Oh yes, I love to travel! Have I got some great getaways for you in this New Year and yes, you’re invited to come along. But before we move forward, I think it’s important to look back at where we’ve been. How many of these great getaways from 2008 did you go on?

It all began with a day trip to one of the area’s most popular skiing getaways, Ellicottville. Even if there wasn’t much snow, shopping and micro brewery made it fun.

For a better guarantee of snow, I took you north to Quebec City, Canada and the amazing Ice Hotel. Yes, you can actually spend the night here! As a warmer option, I found another great hotel. All in all, Quebec City was one of the most romantic getaways of the year.

Closer to home, the Syracuse Zoo made a great family getaway this time of the year because most of the zoo is inside!

A blast of history was easy to find with my getaway to Auburn for the Harriet Tubman Home and the William Seward House.

The search for a rare find in the Finger Lakes took us to Hammondsport for a historical octagon house made into a bed and breakfast called the Black Sheep inn.

Pancakes and maple syrup proved to be the most popular getaway of the year! Finding a few of the best in our state satisfied an appetite for pure maple syrup and homemade pancakes.

Then it was off to the Southern Tier and a getaway to the Wings of eagles Discovery Center in Elmira.

Before we knew it, spring was here and the season began with an aero car getaway in Niagara Falls and while we were there, an adventure Behind the Falls.

Discovering Herkimer Diamond Mines was the perfect getaway for the whole family and while I was there, why not spend the day at the very unusual and spectacular Green Lakes State Park.

Back roads took me to Frog Pond Farm, one of the very unusual getaways of 2008 and a close to home getaway that a lot of people don’t know about, Erie Canal Village.

All-in-a-day small town getaways included the Town of Clinton for their weekly outdoor farm market. And on our way to the Thousands Islands, historical and beautiful Sackets Harbor.

From the best brewery tour in Utica to the best boat tour on the Erie Canal, back on land to our state’s claim to fame, a road trip getaway along Routes 5 and 20.

The fall season never looked better than with a getaway to Lake Placid in the Adirondacks and a getaway into the foothills of the Allegany Mountains to Pollywogg Holler.

There were a few getaways that you may have wanted to get away from in Haunts 2008 and then there were many that were not as scary in six of my favorite stays in the state.

It was a fun year of getaways and I invite you to come along for all the getaways I’ll have for you in 2009!