Hello, friends!
I can’t believe that it’s already December 8th! The New Year is almost here, and that got me thinking about how grateful I am for all the places I had the opportunity to go to in 2017.
Needless to say, 2017 was definitely the year of travel for me. I don’t think I’ve ever traveled more in a year than I did in 2017. From Paris to Rome, to Charleston and Athens — I was everywhere!
I wanted to take today’s blog post to showcase my top 5 favorite places that I visited this year. I hope that by sharing, I can ignite a little wanderlust in you to take a chance and adventure in your own backyard in 2018.
Now, it’s time to share my five places! These are in no particular order — I love them all equally!
1. Paris, France
Ah, Paris! What a place to be! I think that I peaked when I was there LOL. Like, some people peaked in high school, and others in college, but me — I felt like the best version of myself the second I set foot in Paris!
I was there for a study abroad, which made the experience even more amazing because I got to meet a ton of new friends who ended up being some of the best people I’ve ever traveled with!
Wherever I end up going in my career, I know that I want to end up in Paris one day! I would love to live there. I had so many favorite parts about Paris, but I think my favorites had to be walking around and exploring, seeing the Eiffel Tower lit up at night with sparkly lights, and drinking wine while I ate the most decadent of foods.
2. Charleston, South Carolina
This was my first time being back in Charleston in almost ten years, so needless to say it was very bittersweet! I loved roaming the historic cobblestone streets and going into all of the renovated shops and seeing the bones of the original structure. The food scene in Charleston is seriously SO LEGIT. If you love seafood as much as I do, you’ll be thrivin’.
My trip to Charleston will always hold a very special place in my heart because I was offered my first job while I was there on vacation! Talk about a memorable trip, to say the least!
3. Italy 
I couldn’t even choose one specific destination from my trip to Italy because I loved every single minute of it. There’s just something about the aesthetic and lifestyle in Italy that makes me want to just move there and open a vineyard. It’s seriously such a magical place that everyone should experience at least once in their life!
I have so many favorite parts about Italy, but I think that my three favorites had to be spending two weeks with my aunt exploring the country, going to my first Italian beach, and getting lost in Rome.
The getting lost portion of the trip was actually hilarious because we walked around Rome for 45 minutes thinking we were going the right way, and we kept ending up in the same exact spot. It was like the crazy stuff you see in movies, but all I could do was just laugh because it was so funny!
4. Folly Beach, South Carolina
I am a beach gal, through and through. If I could choose to be anywhere in the world right now, it would always be somewhere with a beach and some salty ocean air. I’ve loved the beach for as long as I can remember, and I feel so lucky to be able to call it home.
Folly Beach is a hidden gem of South Carolina because not too many people know about it. It’s only 20 minutes away from Charleston, so you’re getting the best of both worlds! The beaches were clean and beautiful, the shells were so cool, and the waves were perfect for boogie boarding!
5. Athens, Ohio
I’ll be honest — I don’t know if I’ll ever love a place as much as I loved Athens. I grew up in this town, and I learned more about myself living there for four years than I could have ever imagined. I feel super sentimental and nostalgic every time that I think about it.
Being as I live in South Carolina now, it’s definitely not the easiest to go back to Athens —no matter how much I want to get a champagne slushie from Broney’s and a rice bowl from Ginger. I think that everyone has an attachment to the town where they went to college, but all my Athens pals know that what we have is on such a deeper level.
I will always dream about Jackie O’s Mediterranean Pizza and chowing down on their fried cheese curds and pickles. I miss walking around and exploring this little town, smack dab in the middle of the Appalachian Mountains. But, I will forever be grateful to Athens because it made me into the person I am today, and it has led me to a job that I absolutely love.
Well, that’s all that I’ve got for ya today! I’ve got some rad blog posts planned for the rest of the month that I’m really excited about! Also, I’ll give you a hint at the upcoming news for Stylishly Good Vibes … it’s getting a much-needed face lift!
I don’t want to give away too much, but you’ll all be the first to know when my new website launches! 🙂
Until next time!
While you wait, don’t miss out on my playlists. I swear that I have semi-decent taste in music, or so I think LOL. But really, if you like music, you should check them out if you’re in need of some new songs!
Thank you for always listening to me talk about random things and for supporting Stylishly Good Vibes!
Alicia
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