Introduction
I’ve dubbed 2024 “My Year of Connection”. After 2 years in New England, I moved back to Pittsburgh and reconnected with the local community. I joined a yoga studio, joined an Italian class, joined two bookclubs. I spent whatever free time I had with friends and family. However, free time was rare because, throughout this year, I also traveled to 5 different states and 3 new countries. Plus, I traveled back and forth from Pittsburgh to my hometown near Cleveland, OH, 6 separate times.
This year was also the year of love. I attended 4 weddings, one of which took place in rural France. And all that matrimony must’ve been inspiring because 2024 was also the year Dave proposed! (Read all the heartfelt details in the November section.)
After a year of nonstop socializing, I’m looking forward to this winter’s hibernation. I’ll use my precious downtime to read, knit, sew, and sit while also figuring out my 2025 travels. My planning process always includes a healthy dose of reflection, hence this article (and my 2023 Year in Review from last December). I love sharing these reflections with you. So keep reading for a month-by-month recap of all my travels throughout 2024. It was another great year in the books :)
January & February
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
New Year’s Eve party in Pittsburgh!
This period was one of the rare moments I stayed in one city for 2 consecutive months. After settling in after the move back from Boston, I interviewed with and accepted my current job. It’s truly a dream. I get to write all day, from anywhere I like, and I work with a great team. Plus, it’s a fully-remote role, which has enabled a lot more frequent travels. I plan to take full advantage of this flexibility next year ;).
Outside of work, I had many long dinners with friends punctuated by long after-work walks with Dave. I appreciated this time to reestablish roots in a city I had grown to miss after two years away. These two months were a slow build-up to Spring spent trekking through various forests, and I look back on this time with as much fondness as my weeks of nonstop excitement.
I’ve been taking hiking trips to Hocking Hills in Appalachian Ohio for nearly 5 years. It’s been so fun showing Dave this area.
March
Hocking Hills, Appalachian Ohio
This month marked the first of many hiking trips. Dave and I booked a cabin near Hocking Hills State Park: A region that has been a refuge since my college years. I love revisiting and walking the same trails that 20-year-old Sam walked. I also love sharing this place with Dave and building new memories together.
I spent the rest of the month back home where I went to a Haley Heynderickx concert and celebrated a few birthdays for my friends.
April
Cleveland, Ohio
On April 8, 2024, Cleveland experienced a total solar eclipse. And I was there: Watching the sky with my Dad in the backyard of my childhood home. Our entire city turned to twilight levels of darkness in the middle of the day while the surrounding wildlife halted to silence. I felt this shift in my bones.
Totality, where the moon completely blocked the sun, lasted about 3 minutes. It was a surreal experience, and in my hometown of all places! You don’t always have to go far to experience something otherworldly.
Charleston, South Carolina
The Pineapple Fountain at Charleston Harbor is one of the many landmarks within walking distance of the city’s vibrant downtown.
I took advantage of my fully-remote setup with a solo work-cation trip to warmer weather. Charleston is a city filled with rich history and even richer food. I’m happy to report that Southern BBQ is a generational art-form, and “Charlestonians” have mastered it.
Lucky for me, a high school friend was living here during my visit. She (and her pitbull) opened their home to me for a portion of my trip, and I loved spending time with them. Plus, Charleston turned out to be a great remote work destination! Check out my blog where I outline the city’s diverse cafe / remote work offerings.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
We brought Oslo home on April 24, 2024.
After returning home, I got a second roommate. On April 24, 2024, Dave and I adopted Oslo, who has since claimed every chair and couch cushion we own. Oslo refuses to pay rent and, yet, I have no complaints. I mean look at that face!
May
Cleveland, Ohio
I spent Memorial Day weekend visiting my family in Ohio. This was a low-key couple of days filled with delicious food and long nights on the back porch with a bottle of wine. Spending spontaneous time with the family is much easier now. It’s been such a joy.
Verona, Pennsylvania
I treated Dave to a night at Primal Pigment in Verona, PA, where we donned hazmat suits and threw glow-in-the-dark paint at a canvas.
Shortly after Memorial Day, I treated Dave to his belated birthday gift. We went to Primal Pigment in Verona, PA. We donned hazmat suits and threw glow-in-the-dark paint at a canvas using squirt guns, water balloons, and more in a black-light room. This was the perfect activity for two creative weirdos. We then spent my birthday (May 30) celebrating our friends at their wedding.
June
Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail
The views overlooking the Laurel Highlands Conservation Landscape, which covers 5 counties in Southwsst PA.
Post-hike group selfie at the trailhead!
I convinced Dave and two of our friends to hike 6 miles out and 6 miles back along the Laurel Highlands Hiking Trail with me. In total, the trail is a 64.8-mile point-to-point route near Seward, Pennsylvania. I hope to complete it some day!
I love trips like these, spending an entire day out on the trail. Sharing this love with friends makes the hike even better. This was our friend Steve’s first overnight backpacking trip, and he absolutely crushed it! Hopefully, that means I have another hiking buddy to join me on future adventures. After recovering from our hike, Dave and I headed back to Cleveland for our second wedding of the summer.
July
Givry-lès-Loisy, France
The Champagne Route spans 700 km through the Marne, Aube, and Aisne departments of France. Along eight scenic routes, you'll witness stunning views, charming “communes”, historic monasteries/churches, and grand châteaux.
I spent 4th of July weekend traveling to France for our third wedding celebration of the year. The ceremony took place in the bride’s hometown, which is a small commune in the Champagne region of France. I was completely out of my element and loved every minute. Click here for my recap of this adventure, including some French wedding traditions that would surprise my fellow Americans.
It should come at no surprise that the French know how to throw a party!
London, United Kingdom
Westminster Abbey was the coronation site for 40 English and British monarchs dating back to 1066. It is also the burial site for 18 English, Scottish, and British monarchs.
After the wedding, Dave and I took the train back through Paris to spend a few days London. We had ambitious plans of exploring the UK before our flight home, but we caught a horrible cold while partying until 4 am with our new French friends.
Instead of exploring the city, we spent most of our time sleeping and watching British television in our hotel room. We did manage to get out and see some parts of this amazing city, but are absolutely due for a revisit. Check out my London and Westminster photo journal entry for all the juicy details.
August
Ireland
A street scene from Dublin, Ireland.
I rounded out the summer with a week-long adventure around Ireland with my mom and Dave. We explored Dublin, Galway, and Belfast, while taking in the seabreeze and castle views in between each major city.
Ireland may be small but, man, it is mighty. The country is filled with kind people, stunning views, and iconic landmarks, including an estimated 30,000 castles/castle ruins as well as a UNESCO world heritage site. Click here for 10 Things I Love About Ireland (And Why You Should Visit!). After back-to-back months of international adventures, I hosted my brother in Pittsburgh for a low-key weekend of good food and indoor rock climbing.
September
Newbury Township, Ohio
2024 marked the 5th year of Adult Summer Camp with these awesome people!
Another year, another trip to adult summer camp with the Pittsburgh crew! For context, my friends and I rent out an entire summer camp and spend the long weekend partaking in activities like kayaking, axe-throwing, and dodgeball tournaments. This year might be our last at this particular site so we made the most of it. I spent long days kayaking around the lake, sitting on porch swings with my pals, and (of course) day drinking like I didn’t have to go to work the next day.
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
After returning from Adult Summer Camp, Dave and I took our nephew to the Pittsburgh Zoo and then attended our 4th and final wedding of the year! Our friends got married at Riverview Park, and I took notes. It was the perfect, small-scale wedding.
Deep Creek, Maryland
A short hike between rain showers.
Dave’s family and I try to take an annual trip together. This year we rented a cabin in the Maryland mountains and spent the majority of our long, rainy weekend playing board games and chilling in the hot tub. I also took full advantage of the sauna.
Our back porch overlooked Deep Creek Lake and the views were amazing because we caught the tail-end of peak fall foliage. This was a cozy retreat after a hectic summer of traveling and attending multiple weddings.
Hail to Pitt!
October
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
October was relatively low-key. I stayed in and around Pittsburgh the whole time. But still found some excitement! I went to my first Pitt football game and hosted some friends from Boston.
During their stay, I took the Bostonians to Kennywood Fright Night, which was also first for me. I love coasters and am itching to revisit the park next summer.
My Boston friends are major foodies so we also explored multiple restaurants around the city. The Pittsburgh food scene is outstanding, and I plan to publish a blog early next year with my top recommendations. Stay tuned :)
November
On November 1, 2024, Dave took me to Heart’s Content Nature Reserve and proposed under a canopy of old growth forest.
Allegheny National Forest
At the start of the month, Dave surprised me with a weekend trip to the Allegheny National Forest, which is a few hours north of Pittsburgh. This was our last hiking trip of the year and, more importantly, our first trip as an engaged couple!
On November 1, 2024, Dave took me to Heart’s Content Nature Reserve and proposed under a canopy of old growth forest. We had the whole reserve to ourselves and, after I said “I do,” we walked the trail while sharing a small bottle of wine. It was perfect, and so is he.
Cleveland, Ohio
Dave and I celebrated Thanksgiving in Cleveland with my family. I spent the weekend retelling the engagement story to all my relatives and stuffing myself with my homemade pumpkin chocolate bread. Pure bliss.
December
Newark, Delaware
I rounded out the year with another short work-cation trip. This time, I accompanied Dave to his company’s site in Newark, Delaware. It rained nearly the whole time so I spent a lot of the week working in the hotel or exploring the University of Delaware campus.
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
I saw AURORA in Philadelphia, for her last performance of 2024.
Lucky for me, Newark, DE, is just a 1-hour drive from Philadelphia where AURORA was performing. She is one of my favorite musicians. So, of course, I jumped at the opportunity to see her live at The Fillmore Philadelphia in the Fishtown neighborhood.
After this trip, I settled back into home life, and rounded out the year celebrating the holidays with friends and family.
Conclusion
Whew, what a year! Looking back, I regret nothing. Sure, between socializing and traveling, 2024 was nonstop in a way that would be challenging for an extrovert, let-alone me. I had been craving a return to my full life in Pittsburgh every since moving to Boston where I had to start anew. As great as Boston was, I am so happy to be back home.
I’m exhausted, but I needed this year of extremes: To binge the people and places I had grown to miss, to say yes to every opportunity to socialize. Though I had a blast these last 12 months, I plan to make 2025 more balanced, to find the middle point between the quiet of my life in New England and the chaos of my life in 2024.
If I’m lucky, next year will be as fulfilling as this year has been. With a dash more moments of introvert recharge, I know it will be.