7 Awe-Inspiring Travel Moments That Took My Breath Away

The kind that stay with you long after the trip ends.

Not every trip comes with a jaw-dropping moment.
But some? They stop you in your tracks.
You breathe it in—and wonder how this is even real life.
The kind that etch themselves into your memory, long after you’re home.
Here are seven of mine.

🌋 Volcanoes National Park, Hawaii — Into the Crater

We hiked all the way down into the crater of a volcano.
It felt like walking on the moon—jagged rock, steam rising, eerie stillness.
Then we returned that night to see the sky glowing red from an active lava flow.

Hot. Humbling. Unreal.

🌊 Olivine Pools, Maui — Nature’s Hidden Gem

Tucked along the cliffs of Maui’s rugged coast, the Olivine Pools felt like a secret.
The ocean thundered just beyond the rocks, while crystal-clear pools shimmered like nature’s infinity tubs.

Wild beauty at its best.

💦 Skogafoss, Iceland — Standing in the Spray

You hear it before you see it. Then—boom—Skogafoss appears. Massive. Loud. Unapologetic.
We inched closer until the mist hit our faces and the roar drowned out everything else.

One of those moments you don’t forget.

🖤 Reynisfjara Black Sand Beach, Iceland — Like Another Planet

The wind, the waves, the jet-black sand.
Basalt columns rose like ancient ruins, and everything felt otherworldly.
I couldn’t stop staring—or smiling—or silently saying, “Is this real?”

Moody in the most beautiful way.

✨ Eiffel Tower at Night, Paris — A Sparkling Dream

I’ve seen it in a million photos. But nothing prepares you for the real thing.

As the Eiffel Tower sparkled to life, it didn’t feel real—like Paris itself was putting on a show just for us.
Even jet lag couldn’t dim the magic.

Iconic—and still somehow surprising.

🐫 The Pyramids of Giza, Egypt — Bigger Than Imagination

I thought I understood how big they were.
Then I stood beside them.
The heat. The history. The scale. It hit all at once.
They’ve stood there for thousands of years—and somehow, I was here too.

Surreal doesn’t even begin to cover it.

🔥 Fiery Furnace, Moab — Nature’s Maze

Twisting trails. Narrow passages. Towering red rock all around.
It’s easy to get lost in the Fiery Furnace—and that’s kind of the point.
It felt like crawling through the imagination of the earth—twists, turns, and towering walls of red rock.

One of the most fun and mind-bending hikes I’ve ever done.

🌍 Rooted Takeaway

You don’t have to go far to feel awe.
But when you do find it—stand there a little longer. Let it wash over you.
Let it remind you how big, wild, and wonderful the world still is.

P.S. Most of these trips? Booked on points.
Because magic moments feel even better when they don’t come with credit card guilt.
Stick around—I’ll show you how.