This was the year the world (mostly) reopened for travel. It came in fits and starts, and a year that was supposed to be the year of big travel turned, for many, into a summer of staycations with rising costs and yet another spike in Covid cases. But travel did come back, eventually, and with it a whole host of postponements, cancellations and general chaos.

When we were finally able to get back out there and explore, many found that travel looked a little different, whether because of climate change, economic change or simply because our own ideas of what constitutes a good vacation had shifted in the course of the time that we mostly stayed home.

As the last couple of years have taught us, the ability to travel is truly a gift, and as we plan the adventures that 2023 will hopefully hold, let’s all agree never to take it for granted.

On the New York Times Travel desk, we spent 2022 navigating the twists and turns of this year along with everyone else. We dared to dream a bit, and this fall we brought back the popular column 36 Hours, after a two-year hiatus.

And finally, we had some suggestions for stretching your travel budget, including some alternative locales to consider, ideas for traveling in Europe as a retiree and much more from our Frugal Travel column, which has been covering budget travel for almost 30 years! It’s something to consult as you plan — maybe you can squeeze in a little more travel next year than you thought? And isn’t that the dream?