2023 has come to a close and as I look back on the year all I can say is – Wow – we had some amazingly magical adventures!
As the years have done since having my own two kids, 2023 certainly flew by like it was in a high-speed chase.
Looking back on the year, I thought it would be fun to do a little yearly recap of the magical adventures we got into in 2023!
Let’s walk a bit down memory lane. In total in 2023 we went on 5 family trips: both big and small – plus one couple’s getaway!
01. Great Wolf Lodge, Manteca – March 2023
In March 2023 we visited Great Wolf Lodge Manteca for the first time as a family!
Funnily enough, this was the first trip which I documented purposely with the intention of sharing our adventures as a family with two children under 5. Although we went to Great Wolf Lodge having almost no idea what to expect or think, we found that we absolutely loved everything about the lodge – from the waterpark itself, to the included kids’ activities and entertainment, to the additional activities and the food! We enjoyed this 3-day family adventure so much.
02. Disneyland – May 2023
Following Great Wolf Lodge, we kicked the summer off with a trip to Disneyland in May to celebrate the 100 Year Celebration!
This was our big family trip for the summer and of course, we had an amazing time! My only regret was going so early in the summer because I found myself wishing that we could go again and enjoy the other fun entertainment Disneyland provided later in the summer.
03. Great Wolf Lodge – September 2023
To celebrate the end of the summer we decided to head back to Great Wolf!
This was a super fun trip and a bit different from our trip in March because the outdoor pool area was open. We spent a lot of time both in the outdoor pool and on the pool deck, snacking, reading and soaking in the last bit of summer! We of course spent plenty of time indoors as well, particularly in the lazy river and wave pool.
During this trip our little one even got brave enough to conquer the toddler slides – over and over and over! It was again a perfect close getaway to relax and refresh a bit as we went into a new season.
Spend 24 hours with us at Great Wolf Lodge!
04. Palm Springs – September 2023 – Couple’s Trip!
This one came as a bit of a surprise to my husband and I. We had been planning to visit Maui for our 10 year anniversary. However, because of the fires in Lahaina we had to pivot our original plan. Originally I had given up finding something to do in such a short timeframe, but one day Palm Springs came to mind.
The Hyatt Regency Indian Wells was available, flights were priced very well and we both already had the time off and babysitters arranged, so off we went!
This was definitely the surprise of the year for us! We enjoyed ourselves so very much that I have found myself wondering on several occasions “when are we going to get back to Palm Springs?”. Only time will tell, but it may be sooner than later!
Watch our Palm Springs Travel Day!
05. Great Wolf Lodge – October 2023
Okay, I’m starting to sound like a broken record here. This trip was what we chose to do to celebrate Ella’s birthday, in lieu of a big birthday party.
Not only had she been asking to go back to Great Wolf, but she adores everything they have to offer! The dance party, the warm water in the water park, the ice cream, the free crafts!
We made sure to take our Halloween attire for this visit as it was during the Howl-O-Ween celebration that occurs during October. My kids loved trick or treating and the extra festive events.
06. Disneyland – December 2023
Rounding out the year was an almost mandatory trip for our family now, Disneyland at Christmas! Truly the most magical place at the most magical time of the year! To our family there really is no time like the holidays to be in Disneyland.
Even though this trip was a short one, it was packed full of magic, wonder and holiday cheer.
And that, my friends, wraps up our magical adventures of 2023! This was a fun yearly recap to look back on our adventures from the year.
It felt like we had a long stretch in the middle of the year with not much happening! But we certainly made up for it in the fall!
I am so thankful for the memories made with our family in 2023. And I am looking forward to all of the fun things in store for 2024!
If I had to pick my favorite for 2023 it would be a dead tie between Palm Springs and Christmas in Disneyland!
I would love to know — What was your favorite trip of 2023?
love + magic, always,
Corina
