Oh, 2016. You were full of so many ups and downs. Like many, I’m okay with 2016 coming to a close so that we can start fresh in 2017. (Hello, more vacation time!)
When I think about the best moments of 2016, I go back to celebrating my twin sister’s wedding and – of course – the travels I was able to experience.
In celebration of 2016 coming to a close, I’m going to share some of my favorite travel experiences from the year.
1) Vancouver Views
I’m going to be honest right now and say that I did not expect to enjoy Vancouver as much as I did. I had planned our British Columbia trip around the idea that I wanted to vacation in Whistler. To me, Vancouver was just where we would stay when we needed to be close to the airport.
Well, it took all of five minutes for me to fall in love with Vancouver and decide I totally underestimated the incredible city.
Vancouver is now one of my absolute favorite cities. Ever.
2) Relaxing in Whistler
True story: We randomly decided three weeks before we left for British Columbia to travel to Canada. I felt suffocated by the daily grind and suggested the trip to the boyfriend. He was down for it, so I booked the flights and hotel rooms, and three weeks later we were in British Columbia!
My main goals of the trip were to relax and explore the beautiful outdoors. We accomplished both goals in Whistler.
A great time at The Four Seasons Whistler, excellent food, and gorgeous landscapes made my dreams come true.
3) Sigur Rós in Philly
When I saw a teaser on Facebook that Sigur Rós was going on tour in North America, I promised myself I would go to one of the shows. I fully expected to have to travel to the performance, as I assumed they probably wouldn’t be coming to Tampa.
As soon as the dates and venues were announced, I decided I wanted to do the VIP experience at their show in Philly. After a long wait to get tickets during the pre-sale, I got my VIP tickets and was all set (besides booking plane tickets and a hotel room.)
We spent less than 24 hours in Philly, yet managed to enjoy some treats at Miel Patisserie, wine hour at our hotel (Kimpton Hotel Palomar), dinner at The Dandelion, and an incredible performance by Sigur Rós at The Academy of Music in Philly.
4) Cabin Life in Mentone
We were able to explore waterfalls and the forests all day and come back to our cozy cabin in the evening.
Thinking about these great experiences has me excited to see what travels I’ll experience in 2017.
If you want to learn more about my favorite travels from 2016, feel free to contact me at emilykeenphotography@gmail.com.
Emily Keen Photography 
I’ve never heard of Mentone! I just looked it up, and now I’m interested in going! Thanks for sharing.
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Mentone is such a neat little town! It’s a really peaceful area – a great place to recharge. Let me know if/when you make plans to go, and I’ll give you the info of the rental home we stayed in.
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