Our Favorite Places We Visited in 2024
Love & Latitudes Travel Blog
Every year since I started my photography business and moved into the van has been a whirlwind of travel and adventure. It’s been such a treat to photograph your weddings this past year. But there are also all the moments in between gigs that leave me and my husband to explore.
From local hot spots to international destinations, long drives to even longer drives, days of leisure and days of activities, I’m so grateful to experience a sublime blessing. You can read a few highlights below.
Come on the journey with me by following along with my landscape photography Instagram or my landscape print shop. Let’s dive right into my favorite places we traveled to in 2024.
Utah: The Badlands, Capitol Reef, Goblin Valley
You think I'd learn my lesson about visiting cold places. But my husband and I found ourselves in the middle of nowhere—or more specifically, a town that closes down for a month in the winter because it’s undeniably freezing!
This is the trip where I learned what wind chill means. Yeah, yeah. Insert a joke about Californians not being able to handle real weather here. It was so brutally cold that all of our water froze solid and our electronics couldn’t hold charge. Luckily, we were able to book a hotel that kept us warm and cozy for the week.
Capitol Reef National Park was drop-dead gorgeous though. We hiked some overlooks, wandered through valleys, and spotted some Native American pictographs.
But Capitol Reef wasn’t the only beautiful place we saw. Believe it or not, every new location we hit in the Beehive State was more incredible than the last. The Utah badlands have so many landmarks, hot spots, and little secrets. It’s like a collection of extraterrestrial landscapes.
If you can’t tell by all my obsessing, I NEED to capture a wedding here. Want to be the first? Let’s make each others’ dreams come true by eloping in central Utah!
Baja Mexico: Desert Road Trip and Beach Days
Okay, so this wasn’t our easiest trip ever. We were about 50/50 on the whole experience. The drive down was especially rough and long. Our vehicle took a beating with all the potholes. But on the plus side, we didn’t pop or lose a tire. We are avid road-trippers. But this Baja drive increased our appreciation for flying to distant places.
On the positive side, Baja is a glorious place for paddle boarding—our favorite activity! We spent as much time in the water as we could; floating over tons of sand sharks, stingrays, pufferfishes, and starfishes.
Beyond the natural wonder, we got to take in our first-ever vanlife event: Escapar. It was cool talking to so many other vanlifers, getting a tan, and dancing on the beach.
After a too-quick few weeks, we crossed back over the border with much more ease. We’ll go back one day. But by plane, next time.
Texas: Wide-Eyed Wonders
So, we didn’t immediately learn our lesson about long drives. Instead, we took the odyssey from SoCal to central Texas to watch the solar eclipse. This was my second total solar eclipse. So, the best part of this cosmic spectacle was sharing it with my in-laws.
I’m a little sad to say that I’m missing a bunch of must-see spots in Texas, like Big Bend or Guadalupe Mountains National Park. But we’ll knock these off the bucket list one of these days.
Then again, we did see some wildflowers, a waterfall, and played lots of pool. So that’s a good time. Furthermore—on the way to and from our destination, we stopped in one of my favorite cities: Santa Fe.
If you want to read more about solar eclipses, check out the full blog.
The Caribbean: Or Somehow 3 Different Countries
My husband and I dedicate ourselves to one international trip per year, if we can swing it. And in 2024, that meant traveling to the Caribbean with some close friends. When people asked where we were going, it was tough to say because technically we were hitting three countries.
We can yadda-yadda over why England, France, and the Netherlands own land in the Caribbean. That’s too much history for us to cover right now. But if you’re visiting the islands, it’s definitely something you should look into.
Even though I don’t handle humidity very well—my hair was a lot to handle—I’ve undoubtedly been bitten by the tropical bug. I’ve now joined my bestie and favorite modeling couple in their worldwide search for the bluest water.
We succeeded! This was some of the most vibrant hues of blue my eyes had ever seen. We were also treated to lots of sea turtles—one of my favorite animals! Snorkeling, island hopping, and topical cocktails…what’s not to love?
The Sierra: Small Towns With a Big Backyard
I’m always on the trek to hike more often and go further. Huffing, puffing, and a bit sweaty—I hiked deep into the Sierra this summer with the goal of hitting new trails. Boy did it pay off.
I’ve visited Bishop and Mammoth Lakes for years, diving in the lakes, hiking the mountains, climbing the boulders—I absolutely adore everything this area has to offer. I’ve considered living in this area—but I’m not sure how well I’d handle the snow, being a desert girlie and all.
There is so much beautiful backcountry to explore, I’d love to show it to you. If you’ve ever thought about a backcountry elopement in the Eastern Sierra, I’m down to give you the adventure wedding of your dreams. Just reach out!
Where Will We Go in 2025?
Where will next year take me? That’s kind of up to you! Book your elopement or outdoor wedding with Love and Latitudes to photograph your romantic adventure!
