Top travel destinations we're going back to
We’ve been many places, and these select few keep calling us back.
Bucket lists are great, but what about those epic places you’ve already been to?
We think that some (okay, most) places deserve more than a checkmark next to their name, so we’re reflecting on a few of our favorite destinations and planning our return trips to them. After all, who doesn’t love an encore?
We’re firm believers in immersion. While it’s impossible to truly know an area without living there and calling it home, we like to try to go beyond the superficial tourist level and really dig in deep when we love a place. Otherwise, we leave feeling unfulfilled and craving more.
Take us back here, please!
This type of travel isn’t always possible, which is why we have a long list of places we want to return to and explore properly. For now, we’ll start with our top four favorite travel destinations that we will go back to (time and again).
Things to know:
We’ve been blessed to travel extensively around the good old USA, and we’ve found a few favorite places along the way. Based on those experiences, this is our list of our top travel destination in America that we’re definitely going back to!
Travel spots that keep calling us back
As we hit the road full-time in 2025, there are a handful of places that are pulling us back. We might not revisit them all this year, but you can bet your bottom dollar we’ll get to them all in the near future!
Ouray, Colorado
Ouray, CO, is the epitome of “small but mighty.”
The entire town may only encompass a few blocks, and half the roads may be unpaved, but this gem of the San Juan Mountains is a vibrant and thriving community that has an irresistible charm to it.
From the shockingly good eats and warm, welcoming local shops to the frequent community events and stunning scenery, there’s a lot to love about Ouray. No matter how many times we return, we find something new to admire about the town and its people.
We first visited Ouray when we eloped, and it was mostly by chance. We picked a photo of a gorgeous basin that we’d like to exchange vows beside, and it just happened to be nestled in the mountains outside of town. Needless to say, that kicked off our love affair with the area (known as the Switzerland of America), and the passion has only grown since.
It’s hard to top Colorado wildflower season.
Ouray has blessed us with free summer concerts beneath the stars, endless hiking and off-road driving trails to explore, hot coffee and scrumptious dining, and even a few wardrobe additions. We’ve traversed the main street a few dozen times, indulged in top-tier pizza, and felt our breath catch in our throats every time we paused to simply look at our surroundings.
It’s safe to say that–like a couple we met at a local campground–we’ll be returning to Ouray regularly for decades to come. Heck, we may just make it an annual pilgrimage for our anniversary!
Orcas Island, Washington
A while back, Hanna took a work-trade job at a resort on Orcas Island, WA. During that time, she spent her days building fences, harvesting apples, and making cider. She fell in love with the little island off the coast of Washington, and spent the next few years scheming to go back with Riley.
Lo and behold, we returned as a married couple in 2023. We camped at Moran State Park on the island, explored every corner we could get to (the island isn’t very big), and ate a whole bunch of delicious seafood.
A view of the West Sound from Orcas Island.
Orcas Island is quirky–as most island communities are–and that’s precisely what makes it so wonderful (well, that and the mind-blowing scenery).
Here, you can find local artists creating and selling their goods, mouthwatering cuisine, stunning views from atop the island’s mountains, and plenty of outdoor activities to keep you busy. No matter how long you stay, you’ll be clambering for more time when finally boarding the ferry to leave.
Stanley, Idaho
If it’s absolutely bonkers scenery you’re after, Stanley, ID, has to be on your list. While the town itself is even smaller than Ouray, there’s enough to sustain you (including one of the best bakeries you’ll ever visit) as you explore the surrounding Sawtooth Mountains.
What makes Stanley so unique? Simple–the practically infinite backcountry to explore. Whether you choose to spend your days wading in the Salmon River, traversing the endless forest roads, or enjoying a peaceful lake view, one thing is certain–you’ll be in constant awe of the beauty this area offers.
Stanley, ID, is home to some truly jaw-dropping scenery.
We only spent a few days here, and we’ve been longing to go back ever since. From camping on a small lake with jagged peaks rising abruptly just beyond the shore to stopping every five minutes along the twisting road that follows every curve of the gorgeous Salmon River, 48 hours somehow felt like both a blink and an eternity.
Next time, we plan to venture down a few more forest roads and find some breathtaking dispersed camping spots where we can settle in for a while.
North Cascades National Park, WA
It may be remote, but the journey to North Cascades National Park in Washington is worth the drive. With soaring peaks, unbelievable turquoise lakes, and old-growth forests that will leave you in awe, it is a one-of-a-kind landscape that draws you in and doesn’t let you go.
We spent a few days in North Cascades National Park in 2023, shortly after we purchased our first truck camper. We had grand plans for exploration, but made a few mistakes. We didn’t schedule enough time there, we weren’t familiar enough with our camper, and we didn’t plan our itinerary thoroughly enough to make the most of our visit.
PNW vibes, turquoise lakes, and epic mountains - what more could you ask for?
Adding to our own oversights, we experienced some troubles with our power system and internet, making delivering on work deadlines and keeping essential things powered (you know, like phones and the refrigerator). Ultimately, these issues (and the subsequent stress) were a wet blanket on our mood and our ability to hang out in the park longer.
We left feeling unfulfilled–like we didn’t get to fully experience the gorgeous landscape and unique experience it had to offer. We’ve made a pact to go back and right those wrongs, and we can’t wait to leave with nothing but smiles when we do!
Don’t get us wrong; this list could be a lot longer. We left plenty of fantastic bucket list spots off that we may dedicate a follow-up blog to–including places like Whitefish, MT, Sandpoint, ID, Death Valley National Park, and Mount Rainier National Park.
While we may not get to revisit these top four favorite places to visit in the USA this year, we have no doubt that we’ll return to them in the near future. When we do, we’ll be sure to share our experiences with you, give you insider insights into must-do activities and must-see sites, and collect GPS data on all of it!
If you made it this far, thanks for reading. We hope you’ll continue to follow along on our adventure blog, YouTube channel, Instagram, and so on. We love sharing our adventures with you and learning from you in return. Please feel free to drop a comment below and connect with us and our growing little community of travel enthusiasts and full-time RVers!
- Riley + Hanna
Our 2025 full-time travel itinerary, bucket list, and New Year’s goals
As we shift from sticks and bricks to full-time travel in 2025, we have a few key goals guiding us.
Howdy, y’all!
We hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas and a memorable New Year’s Eve. Since we try to post every Wednesday on this here blog (we fondly call it Wander Wednesday), we figured the first day of the new year falling mid-week was a sign.
So, we’re going to share our hopes, dreams, goals, and plans for 2025 with y’all. Hopefully, doing so will hold us accountable and inspire you to pursue your own big adventures over the next 12 months.
Things to know:
We’re traveling full-time in 2025, and there are a few locations (and activities) on our bucket lists that we can’t wait to check off.
2024 had a lot of this. Here’s to hoping 2025 has even more.
A new season of full-time travel
Not everything on this list will center around our lifestyle shift from homebodies to full-time RVers, but that change is an overarching theme that will surely color our experience this year. Embracing travel as our everyday reality instead of a temporary adventure is a challenge we’re looking forward to and can’t wait to share with you.
With that in mind, let’s kickoff this meandering little blog with some travel-forward thoughts.
Our 2025 travel plans
In the process of picking our camper (and now waiting for its completion), we’ve put a bit of thought into our itinerary for 2025. It’s still a vague calendar, and we can’t solidify any plans until our camper is in our possession, but here’s what we have so far:
January - March: Florida (family) and the Southeast
April - May: The Southwest (Arizona and Utah)
June: The PNW (Oregon and Washington)
July - September: Canada and Alaska
October: The PNW (Washington Islands)
November - December: Texas and back to Florida
It’s a packed schedule that’s subject to change, and we hope we planned enough time in each region to fully immerse and enjoy. If not, I guess we’ll have to run it back in 2026!
Expect the coming year to be filled with amazing views like this.
Our travel bucket list in 2025
While our full-time travel itinerary is dictated by many things–including friends, family, and a handful of events–some bucket list destinations also informed our loose plans. If you notice any glaring “must-see” omissions from our list, please drop a comment below–we don’t want to miss out on anything while we’re in these new-to-us locations!
The San Juan Islands
The Oregon coast
California redwoods
Jasper, Canada
Denali
Vancouver Island
Moab (and nearby deserts)
Personal goals
Despite the somewhat overwhelming nature of planning out a year of travel, choosing destinations and building timelines is easy compared to setting personal goals. The prospect of full-time travel is new and unfamiliar, making it difficult for us to set clear goals in the context of the relative instability of not having a traditional home and lifestyle.
That said, we have a few personal goals that either transcend the uncertainty of our new lifestyle or apply directly to it.
Date each other. We’ve found that it has become increasingly difficult to “date” like we did before work and life responsibilities increased. We want to be intentional about getting back to that romanticism in 2025.
Workout on the road. We both hike regularly and go to the gym faithfully. This will undoubtedly be more difficult while traveling full-time (especially weight lifting), so we are exploring ways to facilitate physical fitness while on the road.
Balancing work with other interests. We are blessed with the unique opportunity to work for ourselves in an industry that fits our strengths. Still, we want to carve out time (and mental capacity) for our other interests this year–photography, creative writing, reading, and so on.
Stay in the moment. If there’s one thing we’re good at (especially Riley), it’s dreaming big. Unfortunately, those dreams sometimes distract from the amazing things we’re doing at the moment. This year, we’re going to root ourselves firmly in the moment and appreciate it fully.
Chowder is a big fan of life on the road. We think he’ll love every second of it.
Sharing it with all of you
While we have our private goals–as individuals, a couple, and business owners–we wanted to keep the resolutions shared here brief. Consider them a little taste of what we want to share with you during this year of travel. We hope you’ll hold us accountable and watch us flourish as a result!
What are your goals entering the new year? Do you have any bucket list destinations you’ll visit, lifestyle changes to make, or interpersonal growth to work toward? Drop them in a comment below, and we’ll give you a hearty dose of encouragement.
If you’d like to keep tabs on us as we pursue our full-time travel dreams in 2025, be sure to check back regularly for updates, follow our Instagram for consistent content, and visit our YouTube channel for in-depth looks at how life on the road is treating us.
- Riley + Hanna