New Adventure Goals for 2016 and Recapping the Best Adventures of 2015

2015 was an incredible year!  Thank you so much for coming along with me on this journey of self discovery and adventure.  I hope reading about my adventures has inspired you to go after your own adventures as well and step out of your comfort zone. Stick with me! 2016 is already shaping up to be just as exciting if not even a little bit more.

Last year I set some pretty good adventure  goals for the year.  Let’s see how well I did from last year’s 2015 goals. 

1.  Travel solo internationally  –  PASSED As you know I went to the Azores Island of Sao Miguel, Portugal for a week.  Would you believe I’m still editing pictures?  A complete guide on visiting Sao Miguel is coming very soon!  Trust me it will be well worth the wait and you will want to book your trip ASAP.

2. Whale watching –  PASSED I went whale watching on my Azores trip; sadly we didn’t see any whales because it was just the beginning of the season. I did see striped nose dolphins though.

3. Swim with manatees – FAIL I just couldn’t fit in the time to go.  This will definitely get added to the 2016 goals list.

4. Snorkel in at least 3 Florida springs I haven’t visited before. –  PASSED I did Rainbow River, Rock Springs Run, and Deleon Springs!  Passed this one with flying colors.

5.  Hang glide – PASSED We went hang gliding at Wallaby Ranch.

6.  Plan another glamping trip – PASSED My son and I glamped at the yurts of Fort Yargo State Park

7.  Ski – PASSED I went skiing in upstate New York for the first time.

8.  See a volcano – PASSED  I saw many volcanoes on the Azores trip.

9.  Do more waterfall hunting (domestic and abroad) – PASSED Visited waterfalls in Tobago and Ohio

10. Visit the Everglades – PASSED Went on an airboat tour in the Everglades

11. Stay in a yurt out of state – PASSED

12.  Visit Dry Tortugas National Park – FAIL

13. Visit the Florida Keys by boat – FAIL

14.  Stay in a house boat – FAIL

15. Stay in a tree house overnight – FAIL

16.  Speak to young ladies/girls about appreciating nature and the benefits of traveling. – PASSED I hope to have more opportunities to do this again in the coming year.

17.  Attend a blogger convention – PASSED TBEX North America Conference was an awesome time!

18. Go water biking – PASSED – I went twice! Once with my son and I took the OD group on a waterbike excursion

19.  Get scuba certified – FAIL

20.  Visit Discovery Cove – FAIL

I completed 65% of my adventure goals for 2016.  Honestly I’m pleased with that, all things considered. In 2015 I also went through a break up of a relationship that lasted over 3 years and subsequently had to find a new place to live. I also had to transfer my son to a new school and adapt to the demands of having a high school football player which really put a damper on making plans during the summer and fall.  There are just some things that can’t be helped and I’m 100% ok with that.  I also accomplished adventures I didn’t even set out to do. 2015 may have been emotionally challenging, but it was also one of the best years of my life.

• I met the Harry Potter Weasley Twins at Celebration of Harry Potter and I was crowned the top Gryffindor fan.
• We had an amazing trip to the Lake Erie region of Ohio where I went bird watching for the first time, did a surfing simulator, stayed at an indoor waterpark resort, and saw glacial grooves in the earth.
• I also visited New York City for the first time as an adult and I was able to play in the snow in Central Park and visit the American Natural History Museum.
• I took a last minute trip to Tobago with a couple of friends for my birthday and had an amazing time.  I also saw rare hummingbirds on a rain forest hike and had some amazing food.
• I drove on Daytona Beach for the first time, climbed the tallest lighthouse in the state, and I attended my first NASCAR racing event at the Coke Zero 400.
• I went to my very first professional golf championship at the Valspar Championship in Innisbrook.
• I traveled back home to Dallas, TX for Thanksgiving and ate EVERYTHING.
• I went to a murder mystery dinner with my mom for the first time.
• I completed a Christmas bucketlist item to visit all of the Disney World main resorts to see Christmas Decorations.
• I stayed at my first all inclusive resort in Punta Cana, Dominican Republic
• Visited a few new domestic locations: Boston, New Hampshire

It was truly a fantastic year and I’m so blessed for all of the opportunities I was afforded.  I’m looking forward to what’s in store for 2016 and I hope I continue to inspire you to live your most adventurous life!

2016 Adventure Goals

1. Get scuba certified
2. Visit Discovery Cove
3. Stay in a houseboat
4. Visit 3 national parks I’ve never visited before
5. Travel to key west by boat
6. Stay in a treehouse
7. Plan another solo international trip
8. Visit the UK
9. Stay in a castle
10. Swim with manatees
11. Visit Devil’s Den Prehistoric Underwater Spring – I checked off this one on New Years Day! Post coming soon.
12. Go Luxury Glamping
13. Visit at least one other European country on the UK trip
14. See Harry Potter and the Cursed Child
15. Zip Line at a new location
16. Explore at least 6 new local parks
17. Visit more Florida beaches I haven’t visited before
18. Tent Camping trip
19. Visit California again
20. Travel internationally with my son

What do you have your sights set on for 2016?  I would love to know what’s on your adventure goals list for the year. Share in the comments below!

Lauren G. , Outdoorsy Diva™
“Adventure is a lifestyle.”