Each year on the road is unique. New destinations, new things to explore, and often a few repeats. This year was a mix of old and new for us as we revisited a few spots and found new favorites. In 2023, we went from Texas to the Pacific Northwest and back. We had a great time in the PNW and finished the year strong back in Texas among the holiday lights of HIll Country. Check out our favorite in several categories.
Favorite Campground
Cape Blanco State Park – We love staying in one place for a month. However, In order to explore more of the Oregon Coast, we decided to move every two weeks. Along the way, we found our favorite campground of the year and maybe one of the top five ever! Cape Blanco State Park is right on the coast and includes an historic house on the grounds as well as a beautiful lighthouse.
The campground is beautiful, with lush trees and bushes. So much so, that you can’t see your neighbors on either side. Of course, no sewer, but it does have water and electricity. And with this type of privacy, especially at a State Park, do not count on cell service. Our Starlink saved us and our space may have been one of the few with clear access to the sky.
Plus the campground includes access to the beach. You could drive onto the sand and enjoy a fire on the beach or just admire the huge rocks rising from the water. There were also many hiking trails, including part of the Oregon Coast Trail which overlaps with the 2600 mile Pacific Coast Trail. I was proud to do just five miles! The trails went through beautiful trees and often had views of the ocean.
Cape Blanco is the most western point of Oregon with the historic lighthouse on the point. Many days, we couldn’t even see the lighthouse due to the fog. And the wind! Oh, my. There were a few times when I felt like I might be blown over. So fun!
Honorable Mentions
Tin Valley Retro Rentals, Terlingua, TX – This wins the most unique campground! While a bit far from the entrance to Big Bend, it offers a very relaxing and beautiful spot to enjoy the Chisos Mountain area.
Knotty Pine Campground, Kamas, UT – We had a great month in this lovely campground on the river as they switched from winter to spring camping. The campground had large spots and great access to the mountain area. Plus the campground had an incredible clubhouse complete with couches, a huge TV and games! We did a show from its patio. This would be a great campground in summer for access to the river and short drives to all the great mountain towns like Park City.
Favorite New Sights
Mount Rainer – We added two new National Parks to our visited list and my favorite was Mount Rainer. It was beautiful and fun when it would “pop”” up as we drove around the area. What fun to be driving along on your daily errands and then suddenly see this gorgeous mountain! We stayed in a nearby town at the Mineral Lake Lion’s Club campground. I have to say this was a bid odd. It needs some love and attention, but does have electrical hooks ups and water in some spots. The spots are oddly spaced and hard to see. Luckily it was never full or it would be very tight. The best part was the beautiful lake which was easily accessed for kayaking and fishing.
Oregon Coast – We are not beach people in general. The hot temperatures and sand are not high on my list of favorites. But give me a moody, rocky beach and I am so happy. I love the idea of bundling up to sit on a beach! Along the Oregon Coast, we got gorgeous views of rocky cliffs and huge rocks rising from the water. Sadly, I didn’t see any whales this time but I enjoyed the long, windy walks on the beaches. I also finally discovered tidal pools and all the amazing life in those. Such fat starfish! Be sure to check out the Samuel Boardman Scenic Corridor for some of the best stops along the coast, but keep going north and plan on lots of stops at all the fabulous towns from Gold Beach to Warrenton. So much to see, I definitely want to go back to explore it more.
Favorite Activities
We had a lot of fun this year, trying a few new things and getting better at others. With so many choices and categories, I couldn’t pick just one so…
Winetasting
We had a great couple weeks in Willamette Valley. A few friends joined us for a fun weekend of tastings and tours. We stayed in McMinnville, OR which was very central. Apparently, we were within 30 minutes of about 200 wineries! Besides the great wines, I loved exploring the cute little towns like Carlton and Dundee. I was surprised at the beauty of the area. The vineyards growing on the slopes with other crops scattered across the valley and the mountain peaks of Mt Hood and Mt Jefferson popping up from time to time amid the Cascade Mountains made a striking scene!
Dancing
Early in the year, we were in Hill Country and decided to check out one of the oldest social clubs in US. The Quihi Gun Club and Dance Hall was started in 1890 and holds dances twice a month. We were lucky to catch the iconic Billy Mata band for a fun family evening of dancing and music. I had forgotten how fun it was to two-step.
Hiking
Every year, Barry tries to do a few challenge hikes. While I might not go on the hardest, I did a few this year that were definitely a challenge for me!
Glacier National Park – There were several great hikes here but the best (for me) was Avalanche Lake. This five mile hike had a good incline and lead to a gorgeous turquoise lake. Since we were there just before fall, the colors were also changing and there were gorgeous views.
Big Bend National Park – One of Barry’s favorite hikes was the Lost Mines Trail. I didn’t make the full hike, but still got some of the amazing views. Our best advice if you do this one is to get there early. And I mean really early – like dark o’thirty in order to park easily.
Favorite Holiday Decor
We started our holiday season in Colorado where I spent a month kicking off the season in Boulder and we had Thanksgiving in Winter Park. After having spent some time early in the year in Hill Country of Texas, I was curious to see it at the holidays so we scooted down for two weeks in December. With so many adorable towns to explore, do shopping and see the decor, it was a fast but fun two weeks. But I will say that one town stood out – Johnson City! The lights here were tremendous and I have heard that they can be seen from space!
Favorite Month
If I had to pick the best month of the year, it has to be our month in Montana. This area is one of my favorites (it was our second time to the area), based on the natural beauty and friendly locals. But it is also a place where we have some great friends and where we met many others. We chose this beautiful area to hold our third Camp Carpe Diem. Many of our returning attendees came in early and we had a great time exploring the area more and just having fun. It is nice after many weeks where you might not see anyone you know besides your partner to have friends nearby! Kalispell was a great basecamp to explore the area. With so many breweries, shops and towns, there is so much to see and do in this area. Plus having a pal who encourages you to get out for biking, paddle boarding, or other adventures is always great!
Coolest Sight
While waiting on Barry and friends to finish a long hike, I did a short hike then went to a see the lodge in Glacier NP. It was closed so I was hanging out in the parking lot (in the jeep), when I saw this guy chowing down. He was very focused on the grass and didn’t seem to mind getting photographed. I guess he was prepping for his long winter’s nap!
Personal Achievement
When we needed to leave Kalispell, Barry had a work trip scheduled. So…. I drove the rig ALL BY MYSELF! Thankfully, I had friends in Kalispell to make sure I had closed up the rig and attached the jeep correctly so I had a smooth send off. I spent three days driving to Loveland, CO on my own.
Share your favorites from this year in the comments below. We would love to hear your highlights!
Our best in 2023 was 18 days at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. Kaibab National Forest. A very great time many hikes. In the forest no crowds and awesome views of the canyon.