In a world of beach lovers and bikini wearers, sometimes I have a hard time understanding how tropical locations are the go-to answer for a perfect vacation.

My mom grew up in Massachusetts, so I have lots of families scattered throughout New England. Her stories and pictures of everything she got to experience growing up left me longing to see in person what she could only describe to me as breathtaking.

In my sophomore year of high school, in between visiting extended family and finally seeing the destination of most of my mom's childhood stories, we stopped in New Hampshire and went to the top of Mount Washington.

The top of Mount WashingtonKayla Quinn

I still vividly remember the feeling I got at the top of the mountain, somehow unafraid of everything below me, and in absolute awe of everything around me.

This summer, I was lucky enough to vacation with my lovely college friends, one of whom calls Conway, New Hampshire home for the summer. I was ecstatic to go up farther north for vacation, already knowing the trip would be the highlight of my summer way before it happened.

I think there's something otherworldly about being surrounded by mountains, and the more you climb up, the more peaceful it feels.

Vacations are supposed to help you escape from your everyday routine, even if just for a little while. I guess that's why I find myself so happy in the place the complete opposite of a crowded beach.

And even though my mountain visits are small in number, it's a feeling that keeps coming back, one of complete peace, happiness, and, most importantly, utter amazement.

For someone who usually has just the perfect amount of words to describe something, I find myself struggling to put these experiences into words. Maybe it's because there aren't enough words to describe it, but I think it's because you simply have to see it to truly understand.

Cathedral LedgeKayla Quinn