It’s hard to have hope that we will travel this year. But, if we don’t have hope, what do we have? A little dreaming is good for the soul! As we all know, COVID-19 is still with us. We don’t really know at this time what kind of traveling will be possible later in the year. Will the cruise lines be back in business? Will every state remove its travel restrictions? Will foreign travel be back? Unfortunately, I don’t have answers to these questions, only time will tell.

My husband is calling this, “The Year of Miracles”. He is definitely a glass-half-full kind of guy, but, I hope he is right! Here is my Travel wish list. These are destinations that we are hoping to visit this year(and maybe into the next). Even though we don’t know what will happen in the months to come, I’m still going to dream big!

This is an unusual and diverse list. I wanted to give you some interesting places to consider when planning your 2021 Travel plans. In 2020, we had to stay close to home and only travel within our own state of North Carolina. With the vaccine right around the corner, we are hopeful that we will be traveling by summer or fall.

As I’m sure it is with most couples and families, there are destinations and attractions that my husband would like to see and others that I would like to see. I will attempt to include places that most people would enjoy.

We will start from our home in North Carolina and head in each direction.

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Travel Wish List by Direction

I believe that every state has something to offer the traveler. My Travel wish list includes places my husband and I have not visited, but are planning to visit this year. You might just find your dream vacation at one of these destinations!

*If you want to check off the states one by one, click HERE to join our email list. You will receive several free printables that will list each of the 50 states and 3 great destinations within each state.*

Traveling North

Pennsylvania

Pennsylvania is a state with a lot of great destinations. Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are the 2 largest cities in PA and great places to visit. However, I prefer to visit more “out of the way” locations, places that maybe you have never heard of. Some of my favorite places are small towns, like Punxsutawney, these towns are sometimes overlooked as we travel through them on our way to bigger cities.

There are 45,000 square miles to explore in Pennsylvania. It has been split up into 11 different regions. Each one has something different to offer, check them out HERE. We have already been to Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and the Pocono Mountains so we wanted to see something different.

• Dutch Country Roads
• Laurel Highlands
• Lehigh Valley
• Great Lakes Region
• Philadelphia & surrounding area
• Pittsburgh & surrounding area
• Pocono Mountains
• The Alleghenies
• Upstate PA
• Valleys Of Susquehanna
• Pennsylvania Wilds

Pennsylvania Wilds

Pennsylvania Wilds region takes up most of northern PA. This area of the state has millions of acres of unspoiled forests and mountains. It’s a great area for outdoor activity, hiking, kayaking, fishing and so much more! It is divided into 6 Landscapes for you to explore;

1. Elk Country – home to one of the largest herd of elk east of the Mississippi
2. Cook Forest and the Ancients – known as the land of giants due to the ancient & very tall trees
3. Dark Skies – this is one of the best areas in the US to stargaze
4. Allegheny National Forest – it covers over 500,000 acres and is PA’s only National Forest
5. I-80 Frontier – so many small towns and attractions to explore including Punxsutawney!
6. Pine Creek Valley and PA Grand Canyon – the eastern gateway to the PA Wilds

Traveling South

Georgia

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Georgia is a very diverse state, with very large cities like Atlanta and Macon in the center of the state and barrier islands at the coast. Once again, I tend to seek out the unusual and less populated parts of each state. My favorite part of Georgia is the coast and what they call the “grass seas”. This is the marshy area around the barrier islands. This area inspired the famous poem by Sidney Lanier, “The Marshes of Glynn”. The lighthouses which reside on the barrier islands are quite beautiful and unique. Here are some interesting places to visit in eastern Georgia, from Savannah south to the Florida state line;

• Savannah – the oldest city in Georgia
• Tybee Island – lighthouse
• Sapelo Island – lighthouse
• Darien, GA
• St. Simons Island – lighthouse
• Jekyll Island
• Cumberland Island – lighthouse

Savannah is a classic Southern city with tons of Southern charm! It’s where history meets modern culture. Savannah was a strategic port city during both the American Revolutionary and Civil Wars. The city was nicknamed “the Forest City” due to the large population of oak trees, many of which can be seen with a thick layer of moss. You will also find many historic homes, forts, cemeteries, and churches, the oldest standing church was built in 1833, the First Baptist Church.

Sapelo Island is the home of Hog Hammock, the last known Gullah Community. You will have to take the Sapelo Island Ferry to the island and you can not visit the island without a permit issued from the state tourism authorities.

Sapelo Island Ferry

The Sapelo Island Ferry leaves from the Sapelo Island Visitor Center. The ferry is run by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources(wildlife resources division), the fee is $1/each way. You must submit your request for passage at least one week in advance and three weeks in advance for groups over 10. You will not be allowed to board without a request on record. Ferry Schedule

The British built Fort King George in 1721 near what is now the town of Darien. The fort was abandoned in 1727 but remains the oldest fort on the Georgia coast. The town of Darien was founded in 1736 by Scottish Highlanders. Darien is a port on the Altamaha River. You can stand on the docks and watch the Shrimp boats bring in their haul for the day. Then you can sit down to the best seafood meal around at Skippers’ Fish Camp or B&J’s Steaks and Seafood.

On Tybee Island and St. Simons Island, you can visit the lighthouses, both are open to the public. You can take the Sidney Lanier bridge from Brunswick, GA to Jekyll Island. On Jekyll Island, you can take a walk through the maritime forest, visit the Georgia Sea Turtle Center, or relax on the 10 miles of unspoiled coastline.

Cumberland Island is the largest of the barrier islands of Georgia, the island has been designated a National Seashore. You can reach the island by ferry from St. Marys, GA, there is a fee to enter the island.

Cumberland Island Wild Horses

On Cumberland Island, you will find wild horses roaming free! They are the descendants of domesticated horses brought to the island many, many years ago. It is unclear how long ago, maybe the 1800s or even the 1700s! They are beautiful and it’s an awesome sight to see them frolicking on the beach.

Traveling West

NOTE: Since we live in North Carolina on the coast of the US, we can not travel east, so I will include 2 destinations to the west.

Missouri

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Missouri is a state that you don’t hear much about. The Gateway Arch in St. Louis is definitely something to see, as well as Mark Twain’s(Samuel Clemens) boyhood home in Hannibal. There are some big cities in Missouri like, St. Louis, Kansas City, and Springfield. Branson calls itself the “Live country music capital of the universe” and draws millions of tourists each year. I’m going to focus on three unusual and interesting things to do in Missouri.

1. Ha Ha Tonka State Park and Castle Ruins, Camdenton, MO
2. Ozarks Mountains and the Lake of the Ozarks
3. Fantastic Caverns, Springfield, MO

Ha Ha Tonka State Park

Ha Ha Tonka State Park is a 3700-acre recreation area near the Lake of the Ozarks about 5 miles south of Camdenton. This park has it all! It’s a great place for the adventurous! You will find; caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, and a castle. It also has boating, swimming, and fishing.

Ha Ha Tonka Trails

The state park has 15 miles of trails leading to the caves, sinkholes, natural bridges, bluffs, and the castle.

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Ha Ha Tonka Castle

Construction on the castle started in 1905 by a Kansas City businessman who fell in love with the area. The name comes from the natural springs on the property, ha ha tonka is said to mean “smiling waters.” The castle was finally completed in the 1920s by his sons who used it for a summer and weekend home. It was later used as a hotel until it was destroyed by a fire in 1942. The state purchased the castle and the grounds in 1978 and converted it into the Park it is today.

The Ozark Mountains

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The Ozarks cross 3 US states; Oklahoma, Arkansas, and Missouri. They cover most of the southern half of Missouri. There are so many cool things to do in this part of Missouri, it’s impossible to name them all!

• Many Rivers and Lakes for fishing and boating
• Mountain forests for hiking
• Mountain biking trails
• Ziplines
• Horseback riding
• Small towns to explore, antique shops, great restaurants
• Award-winning golf courses
• Zoos and animal parks
• Caves and Caverns to explore
• Camping, Lake Resorts, B&Bs

Here’s more information on the Ozarks.

Fantastic Caverns

The caverns were discovered in 1862 by an Ozarks farmer, actually, by his dog! His dog crawled through a small entrance in the hillside, but it wasn’t until five years later when the first exploration took place. Twelve women, who had answered an ad in the newspaper looking for explorers, ventured into the cave. Their names were put on the cave wall, where you can see them today!

You can tour the caverns by riding through them in Jeep-drawn trams. The year-round temperature in the Caverns is a comfortable 60 degrees. It is open from 8:00-5:00 every day of the year, with the last tour leaving at 4:00 pm.

Fantastic Caverns admission prices; Adults – $28, children ages 6-12 – $17, and ages 5 and under are free with an adult.

The Cavern is located just north of Springfield and is just one of over 7000 documented caves in Missouri. No wonder Missouri is nicknamed, “The Cave State”.

Arizona

For someone who has lived in only Wisconsin and North Carolina, Arizona seems like a foreign country. The red colors of the rock formations are so unique and beautiful! A Saguaro cactus can reach heights of over 40 feet tall! My son and daughter-in-law would say that Arizona is “made for hikers!”

There are so many amazing things to see and do in Arizona. Phoenix, Tucson, and Mesa are the three largest cities. Sedona and Tombstone are two smaller towns that are definitely worth seeing! Of course, the Grand Canyon is a must-see and is located in the northwest corner of Arizona close to the borders of Utah and Nevada. There are several National Parks, National Monuments, National Forests, National Wildlife Refuges, and State Parks. I hardly know where to begin! This list is just a few of the many places to see;

• Desert Botanical Garden – Phoenix, AZ
• Havasu Falls – Havasupai Indian Reservation, Grand Canyon, AZ
• Montezuma Castle National Monument – Camp Verde, AZ
• Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument – Lukeville, AZ
• Antelope National Park
• Red Rock State Park
• Vermilion Cliffs National Monument
• Petrified Forest National Park
• Monument Valley
• Slide Rock State Park

Arizona Hiking

• Sabino Canyon hiking
• Oak Creek Canyon hiking
• Tonto National Forest hiking
• Saguaro National Park hiking
• Easy hikes in Sedona

Sabino Canyon hiking has 8 moderate trails ranging from 3.8 to 15.3 miles. The Canyon is at the base of the Santa Catalina Mountains in southern Arizona.

Oak Creek Canyon hiking is a beautiful red rock canyon north of the city of Sedona. The west fork trail at Oak Creek follows the creek and is surrounded by a beautiful forest that provides relief from the sun and heat of Arizona.

Tonto National Forest hiking the forest is the largest of 6 national forests in Arizona. There are 118 moderate trails ranging from .7 to 89.2 miles

Saguaro National Park hiking is a national park in southeastern Arizona. It’s located near Tucson, AZ, with 34 moderate trails ranging from .7 to 20.8 miles.

Sedona hiking there are several easy hikes in Sedona. Teacup trail, Airport Mesa, Doe Mountain, and Chimney Rock Pass just to name a few.

In Conclusion…

All 50 states are worth visiting! I have chosen just 4 states for my Travel Wish List for 2021. Each one of these states has so much more to see than I have mentioned here. I would love to hear if you have travel plans for 2021. Please comment below. Thank you for sharing this post with your family and friends on your social media pages.

*If you would like to receive our weekly newsletters directly to your inbox, please sign up HERE. You will also have access to 6 printables to help you decide where to go on your next getaway.*

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