Last July, I decided to take a trip with my family to Tennessee, North Carolina and South Carolina the few days before Independence Day, and naturally, I had to document the experience. I still remember returning home and trying to clear my camera roll of the messy pictures, and I had eventually selected over 500 photos to delete.

It's always fun during a trip, but I like to always have a way to "return" to that trip whenever I want to, meaning photos are the perfect way to remember your memories without needing a photographic memory. So here are my favorite moments I was able to capture from my Independence Day 2017 trip!

Southside District, Tennessee

Ferris Hall, University of Tennessee

We were quickly driving through the campus, but there was too much construction going on to make the trip completely enjoyable. I did take a picture specifically of this building because of how ethereal it looked compared to the chaos around it.

A Double Rainbow

This wasn't the only rainbow we saw, but it was definitely the most memorable one. Although it looks far away in this picture, I genuinely thought that if I opened the car window, I could touch it. It's rare to see a double rainbow casually, so having been right next to one was a dream come true.

Murals on the Drive

Mela - Asheville, North Carolina

I'll admit I had low expectations for this restaurant because I haven't seen that many great Indian restaurants, but Mela genuinely blew me away. Not only was the ambiance calming, the food brought justice to Indian culture.

Mount Soma

Tara Lane

Sri Somesvara Temple was one of our stops while driving around North Carolina, and I was taken aback when the highway disappeared and was replaced by mountains on both sides. The temple itself is small but bustling with activity, and because it's located at such a high elevation, there's no service to let you be distracted on your phone. It's actually one of the most calming places I have ever been to in my life.

A Quick Glance Up

USS Yorktown

We spent a full afternoon here, and while it was such an interesting place to be, I couldn't get it out of my head how hot it was outside. That ruined the experience just a bit, but because it was the day before Independence Day, it was heartwarming to see so many people there interested in the country's history.

Looking for Arthur Ravenel Bridge

This was taken from the top of the USS Yorktown, and I'll never forget how unbelievably humid it was that day. Considering we were in the middle of the water, that wasn't making the situation any better.

SEE ALSO: Orlando, Florida Road Trip Photo Album: Ripley's, Pirate's Cove And Ferris Wheel Ride

The Medal of Honor

The Star-Spangled Banner

The Mystery Couple

I occasionally find this picture while scrolling through my camera roll, and I always look immediately at their complementing outfits. His shirt matches her pants (and vise versa), so I always wonder if they planned it to be that way. I just wish I could find the couple now and give them this picture. I didn't mean to have them in it originally, but I'm now glad that they happened to be there.

The French Quarter, South Carolina

Sunset in The French Quarter

This is one of my favorite pictures, but I just can't explain why.

The Sole Turtle

I'd never seen a turtle that was white, but it didn't look like a typical albino turtle either. I felt especially bad because in comparison to the other fish and creatures in the same tank, this turtle was tiny and was being pushed around by others. I do have to admit that it was too beautiful to not be the subject of a photo, though.

Independence Day

We finally reached home a few hours before the fireworks would go off that evening, but it was pouring outside. We weren't sure if the rain would subside by nighttime, but sure enough, the sky was clear just half an hour before the fireworks began. And thankfully, I could get a final snapshot to end the trip.