What a year 2024 has been. It’s been a weird, hard year while also having some of my biggest growth, some huge successes and beautiful adventures. While I’m not completely sad to see 2024 go, I am also so grateful for all the things we’ve experience together, worked through together and learned together. Here’s a look at our travels, blogging and beyond in 2024.
2024 Travels At a Quick Glance
DAYS OF TRAVEL: 109 days of travel, which is 30% of the year!
COUNTRIES TRAVELED IN (2): United States and Mexico
STATES TRAVELED IN (16): Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Washington, and Wisconsin
NATIONAL PARKS, MONUMENTS, ETC. (12): Arches National Park (UT), Big Bend National Park (TX), Buffalo National River (AR), Canyonlands National Park (UT), Gateway Arch National Park (MO), Hot Springs National Park (AR), Mammoth Cave National Park (KY), Manti-La Sal National Forest (UT), Ozark National Scenic Riverways (MO), Ozark-St. Francis National Forest (AR), Mark Twain National Forest (MO), and Shawnee National Forest (IL)
STATE PARKS, MONUMENTS, ETC. (12): Busiek State Forest (MO), Cahokia Mound State Historic Site (IL), Echo Bluff State Park (MO), Ferne Clyffe State Park (IL), Fort Morgan State Historic Site (AL), Giant City State Park (IL), Ha Ha Tonka State Park (MO), Kings River Falls Natural Area (AR), Matthiessen State Park (IL), Petit Jean State Park (AR), Rifle Falls State Park (CO), and Starved Rock State Park (IL)
MILES HIKED: 408.13 miles – that’s enough that I could’ve walked the width of Illinois and Indiana and still gone an additional 38 miles. That makes me feel pretty badass!
MILES TRAVELED: 26,676 miles, which is almost 2,000 miles more than if we circled the earth once.
Travel Highlights of 2024
2024 was a year of quite a bit of adventure for us. We traveled out of the Ozarks a lot more than we have in several years. We learned a lot by doing this, especially learned a lot about doing it while camping. More on that on our year two as a camper family post that will be coming soon. We visited so many natural sites and took the kids out of the country for the first time. We just did so many incredible things and it’s been so fun looking back on all of that while making this post. So, with that, I give you, the travel highlights of 2024.
Turning 34 in Big Bend National Park
Big Bend National Park is a place I fell in love with in 2016. I visited with my dad and I’ve been dying for Matt to go and loved the idea of taking the kids out of the country for the first time via boat across the Rio Grande. We paid for my parents’ campsite for the week for their Christmas present last year and had an amazing week together making memories as a family. I love that we both have campers and I get to have them around on so many adventures – big and small. It was so fun exploring the desert and the mountains and we got to do a handful of hikes I hadn’t done before and see some truly incredible things. Also, Charleigh walking through Mexico saying “Hola!” to everyone she passed in her sweet little voice in engrained in my mind for the rest of my life.
Amazing Celestial Events in Missouri
We were so fortunate to see two really incredible celestial events right in our home state. The first was the total solar eclipse. I had been fortunate enough to see totality in 2017 and vowed to not miss it in 2024 and to be sure Matt got to see it. Even though it wasn’t the easiest trip of the year (I was fortunate enough to get the most insane case of pink eye, thanks to preschool germs haha) it was so incredible to get to experience this with my extended family and Alaina’s as well!
The second was getting to see the freaking Northern Lights in freaking Southwest Missouri in the wee hours of Mothers Day morning! We actually didn’t have set plans to experience this until about 7pm the night-of when I saw the aurora map for the night and we packed the car up, called my parents and my brother, woke the kids up, loaded them in the car and drove north of town. We were out until about 2am, but it was worth every single second.
We Upgraded Campers!
This went about in a very similar way that purchasing our first camper last year did: a daydream that ridiculously quickly became a reality. We learned a lot about camping last year and what we envisioned for our kids and our family as a whole and we decided that included a slightly bigger camper with a separate room for the kids. Our old camper was wonderful, but it wouldn’t give the kids any autonomy living in a camper. Also, we discovered just how much we’d love to have more kitchen and living space, which this newer camper gives us. We’ve loved camping in it this season, even if the extra feet are more limiting when it comes to campgrounds and a liiiiiittle harder to park. Haha.
Ozarks Explorations (Missouri Edition)
We took a really fun weekend camping trip with my parents this year to Echo Bluff State Park! It was our first time camping at this particular campground and it’s safe to say, we fell in love. It’s a really beautiful campground and is centrally located to all the springs and other fun things in the area. We did learn that we went too early in the “rainy season” because a lot of the springs we love to see were brown instead of various, vivid shades of blue and teal that we love in the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways. But we loved playing in the water of Rocky Falls, especially Liam, and spending time on trails together as a family.
We took a weekend trip up to my favorite state park in Missouri too: Ha Ha Tonka State Park. It was a really rainy weekend that involved a frustrating camper mishap when our awning broke – stuck extended out – we managed to hit a few trails, though, and Stacey came down to hang out with us for the day too! We hiked together, grabbed a beer together and she stayed in the camper in the kids’ room with CJ.
Lastly, in Missouri, I took a float trip with a bunch of friends and co-workers. It was a really fun day of getting to totally cut loose and spend time with my friends on the river – even if I got the worst sunburn of my life from it.
Lots of Ozarks Explorations (Arkansas Edition)
We did a lot of camping in Arkansas, as per usual. Anyone who’s been around this blog for a while knows we love the Buffalo River. So we spent a lot of time around there doing some of our very favorite trails like Hawksbill Crag, Magnolia Falls and Big Bluff. We got in the river, including a rope swing success followed by disaster for me – per usual haha. We even did a new hike to us in the area: Kings River Falls.
We got to camp at Petit Jean State Park – for one night. Haha. We had a lot of situations that made a lot of our spring trips a little bit of a *whomp whomp* situation. Illnesses, storms, etc. This was one of those. We got our new camper the day we were leaving so we got there waaaaay later than intended. Then, Bub wasn’t feeling well and then we heard tornadoes were going to be coming through the area, so we didn’t stay the second night, but we still got to go to the Turtle Rocks and Rock House Cave which are some of my favorite things in the park. I can’t wait to get back there again – we loved the campground.
We spent a few days in Eureka Springs this year too. They were all just Matt and me this year, which was really nice. We visited our favorite brewery down there (GotAHold), discovered Lake Leatherwood which we visited twice because it’s so beautiful, we strolled the streets, ate good food and just enjoyed our time down there.
Finding Amazing Experiences in Illinois
I had a particular state park that I was really looking forward to exploring this year – Starved Rock State Park. Unfortunately on this trip, Matt got sick so we ended up leaving a day early and we didn’t get to do much in that park because of that. But, gratefully, we had a couple really full experiences at the Lincoln Memorial Garden, where we saw huge trolls inspired by the Thomas Dambo Trolls, which I loved. Then, we went to Matthiessen State Park, which was incredible! We hiked through dells and saw waterfalls. It was just so beautiful! I definitely fell a little harder for Illinois on this trip.
Rediscovering Myself in 2024
In 2024, something I had resolved to do was rediscover myself, prioritize myself. I always had this vision of myself as being a little bit wild. Always willing to go with the flow, explore new places and fill my soul with anything that felt wild and free. I want to preface this with saying, I love being a mother. It’s my greatest joy in life, but over the last 3 years, being a mother has consumed my identity in an unhealthy way where I didn’t even recognize myself anymore. So, in 2024 I started to do some things to hone in my “me-ness”, my individuality. I created a Bullet Journal Club at the brewery I work at and that started it off. I have found a lot of fulfillment in that and journaling daily for the first time since college. Then, it was little things like revamping my closet and getting rid of the old things I had held on to from up to a decade ago and only keeping the things that truly feel like me. Lastly, and most importantly to this process, I started a weekly solo night. After Matt gets off work, I get to do anything that fills my soul for an entire evening (Matt gets one too!). 95% of the time, it’s hiking followed by writing. And rediscovering that love for time with myself out in nature has changed my life. I knew after the first hike I took that I was never going to look back, and I’m never going to turn my back on myself again – all while still being a good mother because I’ve definitely learned fist-hand that you can’t pour from an empty cup.
The Year of the Concert
Without really meaning to, 2024 became the year of the concert! I got to see Gregory Alan Isakov for the 5th time on Leap Day this year. Matt and I saw the tour of the end-to-end Transatlanticism album of Deathcab for Cutie / Postal Service anniversary tour together in KC. He saw the Dookie / American Idiot albums anniversary Green Day show in KC and the Sum 41 retirement tour in STL. We saw Young the Giant & Cage the Elephant show up in Kansas City as well. Our last show we saw was the Twenty One Pilots concert up in St. Louis and holy cow. It was so cool! Those two are such born performers and I will see them any time I’m anywhere close to them. I had so much fun dancing and screaming all night long.
PNW is for the Girlies
I took my first overnight trip with friends away from my kids and my first trip that was more than a day trip with Alaina! Alaina, her sister Em and I went to Oregon and Washington to celebrate Alaina and her upcoming wedding! We went to breweries, bought Alaina’s wedding dress, saw waterfalls, went to a spa and ate some incredible food. It was a perfect girly-girl trip! It was all about quality time in a fun, new place!
My National Park Journal was Released This Year!
The National Park Journal I was commissioned to author in 2022 was finally published and released this year, officially making me a published author! It’s been really fun getting my own book stamped at the different national parks we’ve visited since May, and even more fun seeing my friends and followers take my book across the country as well! So far, we’ve gotten it stamped in Hot Springs, Gateway Arch Mammoth Cave, Arches, and Canyonlands National Parks!
Beach, Please – The Brown-Wunders Went to Fort Morgan
My family (my parents, my brothers family and our household, or the Brown-Wunders as we affectionately call ourselves because I always wanted to hyphenate my name until I realized it sounds like a giant poo) all took a beach trip to Fort Morgan, Alabama. My parents rented us a house where we could all be together, that was beachfront and it was really generous and so great! Liam, as always, was fearless and wanted to just walk straight into the water. Charleigh finally got out into the water too and loved boogie boarding. Part of us went parasailing, we toured the old fort at Fort Morgan, did family activities and ate delicious food! It was just a ton of fun!
Moab is Always a Good Idea
Moab is the place that my heart and soul feel most alive. I love that red rock filled desertscape to my core. My in-laws had never been there, so we went with my mother, father, brother, and sister in-law! It was so much fun! We were able to show them some of the things we love most in Moab as well as see some things we’d never done before. I love that the opportunities to explore there are just truly endless. I already cannot wait to get back, which I’m doing in 2025.
Mammoth Cave and Beyond with My Dad + The Kids
Our 16th annual father/daughter hiking trip was to Kentucky this year! My dad very sweetly wanted to go to a National Park that was close-ish by that we could get his copy of my National Park Journal stamped for the first time with me. So, off to Mammoth Cave we went! We also went up to the Bernheim Forest and Arboretum to see the Thomas Dambo trolls that are up there and walk those trails. It’s nice being able to take a stroller when you have two toddlers. In Mammoth Cave we did the Domes and Dripstones tour of Mammoth Cave and did a few of the short trails. As always, though, the part I love the most is spending time with my dad. I love that a spontaneous spring break trip we took my senior year of high school turned into an annual tradition that we’ve continued into my mid-30’s. Also, added thanks to my dad for letting my kids tag along on so we can keep it going!
My First Overnight Bestie Trip with Stacey Since 2019
It had been 5 years since Stacey and I took an overnight trip together, which was when we did a week in Costa Rica. Since then there was a pandemic, I had back-to-back pregnancies, and I just this year felt okay asking Matt to keep the kids all weekend alone while I went off with my friends. He’s obviously more than capable, but I felt weird guilt about it. But, Stacey and I went to Shawnee National Forest together for 3 days and it was so good for my soul. We hiked quite a bit, despite the parks closing part of the trails that were on our list, we ate some delicious food, shared lots of laughs and just talked in an unfiltered way that you can when it’s just you and your best friend. It was really nice and relaxing – even with the literal hundreds of mosquito bites we got on our first hike.
Quick Chicago Adventure
This trip was centered around going to Bluey and Bingo’s house at the Camp Collaboration. It was so fun to watch the kids explore there. Plus, we went to the Field Museum where Charleigh fell hard for dinosaur bones. Of course, we had our favorite Italian Beef and walked all over the city as well!
A Weekend in St. Louis
My mother and father-in-law and our household went up to St. Louis for a weekend trip where we had a lot of family-friendly fun! We went to some delicious restaurants, we spent a day at the St. Louis Zoo, shopped at REI and went to Gateway Arch National Park. It was a lot of fun and nice to have some family time somewhere to explore.
A Couple Days in Colorful Colorado
My family was never a Colorado family. We road tripped all the time, but Colorado was just a state we passed through. As Matt and I have started road tripping out west, we’ve started making stops in Colorado and trying to dig in a little big more. So, en route to Moab, we spent a few days seeing some fun things in Colorado. We stayed outside of Vail with Matt’s parents, hiked to Vail Falls, went to Breckenridge to explore and see their Dambo Troll, stopped in Glenwood Canyon for the little river trail there, and went up to Rifle Falls State Park. I have to say that every time I stop there, I fall a little harder for Colorado and it absolutely inspired a longer trip there next year… we’ll see how 2025 goes, but it’s looking like 3 weeks there!
Kicking Off Fall in the Wisconsin Dells
We went camping in the Wisconsin Dells with my parents and it was so much fun! We did a boat tour of the dells that included a trip to hike into the Witches Gulch, which was so stunning and reminded me so much of a slot canyon version of Matthiessen State Park in Illinois. Our campground was incredible and hosted a bunch of family activities like planting “magic pumpkins” and even trick-or-treating! It was so fun! I did a little hike with just my dad and Matt that was beautiful and we had a lot of family time around the campfire and in our campers. It was a weekend that felt like a really beautiful balance of camping, living and exploring that made me so excited for the future and longer trips in the camper.
My First Mother / Daughter Trip in 7 Years!
My mom and I used to do a mother / daughter trip every few years, but somehow, we blinked, and it had been 7 years since we’d traveled together just the two of us. We came up with the idea for a weekend trip to Hermann, Missouri. It’s a small little German town on the banks of the Missouri River and we had heard that it was one of the beautiful places to experience Christmas. While the Christmas decor didn’t live up to what we imagined, the town was still very quaint and what was Christmassy was darling, we found delicious places to eat and drink and met some really fun people. Most of all, though, we had the most amazing time together! We had such a sweet time watching chick flicks, talking, laughing, and just being besties like we’ve always been.
Ending the Year with a Tattoo Trip
Guys, I have the best tattoo artist. She’s incredible! For Christmas this year, Matt and I gifted each other day sessions with our artist. We’ve both been wanting to sleeve out our other arms. I had something different in mind at first, but this arm is a bit of a patchwork experience, so I’m unbelievably thrilled with this progress and I cannot wait for my next session in February! It was kind-of fun that my last travel day was something just for me.
2024 Blogging Roundup
3 Most Popular Posts, in General, on the Blog
Best Hikes in Northwest Arkansas: This is consistently a top performing post for us. Arkansas is a natural gem, especially along the Buffalo National River. Plus, we spend a ton of time down there. So, this post is constantly being updated with fun, fresh hikes we’ve never done before.
Our Guide to Sequoia National Park with Toddlers: I’m really happy that this has become such a popular post. We love taking our kiddos to the national parks, so it makes me happy that a lot of parents of toddlers are finding this post.
What I Pack in My Travel First Aid Kit: I get sick a lot while traveling. I’ve come to accept that I suffer so you guys don’t have to, haha, but I genuinely hope that this helps someone feel more prepared for long-term or short-term travel.
3 Most Popular Posts from 2024 on the Blog
How We Spent Four Full Days in Yosemite National Park: A quick recap on the trails, experiences and memories we had during our four days in Yosemite National Park.
How I’d Spend One Day in Arches National Park, Utah: I’ve spent weeks in Arches National Park at this week and after getting a ton of requests about what people should do if they only had one day in Arches, I made the ultimate, very active, but very doable guide to one day in Arches National Park.
How I’d Spend One Day in Big Bend National Park: Similarly to my Arches post, I’ve spent about 2 weeks in Big Bend National Park and I came up with the perfect day in Big Bend ( with an active and less active option).
My 3 Favorite Posts from 2024
How to Not Be An Asshole On Hiking Trails: This is a post I worked on and pondered on for months, and I’m immensely proud of this guide to not being an asshole on hiking trails. Trail etiquette is pretty important to me from Leave no Trace to common courtesies, these are the things you need to know so you’re not a trail asshole without realizing it.
My Ins and OUts for Travel And Beyond in 2024: At the beginning of 2024, Ins and Outs for the year was a really popular reel topic. In true Paige form, why make a 15 second reel when I can write a post with hundreds of words? I looked at myself and things that I was dissatisfied with in both travel and everyday life, and wrote about how I’m done keeping myself down with those things.
Notes On a Random Mid-Week Solo Hike: I was inspired to write this post after one of the most life-changing moments in my life… A random mid-week solo hike. I took my first solo hike since getting married to Matt in 2016, and I had no idea just how much it was going to fill my soul.
My New Favorite Blog Series
As we’ve really been digging deep into national park adventures, I’ve started a series of posts about the things you need to know before visiting the different US National Parks we’ve spent time in. It’s one of my favorite posts to write for each destination and I think they’re full of fun, useful, honest information about the parks we’ve visited.
Things to Know Before Visiting Arches National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Big Bend National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Mammoth Cave National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Petrified Forest National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Sequoia National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Yosemite National Park
Things to Know Before Visiting Zion National Park
Most Popular Instagram Post and Reel from 2024
Top 3’s in 2024 Roundup
3 Best Things I Read in 2024
I read a few dozen books this year, but these three are the ones that spoke deepest to me. I’ve found such pleasure in reading things that touch my soul in such a specific way and these three (well, technically four) books touched me, even changed me, in such deep and personal ways.
Rooted: Life At the Crossroads of Science, Nature and Spirit: I have always felt a spirituality in connection with nature, a sense of interconnectedness and have found so much beauty in that. This book wove together so many concepts that I’ve thought but never been great at articulating. I would highly recommend this book looking for more from their connection to nature.
How to Raise a Wild Child: The Art and Science of Falling in Love with Nature: I am pretty obsessed with the idea of raising wild children. I want my kiddos to live such a beautiful life connected to nature. This book gave me so much inspiration for many different ways to create a connectedness between nature and my kids and how I am a nature mentor here to help foster a love for the earth.
Harmony and Climate both by Whitney Hanson: I found Whitney Hanson on Instagram and the poems I heard spoke to my soul in such intimate, difficult and moving ways. I binged these books back to back. I still have to read Home, but I cannot recommend her poetry enough to anyone who wants to feel things deeply and purely.
3 Best Things I Ate in 2024
I ate a lot of really tasty things in 2024. But three things definitely stood out, all of them vastly different and, honestly, even a little surprising. #1 is Pappy’s Smokehouse: this place was so incredible we ate here on 2 different trips to St. Louis. The meat is perfectly seasoned and smoked. And the sides… holy cow. Their grilled corn is the best corn I’ve ever had and the homemade applesauce is the stuff of dreams. On our first trip, I ordered it for the kids, expecting store bought apple sauce… I stole it from my kids because they weren’t appreciating it enough. Haha. #2 is the beef tenderloins, cabbage and mushroom risoto at Lavender Falls Farm. Alaina and I ate here for a little birthday celebration for her and holy cow! I ate literally every single bite of that meal. #3 is the red bird salad from City Coffee and Creperie. This is another meal I ate twice this year because I loved it so stinking much. I never ever thought a salad would top my list, but this is the best salad I’ve ever had. I have to say, I also have a little Missouri pride here! Who knew my three favorite things I’d eat this year would all come from my home state.
3 Favorite Hikes I Took in 2024
Devil’s Garden in Arches National Park. Even though I’ve done this hike before, I loved that I got to hike this trail with my family. I loved seeing Charleigh take on this hike and handle a strenuous trail like a champion! Such a proud mama moment!
Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park. This is another repeat trail, but I loved showing Matt for the first time and going at golden hour was just so beautiful and so special.
Hawksbills Crag in Arkansas. Okay, here me out. I know I’ve done this hike over a dozen times. In fact, I did it 5 times this year alone. But, when Matt and I went to Ponca for our anniversary trip this year, we took this trail and we were literally the only people on the trail the whole time. We didn’t pass a single other soul on the trail or even in the parking area, on one of the state’s most popular trails! It was such a special experience.
3 Best Breweries I Visited in 2024
Nothings Left in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Every single pour was incredible and the flavors were totally on point. I also really loved the intimate feel of the taproom. Little Beast in Portland, Oregon was my favorite whole package experience. We went three times over a long weekend. The staff was excellent (shoutout to Linden who made this experience with her incredible personality and spunk) and the beer was incredible too! Big Beach Brewing in Gulf Shores, Alabama had the best super hazy IPA I’ve had in quite a while.
3 Favorite Campgrounds from 2024
Buffalo Outdoor Center RV Park in Ponca, Arkansas – This is one that we stay at pretty frequently and I think it will forever make our top 3 list. It has a beautiful mountain view, a soccer field, horseshoes and is just so incredibly peaceful. Its location is also incredible for hiking in the area.
TImbuktu Campground at Echo Bluff State Park, Missouri – This is a really beautiful and peaceful campground. It has a beautiful hilly landscape surrounding it, it’s very close to the Echo Bluff lodge and main river area, there’s a playground just up the road and has decently spaced campgrounds, making it really fun to buddy camp here. It’s also a great location for exploring the Ozarks National Scenic Riverways.
Dell Pines Campground in Wisconsin Dells, Wisconsin – This campground is really pretty with towering pines overhead. But it was the amenities and the community that really made this top tier. They had a coffeeshop onsite and they had so many fun activities for the family. I will say, the campsites were really tight to get in and out of, but it still made our top three list.
I hope that 2024 brought you challenges that you proved to yourself you could overcome. I hope it brought you so much laughter your belly ached with it. I hope it filled your cup again and again. And I hope that 2025 brings you a year of adventures, abundance, bliss and comfort.
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