I know I sound like a broken record when I say I can’t believe how fast the year is going, but it’s true. Time is flying a little too quickly. Something’s not right, I tell you. Something fishy is going on…

Anyway, my main point being that it felt like summer had just unofficially arrived with Memorial Day and now summer has already unofficially ended with Labor Day. Travel-wise, this summer wasn’t too busy for me, seeing as how I traveled quite a bit in March, April and May, but I did manage to squeeze in some great trips, both domestic and international.

As I’ve done in past years, I’m sharing some of my favorite travel moments from this summer, starting with Memorial Day weekend:

Live Music and Hot Chicken in Nashville 
I spent Memorial Day weekend visiting one of my good friends, Ali, in Nashville (no longer Ali in Oz) and had a great time getting a small taste of the city. The highlights for me: a ‘90s dance party hosted by a band called My So-Called Band (love it), meeting up with another friend of ours to listen to fantastic live music at 3rd and Lindsley and getting my first taste of hot chicken, courtesy of Hattie B’s. 

Celebrating the 30th Anniversary of Dîner en Blanc in Paris
I’ve already written about this in detail on my blog (see here), but when I had the chance to go to Dîner en Blanc’s 30th anniversary celebration in Paris, I had to do it. And it was magical. The weather was perfect, the location was stunning and the night was one of those nights I will remember for a very long time. So grateful to have had the opportunity to go.

Watching Nadal Win at the French Open
The day after Dîner en Blanc in Paris, my mom, sister and I spent the day at Roland Garros, aka the French Open. I was beyond excited because that day had several great matches, including the chance to see Rafael Nadal AND Serena Williams play. Sadly, Serena Williams pulled out right before the match due to an injury but it was still a very memorable experience and a great day at my third Grand Slam. Next up: The Australian Open (someday…). 

Flamenco + Tapas in Barcelona
During my 48 hours in Barcelona, one of the things I got to experience was a flamenco show at Palau Dalmases, which was incredible. The performance was full of so much skill and passion, I was hooked from the start. And afterwards, I went next door to El Xampanyet, where I ate all the tapas and drank all the cava, and it was perfection. 

Sailing Around Baltimore 
During my “slow” travel month of July, I decided to venture to Baltimore for a weekend since I had strangely never been to Baltimore (despite going to Washington D.C. several times), and it felt like a good time to explore the city. While there, I did a very relaxing sailing tour around the harbor, which was a great way to see the city and learn a bit about its history. I followed that tour with a Maryland crab cake, which was the perfect ending to a great afternoon. 

Miami Spice with Family in Florida
In August, I spent two weeks working from Florida, and in that time period, I did a Miami Spice dinner not once or twice but three times. Miami Spice is a period of time when participating restaurants offer prix-fixe meals at a set rate. My family and I enjoyed three fantastic meals at Palme d’Or, Hakkasan and Prime Fish. It was my first time doing Miami Spice but it certainly won’t be my last. 

My Day Trip to the Grand Canyon
Unofficial summer ended on a high note, with my day trip to the Grand Canyon. The full details of the trip can be found here, but the gist is that I immediately booked my tour to the Grand Canyon when I found out I had to go to Phoenix for work. Crazy holiday traffic aside, it was an amazing Labor Day filled with stunning scenery, and it was the perfect way to end my summer travels. 

‘Twas a pretty good summer, overall. I’m looking forward to experiencing more great travel moments in the remainder of the year.

What were your favorite travel moments from this summer?