We explored a lot in 2024 and added quite a few core memories along the way. We just wanted to spend a moment to reflect on the year that was and what we’re looking forward to in the year ahead.

2024 was full of adventure

We started the year in Maui, juggling between the Grand Wailea and the Andaz Maui resorts and found something to like at both resorts. Of course, one of the things we love to do in Hawaii is rent a car and explore the island, with this time being no exception. Sure, it’s nice to just relax at the resort but Hawaii’s natural beauty is just too hard to resist.

2024 was full of immersion in culture

We loved exploring Tokyo with my dad, who had never been to the country before. We had fun catching our own dinner at the Zauo fishing restaurant.

And who couldn’t resist visiting the two best Disney theme parks in the world when coming to Tokyo? Certainly not us.

Speaking of cherry blossoms, we were absolutely blessed by lucking into being in Tokyo at the right time to see them bloom. That was a bucket list opportunity for us.

2024 was full of family time

We took several trips with extended family, including our exploration of Alaska onboard the Celebrity Solstice. We found the Celebrity Solstice to be a pretty fantastic experience in aggregate, and we were further blessed by extremely good weather that made for a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

We followed that up with a trip down to The Bahamas, where we spent some much needed time with Jenn’s family, and we had fun exploring the pools and beaches there.

2024 was also full of quality one-on-one time

It’s also nice to spend time with each family member individually on top of spending time together. Beyond just being able to find out a little more their interests and curiosities, it’s just a pleasure to get to know them more. Never stop wanting to learn more about what gives your loved ones motivation. I dined with Jenn at a United Airlines dinner event, took Alex to a Lakers game in the Marriott suite, and spent time with Char in the Indianapolis Zoo. I wouldn’t trade those memories for the world.

We are fortunate to be in the points hobby

As you could likely guess from the above, it’s absolutely a blessing that we are able to give our children the opportunity that many others are not able to give. We spent the whole year exploring the world and giving them a chance to experience cultures other than the one they’re used to, which should give them a more well-rounded viewpoint as they mature into young adults. Or at least that’s the justification that I’m telling myself.

Having a lot of points in the right programs helps enable this level of travel for us. I would still envision us traveling if we were not in the hobby, but I don’t think we would be able to experience quite as many destinations or bring along other family members if we were not in this game. It affords us some extra comfort on those lengthy flights to our destination and lets us hit the ground running rather than burning a day trying to catch up on sleep. And it allows us access to hotels that might be outside our price range. It’s absolutely a blessing.

Looking ahead to 2025

I’m always one to set goals for myself in the new year and make sure I work toward those goals. I believe in always trying to improve myself and make me what I consider to be a better person. Those goals may or may not fully include what I do for exploring the world via travel and dining, but I am looking forward to many more experiences to come.

Thank you for spending the time reading the blog and hope you all have an excellent year in 2025.