At the start of 2019, we did a recap of our 2018 adventures. It’s always fun to reminisce about family travel & other activities. Looking back at photos is nostalgic in the best way & we started our Youtube channel for the same reason. Documenting our adventures allows us to not only relive experiences but to see our growth & changes over time. Our #2PBGirls definitely get a kick out of seeing themselves in their younger years!

This time, we’ve decided to share our wish list adventures instead. 2020 has been deemed the year of newness! We don’t mind revisiting places because there’s always something new to do. However, while researching family activities, picking up brochures, & speaking with locals during our explorations, we we’ve been able to add many activities to our list.

Not only are we yearning for more family adventures & discoveries, we are also looking to partner with hotels, travel bureaus, attractions, & more. We’re working hard to turn 2020 into our most adventurous year yet! So where the heck do we wanna go & what the heck do we wanna do? International adventuring would be wonderful but until then, we have plenty of domestic exploring to do! Some of it is not far from home.

…Family Adventure Wish List …

1. Cavern Tours

-Years ago we visited the Linville Caverns in Marion, NC. Even at such a young age, our 2pbgirls found them fascinating. There are quite a few caverns in neighboring states like Virginia & Tennessee that have caught our attention. Cavern tours are like getting a glimpse into another world. The vast stone formations & other natural wonders will leave you awe struck! Have you visited a cavern? If so, which one(s)?

*See our Linville Caverns trip: Climbing Mountains

2. Get back to family hikes

-Admittedly, hiking hasn’t been as frequent for us as it once was. Our love for it hasn’t faltered but time & energy have. Daily life & responsibilities take their toll but our deep love for family hikes has revived our mojo. Besides, spending time in nature as a family is calming; It centers us.

We’ve hiked many places across NC but there are many more trails to trek! Before getting in too deep, however, new hiking gear (especially boots & backpacks!) is a must. If you have suggestions, we’re open to hear them!

*Read about one of our hikes: https://www.thrillermom.com/blog//canoeingandhiking.

*See one of our hikes: Back To Hanging Rock State Park

3. Visit a lighthouse

Surprisingly, none of us have visited a lighthouse & there are quite a few here in NC. We once worried about our kids being too young to climb the many stairs to the top. Now, however, we are more concerned about our older knees! Either way, we’ll go the distance when the time arrives & document our accomplishment.

4. Horseback Riding

-I (mom) have always loved horses & I’ve ridden quite a few in my lifetime. Johnny has ridden once but our daughters have never had the experience. After falling in love with a new-to-us Netflix tv series, Heartland, our interest in horseback riding has piqued. We have a newfound respect for horses, ranchers, & for all that the lifestyle entails. We’re excited to add this adventure to our list & to check it off sometime this year. Hopefully, it won’t end there.

5. Visit another aquarium

-Our love for aquariums started when our oldest daughter was two years old. She had a fascination for marine life & was beyond excited whenever we ventured to one. We decided then to visit as many aquariums as possible.

Our family adventures have taken us to quite a few of them & while all have been unique & beautiful, the Georgia Aquarium is still our favorite so far. The Baltimore Aquarium & Tennessee Aquarium have caught our collective eye. Hopefully, 2020 has those visits in store. It’s exciting to envision where marine life fascination takes us next!

*Read about our visit: Our Trip to the Georgia Aquarium

*See it: In Atlanta at the Georgia Aquarium

6. Exploring a new location

-There’s something magical about being in new places with no real time restraints. From big city to small town living, a multitude of exploration awaits! Strolling downtown streets, perusing shops, visiting attractions, exploring museums, marveling in cultural hot spots, dining at mom & pop restaurants… the fun never ends! Where will we end up the next time around? Hmmm….

*Read about our last "new” location exploration: How To Spend 36 Hours With Kids In Newport News, Virginia

*See it here: First Time In Newport News, VA Pt. 1 (Be sure to watch Part 2 for more fun!)

7. Revisiting a destination

-I know we’ve claimed 2020 as a year of newness & it will be. In this instance, however, we’ll find new adventures in an old vacation destination. Our eyes have been set on revisiting Savannah, GA for a while. We only had a short time there & spent some of that trip on Tybee Island.

Savannah has that old world charm & plenty of culture to spare. We all had activities on the itinerary we wanted to partake in but time didn’t allow. This go ‘round, we want to knock a few of those off the list & actually feel as if we’ve gotten a true experience.

There are also other destinations we’d like to return to. No place we’ve previously visited is off limits!

…Moving Forward…

2020 family adventure goals are alive & kicking. We know we didn’t get out enough in 2019 & this year has to be different. Adventure is our family love language! As always, we will document everything to capture memories & also give you the ins & outs in case you’d like to visit the same places.

Be sure to stick around, check out other posts, subscribe to our Youtube channel, etc. Newsletters are being revived this year so sign up for important updates & insider information here. Click the link & scroll to the bottom of the page to sign up. Thanks so much for kicking off this year of adventure with us! We’re determined to make it a great one.