One of the best things about Moab is that you donβt just hike hereβyou time it. The red rock glows differently depending on the light, and the best sunrise and sunset spots in Moab can completely transform the landscape. If you only plan one or two big photo ops, make them at golden hour. If youβre planning your Moab trip around golden hour, you might also like my guide to the Top 5 Epic Views Around Moab for even more canβt-miss overlooks.
Here are the best sunrise and sunset spots in Moab (and exactly when to go).
Trail Length: 0.7 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunrise
If youβve seen that photo of a glowing arch with a canyon backdrop, this is it. At sunrise, the underside of Mesa Arch lights up bright orange as the sun peeks over the La Sal Mountains. The short hike is easy, but it gets crowdedβarrive at least 45 minutes early if you want a good spot.
When I went, clouds covered the sun, so the glow wasnβt there. But honestly, the moody sky gave it its own kind of magic.
Trail Length: 0.3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Easy, paved loop
Best Time: Sunrise
Balanced Rock is impressive any time, and itβs one of the easiest sunrise and sunset spots in Moab to reach. The shadows stretch across the desert floor, and the whole formation looks even more precarious. The loop is short, so you can see it quickly before moving on.
If youβre already exploring Arches at sunrise, check out my post on the Top 3 Arches in Moab You Canβt Miss to add a few extra stops to your route.
Trail Length: 1 mile round trip if you do North Window, South Window, and Turret Arch
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunrise
Turret Arch framed through the North Window at sunrise is one of my favorite views in Moab. The light streams through the windows, turning the arches golden. If youβre willing to hike the primitive loop, you can also see the North Window from behindβa hidden perspective most visitors skip.
Trail Length: 0.8 miles round trip to the first overlook, 1.8 miles if you continue to the second
Difficulty: Moderate (short but steep)
Best Time: Mid-morning into midday
This one isnβt a sunrise archβitβs a crater. But the midday light highlights the greens, whites, and reds inside, so if youβre in Canyonlands after Mesa Arch, this makes the perfect follow-up. Scientists still debate whether itβs a collapsed salt dome or a meteor crater. Either way, itβs not like anything else in the park.
For more Canyonlands highlights beyond these viewpoints, donβt miss my guide to the Best Stops in Canyonlands National Park.
Trail Length: 3 miles round trip
Difficulty: Strenuous (steep slickrock, no shade)
Estimated Time: 2β3 hours
Best Time: Sunset
This is the bucket-list sunset in Moab. The 3-mile hike climbs steadily, and the last stretch across slickrock will test your calves, but standing under Delicate Arch at sunset is worth every step. The arch glows gold against the darkening desert.
Pro tip: Arrive an hour before sunset. That way, you can take photos before it gets crowded, then just sit back and watch the light change.
Trail Length: 1 mile round trip with the Windows Section
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunset
A quieter alternative to Delicate Arch. The sun sets perfectly behind Turret Arch, lighting up the sky behind its stone window. You can climb into the arch for a fun angle, or watch from North Window across the way.
Trail Length: 0.25 miles paved to the overlook (2 miles if you do the rim trail)
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunset
The name says it all. From the overlook, youβll see Monument Basin, the Needles, and canyons stretching as far as the eye can see. At sunset, the spires glow while the canyons below fade into shadow. It feels like the whole desert is putting on a show.
Trail Length: 0.5 miles round trip to the overlook
Difficulty: Easy
Best Time: Sunset
One of the most iconic sunset spots in Utah. From the overlook, the Colorado River makes a giant U-turn 2,000 feet below. As the sun sets, the cliffs turn fiery red, and the view is wide open in every direction.
I caught it on a cloudy day, and the stormy light added dramaβbut on a clear evening, itβs pure magic.
In Moab, the timing matters as much as the destination. Sunrise lights up Mesa Arch like fire. Sunset turns Delicate Arch into gold. And if youβre willing to trade a little sleep or sweat for the view, youβll walk away with memoriesβand photosβthat feel larger than life.
If you only do one sunrise and one sunset, make it Mesa Arch at sunrise and Delicate Arch at sunset. But honestly? You canβt go wrongβMoabβs red rock knows how to put on a show no matter where the sun is. If you want to build a full red rock itinerary around these golden-hour stops, my Spend a Week in Moab: The Perfect 7-Day Itinerary maps out the best way to fit everything in.
The tulip fields in the Netherlands look exactly like the photos, except the photos donβt capture how massive the color blocks actually are stretching across the countryside. Or the windmills. Or the sheep randomly standing in the middle of everything like they donβt know theyβre in the most photogenic country on earth.
The honest caveat: tulip season moves fast, the fields rotate every year, and peak bloom is not a guarantee, it depends on the weather, the harvest schedule, and a little bit of luck. But thatβs also part of what makes it feel less like a tourist attraction and more like something you actually found.
Full driving route with towns, parking tips, and what to expect | linked in bio. π·
#netherlands #travelling #tulipfields #exploreeurope
Amsterdam has a way of making you feel like you need to see everything, and then rewarding you most when you slow down anyway. The museums and canal cruises are worth it, but so is just wandering neighborhoods, eating whatever looks good, and sitting along the canals with a grilled cheese and nowhere to be.
First-time visitor guide is on the blog. Link in bio. π·
#travelling #travel #amsterdam #visitamsterdam #traveleurope
10 stops. One very full day. Zero regrets. Amsterdam has one of the best food scenes Iβve experienced anywhere in Europe, but the honest caveat is that some of the viral spots come with lines that will genuinely test your character. I skipped a few. I regret nothing.
Hereβs what actually made the cut on my self-guided Amsterdam food tour:
Fresh stroopwafels at Hans Egstorf: made right in front of you, warm caramel, no line. This one won.
Lourens cookie croissant: flaky outside, gooey chocolate inside. Did not share.
CafΓ© Winkel 43 apple pie: one of the rare viral places that fully lives up to the hype.
Davieβs Amsterdam for the Lelie sandwich: pastrami, pickles, marbled bread. Deceptively simple. Absolutely excellent.
De Kaaskamer to end the day: 400+ cheeses, grilled cheese with what they call ketchup (itβs not ketchup, and itβs better), and bunker cheese aged in underground military bunkers.
The full route covers 10 stops through Jordaan, the 9 Streets, the canal district, and the flower market area with a Google Map included so you can just follow along.
Full guide with every stop, tips for beating the lines, and what Iβd skip vs. do again | link in bio.
#amsterdam #visitamsterdam #netherlands #travel #visitnetherlands #traveleurope
Thereβs a version of Gatlinburg thatβs all fudge shops and tourist crowds, and then thereβs the version that actually makes you want to come back.
Hereβs everything worth doing downtown, in the order Iβd do it: ποΈ
β¨ Start at @gatlinburgskypark before the crowds hit
β¨ Walk the strip mid-morning when itβs still manageable
β¨ @googooclusters stop (see my post from Tuesday: donβt skip it)
β¨ Dinner at one of the local spots off the main drag
β¨ Wander back out at night when the lights are on and it gets actually pretty
This isnβt your overscheduled Smoky Mountain itinerary. Itβs more of a βhereβs what Iβd actually do if I had one solid dayβ kind of list.
Full downtown Gatlinburg guide linked in bio. π
If someone told me Iβd spend five hours at SkyPark, I would not have believed them. And yet. π
Gatlinburg SkyPark sits above the strip and itβs one of those places that looks like a quick stop on paper and turns into most of your afternoon. The SkyBridge alone is worth it β longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America, and yes, you will look down.
β¨ SkyBridge (longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America)
β¨ SkyLift ride up with views of the Smokies
β¨ Walking trails with mountain views in every direction
β¨ Way less crowded than downtown
Fair warning: if heights genuinely freak you out, the bridge might not be your thing. The rest of the park is still 100% worth it. Full guide with tickets, tips, and what to skip linked in bio. π
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