



2024 Trips in Review
35 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Territories of Puerto Rico and St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands. It was a great year for traveling as I traveled to 131 National Park sites, of which 108 were new in 2024, in my attempt to get to all 431 parks.
Previous year comparison
2023 was 37 states
2022 was 26 states and one Canadian province
2021 was 37 states plus D.C. and 2 Canadian provinces
2020 was 24 states due to COVID restrictions and work demands.
2019 was 42 states and 4 Canadian provinces and the year I finished all 50 states.
2018 was 28 states and 7 Canadian provinces.
2017 was 21 states and 2 Canadian provinces.
2016 was 22 states and 6 Canadian provinces
Southwest Rapid Rewards 228,144 points at the start of 2024 and ended with 221,850. I earned 79,962 points during the year. I redeemed 81,786 points on flights to Dallas mostly. I flew 20 times total in 2024.
Alaskan Airlines Reward miles were 157,092 at the start of 2024 and ended with 158,679 points. No flights on Alaska air this year.
Alaskan Airlines Reward miles were 157,092 at the start of 2024 and ended with 158,679 points. No flights on Alaska air this year.
I maintain my Priceline VIP Platinum status with 58 trips in 2024.
I took over 39,000 photos with my real camera and thousands more with my drone this year.
I did 35,705 miles on my car, a lot of that was for work. Most of my trips I used a rental car.
Presidential Libraries in 2024
I visited Kennedy Presidential Library this year, almost done with the Presidential Library passport book.
I saw a total Solar Eclipse and northern lights twice, once in May in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and then in the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky area in October. I saw tornados in OK, KS, KY, and TN. It was a vibrant year.
Here is a breakdown by month of the trips
I saw a total Solar Eclipse and northern lights twice, once in May in Fort Dodge, Iowa, and then in the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky area in October. I saw tornados in OK, KS, KY, and TN. It was a vibrant year.
Here is a breakdown by month of the trips
January 2024
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands was an amazing time, it felt good to get sun in the thick of winter. It was such a good trip that I’m going back in late January 2025.
February
National Storm Chaser Summit was a blast; even as an introvert, it felt great to socialize with so many other storm chasers.
1,190 miles in four states in four days, I am at the Vegas airport to head home.
I got some national park passport stamps at Tule Springs Fossil Beds NM, Death Valley, Grand Canyon National Parks, Lake Mead National Recreation Area, Glen Canyon National Recreation Area and Pipe Spring National Monument. I drove through Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument as well.
Today I started off with Horseshoe Bend, took a tour of Lower Antelope Canyon which is beautiful, went to Glen Canyon Dam and then went to Kanab, Utah to the Belly of the Dragon and Angels Rest which is the largest pet cemetery I have ever seen.
Then stopped by Pipe Spring National Monument Visitors Center.
Went with my roommate to Las Vegas and knocked out her 50th state which was Arizona. We went to Death Valley, Grand Canyon and Lower Antelope Canyon. We saw U2 at the Sphere, an amazing venue that I would love to go back too. Zak Bagans Haunted Museum was great as always, probably my 4th there.
March
Went ghost hunting at Brushy Mountain and Old Historic Harriman Hospital and explored Oak Ridge, TN
April
The best experience was flying to Boston and driving up to upper Maine to see the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8th. I explored around Boston and Cape Cod in the days prior. 1,189 Miles in four days on a Toyota Prius, it got excellent gas mileage. Only had to fill up twice.
The eclipse was the main reason, considering six days ago I changed my flights from Austin, Texas to Boston. This was all a bonus to the main reason, the solar eclipse.
Got passport stamps at Salem Maritime National Historic Site, Boston Harbor Islands National Park, Boston National Historical Park, Boston African American National Historic Site, Adams National Historical Park, New Bedford Whaling National Historical Park, Cape Cod National Seashore, and a bonus Katahdin Woods and Waters National Monument in Maine that was open just the eclipse day.
Got a ton of famous graves all around Boston and of course a lot of history.
Ohio trip and a Texas Trip went to Amarillo and storm chased in Oklahoma, got multiple tornadoes. A wild time, hotel in Admore, Ok, lost power just as I checked in due to a tornado and ended up stuck on the interstate for hours due to tornado damage.
Texas Trip summary is 1,678 miles in 3.5 days through Texas, New Mexico and Oklahoma.
Saw two tornadoes and maybe a few more funnels. Unfortunately, that outbreak was verified for people in many states. It got wild at night and was in the bears cage a few times on purpose and a few times not.
Got three national park stamps to the collection. Ate at Big Texan, Texas De Brazil, Braums, Allsups and Abuelo’s Mexican Restaurant.
Visited the grassy knoll this morning too, after 3 hours of sleeping in a rental car at Denton Bucees.
May
2000 some miles through seven states in three days. That was a crazy week last week, saw a tornado on Wednesday and then watched mind blowing auroras on Friday.
I got two national park stamps on this trip, Mississippi National River and Recreation Area and St. Croix National Riverway. I got some famous graves as well, the founder of Earth day and the father of water skiing.
I got better photos of the Iowa State Capital as Minnesota capital too on this trip,
My annual storm chasecation, 5,245 miles driven in eight days. I was in these 10 states: Tennessee, Kentucky, Illinois, Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas, Nebraska, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Montana.
I saw four tornadoes.
I got 10 National Park passport stamps towards my collection. I was at Badlands National Park, Minuteman Missile National Historic Site, Niobrara National Scenic River, Mount Rushmore National Memorial, Wind Cave National Park and Jewel Cave National Monument. I also got the Agate Fossil Beds National Monument, Scotts Bluff National Monument, Fort Laramie National Historic Site, and Devils Tower National Monument. I completed all the parks in Nebraska and South Dakota on this trip.
June
Synchronous Fireflies in the Smokies was an awesome experience, something that was hard to capture on camera though. Next day I went to Molly Farms for the fireflies there as well.
Washington DC / Baltimore Trip where I visited every single national park site but one in the national mall region. I visited 11 mid Atlantic and 22 capital mall sites in 4 days in Delaware, Maryland, DC and Virgina area .
August
Ohio trip, gave a friend a fast tour of Ohio and went out to Put in Bay, Hocking Hills, my hometown fair, and even areas in Michigan.
September
Fall photography trip out west 4,155 miles in 8 days
7 states CO, WY, MT, UT, NM, AZ, ID (oddly ID was the only state new to me this year, others I’ve been to earlier in Spring.)
18 National Park Stamps in order I visited them at Rocky Mountain National Park, Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument, Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Yellowstone National Park, John D. Rockefeller Jr. Memorial Parkway, Grand Teton National Park, Fossil Butte National Monument, Golden Spike National Historical Park, Timpanogos Cave National Monument, Arches National Park, Curecanti National Recreation Area, Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park, Mesa Verde National Park, Yucca House National Monument, Hovenweep National Monument, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Florissant Fossil Beds National Monument.
Plus many state and national forest sites too.
3 states (FL, GA and SC) in 3 days, 999 miles (1 mile away). I got 10 passport stamps and magnets total with today being Canaveral National Seashore, Fort Matanzas National Monument and Castillo de San Marcos National Monument. I finished Georgia parks, got two left for South Carolina and one left for Florida which I’ve been too before but wasn’t on my passport stamp adventure.
Many places on this trip Swarm app showed I haven’t been too since 2012, 2014 or 2019 or a couple of them I have never been to before.
I visited St. Augustine Lighthouse again but would love to do a ghost hunt there sometime.
I walked along the beach to Daytona Pier. The salt and humidity hates my hair but the waves are relaxing.
I went to a 90’s convention; initially, seeing Melissa Joan Hart was the sole purpose of the trip but as typical, I added a couple more stops.
October
1,520 miles on rental car since wednesday night.
This flight to Raleigh was mostly to earn a free companion pass on Southwest from January 7 to March 7th.
Fall colors were muted this year due to prolong drought, I’ve seen much better on the east coast but the weather was perfect for traveling, cool and dry. Originally planned to be in west North Carolina but due to floods and road issues from Hurricane Helene I modified it to mostly Virginia.
These were the places I got passport stamps
Fort Monroe National Monument
Colonial National Historical Park (all 5 stamps)
Petersburg National Battlefield
Appomattox Court House National Historical Park
Richmond National Battlefield Park
Shenandoah National Park (both visitor centers)
Maggie L Walker National Historic Site
Mary McLeod Bethune Council House National Historic Site
Wolf Trap National Park for the Performing Arts
Manassas National Battlefield Park
Booker T. Washington National Monument
Prince William Forest Park
November
Did a famous grave trip in Indiana and Michigan and some in Ohio as well as do a ghost hunt in Fort Wayne and visit people. Visited inside the Indiana State Capital.
December
Took a friend to Ohio, Michigan and Indiana and hit up Mom’s Spaghetti which is Eminem restaurant in Detroit and then hit up the Bob Ross Experience in Muncie and went to the Uranus Fudge factory in Indiana.
Went to visit a friend in North Carolina for Christmas and also got Blueridge parkway visitor center passport stamp
As we advance in 2025. I don’t foresee traveling as much as I did in 2024 but I do have some trips planned.
Going to Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands in January, the National Storm Chaser Summit in February. Likely North Carolina outer banks in April or early May. The usual storm chascation in May. June will be a paranormal event in Gettysburg, PA. Not sure on fall but would love go back to Colorado again or the U.P. of Michigan.