My Favorite Travel Photos and the Stories Behind Them

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to visit some really amazing places. From the mountains to the beach to the Big Apple, I am blessed to say I am fairly well-traveled for my age. There have been many highs and lows in my travels, but there are some special moments I managed to capture on camera that remind me of the meaningful experiences attached to them. Here are a few of them.

This is one of those photos that still take my breath away when I go back and look at them. This was taken at Lake Nantahala, North Carolina, 2015. It was a beautiful, summer afternoon on our family vacation to the lake we know and love so well. I decided to be adventurous and set out alone in the canoe with my camera. The canoe was built by my late grandfather, who passed away before my parents had even met. It’s something that connects me to him, even though we never met. He passed on his love of adventure and of the water to my father, and then onto me. This moment was a peaceful, reflective moment, passed just drifting in the gentle current, admiring the perfection and beauty of nature, and reflecting on my heritage. Paddling along on the glassy lake, surrounded by the arms of the mountains and the curtain of the clouds, it was one of those moments that can be forgotten in the busyness of life. Hold onto those moments.

This picture was taken on a Sunday morning by the side of the road in Wyoming, across the street from the hotel I was staying in. It was Sunday, and we were on a tour of the Wild West. While we had a free moment, I decided to just go sit in the beautiful field right across from the hotel. I brought my Bible, and read some verses in Psalms as the wind rolled over the hills and ran its fingers through the tall grass I was sitting in. It was one of the only quiet, still moments of the trip, as we were herded on and off buses to see the sights and sounds of the West. It was a wonderful trip, but it was even more wonderful to simply take a moment to absorb the beauty of the world around me. Take a moment, even in the busyness of life, to simply sit in the grass and connect with the God who hand-crafted the world around you.

This photo was taken at the top of the Rockefeller Center in NYC. I was in New York with my senior class on our senior trip, with about 43 of 50 of my fellow seniors. I went to a small private school from 2nd grade until me senior year, so I had grown up with most of the kids on the trip. I learned so much on that trip about people, about the culture, and about the world just by staying the city for a week. It was a different world to experience for this Floridian who grew up at the beach. It was crazy to see just how vast the city was, and to imagine its humble beginnings. It’s a testament to the growth of our nation, to human development, and to innovation.

This photo was taken in Acadia National Park in Maine. My family and I were standing on the edge of the cliffs off the edge of a hidden path we were exploring before leaving the park. The sound of the sea crashing up against the rocks, the wind tossing my hair, and the beautiful weather all left an imprint on my mind. There is something about witnessing the power and splendor of nature, standing on the edge of a cliff looking out to sea, being able to reach out your hand and rest it on the rocks weathered by the mighty sea, that nothing else can replicate. Climbing around the rocks and exploring was like something straight out of a movie.

Have any favorite travel photos of your own? Tag me in some of your favorite travel photos on Instagram and I will feature it on my story!

Happy travels!