Amazing Experiences From Our Travel Year Review For 2022
When we looked back, we were delighted we had much to share on our travel year review for 2022. While we did a lot of Canadian road trip travel in 2021, we only left the country for a Caribbean cruise in December of 2021. Our 2022 travel year was very different.
Our first big international trip took us to Spain and Portugal in the Spring. And we finished the year with an amazing first visit to Hawaii in the Fall. Several times in 2022 we re-visited the west coast of Canada and explored the outdoors with family. And when we were at home, shorter road trips kept us exploring.
We saw great cities and smaller towns. And we marvelled at fascinating architecture and outdoor delights. On our travels we sought out great food and drink. And were pampered on our stays. Great sunrises started our adventures right and brilliant sunsets finished perfect days. It was awesome to be back travelling in 2022.
By The Numbers
Our travel in 2022 was again quite varied. We travelled about 55,340 km (34,175 miles) and went by car, airplane and cruise ship.
| Car | 7,850 |
| Airplane | 42,538 |
| Cruise Ship | 4,952 |
| TOTAL | 55,340 km (34,175 miles) |
On our travels we used many different types of accommodations. We were away for 130 nights in 2022 with stays in hotels, Airbnbs and on cruise ships. Our hotel nights were high enough that we re-qualified for elite status with both Marriott Bonvoy and IHG Rewards.
| Hotel | 69 |
| Airbnb | 49 |
| Cruise Ship | 12 |
| TOTAL | 130 nights |
It was clear when we looked at our travel year review for 2022 that our travel recovered from the pandemic travel slowdown. We were less reticent about booking new trips. But we did ensure we planned our travel with contingency in mind.
We did not travel in 2022 worry-free or with a view that the pandemic was over. We continued to be very careful and we never gave up our masks in any closed quarters. Luckily that meant we travelled for 130 days in 2022 and have not yet caught Covid.
Travel By Many Means
On our travels in 2022, we got around in many different ways – by car, tuk tuk, helicopter, ferry, small boat and cruise ship too!
Road trips offered such great sights along the way. When we were at home, we did great road trips to the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York and travelled along Lake Huron in Ontario. For family visits in British Columbia (BC), we rented a car and explored the Sunshine Coast. And when we visited Hawaii, we drove on some of the craziest roads in Maui!
After we visited the castles and palaces of Sintra, we hopped in a tuk tuk and returned to the town of Sintra. And one day we even took a tour in Sintra by tuk tuk.
A helicopter tour over the Big Island in Hawaii was our most exciting mode of travel. And the views were simply stunning.
Any visit to the Sunshine Coast in BC required a ferry ride with BC Ferries. Often when we did this trip we had smooth sailings and great views. When we explored Flowerpot Island outside of Tobermory in Ontario, we enjoyed a great boat ride. And this year we headed out again by cruise ship. Our cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon offered so many great stops.
It was fun to look back at our travel by many different means on our travel year review for 2022.
Stunning City Sights On Our Travel Year Review For 2022
Our travels in 2022 took us to some lovely cities. We started our Mediterranean cruise with a stay in Barcelona. We were amazed to tour the inside of the Sagrada Familia and we found some new treats as we wandered in Barcelona.
Our cruise from Barcelona to Lisbon took us to Cadiz. When we spent the day walking in Cadiz, we discovered so many great sights.
We finished our visit to Portugal, with a long stay in the Chiado neighbourhood of Lisbon. Situated high above the waterfront, this was a lovely new neighbourhood we discovered in of one of our favourite cities.
Our fall trip to Hawaii started with a luxury stay in Waikiki Beach in Honolulu. Our luxurious hotel was located right in the city and provided a great base to tour around Oahu.
We loved new cities but we also loved returning to favourite spots. With family in BC, we often spent a week or more in Vancouver on any visit. We always found great things to do in the city. And were delighted we arrived in Vancouver back from our trip to Hawaii while the Fall colours were still in bloom.Â
We returned to several of our favourite cities and found wonderful new spots. A great memory on our travel year review for 2022.
Charming Small Towns
While we explored some great big cities, we also enjoyed time wandering in small towns on all of our trips this year. We started the year with the lovely small towns of Alicante and Motril on the coast in Spain.
When we visited Portugal in the Spring, we spent a few weeks exploring the small towns in the Algarve. And then headed north and discovered charming towns in the Alentejo region.
Our travel year review for 2022 showed us many of the charming small towns we discovered this year.
Great Sights On Road Trips
We loved all the great sights and stops we got when we travelled by car. And sometimes the drive itself was the adventure!
Local road trips took us to the Finger Lakes region in Upstate New York and around Lake Huron in Ontario. We stopped for lighthouses, local markets and colourful local art.
When we travelled around Maui in Hawaii, we drove some of the wildest roads. We headed up the coast on the Kahekili Highway, visited the Keone’O’Io lava fields, drove the Road to Hana and climbed high up to the Hakealala summit for sunset.
When we travelled we loved to head out by car and explore. Our travel year review for 2022 reminded us why!
Panoramic Views From Above
While we loved all the sights we found along the way on road trips, some of our most stunning views in 2022 came from above. When we returned to the Algarve region of Portugal, we were immediately entranced again with the stunning sea cliffs.
Then we when we headed north in Portugal to the Alentejo region, we discovered the amazing castles built high on the rocks. And when we visited the castles, we got amazing panoramic views of the countryside.
On our visit to Hawaii in the Fall, a helicopter ride over the Big Island was top of our things to do. And we were not disappointed with the stunning views of the Kohala and Hamakua Coasts. Even if we were hugely disappointed that bad weather meant we did not fly over the Mauna Loa volcano.
But when we visited Maui in Hawaii, we did not miss the chance to drive high to the Haleakala summit. From there we got amazing views over the crater and down along the coast.
Views from above are always some of our favourites. And our travel year review for 2022 reminded us of many we saw this year.
Interesting Architecture On Our Travel Year Review For 2022
When we travelled, we often sought out amazing architecture. We were delighted on our return to Barcelona to tour the Sagrada Familia inside and out. Every visit brought more of the stunning detail in design to light.
On our Spring visit to Portugal we finally got to visit the charming town of Sintra and the great palaces in the area. The wide variety in the designs kept us enthralled for days.
Heading into the Alentejo region in Portugal, we loved the interesting architecture we found in the cities and in the old castles on the hills. On a day trip to Evora we marvelled at the details in the design of the Se Cathedral when we climbed to the top and wandered.
While our visit to Hawaii showed us some amazing outdoor delights, we were intrigued when we spent some time on our tour around Oahu visiting the Valley Of The Temples and the Byodo-In Temple.
We always found interesting architecture on our travels. And our travel year review for 2022 highlighted some of the treats from this year.
Amazing Outdoor Delights
We chased amazing outdoor sights throughout 2022. On our visits to British Columbia, we explored the Lynn Valley Canyon and Rice Lake outside of Vancouver. And the waterfalls and outdoor sights along the Sunshine Coast.
We saw some great waterfalls on a road trip to the Finger Lakes and when we visited the Port Elgin area in Ontario. A boat trip to Flowerpot Island offered us views of the interesting rock structures.
Our visit to Hawaii started with awesome outdoor sights on a road trip around Oahu. On the Big Island we explored the cliffs and valleys along the Hamakua Coast. And on our stay in Maui we saw blow holes, waterfalls, lava fields and the stunning Hakealala crater.
On our travel year review for 2022, we made so many great memories of outdoor adventures.
Great Food And Drink
Great food and drink was always a great reason to travel. And we sure enjoyed this part of travel in 2022.
Early in the year we cruised from Barcelona to Lisbon with Oceania Cruises. And we enjoyed more of the great cuisine at sea. When we cruised to the Canary Islands, we took a wine tour on Lanzarote and discovered the volcanic wines.
Hotel stays offered us some great elite status benefits and many food treats at on-site restaurants. And when we went out and wandered in Spain, Portugal and Hawaii our taste buds were always excited by local flavours.
On our luxury stay at the Penha Longa Resort in Sintra in Portugal we enjoyed a fun afternoon learning more about gin. And on another afternoon we splurged on Afternoon Tea. When we visited the Alentejo region in Portugal we stayed at a wine hotel and enjoyed all the great wines produced on site.
On local road trips in Ontario, we found a new wine region when we headed to Port Elgin on Lake Huron. And when we went south to Upstate New York we were delighted with the food and drink we found in the Finger Lakes region.
Food and drink were certainly some of the things we recalled on our travel year review for 2022.
Pampered At Luxury Accommodations
We do enjoy to splurge on luxury accommodations on our travels. Our Marriott Ambassador Elite status got some amazing suite upgrades on our travels in Spain, Portugal and Hawaii. Our hotels came with free breakfast and we were often welcomed with a tasty amenity. The upgraded rooms provided lots of space to spread out. And often came with an amazing view.
When we visited the Sunshine Coast in BC, we wanted more room to spend time with family. There were lots of Airbnb options although often not at cheap rates. And availability was sometimes tough when we wanted for our son to bring his lovely dog Gypsy. In 2022 we had some good Airbnb spots close to the kids with the room we wanted. And many even had great views.
When we travelled by cruise ship with Oceania Cruises, we booked the Penthouse suite with a balcony and a little more room. We are not generally butler people but we enjoyed several lazy meals in the cabin.
On our travel year review for 2022, we were reminded why we always felt so pampered when we travelled.
Stunning Sunrises And Sunsets
There was no better way to start a day than with a sunrise. We booked our tour around Oahu with an early start and caught the early morning sun.
We were delighted when we finished our days with a sunset over the water whether at home in Ontario or on our travels When we ventured to remote spots we even got amazing night skies. Although we considered going to the summit at Haleakala in Maui for sunrise, we were amazed as the sunset turned to a colourful night star-filled sky.
And some nights we even got another treat. When we stayed in Waikiki Beach on Oahu, the sky was lit with colourful fireworks.
We recalled such amazing sky views on our travel year review for 2022.
Amazing Memories On Our Travel Year Review For 2022
At the end of each year, we looked back at our travel. Our travel year review for 2022 reminded us of some amazing memories of a year spent exploring new great places and re-visiting some favourites.
When we ended 2022, we had only one trip booked for 2023. And there were lots of options on the travel planning board. You know it will not be long before the calendar is filled with travel plans again!
Did we spark any new travel plans with our travel year review for 2022? We sure hope so!
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I love seeing your year in photos. It looks like you had such a great time! And I think it’s a great idea that you recapped your miles and how you traveled along with where you stayed. Kudos on getting status again — that is always helpful. But with as much as you both travel, it’s no wonder that you have it. I’m also glad that you were able to dive into Portugal. I love it there, although I have yet to make it to Spain. I hope 2023 brings you many more miles, overnight stays, and perks for doing so!
We try and keep our travel stats current through the year but only really sit back and look at them at year end. Always an interesting look back. We were so glad we got back to Portugal this year.
That was an inspiring and wholesome travel review for the year 2022. And I absolutely loved the way you categorized your experience under different topics. You got to see colorful art work, lighthouses, magnificent architecture to record, pampered at luxurious stays, eat delicious local food, wines, stunning sunrise and sunsets and skies lot with fireworks. Great outdoors with rocks, beaches, blowholes, lava fields, water falls in panoramic setting. I love all you pictures and blogs with lovely details. It’s a great pleasure!
It was great to look back at 2022 and see the amazing variety of things we saw and did.
Well, you did travel a lot after Covid. I especially like your outdoor trips to Hawaii and around British Colombia. Your helicopter tour in the Big island of Hawaii was the best, in term of transportation. And you definitely had the best food at every places you go.
We were so glad to get back to our normal travel pace after Covid. We had so many places on our list it was hard to decide where to start. But 2022 was an amazing travel year.
As I was going through your post, I kept trying to recall all that I have done in 2022. And I have’t travelled a lot, but I did see a lot of beautiful natural places in the Himalayas–beautiful flowers and mountains. But I would love to see some blowholes and have a colourful year in 2023 like you did in 2022!
It is always interesting to look back and see what our year brought us. I hope you do have a colourful year in 2023.
This is a great windup post for the year linking back to your posts on the places. I have not been to Canada yet. The unique rock structure in the Flowerpot Island got me interested. Holidays get memorable when we get choice rooms and are able to spend time together.May you travel more in 2023! Happy New Year in advance!
I hope you do get to Canada in your travels. We were glad we finally got to leave in 2022. Best wishes for 2023.
What an amazing year! It gives me something to aspire to. I have heard so many things about the road to Hana. Unfortunately during my trip to Maui, my friends had visited there before I arrived, so I missed out.
I think I am adding traveling by tuk tuk to my bucket list though.
So glad to add some travel ideas to your planning board. We sure did love the variety. Sorry you missed the Road to Hana. The weather almost deterred us but we were glad we finally did it. Just working on the detailed blog post. So Hana will tease you again soon.
The summary of your yearly travels in 2022 is impressive. Great numbers, congratulations! One hundred thirty nights spent away from home is a great result. Also, the different ways of your trip by car, tuk-tuk, helicopter, ferry, small boat, and cruise ship is inspirational. You experienced so many adventures and type of activieties thanks to this diversity. I would love to take a helicopter tour over the Big Island in Hawaii or visit Sintra by tuk-tuk.
We loved looking back at our adventures for the year. And we’re really happy to be travelling again. No matter how we travelled.
It’s so interesting to see that you probably made up for all that you lost in the last two years. It’s an amazing bit of statistics and more importantly toe beautiful places that you traveled to. While we have visited some there is much more to explore for us. Lake Huron and the Sunshine Coast in particular. Then the Helicopter tour over the Big Island would be adventurous.Would love to be in Oahu for the beautiful sunrises and the sunsets.
We did indeed make up for some lost time when we travelled in 2022. It was wonderful to finally visit some places that were on our travel wish list for some time.
Wow, 130 nights is a third of the year! Great travel year you had. Some people call it revenge travel!
We like to think of it as “make up” travel for a few years locked in our condo.
I always enjoy seeing your year-end roundups to see all where you’ve travelled. It appears 2022 was a good year! Of your list, I really would love to see those charming small towns of Alicante and Motril on the coast in Spain. Especially as a escape to our Canadian cold winters. Summer is Ontario is always when we travel local too, and glad you enjoyed Ontario’s West Coast of Lake Huron up to Tobermory. It’s such a special area of the province. All the best to 2023 adventures!
It was great to look back. We loved the mix of places we visited in 2022 – some new and some familiar. Always great to find a new local spot to enjoy when we are home.
Wow! This amazing and you inspire us to continue traveling and it can be in many different ways. It doesn’t have to be by plane or boat all the time. The helicopter tour in Hawaii is amazing. We plan to do that too should we have a chance to visit.
I definitely enjoyed reading your travel year review and looking forward to more of your travel posts in 2023.
We loved looking back and recalling some of our great adventures from 2022. We tried to mix things up and we were happy to see we had a lot of variety in our experiences. We have an exciting plan to start 2023. And we will see where it goes from there.
Very impressive, indeed. I’m looking forward to be retired and travelling as soon as possible, too 😉 I first misread your list and thought you were on 130 flights – instead of nights – and I thought, gosh, their CO2-footprint is unbeatable. But no, then came the list of all the different means of travel and I felt much better 😉
Well, your roundup is great and all I can wish you is another year of all those inspiring trips that I am looking forward to read about on this inspiring blog!
I surely would not have the patience for 130 flights! We flew so little that we did not even re-qualify on miles flew for our airline status. But we are happy to be able to take longer trips and wander when we are in one place. We too are interested in what 2023 will bring for us.
Wow, 42,538 miles by air alone is awesome. I think your trip to Portugal was my favorite but I love how you explored America and nearby your home as well as places afar. What a great year of adventure!
We did indeed have a great year of adventures in 2022. Always fun to look back at the end of the year.
Wow you went to so many amazing places this year! So many of those places are still on my list like Spain. Thank you for sharing your adventures.
We were happy to check off some new spots in 2022.
When you add up all of the numbers, it is pretty impressive to see just how many total miles you’ve traveled in a year. Here’s to more in 2023!
It was great to be back travelling at our normal rate in 2022. We sure hope 2023 is as much fun.
Lovely round up of your travels! I got some travel ideas for my 2023 travel list! Portugal is top of my list!
Glad to have provided some inspiration for your 2023 travel list. Portugal is amazing and always gets a big recommendation from us.
What an impressive 2022 review! The travel miles are awesome plus the modes of transport too. You got to travel by yourselves and with family too. The luxury accommodation and the hotel points are great! I would love to explore the Finger Lakes region someday. 🙂
It is always fun to look back and see the variety in our travel year. A great new start to travel for us.
Wow, what an amazing year to reflect upon! I love the way you broke it down by means of transportation and accommodations. I’ve never thought of doing that! So many of these places are on my bucket list, especially Portugal and Hawaii. Thanks for the inspiration to make it happen…reading about your travels and seeing these photos makes me want to go even more. Happy New Year!
I am happy that our 2022 travel review inspired you to start planning some of our favourites. Writing back the post brought back some great memories. If it did show me how far behind I am at getting all the posts published.
Looks like a pretty good year! Can’t wait to see what’s in store for 2023!
We did indeed have an amazing travel year in 2022. We have plans to start 2023 with one of our big wish list spots.
You guys had an amazing year full of adventures!! I love your pictures, you take beautiful photos. Also – very jealous you visited the Sagrada Familia. Can’t wait to see where 2023 takes you!
Thank you for your comments on our photos. We love to share the beauty we see. The Sagrada Familia was indeed a highlight of our travels in 2022.
now THAT is an impressive year of traveling! I love your stats and all the food photos! Would love the link to your Finger Lakes post…We’re headed there in 2024.
We were glad we did the visit to the Finger Lakes this year. And will definitely go back! A fun mix of travels in 2022.
Incredible experiences! I am inspired to recap our adventures at the end of 2023. Thanks for sharing all the great photos.
We always find it fun to do a recap at the end of the year and sit back and recall some of our travel travel experiences. Always inspires us to start filling in the travel calendar for the next year.
Sounds like a wicked adventure. Where are you headed in 2023?
We were so glad to be back travelling in 2022. We start 2023 with a great trip to Antarctica. An amazing start to a new year of travelling.
What an amazing travel filled year 2022 was! I also visited Portugal this year 🙂 can’t wait for what 2023 will bring
Portugal is one of our favourite travel destinations so it was great to head back on our travels in 2022. A fun year for sure.
What a neat idea to give metrics to your mileage and accommodations! And what an INCREDIBLE list of destinations you have!
Looking back at 2022 we were indeed surprised when we put the numbers together. Fun to look back at the amazing spots we visited in the year.
Ah yea 2022 was so much more fun than 2021! Hopefully we continue this upward trend. Thanks for
Taking us back through your favs!
We were indeed so happy to be back to travelling in 2022. Hoping 2023 keeps up the pace.
What a great round-up you have done and all the amazing adventures. Hopefully, 2023 will be just as fun.
It was great to look back at 2022. Still working on our thoughts for 2023. But we will start with a great high in February.
What a year you had, travel was certainly back on the agenda. It looks like you had a fabulous time in Europe visiting some fabulous Spanish and Portuguese sights. I love visiting the Sagrada Familia, Ive been 3 times now and theres always something new, lets hope it finally gets finished one day!
We were so excited to get back to Spain and Portugal in 2022. We loved re-visiting some favourite spots and found some great new spots.