After two months and almost 12,000 entries, our 2009 Dream Trip Contest is just hitting its stride. For inspiration for your own entry, and a chance to win a $25,000 vacation to wherever you choose, read our take on a submission that caught our eye:

Photo of the Day will be taking a break over the Independence Day weekend. But before we head out the virtual office door, here's a suitable pyrotechnic image from Dream Trip entrant judyeberhart, shot one July Fourth in Santa Barbara, California.

"Fireworks is traditional for celebration of the Fourth of July," judyeberhart explains to the uninitiated in her Dream Trip entry. "But made it so stunning here was the reflection off the ocean. The fireworks was held off the pier so the rest of the town could watch from almost any location. It was an uplifting demonstration of support for the U.S.A."

Share your travel photos and memories in our 2009 Dream Trip Contest. You could be just a few clicks away from a $25,000 trip to anywhere you choose.