Cats and Trails and Garden Tales
Musings on cats, travel, gardens and life
Traveling the Best of the West – A Look back at 2025
We only did a few major trips in 2025, and they were all in the West. It was fun looking back on them, and I admit I got carried away with my pictures. Even so, I hope you enjoy them. Click on any picture to enlarge.
In the spring, we took a road trip and were welcomed to California by Mt. Shasta
Our destination was Napa Valley where we enjoyed charming towns, fine food and lovely vineyards. We even managed to squeeze in a side trip to San Francisco, by ferry.
On our way back home, we took the scenic route through the Redwoods, which we never get tired of visiting!
During the summer we hit the Oregon Coast, taking in both Cannon Beach and Cape Kiwanda.
In the fall, we ventured as far west as possible, all the way to Hawaii, splitting our time between our two favorite islands – the Big Island of Hawaii,
and Oahu.
Marvelous!
As wonderful as those trips were, I enjoyed our trips within my home state of Washington just as much.
So when my traveling days are done – at least to distant places – I’ll still have much to enjoy close to home.
Sharing with Sunday Stills, #Year-in-Review
~ Susanne
Cats and Trails and Garden Tales 
What a year of great adventures! Love all the photos, and while we are currently working in a big city, we are planning our next getaway to a new region this summer…that’s part of the fun!
Thanks, John! The planning is fun and the getaways are too! Can’t wait to hear about it! We’re visiting some new places this year, too!
Living the good life! 👍🏼
🙂 🙂
What a beautiful year you had!
Thank you! 😊
Stunning images of Shasta, NorCal areas and the Oregon coast, Susanne! A good reminder to me to make that coastal trip sometime. When we travel south to Arizona in March, we may drive back that way home. Thanks for the inspiration!
Thanks, Terri. 😊 There’s so much beauty to enjoy when you get off I-5! It never gets old!
Wow! What an incredible year you have beautifully captured. Hugs, C
Thanks so much, Cheryl! Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent photos all, Susanne. Washington has a great deal to offer within its boundaries. One would never run out of photo opportunities there.
Thanks, Graham. I realized that even though we didn’t go on many long distance trips, we do so much in Washington and enjoy it just as much.
You took some wondeful trips last year, Susanne. I will always be jealous of Hawaii. 😊
Best wishes, Pete.
Thanks, Pete. 😊 Hawaii will always be one of my favorite places to get away from it all! 🌴🌴
You live in such a beautiful place that I’m not surprised you enjoyed those trips closer to home. But Hawaii, Cannon Beach and the Redwoods all look well worth travelling further afield to see 🙂
Definitely. 😊 The entire West Coast is wonderful for road trips. (The northern Oregon Coast even feels like our backyard.) I was just realizing that when we’re not up to flying long distances anymore, we have many places close to home to enjoy. 😊