Is it just me, or does it feel as if 2025 passed in the blink of an eye?!
At the start of 2025, I had just two trips planned, both booked for January: a long weekend in the Hudson Valley in upstate New York, and another long weekend in Sonoma County in Northern California.
Clearly, I’m a last-minute travel planner, because the year that followed resulted in travel across three countries, seven US states, and 12 cities, not to mention many more small towns and even multiple islands.
I wrote in my 2025 new year’s post that what I wanted out of travel in 2025 was to experience something “new,” in whatever form that took, and to experience it with my friends and family, and well, I certainly did that!
From browsing street food markets with my family in Taiwan and catching up with old friends in London, to wine tasting in California with my husband and discussing books with friends in a cabin in North Carolina, 2025 was a year of incredible experiences, near and far, with friends old and new.
JANUARY | NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, AND CALIFORNIA
My 2025 travels started off on a high note, with three trips in January alone. We went on a lovely day trip with my family to the charming town of Frenchtown, New Jersey for the first weekend of the year; headed up to Kingston, New York, for a long weekend with friends and their children (we stayed in a gorgeous holiday rental with floor-to-ceiling window views over the Catskill mountains); and we flew to northern California at the end of the month to celebrate our 10-year-wedding anniversary.
Sonoma County, part of California’s wine country and next-door neighbour to the famous Napa Valley, really surprised us, as I wrote about here. We had expected the fancy wine tasting experiences, but not the gorgeous landscapes that ranged from wild coastline to towering Redwood forests and everything in between. It was a perfect trip, and I’d definitely recommend it as a destination for a couples or even a friends’ getaway.
FEBRUARY | CALIFORNIA
The tail end of our anniversary trip spilled over into February with 36 hours in San Francisco, and even though the weather was grey and wet, we loved it. Our first stop was Haight Ashbury, and all its flower-power 60s-era vintage shops, followed by a drizzly walk to the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square, and a stroll through Chinatown and up and down the steep streets of Telegraph Hill. One of the most memorable moments though, had to be taking a driverless taxi through the city, which felt incredibly weird at first, then very cool!
MARCH AND APRIL | NEW YORK
March was a busy one for me in my day job, but we still squeezed in a Michelin-star meal at the Musket Room in Manhattan and a day trip to New Paltz in the Hudson Valley on an unseasonably warm day. It was just as well March was on the quieter side, as April in NYC always starts with a bang, thanks to Tartan Week, the city’s annual celebration of Scottish culture.
In 2025 it was even more exciting for me than usual, as one of my oldest friends was visiting me at the same time. We marched in the Tartan Day parade with the Isle of Harris Distillers, listened to Scottish music at Carnegie Hall, and then explored the city, doing everything from admiring the early spring cherry blossoms on Roosevelt Island and the views from Brooklyn Heights, to browsing the shops in Soho and Williamsburg. Mostly, we chatted and reminisced and laughed so hard we cried, AKA the best way to spend time with an old friend!
MAY | CALIFORNIA AND SCOTLAND
My husband and I unexpectedly found ourselves in Orange County, California in early May due to a family bereavement, and although we were there for a sad occasion, it was a beautiful place to reconnect and share old memories with family.
Within 48 hours of returning, we were on another plane, this time to Edinburgh, and on to Stornoway in the Outer Hebrides. Unbelievably, we had 10 straight days of sunshine – which meant lots of golfing for my husband, and lots of walks on the beach and the moorland for me. Back in Edinburgh, we had afternoon tea at The Colonnades at the Signet Library, enjoyed delicious meals at Barry Fish and Ardfern in Leith, and went on a fascinating day trip to Inchcolm Island in the Firth of Forth, where I felt like I was on Enid Blyton’s Kirrin Island.
JULY | TAIWAN
Was worth it to travel 16 hours (with a 13-hour time difference) to Taiwan for an eight-and-a-half-day trip? The answer is a resounding yes! Interestingly, because we knew our time was limited, our jet lag didn’t feel as bad as it did compared to when we were there for two weeks, as we simply forced ourselves up and out at a normal hour to make the most of our limited time. We spent most of our stay in Tainan, the country’s old capital, with day trips to the southern port city of Kaohsiung, the forests of Alishan, and a final two days in the capital of Taipei.
I adore Taiwan and all its contrasts. There’s a mix of chaos (think people driving scooters on pavements through crowded markets) and orderly efficiency (spotlessly clean, modern high-speed trains that travel more than 180 miles an hour); ancient temples next to modern high rises; cheap street food eats and the fanciest cocktails I’ve had anywhere in the world; lush tree-covered mountains and bustling megacities. It feels like there’s something for every kind of traveller here, and I adore it. We will definitely be back!
AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER | NEW YORK, NEW JERSEY, AND PENNSYLVANIA
In August and September, we mostly stayed local, and made the most of summer in New York City, with visits to the Chelsea Flea Market, Central Park, Hamburger America (our favourite casual burgers in the city), the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens, the Morgan Library, and the newly revamped Waldorf Astoria. We also ventured slightly further afield, to weddings in New Jersey and Pennsylvania (where I had my first American experience of the southern-style restaurant Cracker Barrel!), and a hike along the Appalachian Trail Boardwalk in northern New Jersey.
OCTOBER | NEW YORK, FLORIDA, AND NORTH CAROLINA
October was busy: a day trip to the Hudson Valley (taking in Kingston and Beacon), a long winter sun weekend in Miami with my parents (we loved people watching on South Beach); and a magical reading retreat in Asheville, organised by my friend Katherine, which was my first visit to North Carolina. I was travelling in some form almost every weekend in October, but it was worth it!
NOVEMBER | ENGLAND AND WASHINGTON
I woke up on Saturday the 1st of November in Heathrow airport, ready to spend four days in southern England. I spent that first day fuelled on coffee, strolling around Borough Market and Southwark, before meeting old friends for lunch at Hay’s Wharf near London Bridge.
I then hot-footed it to Kings Cross and sped north on the train to Stamford, a historic market town in Lincolnshire, to spend the weekend with an old university friend and her family (plus another friend who turned up as a surprise to see me!). I think I had a permanent smile on my face as we pottered about the town and paid a sunset visit to the grand 16th century estate that is Burghley House. Note to self: always say yes to opportunities to catch up with old friends.
The next two days were spent back in London, where I was attending the British Guild of Travel Writers’ Awards in Marylebone as a finalist for Travel Blogger of the Year (which you can read more about in my “14 Years of Stories My Suitcase Could Tell” anniversary post). I may have only been in London for a flying visit, but it reminded me just how much I love the British capital, and I’m already making plans to return.
We rounded off the month with a week in Seattle visiting family for Thanksgiving, which included a four-day trip to Orcas Island, part of the San Juan Islands, which lie in the Salish Sea right on the border with Canada. Luckily, we only experienced some light drizzle, which meant we were able to explore the island’s tiny town, art galleries, and Mount Constitution, while also cozying up around the fire pit by our cabin to watch the incredible sunsets. It was the perfect place to switch off and relax, and I’d definitely like to return in the warmer months.
DECEMBER | NEW YORK AND PENNSYLVANIA
December was full of the usual Christmas mayhem, but we did manage a quick overnight visit to Philadelphia to see family (where we made Christmas wreaths and enjoyed delicious fresh handmade pasta in an Irish pub in the Fishtown neighbourhood). I also saw Central Park covered in fresh snow for the first time; got emotional listening to Christmas carols at St. Thomas Church on 5th Avenue; and we made the most of the city emptying out over the festive season by snagging a reservation at Dame, a British restaurant in Greenwich village that has the best fish and chips and sticky toffee pudding I have ever had. (Seriously high praise, since fish and chips are one of my favourite meals!)
So there you have it: my year in travel, near and far.
Despite all the amazing travel experiences I squeezed into the year alongside a full-time job, the best part of my 2025 travels was the people I’ve shared them with: my husband, my parents, my brother, my husband’s family, school friends, university friends, friends from my time in China, book club friends. It was everything I wanted out of my travel experiences in 2025, and I’m so grateful for all of it and for everyone who took the time to travel with me.
This year also reminded me that while I do prefer to travel with others, a wee bit of solo travel is still good for the soul. My trips to London and Asheville involved getting there and back by myself, with some solo time at the tail end of my stays – a reminder that strolling around a new place with my camera on my own time is something I always enjoy.
What a year it was! As for what’s coming up in terms of travel in 2026? I’m only at the planning stage now, but I’m sure it won’t stay that way for long!
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