I think mindset/focus is the difference between a gorgeous photo and a gorgeous snapshot.
You could always go out and just take photos in your neighborhood -- you don't have to be on a trip somewhere. I'm not a great photographer, but I know that to get good at something is to practice, practice, practice :) With today's digital tech, at least we can take lots of photos instead of worrying about how to get that one image via a film camera. :)
Oh man, speaking of... check out that @irvinesimages who commented just below. The photos he posts from the southwest US are are film (pretty much) from the 1990ish. Respect! I can barely remember the pre-digital days and not being able to look at the images instantly.