2025 Trips in Review
I visited 34 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Territories of Puerto Rico, St. Thomas and St John U.S. Virgin Islands in 2025. Many states were visited at least six times like NC, GA, AL, KY, OH, IN, MI. It was a great year for traveling, as I traveled to 58 new National Park sites and up to 256 parks in 3 years in my attempt to get to all 431 parks.
As of 2025 I can say I have been to all 50 states and capital buildings twice, while the lower 48 is at least 4 times.
I saw northern lights, and I saw one tornado this year near Haskell, Texas. I tried to photograph a volcano but two hours before landing in Hawaii, the volcano’s eruption ended.
Previous year comparison
2024 was 35 states, the District of Columbia, and the US Territories of Puerto Rico and St. Croix U.S. Virgin Islands.
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 221,850 points at the start of 2025 and ended with 118,675. I earned 28,752 points during the year. I redeemed 81,786 points on flights in 2025. I flew 8 times total in 2025. Southwest is changing everything I liked about them so I’m using many of my points with them.
Alaska Airlines Reward miles were 158,679 points at the start of 2025 and ended with 245,920 points. No flights on Alaska air this year, but will be using points in 2026.
I maintain my Priceline VIP Platinum status with 57 trips (mostly hotels and car rentals) in 2025.
I took over 30,000 photos with my real camera and drone this year.
I did 29,125 miles on my car, a lot of which was for work. For most of my trips, I used a rental car.
Presidential Libraries in 2025
I visited the Clinton Presidential Library this year and if it counts, the Jefferson Davis Home and Presidential Library. I am almost done with the Presidential Library passport book.
Here is a breakdown by month of the trips
January
San Juan, Puerto Rico, and St Johns U.S. Virgin Islands was a beautiful experience. Blue water and white sand beaches. I didn’t care for St. Thomas though, rude people but everywhere else was great. This was my second time to Puerto Rico and I’ll be back again in a month. I did a 3 1/2 mile bioluminescent bay kayak adventure in the dark. fun fact, they said that we kayak across the Bermuda triangle boundary. I drove to the only tropical rainforest in the United States and walked around on some trails, and it rained so often that I just changed into my swimsuit to be done with it. It was interesting how it alternated between torrential downpours and then the sun would come and it’ll get really hot and humid and sometimes only 30 minutes later it would rain again.
A client flew me to Florida to set up some computers in West Palm Beach at their second home. Also did a quick trip to Dallas too.
February
National Storm Chaser Summit was a blast in Kansas City; even as an introvert, it felt great to socialize with so many other storm chasers. Went to Salina Kansas to eat at one of my favorite restaurants, The Hickory Hut.
April
When I landed in Hawaii I can officially say I’ve been to all 50 states and the Capital buildings twice now. Sadly, the Kilauea eruption 16 stopped two hours before I landed in Kona so I was not able to witness a active volcano as is on my bucket list. That was a wild time, there was over 80 some tornado warnings back East so my phone was blowing up with weather warnings back in TN and OH, despite being in tropical paradise. I spent most of two days at Pearl Harbor and went to the Arizona Memorial twice. I picked up six sites in Hawaii and got passport stamps, and magnets at all of them.
A week after Hawaii I helped a friend move to VA and took a mini vacation afterwards. 2,882 miles in 5 days in 7 states (TN, VA, MD, DE, NC, SC and GA) All in a 12 passenger van. I am so glad to be back in a smaller car again, although I feel very low to the ground now. Parking was a challenge and poor gas mileage in such a large van but made it work.
I got to 13 national park site locations and got magnets and passport stamps. Some places such as Cape Hatteras had like five different stamps in different locations and I’m a purist so if there’s five visitor centers and each one has a different stamp, then I gotta collect them all. If I’m gonna do it, might as well really do it. My goal is to collect every stamp at every location.
May
2025 Chasecation Trip Summary
5,452 miles in 10 days on rental. I was in the following states TN-AR-TX-OK-KS. I think I crossed the border with TX and OK at least 7 times and KS and Ok at least 5 times. I saw a lot of things I didn’t have planned and I didn’t get to see a lot of things I had plans for so plenty to do on a future trip.
At least one tornad near Haskell, TX.
I took 2,390 photos and 240 drone photos and video.
I did a 2,005 miles in six states (TN-KY-OH-WV-MI-IN) in five days. I went to Hocking Hills In Ohio, took a ferry to Kelley’s Island and went to Detroit and Cleveland. I did a ghost hunt at Ohio State Reformatory.
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.
Did a paranormal event in Gettysburg, PA with TAPS / Ghost Hunters. I returned the rental car with 2,353 miles over six states. I’ve been in TN, NC, VA, WV, MD and PA.
I finished out Maryland and West Virginia on the national parks list and I got Western Pennsylvania done and I only have one left to finish out Virginia and North Carolina.
I’ve been to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Harpers Ferry National Historical Park, Bluestone National Scenic River, New River Gorge National Park, Gauley River National Recreation Area, Friendship Hill National Historic Site, Fort Necessity National Battlefield, Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site, Johnstown Flood National Memorial, Flight 93 National Memorial, C & O Canal National Historical Park, Antietam National Battlefield, Catoctin Mountain Park, Monocacy National Battlefield, Cedar Creek and Belle Grove National Historical Park, Eisenhower National Historic Site, and Gettysburg National Military Park.
I spent time in the hotels lazy river, spent half of the day in the Smokies and drove out to Bryson City. I was missing three passport stamps in the Great Smoky Mountains and got all of them done today.
Kuwohi aka Clingmans Dome was raining and I got soaked there.
July
1,438 miles in 5 days, crossed the Nevada and California border probably 12 times
Visited Golden Gate National Recreation Area for 4 passport stamps which includes Alcatraz Island and Golden gate bridge. Also got stamps at Yosemite National Park, Devils Postpile National Monument, San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Muir Woods National Monument and Fort Point National Historic Site.
Got alot of geeky computer history around silicone valley too.
August
Ohio and Michigan trip, went out to the local Allen county fair which is a tradition I like to do each year.
September
Labor day weekend I put 1,954 miles on rental car in 4.5 days through Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, Florida, and Georgia. I finished out the national park passport stamps for Mississippi, Louisiana, and Florida.
Medgar and Myrlie Evers Home National Monument, New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, Jean Lafitte National Historical Park and Preserve, Gulf Islands National Seashore in both Mississippi and Florida locations, Jimmy Carter National Historical Park, Andersonville National Historic Site, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, and Birmingham Civil Rights National Monument.
I got to socialize with a couple friends, which is unusual for trips for me.
Even though I’ve been in New Orleans probably four times I would love to go again for at least two or three full days there. It would be fun to get a group of friends together and we can all go and hang out on Bourbon Street.
Wakulla Springs and Providence Canyon State Park were really nice too.
Fall photography trip out west
3,750 miles on the second rental over eight days in five states. (CO-UT-WY-ID-MT) This was a rare trip in that I completed nearly everything on the itinerary. I feel both accomplished and that I could stay another week getting photos, there’s just so much to see in this state. I love the Maroon Bells and the San Juan Mountains.
I visited and got passport stamps and magnets for:
Black Canyon of the Gunnison National Park
Colorado National monument
Dinosaur National Monument, both the Utah and Colorado side
Yellowstone National Park
Big Hole National Battlefield
Craters of the Moon National Monument & Preserve
Bighorn Canyon National Recreation Area
I finished Colorado and Wyoming on the passport book.
October
Flew to NYC with a Trip summary is 507 miles in 4 days in 3 states. (CT-NY-NJ)
Despite the government shutdown I got 3 national park sites done. (original plans were for 17 sites) Statue of Liberty, Fire Island National Seashore and Stonewall National Monument. They had gift shops that were privately operated.
The rain stayed away for much of the day today and was able to get a ton of famous graves before the airport. Got graves from DMX, Malcom X, Morse code guy, Jackie Robinson, actors, actresses, business moguls and so much more in seven cemeteries just today.
November
Drove to Ohio for Northern lights but ended up getting the best photos in Bowling Green, Kentucky. Made a trip to Michigan, Indiana and did a day time tour at Ohio State Reformatory.
I went back to Ohio for Thanksgiving weekend and visited with more friends.
December
My only trip in December was Christmas Eve and Day in North Carolina. On the way home I went through SC, GA and TN and hiked to three waterfalls (High falls, Triple falls and Hooker falls) I visited Brasstown Bald which is the highest point in Georgia for the first time as well.
2026 is going to be a fun year for travel as I’m already starting to plan what trips I’ll be taking for the year.