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updated in 2025 for easier navigation- relive the adventures of 2020 below

Whew—what a year it has been! There’s no question that 2020 was a hard year. Everyone felt the weight of it in different ways, and no one was left untouched.

If you’re like me, you may be stepping into the new year with a mix of hope and apprehension, wondering what 2021 will bring. I have a few plans in place and I’m crossing my fingers that the world will allow them to unfold.

But even in such a difficult year, I find myself feeling incredibly grateful. Grateful for the extra time with my family. Grateful for the chance to slow down and reflect on what really matters. Grateful for new hobbies at home and the opportunity to redesign this little corner of the internet. Grateful for the smaller, closer-to-home adventures that helped keep our love of travel alive while we wait for bigger journeys to be possible again.

Most of all, I’m grateful for the kindness, understanding, and resilience this year has brought out in so many of us. My hope is that the coming year continues to deepen those qualities.

For my little family, 2020 was also a year of big changes. We began the year living on the Atlantic coast of Florida and are ending it in a new home in the rolling hills of Tennessee. Along the way, we’ve explored incredible state parks, a couple of national parks, and discovered places we’ve truly fallen in love with.

So, as we close the chapter on this year, I’d love to share a look back at some of the places we’ve discovered and rediscovered along the way…

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By The Numbers:

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Highlights & Favorites

This year has certainly had its challenges. But even amid the changing guidelines and restrictions, this year has had some beautiful places and wonderful memories. Here are the highlights from this crazy year that took us from Florida to Tennessee.

Fall Creek Falls State Park

When we moved to Tennessee we set out to see all the state parks in our new home. This goal got us out of the house and exploring new corners of the state. Our favorite state park that we’ve explored so far was the state’s first park- Fall Creek Falls. It is easy to see why it is such a favorite.

{read the post: Fall Creek Falls State Park}

Mammoth Cave National Park

One our first ventures outside of Tennessee was to visit Mammoth Cave National Park in Kentucky. This is the largest cave system in the world. Because of procedures in place, the only cave tour available is the Historic Cave Tour that goes through the main caverns through the caves. It was amazing to feel so small in such big caves.

{read the post: Historic Cave Tour- Mammoth Cave National Park}

US Space & Rocket Center

We spent a weekend down in Huntsville, Alabama. We visited a cool factory than has become an art center, a entertainment district inside an old high school, and a beautiful state park. But the favorite part of the weekend was a visit to the US Space and Rocket Center where rockets are built before going up into space.

{read the post: U.S. Space and Rocket Center}

Bristol Virginia

We spent a weekend in the charming town of Bristol. With one foot in Tennessee and one foot in Virginia, this city is packed with music history. We visited the Birthplace of Country Music Museum. There, we saw where the state’s music history began at the event The Bristol Sessions.

{read the post: Birthplace of Country Music Museum}

Heber Valley Railroad

On a holiday visit home to Utah, we took a magical ride on the old Heber Valley Railroad. We boarded the old train and sang carols and drank hot cocoa all through the mountains of the valley. At the end, we found ourselves at a depot station for the man in red himself and were thrilled when he got on our train to talk to us.

{read the post: The North Pole Express- Heber Valley Railroad}

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Misadventures & Lessons Learned:

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Reader Favorites:

Many of the posts of this year came from looking back at travels before blogging. But with some visits around Florida and then discovering new places in Tennessee we have had quite a few adventures this year. Here are some of the favorites of readers.

Mermaids at Weeki Wachee State Park

In our last few months of Florida, we ventured to state parks on the other side of the state. Of these, our favorite was Weeki Wachee State Park- known as the city of mermaids. We watched in wonder as mermaids swam and danced beneath the water telling the story of ‘The Little Mermaid’. It was a beautiful and artistic display.

{read the post: The Mermaids- Weeki Wachee State Park}

Moon Pie General Store

It is always interesting to see where things come from. On moving to Tennessee we found that they were home of a number of different things, one of them being Moon Pies. This marshmallow treat was a childhood favorite so we had to go and visit the Moon Pie General Store in Chattanooga. We filled up on pies of every flavor and size.

{read the post: Moon Pie General Store}

Anakeesta Mountain Park

On a weekend to Gatlinburg we fell in love all over again with the Smokey Mountains all over again. In between hiking in the national park, we wandered through the town. We loved riding the ski lift up the mountain side and then walking along the tree top bridges in Anakeesta Mountain Park.

{read the post: Anakeesta}

Burgess Falls State Park

When we moved to Tennessee, we spent most of our weekend exploring the state parks. One of the favorites was Burgess Falls State Park. The trail followed down the river through the rocks and trees. The river then turns into a mighty waterfall, crashing down over the rocks into the pool below. A beautiful state park find.

{read the post: Burgess Falls State Park}

Fautaua Valley Trail

In post looking back at previous travels, I recounted one of my all time favorite hikes. The Fautaua Valley Trail on the island of Tahiti was nothing short of incredible. The lush forest surrounding me, pools of water at the top, and the powerful waterfall coming down the mountain. It was a once-in-a lifetime kind of experience.

{read the post: Fautaua Valley Trail}

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Looking Ahead to 2021:

With 2020 being such a difficult year, we are hoping for more peaceful days in the year ahead.

We don’t have any solid plans in place yet as far as travel. I’m sure that we will continue to see the state parks of Tennessee as we get to know this state we now call home. And maybe our travels will have us start venturing out to see more of the surrounding states as well.

We have an idea of going to Germany this next year, our first international trip as a family. Going with a cautious sense of optimism that it might work out, but knowing that so much is still up in the air.

But whatever comes, we will welcome it as best we can.

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Here’s hoping that 2021 is a great year for all of us and that the hard things we faced during this year only make us stronger and kinder in the years to come.

Thank you for following along with me as we wander around these different places and sharing with me some of your own wanderings.

May all your hearts be filled with peace, hope, and love this time of year, and may the next year be full of new adventures.

Happy New Year Everyone!