It was early October, and I didn't expect to have to fight my way through a snowstorm to reach Vail. I also didn't expect to wake up to 26 degrees. But this view, framed by a rickety wooden bridge, almost made it worthwhile. As the cold air bit at my cheeks and nose, I leaned over the bridge and stared at the blazing aspens, the snow covering the riverbank and weighing down the evergreen trees, and the early morning sunlight on the water. Only later did I notice the spider web interlacing the beams—the little flaw that turns pretty things into beautiful things.

The Queen Mary

We walked through the habor toward the Queen Mary on a foggy day. Later, on the tour, we wound deeper and deeper into the ship, past gauges and steering wheels, restaurants and cabins—always expecting to see the ghosts of gloved and hatted passengers around the next bend. Then we resurfaced, like divers coming out of the dark sea, and took a walk on the planked deck before closing out the afternoon with a cocktail at the Observation Bar.

Johnson's Corner

Summer is a time for road trips, whether the sun has just come out of hibernation or it is about to disappear for several months. Driving north from Denver, you pass through Johnson's Corner, famous for their cinnamon rolls—the perfect pick-me-up during a long haul. In the back parking lot, semis line up, the sun glinting off their colorful backs. Sometimes you can find beauty in the most unusual places.

Washington Park, Denver

Colorful surreys line up expectantly, like playful soldiers in an Alice-in-Wonderland world. Even in the middle of the city, sometimes a vacation is only fifteen minutes away. Whether you're on a bike or a boat, with the wind in your hair and the sun hot on your head, you can find stillness in movement as you smell the wet sand, the freshly cut grass, and the fecund plants, with the lively cries of children in the background.

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

During a weekend trip to Glenwood Springs, Colorado, I stood at the edge of the natural spring pool. I could smell the wet concrete. I could almost feel the fresh water on my skin—cool in this pool, warm in the neighboring one. Across the water, chairs lined up like flamingos, and the resort's red roof and red flowers blended in with the mountain's red rocks. I was almost transported to another time, half-expecting to see ladies in one-piece suits and wide-brimmed hats lounging in the chairs or soaking their feet.

Tunnels Beach, Kauai

The first full day of our trip to Kauai, we woke up to miraculous sunshine, having driven through thick rain all the way from the airport the day before. We packed up and headed straight to Tunnels Beach for sunbathing, swimming, and snorkeling. I strode down the hot sand until reaching the water—the temperature of a warm bath—and then kept on walking. I slipped the goggles over my eyes and put my mouthpiece in and then, with a quick breath, I entered a breathtaking underwater world, opaque and emerald colored. Spindly reefs hiding whole colonies of sea creatures stretched out into the ocean and reached up toward the surface. I saw a sea turtle pass below me. Jewel-toned fish swam around me, scattering when I got too close—except for a bright blue and yellow one, who swam alongside me, inching closer and darting away, like some aquatic Pan.

Lake Tahoe

It could have been any other beach. The sand was hot and grainy under my feet, the sun a warm embrace, and rainbow-colored beach umbrellas bobbed down the coastline. But the evergreens, marching down the mountainside, told another story. And when I stepped into the clear blue water, I was unmistakeably at Lake Tahoe. The cold water, cold even in August, took a few minutes to get used to, and instead of the salty grip of the ocean, I felt the light, cool touch of fresh water, and I emerged feeling refreshed, like after a baptism.