2014 Travel. And where to go in 2015!

What a diverse 2014 year we've had. So many trips, destinations, hotels, airlines, flights, cafes, restaurants, trains, Ubers, airports, subways, and sunscreen. This year has really been an exciting and dynamic one. The travel industry had one of the most profitable years in years, airlines's stocks are hitting high records, hotels and Airbnb are packed every night and we are all want to be global citizens of this world. So exciting!

Sonoma Pacific Coast

Travel industry, like many others, is changing at a rapid pace. We now have Uber instead of cabs. Airbnb instead of hotels. Luxury lounges at airports instead of boarding gates. So many apps for smartphones making travel easier and organized as it all has to happen immediately and at the tip of our fingertips.

So how do we plan and manage our next trips? I'm so excited and looking forward to the trips in 2015 with so much digital technology making our travel easier and dynamic, enhancing our experiences. The way we search, book, pack our bags, connect destinations, share with others on social media and find the best vacation spots that weren't even on the map until recently. So I'll do my best to summarize travel in 2014 and what we have to look forward in 2015.

Landing in Singapore, Changi Airport

Many places I visited this year, it was in general a very American year, sorry Europe: I missed you in '14. From a warm winter weekend in South Beach and Miami, to wine tasting in Sonoma, Saint Helena, Yountville, Napa, Russian River. The California Central Coast with Cambria, Paso Robles, Pismo Beach, Santa Barbara and Ojai all the way down to Beverly Hills. Our loved and frequently visited Monterey, Carmel and Carmel Valley. A dynamic summer on the East Coast with New York City, New York, The Hamptons, Long Beach, Provincetown and even a town where Julia Roberts first appeared on the big screen, Mystic, Connecticut. Then the Fall came along and started with an Indian Summer, visiting Lake Tahoe, New York City, Puerto Vallarta and for business to Chicago, Jakarta, Kuala Lumpur and Singapore. Wrapping up the year with a whimsical and magical Holiday season in NYC (again) and upstate New York with family.

Petronas Towers, Kuala Lumpur

After visiting so many diverse and eclectic places I can only think of the great memories that I'm collecting from 2014 and making a brief list of my 2014 travel choices:

1. Kimpton Hotels, recently purchased by InterContinent Hotel Group (in Europe) still brings a sense of chic, trendy and affordable boutique hotels in the U.S. Our favorite hotel being the Eventi hotel in NYC where we just spent the Christmas Holiday (kimptonhotels.com).

Surfcomber Kimpton Hotel, South Beach

2. Airbnb more popular than ever and now creating a Community, not only a business. This year we had a great vacation in Providence Town, Mass. including a fantastic home hosted by Airbnb. (airbnb.com).

Airbnb Open Event

3. The beaches, even though we didn't have many international beaches this year, we certainly found great ones in Provincetown, The Hamptons and Puerto Vallarta. Definitely put these places on the map and probably going back there in 2015. Best resort in a non-beach destination: Ojai Valley Inn & Spa (ojairesort.com).

Sunset in Puerto Vallarta

Ojai Valley Inn & Spa

P-town, Mass

4. The city destination, New York City. I know it's kind of obvious, but NYC manages to reinvent itself every year. Many new high rises and the newly renovated High Line in the Meatpacking district, running from 14th to 34th streets on the West side, it brings a new way to walk outdoors and enjoy the city outdoors (thehighline.org).

6th Ave, NYC

5. Airports, getting somehow more efficient, better and more crowded at the same time. Many of them going through renovations or expansions in the U.S. I must call the best airport San Francisco International and Domestic terminals. With newly renovated Terminal 3 for United flights and one of the few flagship American Express Centurion lounges in the U.S. make travel again enjoyable. And internationally I'd have to call Singapore Airport the best with the best airline lounge sponsored by Singapore Airlines.

Singapore Airlines Lounge

6. Wine tasting and country living would be Sonoma County, yet again. Still keeping the low-key feeling with great outdoors and amazing wines (http://tinyurl.com/triponmerr).

7. The iPhone app: Afar. Not only their magazine rocks but the app is designed in a way that you can find so much information on multiple destinations, highlighting your favorites and save searches for future reference. Many independent contributors all throughout the World that bring that local perspective to their columns. I believe Afar is leading the travel publication industry, even with a easy-go look and friendly magazine design. Conde Nast Travel Magazine took a step too far with its revamped designed back in January 2014. (www.afar.com)

AFAR App

Some interesting facts on travel:
1. Cuba is opening its doors to U.S. tourism travel. How soon can we get there?
2. Conde Nast Travel Magazine Head Quarters just recently moved to One Freedom Tower in NYC (#bestbuilingintheworld).
3. American Express Centurion Lounge opening in Miami early 2015.
4. Mexico and Colombia are trending in 2015, with strong economies, safer cities and cultural experiences combined with trendy spots are attracting many travelers.
5. Sharing economies are not going anywhere, on the contrary, are here to stay. So, while Airbnb and Uber (among others) figure out the different legal battles in multiple places I'll keep using these technology-based travel tools because travel it's just easier with them.
6. Airlines are changing the way frequent travelers accrue their miles, not only with flown miles but also meeting a minimum spending on their flights. United can you hear this? many of your travelers are upset. 2015 will change the way we are awarded miles, upgrades and free tickets (sighs).

One Freedom Tower

After writing this blog I look back and think what a great 2014 was, measured by the number of people I interacted with because of travel, the places I experienced thanks to traveling, yes, sometimes it's painful going through security check lines and flight delays, but at the end of the year I can only think of what I've witnessed and been part of. For this year, I already have some ideas of the places that my partner and I may be visiting and in the mean time I'm enjoying warping up the 2014 year with many new destinations under my belt. 2015 travel here we come! Keep traveling.