February marked my first return to the U.S. since moving to England this past fall. I was able to go home for three weeks, which meant plenty of time to see friends and family. Upon my return to England later in February, I found different, more pleasant weather than when I left – warm days, sunshine, and much less rain than winter. Read on to find out what else I got up to in February 2026.

Destinations visited:

Reston, Herndon, Arlington, Falls Church, Sterling, and Leesburg, Virginia

Shenandoah Valley and Shenandoah National Park, Virginia

Columbia and Elkridge, Maryland

Cheltenham and Painswick, England

Favorite destinations:

Shenandoah Valley, Virginia – The Shenandoah Valley is a part of my home state that I had previously visited, but now I find myself spending more time there since Markell started college in the region. I’ve greatly enjoyed exploring the small towns and admiring the scenic countryside with mountains visible in the distance as I drive through.

Highlights:

Visiting family and friends in the U.S. – Returning home was wonderful, allowing me to reconnect with family and friends. I truly appreciate sharing meaningful conversations and staying updated on everyone’s lives. While home, I was also thankful to join in fun activities like celebrating Galentines, attending two college basketball games, and enjoying a Mardi Gras outing with friends.

A fortunate situation with travel – I originally booked my return flight to England from the U.S. through Icelandair, using some flight credit and planning for a stopover in Iceland. On the day of travel, I got lucky—my ticket was switched to a direct Virgin Atlantic flight instead. The plane landed at Heathrow ahead of schedule, letting me catch an earlier bus and get home to Cheltenham sooner than expected. Overall, everything worked out really well!

Challenges:

Lack of free time, sleep, and struggles at work – Over the past month, I’ve found it difficult to carve out any free time for myself. There have been many tasks I needed to handle, and on top of that, my job has demanded even more responsibility and hours than usual. I’m optimistic that by the end of March, I’ll be able to get things back on track.

Concerns about aging parents – During my time in the U.S., I learned about some health concerns affecting my mom, which were troubling but seem manageable for the moment. It’s challenging to be in your thirties and already needing to keep an eye on your parents’ health; I had assumed this would come much later in life.

Posts:

Why January is the Best Time to Visit Rome – The advantages of visiting Rome in January.

Coming up in March 2026:

After this past winter which felt incredibly long, I for one am happy to be moving into the spring season. I am already seeing more sunshine and daffodils blooming, signs of better weather days ahead. This month will be a bit lighter on travel since I was gone so much of February, although I will be hopefully fitting in some days trips and walks in the Cotswolds. At the end of the month, Mark and I will be visiting the coastal town of Tenby, Wales for the weekend. Tenby is know for its pastel colored buildings, sandy beaches, and walking paths along the Pembrokeshire Coast. I am looking forward to exploring the town and going for some nice, peaceful walks.

What are your plans for March?