Travel Channel Editors Share Their Favorite Vacation Photos

Our expert travelers share their best shots from recent vacations.

By: Ryan Reed

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Morning Vista in Patagonia

"It’s impossible to choose an all-time favorite travel photo, so I opted for one of my favorite mornings from a trip I just took to Patagonia. I was backpacking for a few days in Torres del Paine National Park in Chile, and on this morning, we left camp at 3 a.m. and hiked under a blanket of stars and a nearly full moon to Base Torres (the one night of the trip with cloudless skies). There were only a handful of motivated early risers that made the trek to this normally well-trafficked vista, and it was an amazing experience to sit tucked away from the wind in the boulders along the shoreline, wrapped up in a down sleeping bag sipping a thermos of hot tea, and watching the summits gradually materialize as the new days’ sun cast the rocks and clouds in constantly changing hues of pink, purple and orange!" — Alisha Bube, Associate Product Designer

Chile: What to See and Do

Say Cheese in Iceland

"While driving the Golden Circle on a trip to Iceland last year, I pulled over to say hello to some of the friendly horses that are all over the island. With tourism surging and attracting more than two million visitors last year, I have a feeling this wasn’t the first time this horse had his portrait taken by an American tourist. Just look at that smirk he’s giving the camera!" — Laura James, Assistant Editor

See More Photos: Iceland Road Trip: What to Do on The Ring Road

Classic Cars in Cuba

"Entrance to 'Fusterlandia' — the location of artist José Fuster’s studio. Inspired by Gaudi’s work in Barcelona, he began transforming the impoverished Jaimanitas neighborhood with his exquisite tile work in 1975. Mosaic tile work now spans multiple blocks around his studio, and he’s still going. Fuster, 71, was there when we visited quietly playing chess with a friend surrounded by block and blocks of his amazing art. Right when we parked and hopped out, this vintage car was pulling away and I quickly snapped a few shots. Turned out the framing worked out quite well. Classic American (and Russian) cars are prevalent in Havana, which adds to the mysterious anachronistic charm of the city." — Michele Purcell, Executive Producer

See More Photos: The Ultimate Guide to Havana, Cuba

Colors of Venice

"I always loved the bright buildings in photos I’ve seen of Venice, Italy. This past fall, I got to visit and learned these colors aren’t just for visual aesthetics. The different colored buildings helped fishermen navigate home through Venetian canals. I took this photo on the island of Murano (also known for its colorful glass-blowing). It was easily the most beautiful place I’ve ever visited!" — Farima Alavi, Assistant Editor

See More Photos: Get Lost in Venice

Grand Canyon View

"This photo features the awesome view from the Kaibab Trail on the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It leads all the way to the bottom, but since our trip was very tightly scheduled we hiked to Ooh Aah Point, which is halfway down. I can’t wait to visit again so we can plan an overnight trip to the end of the trail! This photo takes my breath away every time I look at it because it reminds me of how absolutely gigantic the Grand Canyon really is. Even though we didn’t make it to the bottom, I was still blown away by the view!" — Megan Sadler, Editorial Intern

See More Photos: A Great Grand Canyon Adventure

Peaceful in Alabama

"This photo was taken on a very crisp April morning at Lake Martin, Alabama. I was camping with my family. I somewhat reluctantly poked my head out of the tent as the sun was rising. I immediately knew we were all about to be treated to an awesome sunrise. Morning is the best time to view wildlife on a river or lake before the day gets busy and the water gets churned up by the day’s activity. Crisp, cool mornings offer some of the best sunrises because of the super clear air and the dynamic of the morning mist rising from the glassy water." — Paul Cox, Director

10 Reasons You Should Go Camping Right Now

Honeymoon in Thailand

"My husband, Johnnie, and I opted out of a traditional wedding registry and instead went on a dream, two-week honeymoon to Thailand. We didn’t book anything except for our roundtrip ticket to and from Bangkok, so we really let our mood guide us. Four days into the trip, we decided to fly to the charming seaside resort town on the Gulf of Thailand called Hua Hin. It’s a popular getaway spot for Thais, as the royal family has summer palaces here. We booked three nights at the Anantara Hua Hin Resort & Spa, located right on the beach and just a few miles from the Hua Hin Night Market and Wat Khao Takiap, a hilltop Buddhist temple with friendly monkeys and incredible sea views. Since our stay at Anantara, we have compared every experience to that visit. It truly had the most incredible and thoughtful service, staff, food, amenities — everything was perfect. As much as we planned to get out and explore Hua Hin, we really enjoyed being hunkered down at the large and enclosed resort. The grounds (pictured) were so gorgeous and serene, that I found myself waking up at sunrise (jet lag!) and lounging by the water with tea and a book every morning." — Kayla Kitts, Managing Editor

See More Photos: Thailand's Top 10 Outdoor Adventures

Adventure in Alaska

"This is one of my favorite photos from my most memorable travel experience to date: hiking Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Alaska. If you look at the sky, you can just barely see the helicopter that dropped us off on the glacier, which felt a bit like landing on another planet. For the next two hours, professional mountaineers led us on a tour of the terrain and taught us basic climbing techniques. I still love looking back at the pictures to remember this day!" — Shannon Petrie, Managing Editor

See More Photos: 10 Incredible Views From Alaska

Sunset Seagulls in Norway

"This was a Thanksgiving trip to Tromso, Norway, above the Arctic Circle, for dogsledding and to see the northern lights. Unfortunately or fortunately, depending on how you look at it, there was a warm front that came through and melted most of the snow, so dog sledding was a no-go. Luckily, due to the warmer weather, there was an abundance of herring in the fjords that attracted nearly 300 whales. Almost anywhere I looked I saw orcas and humpback whales along with fishing boats coming for the herring. And with that seagulls. A. Lot. Of. Seagulls. At that time of year, there are only about 1.5 hours of sun and this was captured past noon after sunset. I shot dozens of photos with my DSLR and this was my favorite since there's one seagull with its wings spread out silhouetted against the orange sky." — Arthur Hsu, Producer

See More Photos: 12 Things to Know About Visiting Northern Norway in Winter

Taking It Easy in Paris

"This photo is from my second trip to Paris with my wife. Our first visit was a few years prior and we spent the entire time waiting in line at the Eiffel Tower, running through The Louvre to see the Mona Lisa and walking entirely too much. I wasn't about that life this time around. Instead, we opted to move at a Parisian pace. I took plenty of photos of people and architecture as we strolled through the city, but this one stands out the most. The weather was spectacular. Not a cloud in the sky and it was warm with a light breeze. We stopped at a small cafe in the Marais neighborhood for a glass of wine and some cheese — it is Paris after all — and people-watched for an hour or so. It doesn't sound that thrilling but this was one of the most memorable travel experiences I've ever had. Plus, I kind of think this photo looks like a scene from the movie 'Inception.'" — Ryan Reed, Editor

See More Photos: 19 Romantic Spots to Propose in Paris