The new year is quickly approaching and before you know it 2022 will be over and we will be welcoming in 2023. I don’t know about you but this year has flown by. It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming spring. Now we are getting ready for winter….. Again.
I think 2023 is going to be a very interesting year. It will also be a little challenging to travel but we will find a way. In 2022 we still had to deal with some Covid restrictions. In 2023 I don’t think we will have to worry too much about them.
However, we are dealing with record high inflation. Things cost so much more now than they did a year or two ago. Even though prices are higher. It shouldn’t stop you from planning that next epic adventure. You just need to plan a little better. We here at KozmoPhotos put together a list of some amazing things to see and do in 2023. Check them out below. Also check out our post on if you should travel during a recession.
Nevada/Utah
I don’t think it is ever a bad idea to visit Utah. However, this year has something a little extra in store for you. An Annular Solar Eclipse will happen on October 14, 2023.
This “ring of fire” eclipse will be visible from Oregon to Texas. However, the rest of the US will still be able to catch a glimpse of the eclipse. Just the sun won’t be completely blocked by the moon.
Even if you can’t make it out to Nevada or Utah in October, you should try to visit anytime of the year. Utah is home to some amazing National Parks like Arches, Canyonlands, Bryce, Capitol Reef, or Zion National Park. All five are worth a visit.
If you can visit any of these National Parks during the Eclipse, you will have some Amazing photos. I would love to hike some of the trails at Zion during the Eclipse. I can almost picture it now.
Nevada would be another good place to visit during the eclipse or at any point in 2023. Vegas is a great city to visit throughout the year. It is even family friendly with plenty of things to offer the youngest or young at heart guests. It’s not all about gambling anymore.
If in Nevada be sure to stop off at the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. We really don’t know how much longer the lake will really be there. The water levels have dropped to dangerously low levels. Hoover Dam could stop producing energy in 2023 if the lake continues to drop at the rate it currently is.
There is also more to offer in Nevada than just Vegas and the Hoover Dam. Why not check out Reno, Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area, or a personal favorite of mine, Rachel Nevada.
Just whatever you do while visiting Nevada or Utah by car. Fill up anytime you get to a half a tank of gas. You just don’t know when you might find another gas station out there.
Great American Eclipse 10-14-23
We mentioned the Great American Eclipse above but it will definitely be a sight to see. Depending on where you live in the US will depend on how much the moon blocks out the sun. From a stretch of land from Oregon to Texas will witness the sun forming a “ring of fire” around the moon. Cities that will see this include Eugene, Oregon, Elko, Nevada, Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah, Albuquerque and Santa Fe, New Mexico, Odessa, Texas and San Antonio.
There are plenty of places that are in the path of this special event. Even if you can’t make it in the path of the ring of fire you will still get an amazing show even a couple hundred miles outside of that zone. In Austin Texas the moon should block 88.70% of the sun. In Vegas 82% of the sun will be blocked. The west coast of the US will have the best showing. However, some of the sun will be blocked on the East Coast as well. It just won’t be that much.
Leading up to this event you will hear it all over the news. Plan now and book your rooms before the prices skyrocket for that weekend.
In June of 2021 I went out early to catch a partial eclipse in New Jersey. It was an amazing experience and only a little bit of the sun was hidden. In October of 2023 on the west coast of the United States you can witness 90% or more of the sun being hidden. East coast locations will be lucky to have 25% blocked.
Road Trip
2023 could be the perfect year to take a much needed road trip. Just roll down the windows and cruise. It can be as simple as a short day trip or a week or longer. Road trips are some of the best ways to travel and see everything America has to offer.
You can plan a cross country road trip that can take you a couple of weeks. Plan a weekend road trip across your state. Or take a trip up and down the coast.
There is no wrong way to take a road trip. The best road trips are planned but leave a little wiggy room to check out those hidden gems you didn’t know about. Now all you have to figure out is if you are going to camp along the way or stay in hotels.
Get outdoors
This year is another perfect year to spend in the great outdoors. Dust off the tent and take a weekend trip to a local state park. Go and hike the trails during the day and sit back and stare up at the stars at night.
The US is loaded with State, Local, and National parks for you to go out and explore. Some of my favorite places to visit are even close to my home. No need to drive or fly for hours.
You are sure to find your favorite place too if you go out and explore the great outdoors. Take that walk along the river or creek. Kayak in the bay. Camp beneath the star filled skies.
2023 just like 2022 is a perfect time to get back in touch with nature. I mean, is there really anything better than sitting besides a campfire? I can’t think of a better way to end the night. You can even go camping with a group of friends and family. That makes for an interesting weekend.
Glacier National Park
If things don’t change we don’t know how much longer we can enjoy this National Park for. Originally due to warming it was expect that the glaciers would all be gone by 2020. However, they now estimate that they will be gone by 2030.
So that gives us 7 more years to enjoy the glaciers at this National Park before they are all gone. Now that’s a reason to visit in 2023 since as the years go on the glaciers will get smaller and smaller before they disappear. Until they all disappear, I think this will be on my list of places to visit. Hopefully, I get a chance to get out there and see them before they are gone.
Even if I can’t make it out to see the glaciers before they are all gone Glacier National Park has plenty of other wonderful sights to see. The park is full of amazing lakes, spectacular waterfalls, towering mountains, and abundant wildlife. Glacier National Park is also a Dark Sky Park. You have very little to no light pollution making it a great place to view the night sky.
Florida Gulf Coast
While it will take many years for some of the towns on the Gulf Coast of Florida to recover from Hurricane Ian. A visit here can give the area a much needed income boost. That is if you can still find a hotel standing.
This past summer I spend a couple of days in Fort Myers Beach Florida. We had an amazing time walking the beach and checking out the local shops. Many of those shops were destroyed during the storm. However, it looks like many are rebuilding.
Wyndham Garden Fort Myers Beach which is right on the beach is currently closed. However, according to the website they are renovating and will be open in June 2023. A visit to the Florida Gulf Coast towns and cities would really help them all out.
This coming year is going to be interesting. Many of my readers have never had to deal with a recession. Some of us, including myself barely remember the last one. Traveling in 2023 is going to be challenging but I always believe it is worth it.
There are so many unique, interesting, and fun places to visit. The above list is just a small sample size of everywhere and anywhere you might want to go. The highlight of 2023 I feel will be the solar eclipse. We will have another one in 2024 too!
What are your plans for 2023? Are you staying at home and just saving money? Planning on just visiting places that are local? Still planning that epic cross country road trip? Let us know in the comments below. Plus we love hearing your suggestions on where to go next.
Kozmo Photos 