We’ve all heard the horror stories: the canceled flights, the postponed plans, the trip-of-a-lifetime relegated to the ether. But somehow, over the past year, the people of Baton Rouge have managed to pack their bags and find safe ways to travel, often to enviable effect. To relive the good times, we’re rounding up some of the Travel Journals published in our pages this year. Click on each destination headline for a closer look at each trip.

Talladega Superspeedway

One of the surefire methods for staying safe and roaming far: the trusty RV. For Kori Fogg Juban, her children Riley and Charlie, her fiancé Nathan Robert, and her parents Kenny and Lynn Fogg, it was the perfect way to adjourn for a family trip to this famous Alabama racetrack, where high speeds, good food and a community camp ground combined for a quality time.

Florida Keys

Home of Hemingway and sport fishing galore, these Florida islands set the scene for Jackie and Melvin Harvey when they embarked on a tropical getaway for Jackie’s birthday. Face masks became only a minor inconvenience when faced with the promise of lobster Benedict, tours of Fort Jefferson and lunch by way of private boat.

Lake Tahoe

For slightly cooler climes, Melissa and Patrick Terito took to the Sierra Nevada for blue skies and crystal waters. With boat cruises still running, Vikingsholm on the Lake still taking visitors, and the never-ending bounties of nature always in session, the moderate temps turned into a majorly beautiful vacation.

Costa Rica

Angelique Manne’s family of four joined forces with another for this international trip not far from U.S. borders. They enjoyed a vacation filled with hilltop restaurants, thundering waterfalls and Olympus-like volcanoes—the perfect sprawling vistas for photo albums galore.

Utah, Arizona & Nevada

Photographer Sean Gasser and his wife Hollie were supposed to head to Italy for their honeymoon. When COVID crossed that off the list, they used a work gig in Las Vegas as an opportunity to take a trip into the desert canyons of the surrounding area. Known as the home of some of the most unique and impressive rock formations in the world, the American West didn’t disappoint with its treacherous trailheads, modern pubs and Americana road stops.

Have you been on an interesting trip lately? Let us know by emailing [email protected] and we may feature your trip in an upcoming issue of inRegister.