2025: A Year of Family Travel
Some years of travel are defined by places. Others are defined by people.
As I look back on our family’s travel in 2025, what stands out most isn’t how far we went, but why we went. This was a year shaped by milestones, transitions, and moments that asked us to gather – to celebrate, to grieve, to mark time together. Travel became the container that held some of our biggest family moments, offering space for connection, reflection, and memory-making in ways that only shared experiences can.
This reflection isn’t about ranking trips or showcasing perfectly planned itineraries. It’s about the stories behind the travel – the reasons we packed up, hopped on a ferry, hit the road, and made time for one another during a year that felt full in every sense of the word.
Here are the trips and moments that defined our family’s travel year.
Celebrating Birthdays in Ucluelet – Starting the Year by the Sea
Our first trip of the year set the tone for everything that followed. We headed to Ucluelet to celebrate both Robin’s birthday and mine – a quiet, coastal escape that felt like the perfect way to ease into a new year.
This trip wasn’t about big plans or packed itineraries. It was about ocean views, long beach walks, slow mornings with a tea and a book, and that familiar West Coast feeling of being small in the best possible way. There’s something especially meaningful about marking personal milestones in places that allow you to pause. The rhythm of the waves, the rugged coastline, and the simplicity of being together created space to reflect on the year ahead.
Reflection: Celebrating birthdays through travel reminds us that how we begin the year matters – choose places that help you breathe deeper and slow down.
Gathering for Milestones and Meaningful Moments: Celebrating My Mom’s 70th Birthday on Pender Island
One of the most special trips of the year was gathering on Pender Island to celebrate my mom’s 70th birthday at Poet’s Cove. It was one of those weekends where the location set the tone – peaceful, beautiful, and perfectly suited for games, shared meals, and slow mornings overlooking the water.
Bringing extended family together in a place like this reminded me why milestone trips matter. They give us a shared backdrop for memories that will be retold for years.
Reflection: Milestone birthdays deserve more than a dinner reservation – they deserve time.
Spring Break at Mount Washington – Ski Days With the Grandparents
Spring break this year was spent closer to home. We headed to Mount Washington for a multi-generational getaway with the grandparents – a trip that blended mountain adventure, family, and plenty of time together.
Days were spent skiing, snowshoeing, and enjoying the quiet of mountain life. Evenings were slower: shared meals, card games, and stories around the table. Trips like this don’t need to be elaborate to be memorable. What made it work was proximity, flexibility, and the ability for everyone to participate at their own pace.
Reflection: Some of the most meaningful family trips are the ones that bring generations together, creating memories that feel both ordinary and lasting.
A First Annual Girls’ Spa Weekend at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort
This year also marked the start of a new tradition: our first annual girls’ spa weekend at Kingfisher Oceanside Resort. What began as an idea turned into one of the most restorative trips of the year.
Between the ocean views, spa circuits, and unhurried conversations, this getaway was a reminder of how nourishing it can be to step out of everyday roles and simply be. There was laughter, conversation, and the kind of connection that comes when no one is rushing anywhere. We are all eagerly awaiting our special trip next spring.
Reflection: Creating new traditions as adults is just as important as maintaining old ones.
Surprise Trips and Big Celebrations: A 50th Wedding Anniversary Celebration in Tofino
Celebrating my in-laws’ 50th wedding anniversary called for something special – and a surprise family trip to Tofino felt just right. Pulling this off required coordination, secrecy, and a lot of crossed fingers, but seeing their reaction made every bit of planning worthwhile.
Tofino offered its usual magic: wild beaches, sunsets, surfing, incredible food, and that sense of being somewhere that naturally invites rest. Sharing this place together, across generations, made the celebration feel even more meaningful.
Reflection: Shared experiences are one of the best gifts you can give.
Travel That Holds Space for Grief: Honouring My Dad in Nelson
Not all travel is celebratory. One of the most emotionally significant trips this year was traveling to Nelson for my dad’s celebration of life.
Nelson, with its familiar streets and surrounding beauty, provided a setting that allowed us to connect and share stories. Being together as a family in a place connected to so many memories offered comfort during a difficult time. This trip reinforced that travel isn’t just about joy – sometimes it’s about showing up, holding space, and honouring the people who shaped us.
Reflection: Travel can be a powerful way to process loss and honour legacy.
This year also included an Alberta road trip to celebrate my in-laws’ 75th birthday year – a journey that blended family time with travel nostalgia. The highlight was finally making it to Waterton Lakes National Park, a true bucket-list destination.
There’s something special about road trips with family: the conversations that unfold over long drives, the shared playlists, the quiet moments when you round a corner and the landscape takes your breath away or you jump up with your camera to capture the wildlife.
Reflection: It’s never too late to check something off the bucket list.
Introducing Friends to Backcountry Camping at San Josef Bay
One of the more adventurous highlights of the year was taking friends on their very first backcountry camping trip to San Josef Bay. Watching others experience the magic of this place – the sandy beaches, sea stacks, and sense of remoteness – reminded us just how special it is.
Backcountry trips always come with extra effort, but they also come with a deeper sense of accomplishment and connection. Sharing that experience with friends made it even more memorable.
Reflection: Some of the best trips are the ones you get to share with people experiencing it for the first time.
A Year of Transitions
Traveling Through Change as Our Kids Grow
Perhaps the most profound shift this year wasn’t tied to a single destination. It was the transition our family is navigating as Jack graduated, started his first full-time job, and now looks ahead to heading away for school next year.
Travel this year often felt like a pause button – a chance to be together in the midst of change. These trips carried a quiet awareness that things are evolving, and that time together looks different than it once did. I am so grateful that our kids still love travelling with us and are already planning our family travel adventures into 2027.
Reflection: Travel marks transitions, helping us acknowledge where we’ve been and where we’re headed.
What This Year of Travel Taught Me
Looking back, 2025 reinforced a few truths about family travel:
- Travel doesn’t have to be far to be meaningful.
- Gathering for life’s milestones creates lasting memories.
- Shared experiences help us celebrate, grieve, and transition together.
- The season of life you’re in should shape how – and why – you travel.
These lessons continue to guide how I plan trips and the stories I share here.