I have been incredibly fortunate to grow up around travel.

When I was younger, I saw it as the much needed bragging rights necessary to becoming seemingly more “cool” and otherwise experienced than my elementary peers. But now I see it as an opportunity to connect with my surroundings on a deeper level as I get to know new people and destinations.

It has been awhile since I have talked about travel on this platform and it is something that I want to get back into as I have some exciting trips currently in the works. What actually spurred this wishlist of sorts as an Instagram story bingo that I played a while back on places I have traveled to in the United States and well...I have a lot of land to cover before I can say I experienced it all.

Before we get into places I plan to travel to, I wanted to start with the places I have been:

Alaska

While some of you butterflies may or may not count this as a place I have traveled to, I am deciding to count this since I will officially be there in July 2019. The flights are booked, car is reserved, and all the accommodations are made, so for the sake of time travel I will have been there.

Arizona

Born and raised on a tropical island, you probably never would have guessed that a large part of my heart belongs to the desert. I moved to the Grand Canyon state the summer after graduating high school and settled in to life in Flagstaff for a little over 4 years. It was here that my wanderlust, along with Goodbye Butterfly, was born and I have experienced so much during my time in Arizona.

California

I actually have quite a bit of family on both my mother and father’s side but it wasn’t until I graduated college that I got to check some California destinations off my bucket list. When we decided to move back to Hawaii and kick start our lives after graduation, M and I figured to pass along our trusted Nissan Rogue (aka the Silver Bean) to my sister. This decision launched a spontaneous road trip to celebrate our most recent accomplishment and stood as our last hoorah before we had to transition into full fledged adults.

I still have a ways to go but I am grateful that I got to experience some landmarks with my lover in life and it is a memory that we both look back on fondly.

Michigan

I never thought that I would have visited a place where I would have to layer so soon after leaving Northern Arizona and Michigan is one of the places that I never thought I would visit but you know what they say, “never say never”. My twin soul and her partner made the big move from their home in Flagstaff all the way to Ann Arbor and it was heartwarming to get to know this city through their eyes.

Nevada

While there is still much of Nevada that I have yet to explore, this has been another desert destination that I hold dear. From celebrating my life milestone with my best friends to lighting the fire for my health and wellness business, Las Vegas has had a sweet impact on me and I am excited to discover more of what this state has to offer!

And as of tentatively 2021, I will be back for more so stay tuned.

Oregon

A place where the only thing that I regret is that I have only been there three times in my life, the first being a quick family stop before dropping me off at college. The following trips were made within 15 months of each other and I have my sweet big little sister to thank for that. J is making the family proud as an aspiring CPA currently attending one of the smaller Oregon universities and living out her own adventure in the Pacific Northwest.

As the final destination of M and I’s post-grad road trip, I fell in love with the vast amount of untouched nature and the quirky little establishments. And I fell in love again when my mom and I made a spontaneous trip to explore the Oregon coast with J. This is definitely a destination that I hope to visit again and it seems to be in the works for 2020.

Texas

I haven’t been to the state where everything is bigger since I was in middle school but man do I have some of the best memories there. From peach picking to horseback riding and all the buttermilk pies in between, the country home of some of my relatives is almost like a lifetime movie and I am so about it. And if ya’ll are loving the twang that occasionally slips out then get ready because we are making a trip back at the end of April 2019!

Washington

As part of the PNW, this is another place that I regret not visiting more and I am thankful for the opportunity to potentially go there in the nearby future. One of my older cousins attended college just outside Seattle and it was exciting to play tourist around the city. Washington is simply beautiful and I am looking forward to the day I get to show M around!

That pretty much leaves the rest of the country to explore, so what are the states on my current wishlist?:

• Colorado

• Tennessee

• New Mexico

• Utah

• Massachusetts

• Maine

• Maryland

• Montana

• New York

• Illinois

• Vermont

• Wisconsin

What states are on your wishlist?

As I build a career that offers time freedom, I am integrating even more travel into my life moving forward. I really love connecting with people in the places that I visit and I am excited for all the new faces that are in my future! So to all those states on my wishlist, I am coming for ya - stay tuned!

Until next time, tah.
Xx SOS