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Home Blog

My 2016 Travel Recap!-The Sophisticated Life

by Nadeen
November 19, 2019
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2016 Travel Recap! Cuba, New York City, Sedona Arizona, Miami Beach, Santa Barbara California, Dubai and Abu Dhabi, Myrtle Beach South Carolina....

I cannot believe another year of travel has already come to a close! For my 2016 travel recap I thought I would share with you blog posts and summaries of my travels this year. After ringing in the New Year in one of my favorite cities-New Orleans-I took the first two months of 2016 to plan out my year of travel. Looking back at my blog post on my 2016 travel bucket list, I am pleased to say that I accomplished my goals. My mission since completing my pediatric residency has always been to see at least one new place every year. That has moved on to visiting at least 1 new international destination every year as well as at least 1 new domestic destination. As a full time physician, I have to take medical board exams every few years and this year was one of them. Although I spent a few months studying (and yes I passed-YEAH!!), I was able to take 8 trips this year! As you will see from my 2016 travel recap, I visited 2 new international destinations-Cuba and the United Arab Emirates. I also visited 4 new domestic destinations-Sedona, Arizona, Santa Ynez Valley, California, Catalina Island, California and Asheville, North Carolina. I took trips with and created lasting memories with my husband, friends and family. It was an amazing year of travel! If you missed any of my blog posts during the year, here is your chance to read them in my 2016 travel recap!

March: Cuba: Our first trip of the year was unforgettable. We felt a part of history in the making. Before all the recent nonstop airfare deals to Cuba from the United States and flocks of Americans arriving on the island, my husband and I made our way to Cuba through Cancun, Mexico. We landed in Havana the same day President Obama was departing. We were also there the week the Rolling Stones performed. There was so much excitement and anticipation in the air. I am pleased that my travel guides to Cuba have helped so many people navigate their way to and around the island!

  1. Plan a Trip to Cuba in 10 Easy Steps 
  2. 10 Cuba Travel Tips: Know Before You Go
  3. How I Spent 7 Days in Cuba
  4. A List of Delicious Havana Restaurants & Bars
How To Spend 7 Days in Cuba! A full travel itinerary with stops in Havana, Vinales Valley, Cienfuegos and Trinidad!
The famous prehistoric mural in Vinales Valley.

April: New York City: I spent a fun weekend with my family in the Big Apple to celebrate my nieces’ birthdays. I spent part of my childhood in the New York City area and I have enjoyed sharing all the great experiences there with them.

Family Travel: New York City with Teens!

New York City with Teens! Spend a full filled weekend in NYC with teenagers! Read about things to do and where to eat!
With my family in Times Square

June: Sedona: FINALLY! I can’t tell how many years I have had Sedona, Arizona on my bucket list! It was amazing to finally see the red rocks and explore this unique America city. I highly recommend it.

How To Spend A Fabulous Weekend in Sedona! 

How to Spend a Fabulous Weekend in Sedona!

July: Miami Beach: A girls’ weekend getaway! My cousin got married this year and she chose South Beach as the location for her bachelorette getaway. I lived in the Miami area for 8 years but I used this opportunity to visit my favorite restaurants and try out some new ones.

4 Must Try Miami Beach Restaurants 

August: Southern California: This was a busy trip! California is my favorite state so I visit at least once a year. On this trip I visited Venice Beach, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Valley, Catalina Island and attended the LA Food & Wine Festival in Santa Monica.

  1. 2016 Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival
  2. How to Spend 2 Days in Santa Barbara 
2016 Los Angeles Food and Wine Festival Lexus Grand Tasting Recap!
The Lexus Grand Tasting Tent at The LA Food & Wine Festival
How to spend 2 days in Santa Barbara!
At The Mission in Santa Barbara

September: Myrtle Beach: In September I had the opportunity to visit Myrtle Beach for the first time since I was in college! I spent my time discovering hidden gems for the sophisticated traveler including my favorite foodie picks. My husband and I also celebrated our first anniversary there!

  1. 8 Must Visit Hidden Gems in Myrtle Beach SC
  2. Myrtle Beach Restaurant Guide for Foodies!
  3. Wine Tasting in Myrtle Beach: La Belle Amie Vineyard
Murrells Inlet in Myrtle Beach
Myrtle Beach Restaurant Guide for Foodies
Brunch at Croissants Bistro
La Belle Amie Vineyard
La Belle Amie Vineyard

November: Dubai and Abu Dhabi: After a brief overnight stop in New York City for Halloween, we took the long flight over to Dubai! We spent 5 days exploring Dubai and Abu Dhabi and it was definitely an interesting experience. Although it is very modernized and areas very touristy, I enjoyed learning the history of the area, dipping in the warm Arabian sea, going on a desert safari, visiting Old Dubai, the souks, the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi AND the food was delicious!

How I Spent 5 Days in Dubai and Abu Dhabi

December: Asheville NC, The Biltmore Estate: Our last trip of the year was a road trip to Asheville, North Carolina from Atlanta. I have also had The Biltmore Estate on my bucket list for quite some time. I am a history buff and this estate was built by the Vanderbilt family in the late 1800s. Christmas at The Biltmore House has been a tradition since 1895! It was lovely experience.

Christmastime at The Biltmore Estate

Christmastime at The Biltmore Estate in Asheville North Carolina! Includes a tour of the famous Biltmore House built in the 1800s by George Vanderbilt!
The Biltmore House on The Biltmore Estate

I hope you have enjoyed my 2016 travel recap! I also hope it has inspired you to visit some of these places! So, what is in store for my travels in 2017? In just 3 weeks I will be taking my first trip to Thailand! I am very excited! I will be visiting Bangkok, Chiang Mai and Phuket. In March I will be heading back to South Africa to visit Johannesburg and Cape Town. You may recall I traveled there in the fall of 2015 and fell in love with the country. I look forward to exploring it further. In April I will be traveling back to California with my husband (I told you it is my favorite state lol) He has a conference in San Diego and although I have been there twice it has been a very long time. It will be good to get back there and also visit Temecula Wine Country. Speaking of wine, although this 2016 travel recap only lists my travel posts, be sure to catch up on all my food and wine posts from 2016 as well!

To keep up with my travels for 2017 be sure to subscribe to the blog and follow me on social media. Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest.

What was your favorite trip of 2016?

 

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Nadeen

Nadeen

Dr. Nadeen White is a "Blogger by Day, Physician by Night". She is an award-winning travel blogger, Amazon bestselling author and speaker. The Sophisticated Life Blog covers affordable luxury travel, culinary travel and wine. Her domestic and international travel guides gets people to the destinations of their dreams. So, if you are living the sophisticated life or desire to do so, this is the blog for you!

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Comments 6

  1. Alan Cuthbertson says:
    7 years ago

    Great list of places visited. I can understand Cuba being a highlight. We plan to visit this year before it changes too much. Thanks for sharing.

    • nadeen says:
      7 years ago

      Thanks for reading! I am sure you will enjoy Cuba!

  2. Janene says:
    7 years ago

    I love this recap! I completely forgot you guys did New Years in New Orleans. Geeze, 2017 is going to be amazing! Can’t wait for the Thailand post and another South African one!

    • Nadeen says:
      7 years ago

      Thank you! It was fun!

  3. Krista says:
    7 years ago

    I was in Cuba in March as well! It was so much fun! My favourite part was visiting Havana! So beautiful! Sounds like you had a lot of great travels this year and many more to come 🙂

    • Nadeen says:
      7 years ago

      Hi Krista! That is great that you were able to visit Cuba as well! I am looking forward to going back. Thanks for reading!

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  • ***SAVE & SHARE FOR INTERNATIONAL TRAVEL! 
How many of these things do you do on a regular basis when you are taking off 🛫 on an international trip?

After the Maui and Morocco natural disasters I started thinking more about these things especially since I visited both places this year. I started to let some of these action items slip! 

In case you missed my LIVE broadcast of “How to Prepare for Natural Disasters While Traveling” you can still catch it on my YouTube channel The Sophisticated Life. But these are some of the highlights! 
https://youtu.be/0hK0LseyX9E?si=B-MCsaQc3Xm_wRM2

And let me tell you about the last one——we are already seeing Flu in our hospital and COVID is NOT going anywhere! So protect yourself! Wear your masks 😷 and please get vaccinated! 

#naturaldisasters #naturaldisastersurvival #traveltips101 #traveladvice #travelguides #travelbloggervibes #travelexperts #travelblogs #blacktravelblog #moroccoearthquake #mauifires
  • These memes have been cracking me up all week! 😂😂 
Ever since my husband @parrishu70 and I met a couple in Champagne France 🇫🇷 with the most intense, printed color coded itinerary that even included times for naps 😴 -I kid you not-we have used their terminology of “trips” vs “vacations”. 

TRIPS: usually go go go. You are in a city or place for a limited time so you want to see it all. These are tours and reservations and an itinerary. IE our group trip to Morocco. 5 cities in 9 days! Things have to be organized, you may pack outfits based on activities that are planned and you may be tired when you get back. Hence the term “I need a vacation from my vacation”. 

VACATION: more relaxed. Go with the flow vs reservations and tours. Sleeping in in the mornings. Strolling around locations and popping into places. Relaxing on a beach all day for days at a time. Room service. Being lazy in a comfy bed. Going on a cruise. 

Now it is possible to have a mix of these 2! Over the years I have learned a lot from my husband and since he prefers vacations, even if we visit cities, I make sure we have time to relax and stroll around. AND as I have gotten older I definitely need to recharge with vacations. I do feel energized on trips thou lol. 

How about you? What’s your favorite? 

#tripvsvacation #funnymemes4ya #husbandmemes #couplestravel #couplesvacation #couplesgoal #blackcouplestravel #blackcouplestraveltoo #blacklovematters #blacklovecouples #theofficememes
  • Is anyone else holding on to summer like I am? Or are you ready for fall? I have no issue w less humid weather and crisper morning and evening air, I love pumpkin 🎃 but I do know that fall leads to winter and that IS not OK with me!! 

I am already planning my winter 🥶 escapes. And I live in Atlanta!! My skin gets dry, my hands and feet stay cold and I miss feeling the sun 🌞 on my skin!! Maybe it’s my island 🏝️ 🇯🇲 roots lol 

So which one are you? Summer? Fall? Or are you a winter or spring person? 

#summerlover #summerlovers #fall2023 #fallweather🍁 #summer2023☀️🏖🏝 #summer2023collection #travel2023 #travelexperts #blacktravelfeed #melaninmagic
  • My heart is heavy today. I am incredibly sad as I read reports and see the news about the earthquake in Morocco and the effects in Marrakech. 😔😔

As many of you know I traveled with 16 other adventurers for 9 days thru 5 cities in Morocco 🇲🇦 just 3 months ago!!! 

We met so many incredible people. Of course after being on the road that long together we felt close to our guides and drivers. I even had a meeting with two of the team members yesterday while they were in Marrakech and the earthquake happened a few hours later. 

My mind quickly went to them and all the people in my pictures wondering and hoping that they were safe. So far they are. But the death toll is over 1,000 and homes are crumbling. It’s a disaster. 

As a physician this also made me wonder—-are you prepared to handle a natural disaster while traveling? Do you know what to do? Do you have things in order before you go on vacation? Let’s talk about it tomorrow evening LIVE here on Instagram and Facebook at 5pm PT and 8 pm ET. You can share your thoughts on the Maui fires as well. My husband and I were in Maui in April and I’m still trying to comprehend that places we visited are gone. People have lost so much the past few months. Please stay safe. But let’s also get prepared! 

Sound off in the comments with any questions you would like answered tomorrow night! 

Swipe left to see pics from cities all over Morocco 🇲🇦 the people make the place ❤️

#moroccoearthquake #marrakech #marrakechearthquake #naturaldisaster #naturaldisasters #naturaldisastersurvival #survivaltips #earthquakemorocco
  • Do you have a favorite spa in your city 🌆 that you go to regularly?
I do but recently I tried a new one and it was VERY RELAXING! 

I have been to @stregisatl several times over the years but this was my first time using the spa. I had their version of an aromatherapy massage with hot stone add on. 

A few things I truly enjoyed..
1) the changing rooms and relaxation areas were spacious. There was even a “blush room” if you wanted to change in private. 
2) clean showers, saunas and steam rooms (the steam was too hot so I couldn’t stay in there 😣)
3) after my treatment I was offered Prosecco OR at St.Germaine spritzer! I went for the spritzer and it was pretty and refreshing 😋
4) the cool rags and cucumber slices-I took advantage of everything! Lol but it did help my headache 
5) it was not crowded-I always make weekday appointments for the spa. 
6) I was offered macarons and chocolates! I think this was a first for me. I received my own little tray and they were delicious! 
7) The St.Regis does Champagne 🍾sabrage every evening at 6pm. So I ended my spa day with a glass of Champagne 🥂!

The only down side is you have to be a hotel guest to use the pool. I brought my bathing suit ready to relax there and have a late lunch but nope. 

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  • ***SAVE FOR YOUR TRIP TO WASHINGTON DC! 
For those of you that have been following me you know how serious I am about supporting Black-Owned businesses when I travel.

Earlier this month I traveled to Washington DC for the inaugural “Future of Black Tourism” conference held by @blacksintourism . It was an epic event! 

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Northern Virginia is now a booming wine region and also the location of the 5-star luxury Black-Owned resort @salamanderresort in Middleburg-owned by Sheila Johnson. I was able to take a look around the grounds and it is lovely. 

“The Family Reunion” event in collaboration with @chefkwameonwuachi took place there this past weekend. It is in its 3rd year. I haven’t been yet but I have seen & heard good things. Tickets sell out fast and it’s a lux $$ item so start planning! 

I did spend a few nights @salamanderhoteldc It was the former Mandarin Oriental and there are plans for further renovations including the spa. I loved the spacious room and bathroom. 

These are just 2 of the Salamander properties located in the US and Caribbean. Have you stayed in any of them? Remember, you do not have to be Black to support Black-owned businesses! 

Please like, comment & share! 

#salamanderhotelsandresorts #salamanderhotels #thefamilyreunion #chefkwameonwuachi #sheilajohnson #middleburgva #loveloudoun #washingtondc #blackownedhotel #blackluxurylifestyle #blackluxury #beautifulhotel

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