Depending on who you ask, 2025 has a lot in store for travel.
Some are saying this is a big year for AI-assisted travel planning (that’s a big “no, thank you” from me), others are calling it the best year in decades for “noctourism” (absolutely, just ask my friend Stephanie!), and others are highlighting “book tourism” (that’s just every trip for me – I can’t pass a bookshop without going inside).
But buzzy trends aside, what do I want from travel in 2025? I’ve clocked up two trips this year already – a long weekend in the Catskills in upstate New York and four-and-a-half days in California in January alone – but there are still 10 more months just waiting to be filled.
At the heart of it, I want two things from my adventures this year.
I want to experience something “new,” in whatever form that may be, and I want to experience them with other people. That sounds generic, sure, but it leaves my plans and dreams open to interpretation and unexpected surprises.
The thrill of visiting somewhere new, no matter where that “somewhere” may be, is a big part of what I love about travelling. In a new place, everything feels different, from the food and drink to the architecture and the landscape, and often the language, too.
For me, the word “new” can mean many things when it comes to travel, and this year I’m looking for “new-to-me” destinations or experiences, whether I’m going on a day trip to small town near to home, driving to a US state I’ve never visited before, or flying to a different country. Even visiting a new-to-you neighbourhood in your own town can give you that travel thrill, if you approach local travel with the right attitude.
And while solo travel is what tends to make headlines and viral social media posts, I personally prefer to travel with family and friends.
Of course I love the sheer indulgence of travelling by myself, and have had incredible experiences while travelling solo – seeing the Sistine Chapel before the crowds arrived in Rome, or eating apple pie for breakfast in Amsterdam are two experiences that come to mind at either end of the spectrum! – but my favourite travel memories are the ones I can look back on with others.
The monkey that woke me up from a nap in Kenya that my Mum and I still laugh about. Eating a picnic of mini sausage rolls with a view halfway up a hill on St Kilda with my Dad. Stumbling across a jazz band in the middle of the street on a soupy summer night in New Orleans with my brother. Going wine tasting with my husband in the Douro Valley in Portugal in the pouring rain and loving it anyway.
(I’m sure I don’t even have to mention that five years on from the start of the pandemic, I’m still acutely aware of how special is to both be able to travel, and to spend time with people you care about.)
So with all that in mind, what will 2025 bring me in terms of travel?
My big bucket-list travel dreams are always on the table (South Africa, Jordan, India etc.) but I’m 99.9 per cent sure none of them are coming to fruition in 2025! Instead, being more realistic, before the year is out, I’m looking at more USA travel; a return to Scotland; hopefully a visit to London; and maybe even a trip to Asia…
But where will I actually end up? You’ll just have to follow along here (or via the newsletter) to find out!
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