I started writing this on the last day of 2022 (right under the buzzer). 365 days flew by! Of course there were some technology issues. So here’s my wrap up, a wee bit late.
I got to visit a lot of great places in 2022. Some were brand new, and others were old favorites. I’m grateful for each experience they brought me, both positive and negative.
January: Boston
I started the year by visiting one of my best friends in Boston. While I am not a big fan of their sports teams, I do love walking around the city. It was freezing this time of year, but we still took in the sights of Harvard’s campus. Later we warmed up at a great pub with live music. Always a great time when you combine good friends and good music!
March: New York City
I visited New York City twice in March. Once, I said “hi!” to some friends and another time was for the SBU basketball game at Madison Square Garden. It’s always fun hitting up my college friends and organizing a mini-reunion for a Bonaventure basketball game. Both trips were quick but packed with a lot of memories.
April: Los Angeles + Toronto
In April, I took my first big trip of the year and flew to Los Angeles. I visited another one of my good friends and got to see what life on the West Coast is like. Of course, I brought the cloudy Rochester weather with me so I did not see that California sun until my last day. It was fun getting to explore LA and see what all the celebrities post about. Then, my flight home was canceled. This is a glass half full/empty scenario. The cancellation did make me freak out about how I would get back in time for work. But, I did get an extra day of sunshine in SoCal. Overall, I enjoyed it and would go back.
Then, I took up a trip up north to Toronto. Somehow, got more sun there than in LA. I’ve visited that city a few times already and enjoy doing something new every time I go back. My friend and I were planning on going to a concert, but it got canceled at the last minute. (Really – we were standing in line when they came out and told us there would be no show.) That didn’t stop us from making friends wherever we went. Such a friendly city and I know I’ll make another stop there sometime in the future.
June: St. Bonaventure + Chicago
June brought the big college reunion that was St. Bonaventure’s Class of 2020 graduation. Since the pandemic canceled our graduation ceremony, we were invited back to campus for an official ceremony/reunion. It was a blast seeing all of my friends and acting like we were back in school for a weekend.
The following weekend I hopped on a plane to Chicago to visit more friends. The last time I visited this city was when I was looking at colleges in high school. I had a blast pedaling around Lincoln Park with my friends. We grabbed drinks and even got to see a show at Second City Improv. That was a dream come true for this comedy nerd. While it was a very quick trip, I loved visiting during the summer and definitely want to make another trip out when Lake Michigan defrosts.
July: Georgia
My family ventured down south to St. Simons Island once again in July. It was a nice week at the beach! A perfect way to unplug and relax. If you’re looking for a breakdown of things to do in St. Simons, check out my post from the first time my family visited.
August: Idaho
This was a random trip. My dad was going to Idaho for business and asked if I wanted to be his plus one. I had nothing else going on, and thought to myself, “when am I ever going to visit Idaho?” Two flights later, I landed in Spokane, WA, and boarded a bus to Coeur d’Alene. We stayed at a beautiful resort on a lake for three days. I was totally in awe of how beautiful the whole area was. Don’t know if I’ll be heading to Idaho anytime soon, but it left a wonderful impression.
September: Jersey Shore
The shore was calling in September, as was Stevie Nicks. I took a trip down to Asbury Park for the 2022 Sea Hear Now Festival. It was such a fun time partying on the beach with some great music. The Jersey Shore holds a special place in my heart, can’t beat it.
October: Boston + Adirondacks
Because one college reunion wasn’t enough, some of my Bonaventure girlies planned a weekend in Boston. While the whole crew couldn’t make it, it was still a great weekend catching up and sharing laughs over good drinks.
Before I turned 25, I took a trip to the Adirondacks. This part of New York State holds a special spot in my heart. I love taking any opportunity to drive out into the woods and taking in the beautiful mountains. My friend was more than kind to let me crash on her couch. This was the beginning of my journey towards becoming a 46er. While I think it might be a while until I complete it, I was thrilled to take that first step.
November: NYC (again)
Naturally, I took another trip to NYC in November. My first stop was NJ, where I got to see my brother run in his cross country meet. After the thrilling race, I hopped on a train and met up with another friend who graciously let me crash on her couch. I know one day I’ll call NYC home, but for now it’s fun to act like a tourist when I visit.
December: Rochester + New Jersey
In a shocking turn of events, I did not do that much traveling for the final month of 2022. I was lucky enough to travel home to Jersey for the holidays and spend time with family I had not seen in a while.
While 2022 had a lot of great trips, I’m already eager to board some flights in 2023. One of my goals for 2023 is to write about each of my trips this year. We’ll see how we do about 360 days from now!
Final Stats:
States visited: 10
Countries visited: 1 (Canada)
Flights taken: 19
Flights canceled: 1
Road trips: 10
Erin Goes Everywhere 