These were my 5 favourite travel experiences of 2024

I’m lucky to be invited by travel marketing destinations to visit a lot of interesting places every year and 2024 was no exception. These press trips can be a lot of fun, but they are a lot more work than people realize.

The hours are long and schedules are often rigidly timed which leaves very little downtime. Travel writers get to experience a lot of new things when they visit these destinations, but it’s often a very truncated version of what ordinary travellers enjoy. Still, it beats coal mining and I wouldn’t trade this job for anything even though it does mean I have taken a vow of poverty.

Looking back on the travel year that was, here are, in no particular order, five of the experiences I will remember the most.

Swimming with manta rays in Antigua

On the beautiful Caribbean island of Antigua, I was fortunate to visit Stingray City, an attraction which lets visitors hop into the water to feed and hold stingrays.

Founded in eastern Antigua 24 years ago near the village of Seatons, it was modelled after a similarly-named operation in the Cayman Islands. Since then, it has become one of the island’s biggest tourist draws.

On the beautiful sunny day that we visited, we entered the bathtub-warm water off one of their floating docks and were quickly swarmed by a multitude of rays. We marvelled as they swam by, their elegant wings slowly flapping like underwater bats. Hoping that we had food, they would bump into us looking for a snack and not react if we reached out to touch them. They were slick and soft and pleasant to the touch. Some of them are so domesticated that the guides picked them up to pet them. Visitors are encouraged to do the same and pose for a photo.

Riding the world’s second-longest zipline in Chihuahua

Years ago, I rode on what was then the world’s longest zipline in Puerto Vallarta. At one-kilometre long and a top speed of 100 km/h, a ride on that line is a memory that I will never forget, but when I visited the Mexican state of Chihuahua this year, I had the opportunity to ride a zipline that was even longer.

Copper Canyon Adventure Park‘s 2.5-kilometre zipline lets riders hit even higher speeds, closer to 135 km/h. At one time, it was the longest in the world, but has since been surpassed by a zipline in the Middle East.

Unlike the one in Puerto Vallarta which straps you in to fly head first like Superman, this one is a traditional zipline which has you sitting in a sort of swing. The attraction boasts two parallel ziplines so two riders jump off at once. It’s a bit scary because you can barely see the other end of the line and are literally taking a leap of faith as you hurtle out of the chute.

With a shout of “Geronimo!,” I jumped out and all fears evaporated within seconds as I realized I wasn’t plunging to my death and any worries I had were instead replaced with feelings of euphoria. I’m only sorry that the ride lasted just a few minutes.

Shooting to the top of the St. Louis Arch

I was familiar enough with the St. Louis Arch to know it was the city’s most famous landmark, but it wasn’t until I visited for the first time that I was surprised to learn that there was an observation deck at the top and the view is spectacular.

During my visit, four of us crammed into a spherical cabin and were quickly whisked to the observation deck at the top of the Arch. Once you’re there, you’ve only got 10 minutes to soak it all in before have to leave to make room for the next group of visitors.

One of the things that fascinated me from the observation deck was the curved shadow the Arch casts in the park below. I could see families sitting on the grass in the shade of the Western Hemisphere’s tallest monument, taking a bit of respite from the hot summer sun.

While the Arch is probably the most touristy thing you can do in St. Louis, it’s definitely an experience you shouldn’t miss.

A visit to the grave of Buddy Holly

Anyone who is a serious fan of 1950s Rock ‘n Roll legend Buddy Holly knows he was born in Lubbock, Texas. Reminders of his legacy are everywhere in this small city and I got to visit more than a few including the excellent Buddy Holly Center, but one that wasn’t on our official itinerary was Buddy’s grave in a small cemetery on the outskirts of town.

It was a bit of a hike to get there and it took us some time to actually locate his grave marker, but we knew we had found it when we saw a grave that was littered with notes and mementoes, mostly in the form of horn-rim glasses, from fans who had made the pilgrimage before us.

Visiting the grave of a loved one often stirs up emotions and memories, but standing at the burial place of someone famous yields different feelings. For a brief moment, I felt a connection with this musician who died before I was even born, but maybe it was just a chance to reflect on my own mortality and wonder if anyone will ever visit my grave when I’m gone.

A night at the Grand Ol Opry in Nashville

Nashville is home to numerous musical attractions, but there is none more synonymous with the city than the Grand Ol Opry. This country-and-western institution has been entertaining music lovers for nearly a century and with good reason. It’s where the genre’s biggest stars perform, but there are always newcomers who guarantee that something special will happen just about every night.

During our visit, we enjoyed VIP access to the Circle Room lounge where we enjoyed drinks and a buffet before the show. It’s also where we got to meet members of Riders in the Sky, a band that has won two Grammys for their music that appeared in the Pixar movies Toy Story 2 and Monsters Inc.

While that was definitely memorable, the real highlight of the evening was the debut of Mexican star Carin León. He nearly brought the roof down and when finished his set, the crowd clamoured for more. The MC gave him permission to sing an encore, something that almost never happens at this venerable musical venue. It was truly a special moment.

Even if you have no interest in country-and-western music, a night at the Grand Ol Opry should not be missed whenever you visit Nashville.