I’m a bit behind planning 2025 travel since we just got back from Andalusia. Some domestic travel for hockey related events in early 2025 and Aruba in a few weeks.
Need some ideas - European, rural, happy to drive, wine, food, the normal suspects.
Gearing up for Milano 2026, and nothing is jumping out for me for 2025.
I was telling a friend how much I enjoyed Sydney.
He said, “Haven’t you been to Cleckheaton?”
Japan, probably mostly domestically otherwise, maybe Austria/germany in winter 2025.
My wife and I just booked a week in Barbados in April. This will be our first time visiting, so we’re looking forward to it.
Three weeks in North America in April/May - 8 days around Orlando with another family for park visits (I have a 10 year old), then 3 days in LA as stopover on our way to 9 days in Vancouver with my wife’s Aunt who emigrated from Hungary to Canada in the 60s and has her own family there.
A long weekend planned with my family (wife, son, father, sister) in Bray, the village on the outskirts of London that is home to the Fat Duck and also the Waterside Inn (the Roux family restaurant, 3 Michelin stars since 1985). Ideally my wife and I get to for for dinner for 2 at the Fat Duck, subject to child minding negotiations.
Two weeks in Hungary in the summer at my wife’s family and a few days at Lake Balaton with hopefully some wine tasting opportunities.
October we’ll have a week in Andalusia
If we get chance we’ll take an extended weekend in Alsace - Colmar is only a 90 minute drive for us, its a lovely little trip in the summer.
My suggestion: Fly into Frankfurt, spend a night or two in the charming little village of Bacharach, go for a riverboat cruise on the Rhine see the castles, then drive into the Mosel region for Riesling.
Currently in the Philippines with my wife and newborn (waiting for her CR-1 Visa to be approved hopefully later this year and my newborns CRBA appointment which has been confirmed for January 23rd). I’ll be back in the Philippines back and forth until my wife and son are able to move to the States. Spent 2024 half in California and the other half in Asia.
Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam with my wife and newborn in February.
Then possibly Cambodia, Laos, and Indonesia before I head back home to the States.
Definitely some more of Japan as well (visited 5 times last year).
My sister in law’s K1 Visa is near the finish line too so North Carolina for the Wedding and then Toronto/Niagara Falls.
Edit - If I could make it work, I’d love to visit Hong Kong, China (Shanghai), and Mongolia.
Doing Japan again in June.
Mainly Tokyo.
Family said best vacation ever last year in Japan (Tokyo, Kyoto, Hakone).
Wife has a high bar for this year’s planning.
I was in Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hakone last year as well.
All great places to visit.
Visited 18 new cities in Japan too last year (24 total) in Japan.
Yeah we are only doing Tokyo
After a way too busy 2024. Iceland, New Zealand, Denmark, Paris, Hanoi, and countless domestic surf trips I thought 2025 would be more slow but…
Perhaps Philipines, Europe for a month, New York and then perhaps once more Denmark and possibly Iki island in Japan for Christmas/NYE.
If any tips for Iki please join in.
That’s awesome!
Iceland is my dream country, but my focus for future travel remains in southeast/east Asia. Thought about Hanoi, but planning Saigon for this February.
Where in the Philippines are you thinking about?
Wouldn’t know about Saigon but I heard great things about the stretch between Dalat and Hoi An.
We’d be heading for La Union — probably not more than two weeks.
Nice and first time hearing about La Union (looks like a really nice place in northern Luzon).
Iceland in August for us
Sweet and I’d love to go to Iceland and more of Europe, but it’s just not in the cards for the time being.
Have fun!
I’ll enjoy my time in Asia instead though.
Booked flights (until Sep 2025):
Philippines
Japan
Spain
France
Nice and where in the Philippines and Japan?
In Argentina now.
Amsterdam/Paris/ Versailles/ Giverny/Brittany/Lyon
Montreal and Quebec City
Korea and Japan.
Domestic stuff too.
Have you been to Croatia recently? In 2024 I went by car from Dubrovnik to Venice. (Last leg by ferry from Rovinj).
Use Makati-BGC area as our base and from there take a few days to visit north and south; as well as get in 2 weeks in Japan, most likely start in Tokyo and then plan on visiting a few sake-breweries.