Isle of Skye: The Isle of Skye: Still My Favorite Part of Scotland

August 2015 – I put together my manifesto on solo female travel: Top 9 Questions About Solo Female Travel Answered

September 2015 – I rode the luxurious Rocky Mountaineer train from Vancouver through the Canadian Rockies: Everything You Need to Know About Riding the Rocky Mountaineer

September 2015 – I finally got to see some of the beautiful mountain lakes in the Canadian Rockies: 5 Spots in Alberta That Will Blow Your Mind

October 2015 – I explored the sand dunes and sunsets in New Mexico: Everything You Need to Know About Visiting White Sands National Park

October 2015 – My college roommate and I went to the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta, and even went up in hot air balloons: Up in the Air at the Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta

November 2015 – Elliot and I went snorkeling in the rift between two tectonic plates in Iceland: Snorkeling Silfra: Swimming Between Tectonic Plates in Iceland

Snorkeling Silfra in Iceland
Snorkeling in Iceland

November 2015 – Elliot and I also hiked on glaciers and climbed into ice caves in Iceland: Chasing Ice and Battling Mother Nature in Iceland

December 2015 – I went on a Christmas market river cruise in Germany and France: Christmas Markets with Viking River Cruises: What's It Really Like?

February 2016 – Not being content with only visiting Norway in spring, I headed to Northern Norway for some winter adventures: 10 Reasons Why Northern Norway in Winter is Awesome

March 2016 – I spent a few days exploring (and falling in love with) Puerto Rico: Thinking About a Caribbean Vacation? Think Puerto Rico

March 2016 – A first for me: I went on a digital detox tour in Ecuador: 5 Things I Wish I Knew Before Going on a Digital Detox

April 2016 – Elliot and I headed out to the American Southwest and visited some national parks: The Mighty 5: Utah's Stunning National Parks

April 2016 – While in Utah, Elliot and I tackled Angels Landing at Zion National Park: I Hiked to Angels Landing and Didn't Die!

Angel's Landing Trail in Zion National Park
Hiking Angels Landing in Utah

May 2016 – My dad and I headed off to Africa, spending two weeks together in Southern Africa: Highlights from 2 Weeks in South Africa

May/June 2016 – I spent three weeks overlanding in Southern Africa with Acacia Africa: Highlights from 3 Weeks Overlanding in Africa

August 2016 – My sister and I jetted off to the secluded Little Corn Island in Nicaragua for a luxurious sister's getaway: Sisters Getaway: Discovering Little Corn Island in Style

September 2016 – I went to Wales for the very first time and had all sort of cool adventures: 8 Reasons Why You Should Never Go to Wales

September 2016 – With Haggis Adventures, I explored more of Scotland's Highlands and isles, including the amazing Isle of Lewis and Harris: Hopping Around the Hebrides with Haggis Adventures

October 2016 – I visited two of the Baltics capitals for the first time: Riga and Vilnius.

October 2016 – I went on a river cruise in Russia – solo!: Highlights from a 13-Day River Cruise in Russia

Amanda in Sergiev Posad, Russia
Me in Russia

November 2016 – After years of wanting to go, I finally visited New Orleans for the first time: 9 Things to Do in New Orleans That Don't Involve Bourbon Street

March 2017 – I went on a quick trip to Hull, England, and found lots of things to love: 6 Reasons to Visit Hull, England

Arpil 2017 – Elliot and I went to Chicago for a long weekend and did all the things!: A Couples' Weekend Getaway to Chicago

May 2017 – I was invited to the grand opening of Volcano Bay at Universal Orlando, and wrote a comprehensive guide to all 3 theme parks there: Universal Orlando: Which of Its Three Theme Parks Should You Visit?

June 2017 – Elliot and I went to Oregon for a week and loved it: The Perfect 10-Day Road Trip Itinerary for Oregon in Summer

July 2017 – I went back to Norway again to road trip around some of its northern islands: Road Tripping Around Norway's OTHER Northern Islands

July 2017 — I ticked an amazing destination off my bucket list: the Faroe Islands! I spent a week road tripping around and fell in love: 6 Reasons to Add the Faroe Islands to your Bucket List

Amanda in the Faroe Islands
Me in the Faroe Islands

August 2017 – My sister and I roadtripped out West to see the solar eclipse in Idaho, stopping in places like South Dakota, Montana, Wyoming, and Yellowstone National Park along the way.

October 2017 – I got married! And Elliot and I went to the Finger Lakes region of New York for a little mini-moon: A Mini Honeymoon to the Finger Lakes

November 2017 – I went to the Seychelles for a week by myself – and LOVED it: How to Spend 1 Week in the Seychelles

November/December 2017 – Since I was already in the area, I decided to hop over to Egypt to tick a huge, nerdy bucket list item off my list: Exploring Egypt Safely with Intrepid Travel

March 2018 – Elliot and I took our “proper” honeymoon, spending two weeks driving around New Zealand: 12 Things to Do on an Adventurous Honeymoon in New Zealand

May 2018 – I finally visited one of my biggest travel overlooks in the US: the state of Tennessee! I visited both Memphis and Nashville.

June 2018 – My mom, sister and I embarked on a road trip around Ireland: 10 Days in Ireland: The Perfect Irish Road Trip Itinerary

June 2018 – I worked my way through the themed afternoon teas of London: A Guide to the Most Unique Themed Afternoon Teas in London

August 2018 – My dad and I went on another adventure: this time to the Arctic! We visited Iceland and spent 5 days in Greenland: Greenland Travel Guide: How to Plan a Trip to Ilulissat

September 2018 – I visited Asheville, North Carolina, for the first time and visited the amazing Biltmore Estate: How to Spend 24 Hours in Asheville, North Carolina

October 2018 – Elliot and I celebrated our first wedding anniversary with a trip to Aruba, which included off-road adventures and hanging out with flamingos: The Perfect Aruba Itinerary: 5 Days on One Happy Island

Sitting with flamingos in Aruba
Me with flamingos in Aruba

October 2018 – I traveled to Churchill, Manitoba, for a second time, this time to see polar bears in the wild. It was even better than I ever imagined it would be: How to See Polar Bears in Churchill: A Polar Bear Tour for Your Bucket List

January 2019 – I kicked off the year with a bang, visiting some of my favorite places in the Southwest in winter: Yes, You Can Visit the Grand Canyon in Winter

February 2019 – I went on a tour of Morocco and absolutely loved it. We visited the Blue City, rode camels in the desert, hiked in the mountains, and at all the tagines: Morocco Uncovered: The Best Morocco Tour with Intrepid Travel

March 2019 – I finally made it to Portugal! I spent about 10 days exploring both Lisbon and Porto: The Perfect 10-Day Itinerary for Portugal (Without a Car)

June 2019 – Elliot and I took to the road in Scotland, visiting Islay and traveling the Malt Whisky Trail: A Non-Drinker Travels the Scotch Whisky Trail – And You Can, Too!

June 2019 – I tried out an active river cruise with Avalon Waterways, and discovered my new favorite way to cruise: 6 Highlights from an Active River Cruise with Avalon Waterways

July 2019 – I traveled to Alberta, Canada, to explore both Calgary and Edmonton.

August 2019 – My sister Melissa and I headed to East Africa for 2.5 weeks of adventure in Kenya and Tanzania: East Africa Highlights: Kenya and Tanzania with Rock My Adventure

At the Maasai Mara in Kenya
Melissa and I at the Maasai Mara in Kenya

September 2019 – I finally visited the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy! I went to Ravenna for a conference, and then spent some time in delicious Bologna.

October 2019 – I re-visited some major European cities with a company called Monograms: Traveling with Monograms: Combining the Best of Two Travel Styles in One Trip

October 2019 – I went back to Venice after 6 years and still loved it. The trick is knowing how to do Venice “right”: Venice Survival Guide: Tips to Help You Love Your First Trip to Venice

October 2019 – My dad met me in Istanbul, and we spent two weeks traveling around Turkey together.

December 2019 – After visiting for the first time in the summer, I went back to further explore Scottsdale, Arizona. I love it!: 3 Days in Scottsdale, Arizona: 3 Itineraries for 3 Different Types of Travelers

January 2020 – Elliot and I spent a long winter weekend in Ann Arbor, Michigan: 9 of the Best Things to Do in Ann Arbor in Winter

February 2020 – Seeking to escape the cold Ohio winter, Elliot and I took a weeklong trip to Puerto Rico. It ended up being the last trip we took for a while…

October 2020 – Elliot and I went on a 10-day road trip around northern Michigan to chase fall colors: The Perfect 10-Day Michigan Road Trip Itinerary in Fall

Igloo dining in the fall in Michigan

May 2021 – Elliot and I hit the road again and did a spring road trip in West Virginia, seeking out all the cool outdoor things to do: The Perfect One Week West Virginia Road Trip Itinerary

June 2021 – I drove to Madison, Wisconsin, to experience this cool college town during the summer months: A Summer-Lover’s Guide to the Outdoors in Madison, Wisconsin

June 2021 – On my way home from Madison, I stopped for a 3-day solo trip in Chicago: The Perfect Itinerary for a Solo Weekend Trip to the Windy City

August 2021 – Needing to get away, we went and spent a weekend getting to know Detroit, Michigan: 3 Days in Detroit: How to Spend a Long Weekend in Motor City

September 2021 – It was time to get back on a plane! Elliot and I flew to Florida, where we did a 1-week road trip through the Florida Keys: The Ultimate 7-Day Florida Keys Road Trip Itinerary

October 2021 – I hit the road solo this month, spending a week exploring the Finger Lakes in fall: A Perfect Finger Lakes Road Trip Itinerary for 5 or 7 Days

October 2021: Elliot and I flew to Savannah, Georgia for a week to celebrate our birthdays and wedding anniversary: 5 Days in Savannah: The Perfect Day-By-Day Itinerary

Amanda in front of the Forsyth Square fountain in Savannah
Loving Savannah

February 2022 – My friend Kat and I flew across the country for a weeklong road trip exploring Death Valley, Joshua Tree, Valley of Fire, and some other California spots: The Perfect 7-Day California Desert Road Trip Itinerary

March 2022 – Elliot and I made a last-minute decision to drive to Washington, DC for a weekend during cherry blossom season: How to Have the Best Cherry Blossom Trip to Washington, DC

May 2022 – I explored the very charming Franklin, Tennessee for a few days: The Best Things to Do in Franklin, Tennessee: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary

May 2022 – Elliot and I got on our first international flights since 2019 and spent a glorious 10 days split between London and Paris: The Perfect 10-Day London and Paris Itinerary for Your Dream Europe Trip

June 2022 – I lived out all my Horse Girl fantasies when I visited Lexington, Kentucky for the first time: The Best Things to do in Lexington, KY: The Perfect 3-Day Itinerary

June 2022 – After it was canceled multiple times during the pandemic, I finally got to go on this epic Arctic safari on Baffin Island. It's probably the coolest thing I've ever done: At the Edge of the World: A Floe Edge Safari on Baffin Island

August 2022 – My friend Kate and I spent a jam-packed 15 days driving around the Ring Road in Iceland, stopping at every hot spring and great view we possibly could: An Epic 10-Day Iceland Ring Road Itinerary for the Best Iceland Road Trip

Amanda at Kate at Stokksnes
Kate and I in Iceland

September 2022 – Elliot and I headed back to Europe for our annual birthday-anniversary trip, focusing on Northern Ireland and Ireland this time: 18 Epic Stops Along the Causeway Coast in Northern Ireland

September 2022 – I went on a group tour around Ireland with Globus, visiting some old favorites and some new-to-me spots: 7 Reasons Taking a Tour in Ireland Might Be Right for You

October 2022 – Elliot and. Iwent to Austin for the Formula 1 US Grand Prix: 17 Things to Know About Traveling to the USGP Formula 1 Race in Austin

December 2022/January 2023 – I rang in the new year in the Pacific Northwest, exploring the Olympic Peninsula and northern Oregon coast with a friend: Olympic National Park in Winter: Things to Do + Tips for Visiting

January 2023 – I went back to Scottsdale, Arizona again, this time with Elliot in tow for a couples trip: Romantic Things to Do in Scottsdale for the Perfect Couples Getaway

February 2023 – I visited Madrid, Spain for the first time!

March 2023 – My friend Ashley and I finally re-scheduled a Morocco tour, and spent two weeks exploring this amazing country.

March 2023 – I spent a solo week in Portugal, visiting the Algarve and the town of Lagos for the first time.

May 2023 – Elliot and I spent just under a week road tripping around the Lofoten Islands in Norway.

June 2023 – I traveled to Helsinki, Finland and Tallinn, Estonia for the first time. Two new countries for me!

June 2023 – I re-visited Slovenia after 10 years, this time doing a 10-day road trip with my friend Ashley.

June/July 2023 – I did a 2-week road trip through the UK with friends, visiting both Scotland and Wales.