As the year comes to a close, we take the added note of the decade doing the same. This year was a slow travel year for me, but the decade certainly wasn’t. Here are my Top 5 vacations from 2010-2019, ranked. Jump in the comments on this one with your best trips of the decade.

#5: Family Cruise to Cozumel (2019)

Family reunions can be a good time no matter where you are, but this one had a special twist. My sister and her family did not know that we were coming. On a previous trip, my sister got it in her head that we needed to take the same cruise a second time, but with the whole family instead of just her, my mom, and me. Of course, we were on vacation and vacation brain is easy to trick. So, naturally, we all agreed to it. When it came time to book things, I was not in a position to agree to it, as my day job had some complications going on, so I couldn’t sign up when they did.

She was disappointed but accepted it. When the day came to finally set sail, my boyfriend and I snuck onto the ship without her seeing and hid in our room which was conveniently located just above my sister’s. My mother and I plotted to surprise my sister and the result was great. She ended up thrilled to see us and we had a great time over the long weekend. You can read the daily blog from that trip here.

Check out the daily blog on this vacation!

#4: Chongqing, China (2018)

China is an interesting place. With a culture that is so starkly contrasted to American culture, it was an adventure to visit. Everything from bathrooms to dining styles, greeting to shopping, everything is different in China. An adventure around every corner and some of the cleanest streets you’ve seen, Chongqing has much to offer by way of food, entertainment, and culture.

I spent a total of 5 weeks in China in 2018 and learned a great deal about the people there. It was frustrating at times, a little scary at times, but it was always exciting. The learning experience is one that has forever changed my perspective on the country and I am grateful for the opportunity. Click through to read some pointers for your first trip to China.

Gorgeous view of the Yangtze River overlooking Hongya Cave in Chongqing at night

#3: Iceland Road Trip (2018)

A previously unknown country to me, Iceland turned out to be full of secrets and interesting people. My mom, my boyfriend, and I took a long weekend to drive around Iceland for a bit. Seeing that there are one main highway and nothing but beauty along with it, it seemed like a sure bet. Five days of taking in mountains, glaciers, streams, rivers, oceanfront, black beaches, strange fish I’d never eaten before, and craters left us speechless on the flight home.

Mile after mile, we saw new things and braced against stiff winds and cool temperatures. We traveled offseason, but the lack of crowds made it worth it and I will never forget my mother’s face when we were walking to see a calving glacier. The wind had a small chunk of her hair flying wildly outside of her jacket, she was trying to walk against the gale to make it to where we could see the glacier, and all the while, we were laughing hysterically. Some of the best memories come from unusual circumstances. You can read up on that trip here.

#2: Girls’ Trip to Ireland (2016)

This was the first major family vacation that we had taken, my mother, my sister, and me. We decided to go big. We chose a ten-day road trip all over Ireland and Northern Ireland. Considering we hadn’t even spent that kind of time together since 1997, we knew this was going to be interesting. There were ups and there were downs, but the good times far outweighed the bad and the trip was amazing. I had to re-learn how to drive a stick and then drive on the other side of the road that was only six feet wide… There was a steep learning curve and that made for some hysterical stories.

My sister didn't realize how difficult coffee would be to find and my mother had no idea how easy good tea would be to find. My mom was in heaven and my sister was on the hunt. We tried coffee everywhere we stopped, stayed, ate, and shopped. There were claims of coffee for sale, but it was not truly American style coffee. It ended up becoming the epic quest of the ten days and my favorite picture of my sister when she finally found it. This was a wonderful journey through our own history and we grew closer together as a family. If you want to follow my sister’s coffee journey, you can read the daily blog.

Me, my sister, and my mother at the Cliffs of Moher in Ireland

Honorable Mention: Cosmopolitan Hop (2015)

Before we get to the best trip of them all, I have to put in an honorable mention. It was difficult to widdle these five trips out of the last ten years of vacationing. I normally don’t travel as I did on this trip, but I spent three days in each city and it was a great time. I started in New York and got to visit Central Park, Times Square, and visit the Hayden Planetarium. Then, I flew to Paris for my second visit to this grand city. It was there I enjoyed some of the finer aspects of Paris, like champagne at the top of the Eiffel Tower, visited their Tomb of the Unknown, and enjoyed a wicked chest cold. From there, I went on to Rome. This was my second trip to Rome and I had an incredible time. I branched out and tried more foods and returned to some of my favorite spots from the first trip.

#1: Backpacking Europe (2012)

While it may seem self-serving that my favorite trip of the decade be the major trip I took alone, it was truly my favorite. There were some scary moments, yes. It was trying at times, yes; but it changed me in ways I could not understand when I booked the flight. For three weeks, I wandered Europe by myself. Jet-setting from one city to another as fast as I could take them in. Constantly on trains and in automobiles, meeting new people and changing my outlook on everything.

I had been to Europe one time prior to this trip and I knew that I was hungry for more. This adventure showed me ten new countries and introduced me to amazing people all over the continent. I got to see: Ireland, France, Belgium, The Netherlands, Germany, The Czech Republic, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, and Italy. At least, I saw a major city in each of those countries. It was a pivotal time in my life and it was exactly the trip that I needed. Of course, it had to be the top of the list.

There you have it! My Top 5 Trips of the 2010s. I hope that you enjoyed seeing my favorites and don’t forget to tell me yours by posing a comment below. I look forward to another decade of amazing adventures and hope you are doing the same. Happy New Year!

Thanks, y’all!