Websites to Help You Take Your Own Passport Photo

• The U.S. State Department: Bureaucracy has moved into the 21st century, and even the State Department wants to help you take your own passport photo by offering a free photo cropping tool that will size your photo correctly so that you can print it yourself.
• iVisa: If you don’t want to deal with printing your own passport pictures, or if you need a passport or visa photo for another country (which may be a different size than the U.S. passport photo), iVisa does everything for those who want to take a passport photo at home, including printing and mailing your photos directly to your house. You can also pay extra to have your photos checked to make sure that they will be approved.
• Passport Photo Booth: For those wondering, “Can I take my own passport photo?” there’s an app for that. Passport Photo Booth (available for iOS) helps you with the photo composition needed for passport photos, showing you exactly where to pose within the frame. You can e-mail or save the image for free, or pay extra to have your passport pictures printed.

Key Passport Photo Requirements

If you’re planning to take a passport photo at home, make sure that it will meet all of the State Department’s passport photo requirements:

• Passport pictures must be in color, not black and white.
• No filters are allowed, no matter how good they make you look.
• Passport photos must be “2” x 2″ (51 x 51 mm) with the head centered and sized between 1″ and 1.4″ (25 and 35 mm).” (Click here for a passport photo composition template.)
• Remove any face coverings or masks for the photo.
• Passport photos must be “taken within the last 6 months to reflect your current appearance.”
• Passport photos must be “taken in front of a plain white or off-white background.”
• Passport photos must be “taken in full-face view directly facing the camera.”
• When taking your own passport photo, make sure that you have a “neutral facial expression and both eyes open.”
• Your passport picture should be “taken in clothing that you normally wear on a daily basis.”
• “Uniforms should not be worn in your photo, except religious clothing that is worn daily.”
• When taking your own passport photo, “do not wear a hat or head covering that obscures the hair or hairline, unless worn daily for a religious purpose. Your full face must be visible, and the head covering must not cast any shadows on your face.”
• “Headphones, wireless hands-free devices, or similar items are not acceptable in your photo.”
• “Eyeglasses are no longer allowed in new visa photos, except in rare circumstances when eyeglasses cannot be removed for medical reasons.”

To inform how to take your own passport photo, the State Department provides some examples of passport pictures that are and are not accepted. Check them out here.

How to Take Your Own Passport Photo

• When taking passport pictures, get a neutral background. If you don’t have plain white walls to pose in front of at home, tape a piece of plain white poster board behind you to create a clean backdrop.
• It’s important, when you take your own passport photo, to check the lighting. You can’t have any shadows in your passport photo, so taking it in natural daylight on a sunny day works best.
• Get help: Selfies won’t be accepted as passport pictures, so you’ll either need to use a tripod if you want to take your own passport photo or ask a friend to snap your picture.

Caroline Morse Teel has more travel tips than how to take your own passport photos. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline for advice and inspiration.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2018. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post How to Take Your Own Passport Photo appeared first on SmarterTravel.

A Camera Bag for Multiple Lenses

The Hanover bag from Jo Totes is perfect for carrying around all of your lenses. It’s made from water-resistant nylon and black leather. The camera insert is removable, making the $119 bag an extra good investment because you can also carry it like an everyday purse. 

Top Features: Removable shoulder strap, shoulder pad, camera insert, and crossbody straps. Zips close and also can fit a 13″ laptop.

A Water-Resistant Camera Bag

The Brixton from ONA is made of water-resistant waxed canvas and leather. It can fit up to three lenses and a 13″ laptop and has four removable dividers so you can customize the bag to fit your specific camera needs. At $289, it’s on the expensive side, but it’s a great investment for quality and size.

Top Features: Unique handcrafted quality and antique brass tuck-clasp closure. Side weather flaps provide extra protection.

A Compact Camera Bag

The Drew-Roma Neoprene Camera Bag from Haute Shore is compact for smaller cameras or for when you’re traveling without lenses. The exterior zipper pocket holds separate items that could scratch your camera, like keys and cards.

Top Features: The neoprene material and extendable strap. It’s a top-quality bag at $46.95 with metal hardware, zipper closure, and decorative accents.

A Carry-All Camera Bag

The stylish Capri tote is a perfect carry-all if you’re traveling with a lot of personal items. It can fit up to three lenses, a tablet or 11″ laptop, and smaller personal items. At $269 from ONA, it’s on the more expensive side–but it’s also made of handcrafted waxed canvas and leather.

Top Features: The leather handles, zip closure, and detachable crossbody strap.

A Camera Bag for a Luxe Look

The Claremont Leather Camera Bag from Lo & Sons is designed specifically to fit a DSLR with extra internal padding for protection. It can also fit a small extra lens and has a separate back zipper pocket, two front pockets for memory cards, and a hanging SD memory card holder.

Top Features: While the leather material puts it at a $300 price tag, the leather and design make it the ultimate camera bag for the fashion-conscious traveler.

A Lightweight Camera Bag

Longchamps’s Le Foulonné Leather Camera Crossbody Bag is the perfect compact camera bag for easy access. Its zip-top closure allows you to pull out your camera for that perfect shot quickly.

Top Features: The leather exterior and adjustable strap are nice features and the no-frills design makes it easy to take only what you need and keep it organized.

A Heavy-Duty Camera Bag

While stylish over-the-shoulder camera bags are great for travel, sometimes you need something a little heartier. Function meets fashion in The Runner from Brevite, a camera backpack that’s designed to carry all of your gear without weighing your down.

Top Features: Its spacious design (17″ x 11″ x 5.5″) and segmented equipment compartment keep your gear organized and safe.

An Inexpensive Camera Bag Option

This compact crossbody from Bagsmart is an inexpensive option at under $35. It has a separate interior pocket and it would fit a DSLR comfortably.

Top Features: There are two removable padded dividers that allow you to customize interior space for different sizes of camera equipment.

A Colorful Camera Bag

The Finn Citron-Stripe Camera Bag from Cynthia Rowley is a colorful fashion choice if you’re looking to make a statement. The bag allows for easy camera access with the zip-top closure, and its lambskin material and twill lining are good protective fabrics for your camera.

Top Features: The two separate pockets are great for organizing your personal items, lenses, and camera body.

A Camera Bag for Parents

Let’s face it: moms have enough to think about when running out the door. Parents who love photography not only need a bag to keep their cameras but also for all of the other gear that comes with having kids. The  Kelly Moore Woodstock 3.0 Eco Leather Alternative Backpack has a removable padded basket for all of your camera gear, a divider that goes on top to keep your camera parts separate from any other gear you need to bring along. 

Top Features: The lower zipper, allows for easy access to your camera parts without having to dig through the rest of the bag. 

A Camera Bag for Travel

This WANDRD Lite Photography Bag is the ultimate personal item for anyone flying with their camera gear. It has a side pocket for easy access, an interior laptop sleeve, water bottle/tripod pocket, and a spacious interior for any other accessories you want to pack. 

Top Features: Interior pockets help with ultimate organization. 

A Sling Camera Bag 

The Rogue 9L Sling is a compact, lightweight camera bag that may seem small, but has plenty of interior organization, and a large main compartment. It’s weather resistant, and will even fit a 15-inch laptop. 

Top Features: It’s convertible! You can wear it as a sling, a messenger bag, or around your waist.

A Rolling Camera Bag 

Camera equipment can get heavy, and the ease of a rolling bag like the Manfrotto Manhattan Runner-50 Camera Roller Bag makes carting your camera and equipment around easier than ever. It has space for one DSLR camera with a 70/200mm lens attached plus 3-4 extra lenses, as well as room for a laptop. 

Top Features: For added protection, it comes with a separate rain cover for inclement weather.

FAQ

Which Camera Bag is for Me? 

This depends on what you plan on using your camera bag for, and how concerned you are about its look. If you are all about fashion, then the  Claremont Leather Camera Bag  or the Capri II from Ona are your best choices. Both look more like a purse than like a camera bag. If you are all about functionality, The Runner from Brevite or the Manfrotto Manhattan Runner-50 Camera Roller Bag will be best, as they are heavy-duty, and will hold all of your gear. 

Can I Bring my Camera Bag on An Airplane? 

As long as your camera bag fits the carry-on requirements of the airline you are flying, you can bring it! If you are going to keep your camera in your checked luggage, be aware that cameras with lithium batteries must be in your carry-on, as they can explode if not in the pressurized cabin. 

Do I Really Need a Camera Bag?

Cameras are not cheap, so you should protect them as best you can, and a camera bag is a great way to do so. Not only will a camera bag keep your gear organized, but it will also keep your camera safe. 

What Should I Keep in My Camera Bag?

It is up to you, depending on what you are planning on taking pictures of, and what type of gear you like to use. Some items you may want to keep in it are: 

• Camera
• Lenses
• Spare Batteries
• Memory Cards
• Tripod
• Rain Cover
• Flash
• Microfiber Cleaning Cloth
• Laptop/Tablet

Megan Johnson contributed to this story.

The post 13 Stylish Camera Bags You’ll Actually Want to Use appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Some of the links featured in this story are affiliate links, and SmarterTravel may collect a commission (at no cost to you) if you shop through them.

Mpix

Mpix prints out stunning photos that will look great at any size. Each order is handmade in Kansas using high-quality materials, and ships super-fast. Mpix offers among the most varieties of photo-printing options on the internet, meaning you can display your photos through unique formats such as a frameless metal print, Giclee print, a standout, wood print, or acrylic print. For a more off-the-wall option, Mpix will print your photos on everything from a mug to a blanket.

Shutterfly

With frequent sales, Shutterfly is one of the most affordable photo printing sites around. In addition to offering great prints, Shutterfly also hosts free unlimited photo storage online, so you have a safe place to keep your files. For the easiest way to display your photos, order one of Shutterfly’s framed print options, which comes matted and mounted behind glass so all you have to do is hang it.

Artifact Uprising

Support a small, sustainable business when you print your photos by using Artifact Uprising. Based in Colorado, Artifact Uprising works with a non-profit to provide jobs for adults with disabilities. All the products are handmade in the U.S., and there are options for recycled papers and reclaimed wood. There are a wide variety of ready-to-hang framed photos, as well as fun options like photo books, calendars, and scrapbooks.

Amazon Photo Prints

Prime members get free delivery on any photo project with Amazon Photo Prints. This site is super simple to use and makes it easy to create photobooks, tabletop items, and wall décor. Your photos can be printed on a wide variety of materials, from paper to birchwood.

Fracture

Looking for something more unique than a paper print? Check out Fracture’s eye-catching glass prints which transfer your photos onto the frameless glass for a vibrant display. Choose from a variety of sizes as well as a wall or table mount. Each Fracture product is made in Florida and inspected for quality before being shipped out.

Target Photo

A different website than regular Target.com, TargetPhoto.com is a surprisingly cheap and high-quality way to print out your photos. Projects are produced in a lab (not in-store) so you’ll have to wait two to three days for your items to ship, but it’s worth the wait. There are lots of fun options on this site, including a 252-piece puzzle, beach towels, and coasters made from your photos.

Easy Canvas Prints

For a large-scale photo, check out Easy Canvas Prints, which does as the name says—prints your photo on a ready-to-hang canvas. The site also makes it simple to create a gallery wall, offering different, customizable options based on the size of the area you want to fill.

Caroline Morse Teel is a Senior Editor at SmarterTravel. Follow her on Instagram @travelwithcaroline.

Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product.

The post The 7 Best Photo Printing Sites for Travelers appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Whether you’re a film hobbyist who’s been dreaming of starting up the next big travel vlog or just interested in stepping up your social media game, read on to see if the FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 foldable smartphone gimbal is right for you.

What is the FeiyuTech VlogPocket2?

The FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 is a 3-axis smartphone gimbal designed to help you shoot smooth, fluid footage, reduce shakiness, and expand the range of shots you can capture with a simple smartphone camera. The gimbal connects via bluetooth to the FeiyuTech ON app, which interacts with the VlogPocket2 to give you a variety of shot options for both photo and video. With the app, you can take 360-degree or 180-degree panorama photos, shoot hyperlapse footage, use motion-tracking technology, emulate a dolly zoom, and more. They gimbal also offers direct control to native smartphone cameras, although I prefer the app for its organization and special functions such as those listed above.

How Does the FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 Measure Up?

Ease of Use: 7/10

The learning curve of this gadget is a bit steep—I’ve used a few models of smartphone gimbal that I found more intuitive in the past. Fortunately, most of the learning curve comes from the sheer variety of functions that this gimbal and the associated app offer. Their website hosts a variety of tutorial videos that I found more illuminating than the written instructions.

Cost: 10/10

If I could give the VlogPocket2 an eleven out of ten for cost, I would. With its various features, it’s easy to imagine this product fitting comfortably in the $120-$150 range. However, it is available from online retailers such as B&H Photo for just  $89.88. If you are an amateur videographer looking for low-cost gear with a high pay-off, this is a good investment.

Portability: 9/10

Filming equipment can only be so compact, so for that it loses a portability point when compared to just sticking your phone in your pocket. However, when I compare it to lugging around my camera bag and my traditional tripod (neither of which afford me the steadicam qualities of the VlogPocket2), it’s the easy winner. At only 272 grams (roughly 0.6 pounds), it won’t weigh you down.

Quality of Footage: 9/10

When it comes down to it, the quality of the footage really relies on the model of smartphone you are using rather than the VlogPocket2 itself. Aside from that, the gimbal footage was smooth and seamless.

FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 Pros:

• App is easy to navigate
• Many options for both photo and video
• Can be free-standing with no extra equipment/tripod
• Affordable price

FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 Cons:

• Functions of the gimbal itself are not intuitive
• Takes a while to learn how to get best footage

The post FeiyuTech VlogPocket2 Review appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Editor’s Note: Save these trips for when travel is safe again, and be sure to follow all travel restrictions and laws at your destination.

Natural Wonders That Won’t Be Around Forever

Read on to learn the stories of these wonders of the world, and get ideas about how to explore them before they’re gone.

Glacier National Park, Montana

In 1850, more than 150 glaciers capped the peaks in Montana’s Glacier National Park. Only 26 are left today. Of those still in existence, some have retreated as much as 85 percent over the past 50 years, according to a recent study from the U.S. Geological Survey. Global warming continues to take its toll on glacier mass—mean annual temperatures are up 1.33 degrees Celsius since 1900. It might sound like an insignificant uptick, but it’s enough of a shift to impact park ecosystems. Without glaciers and their continual meltwater running into streams, the streams get too warm in summer for some aquatic insects to survive. When those die off, it disrupts the food chain for the native bull trout population.

If you go: Hike the trails on Many Glacier for a great view of the waterfalls and alpine lakes that characterize this closer-to-home wonder of the world. The best place to see a glacier from the road is at Jackson Glacier Overlook on the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Watch for mountain goats and Bighorn sheep near Logan Pass.

Amazon Rainforest, South America

Spanning nine countries in South America, the Amazon Basin holds about half of the world’s tropical rainforests. If you laid the Amazon rainforest over the 48 contiguous United States it would cover 70 percent of the country. Unfortunately, about 17 percent of that rainforest has been lost in the last 50 years, mostly to cattle ranching, according to the World Wildlife Fund. So large is the rainforest that the wellbeing of the planet depends on the health of the Amazon, which stabilizes global climate. Deforestation releases significant amounts of the Amazon’s 90-140 billion metric tons of carbon, potentially causing devastating consequences to the earth’s water cycle. When trees are cut down, not only is carbon dioxide released, but less is absorbed going forward. The Nature Conservancy compares it to opening a forgotten container of leftovers in the fridge … except on a global scale.

If you go: You can go deep into the rainforest on the Amazon Conservation Association’s Manu Cloud Forest Canopy Walkway slung between trees at dizzying heights of up to 144 feet.

Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve, Mexico

About a 2.5-hour drive west of Mexico City, you’ll find a great wonder of the world: The planet’s only place to see millions of migrating monarch butterflies in a single spot. After a 3,000-mile journey to Canada and the U.S., they return each year to overwinter in the fir forests of the Monarch Butterfly Biosphere Reserve. But deforestation in Mexico, climate change, and habitat loss along their migratory route are endangering the migrating subspecies. According to a 2015 report by UNESCO, the area of forest the butterflies cover in their winter home is the second lowest it has been since monitoring began in 1993. The habitat surrounding their reserve is at risk—it is being illegally deforested and replaced with groves of avocados, a high-yield cash crop.

If you go: Hire a local guide to take you by bike or horseback along a forest trail to a remote part of the butterfly reserve. January and February are the best times to see the monarchs clustering in such massive quantities that they weigh down the boughs of fir trees in quivering heaps.

Mesoamerican Barrier Reef; Mexico, Belize, and Honduras

You might not have heard of the Mesoamerican Barrier Reef, but if you’ve snorkeled in Cancun, Playa del Carmen, or elsewhere along the Caribbean coast of Central America, then you’ve likely already visited this natural wonder. The Mesoamerican stretches 600 miles from Mexico’s Yucatan Peninsula through Belize and Honduras. It’s the world’s second largest barrier reef, and the color is slowly draining from it. The Belize section is a protected UNESCO World Heritage site and one of the 54 sites on UNESCO’s “in danger” list. Rising ocean temperatures have caused mass bleaching of the coral. When temperatures rise even slightly, the corals expel the algae that lives in coral tissues, which causes them to turn completely white and become susceptible to disease and death. Overfishing, pollution, potential offshore oil drilling, and changes in the water’s pH are other threats cited by the Nature Conservancy.

If you go: Viator’s Belize tour offers snorkeling in protected areas of the coral reef. See manta rays, sea turtles and the occasional manatee on a night snorkeling tour.

White Cliffs of Dover, Great Britain

The iconic white cliffs of Dover are slipping away at an alarming rate. The rare cliffs, exposed to the weather and battered by storm waves, are retreating at a rate 10 times faster in the last 150 years than they did in the 7,000 years prior. Each year eight to 12 inches calve from the soft-cliff coastline of this natural wonder and tumble down to the beach below, according to a 2016 report. What’s to blame for the accelerated erosion? The research team suggests thinning cliff-front beaches play a role. The dynamic is exacerbated by rising sea levels and increased storm intensity due to global warming.

If you go: Hike the trails that wander surprisingly close to the cliff edge. From the top you’ll see the nearby ferries crossing between England and France. You can also view this natural wonder from below on a boat tour.

Great Barrier Reef, Australia

The only living thing visible from space, the Great Barrier Reef is a true natural wonder—the world’s largest coral reef ecosystem, stretching 1,240 miles along Australia’s northeast coast. More than 400 types of coral and 1,500 species of fish live here. But by the end of the century, this World Heritage site could be gone. In the past three years, soaring ocean temperatures have caused some of the worst bleaching ever observed at the Great Barrier Reef, according to the UNESCO’s 2017 Impacts of Climate Change on World Heritage Coral Reefs scientific assessment. Greenpeace estimates that nearly a quarter of the reef’s coral died in 2016 alone. UNESCO’s report warns that if business-as-usual emissions continue, this and other reefs on the planet will cease to exist as functioning ecosystems in the next 100 years.

If you go: Take a snorkeling tour to see the annual coral spawning, or the large green turtle, which is threatened with extinction. Humpback whales migrate through these waters from June through October.

The Dead Sea, Israel

Since ancient times, the Dead Sea has been a place of healing and relaxation, where people come to float in therapeutic, super-buoyant waters that are more than eight times saltier than the ocean. Some experts believe this natural wonder could disappear completely within the next hundred years. Water levels are dropping at a rate of about three feet per year, and have fallen more than 82 feet since the 1970s according to the World Wildlife Fund. The waters that used to lap near the doorstep of resorts are now a mile in the distance—with thousands of massive sinkholes in between. A big part of the problem is that the inflow from this lake’s main tributary, the Jordan River, has been reduced to only five percent of the original volume. Bordering countries Israel and Jordan siphon the water for drinking, agriculture, and mineral mining.

If you go: Cover yourself in the mineral-rich mud and let the water (30 percent salt) buoy you. There’s no way to sink even if you try.

Islands of the Maldives

Off the southern coast of India, this tropical nation of 26 atolls and more than 1,000 coral islands is known for its white powder beaches, coral reefs, and unrivaled luxury. For now. The low-lying islands of the Maldives are slowly being swallowed up by rising sea levels. As carbon emissions increase and ice sheets melt, rising sea levels have begun to submerge this beautiful natural wonder, whose highest point is only eight feet above the water. Maldivians live with the constant danger of being forced to evacuate their homeland, writes Trevor Greene in his book There Is No Planet B: Promise And Peril On Our Warming World. He says the nation could be reduced to a network of “interesting new reefs” by 2112. The die-off of coral reefs that supply food and income for islanders may happen even sooner.

If you go: Take a charter on a dhoni (pole-and-line fishing boat) and learn how pole-and-line fishing sustains healthy fish stocks that are wiped out by net fishing.

Sundarbans Mangrove Forest, India and Bangladesh

Where India’s Ganges River spills into the Bay of Bengal lies a tidal delta swamp with endless labyrinths of river channels and the world’s largest mangrove forest. This UNESCO World Heritage site is a rich ecosystem with exceptional biodiversity. Numerous endangered species, including the Royal Bengal Tiger and Ganges River Dolphin, breed in the Sundarbans. Climate change is now threatening this natural wonder. According to a 2016 study by World Bank Group, the most significant challenge is increased saltwater intrusion from rising sea levels. Tidal surges are so dramatic (up to 24 feet high) that up to a third of the Sundarbans get submerged every day, creating an ecosystem in which the mangroves aren’t getting enough fresh water. Other threats include increasingly intense cyclones, illegal hunting, harvesting of mangrove timber, and agricultural encroachment.

If you go: Track tigers on a boat trip through the narrow river channels of this natural wonder. Even if you don’t spot one, you’ll likely see wild boar, monkeys, and reptiles. Multi-day tours depart from Khulna in Bangladesh.

Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska

Polar bears and walrus depend on the Arctic’s sea ice for hunting grounds. The rest of the earth depends on the ice and permafrost to act as a global “air conditioner” to regulate climate. But the Arctic is warming twice as fast as the rest of the world, according to Dan Ritzman from the Sierra Club’s Our Wild America campaign. He says the effects can easily be seen in northeast Alaska’s Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, the most biodiverse place in the Arctic Circle and the calving grounds for the Porcupine Caribou herd. There’s less water now and sea ice is disappearing. At the same time, oil drilling is pushing in, with the newest expansion only about 12 miles from the edge of the refuge.

If you go: The Sierra Club recommends visiting the refuge’s Aichilik River delta in mid-June to see the caribou and sea ice. An alternative: World Wildlife Fund and Natural Habitat Adventures offer polar bear expeditions in Churchill, Manitoba.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 12 Ways to Travel Sustainably and Still Have a Great Vacation
• 10 Unforgettable Places to Sleep in National Parks
• The World’s 12 Most Walkable Cities

Jamie Moore is a regular contributor to SmarterTravel. Her articles have appeared on USA Today, Yahoo Travel, Huffington Post, and WestJet.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2017. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post 10 Natural Wonders to See Before They’re Gone appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Smartish Vault Slim Wallet

Billed as the “wallet slayer” by phone case company Smartish, the Vault Slim Wallet lives up to its nickname. It holds three cards plus cash (or, if you’re like me and you rarely carry cash, you can cram in four cards). The case has grip-textured sides that have helped me drop my phone significantly less since switching to this case.

Shop Now

Incipio Stashback

Keep your cards and cash hidden yet easily accessible with the Incipio Stashback phone wallet. It looks like a standard phone case but has a secret compartment that hinges up to conceal up to three cards. The case has been impact-tested for drops up to seven feet high, so even the clumsiest phone owners can feel safe using it.

Shop Now

Under Armour Protect Stash Case

Designed by Under Armour for tough environments, from traveling to hitting the gym, the Protect Stash Case can stand up to a lot of abuse. It has a shockproof case design with a padded interior and a “self-healing” exterior coating. The back is textured to give you a better grip while using or carrying your phone, and it won’t interfere with wireless charging. This phone wallet can hold up to three cards, but it’s still slim.

Shop Now

Smartish Q Card Case 

Need your phone case to pull triple-duty as protection as a wallet, protective layer, and a kickstand? The Smartish Q Card Case has a little slot built-in that allows you to use any card as a kickstand, so you can watch movies on your phone hands-free—which is perfect for airplane tray tables or simply relaxing in bed.

Shop Now

LUPA Wristlet Wallet

Want to replace your entire purse with a phone wallet case? The LUPA wristlet wallet holds your phone, up to four cards, and cash, plus it has a handy strap so it can be carried on your arm. It’s also super affordable, so you can stock up on all of the fun colors to match any outfit.

Shop Now

Spigen Slim

I’ve received more compliments on the Spigen Slim phone case than any other travel tech accessory—the sliding door feature that holds your cards garners lots of jealous attention. This is probably the slimmest phone wallet case out there, which is a trade-off because it only holds two cards. You can fit three in there, but I ended up breaking the case by overloading it.

Shop Now

WALLAROO Stick-on Wallet

If you prefer to keep the phone case you already have but still want the benefits of a phone wallet, the WALAROO is a good solution. It’s a removable pocket that can hold up to three cards plus cash, and sticks on to any existing phone case (or the back of your phone, if you like to live dangerously).

Shop Now

Stuck at Home? Stay Comfy and Productive:

More from SmarterTravel:

• 17 Essential Passport Wallets and Holders for Travelers
• 5 Smartphone Essentials You Should Never Travel Without
• 8 Ways to Stay Organized While Traveling

Caroline Morse Teel prefers a phone wallet case over a purse for travel. Follow her on Instagram @TravelWithCaroline for style and travel photos from around the world.

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2018. It has been updated to reflect the most current information. Codey Albers contributed to this story.

The post Ditch the Wallet: 7 Phone Cases to Hold Your Essentials appeared first on SmarterTravel.

How to Personalize Your Home to Feel Like Your Favorite Destination

Candles

On a recent trip to Morocco, I fell in love with the smells of the busy markets, spices, and food. Luckily, one of the hotels I visited—La Mamounia—created a candle with a scent specifically made for the hotel. I obviously caved and bought it, and it has been a great way to remember both the country and hotel.

Similarly, Homesick Candles makes candles with unique scents for all 50 states. So if you loved the smell of spruce trees on a recent trip to Colorado, you can smell them once you’re back home.

Photos

You don’t have to be a pro photographer to take awesome vacation photos. Photo website Artifact Uprising has an easy uploader that’ll transform even photos taken on your phone into a beautiful album, framed print, or calendar. I personally love the Instagram Friendly Books for your coffee table. Or enlarge some of your photos to hang in a gallery on your wall for some simple travel decor.

Grafomap

These thoughtfully designed map posters from Grafomap are another great addition to help personalize your home after a meaningful trip. Simply type in a location or city, and you can customize the colors, layout, and text. The company currently has nine different designs to fit almost any travel decor style.

Cutting Board

These state-shaped bamboo cutting boards are a unique way to show love for your favorite place, whether that’s where you’re from, currently living, or dreaming about. From wall-hanging to cheese-serving, who says home decor can’t serve a second purpose?

Wall Mural

If you’re really looking to make a splash in your home, create your own wall mural wallpaper with your favorite vacation photo. Note that you will need a high-quality photo to enlarge for this travel decor item, however; Wallsauce.com has some epic photos of major travel landmarks. Or pick from the map wallpaper options for a more global approach.

Pillows

Custom-designed pillows are a comfy and easy way to add travel decor of your favorite destination. Simply upload your favorite photo to Target Photo’s website, and bring your best vacation memory straight to your couch.

Coasters

Location-specific coasters are a simple and inexpensive way to personalize your home. I love the Idea Design Coaster Set, which features illustrations of six popular cities. These Neighborwoods Coasters are also a great option if you have a favorite memory from a certain destination. Check out Etsy for even more custom coasters and travel decor ideas.

More from SmarterTravel:

• The 7 Best Photo Printing Sites for Travelers
• 7 Tiny Travel Gadgets You Can’t Leave Home Without
• 5 Ways to Make Your Bedroom Feel like a Hotel Room

Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product.

The post 7 Travel Decor Ideas to Make Your Home Feel Like Your Favorite Place appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Three-Ring Binder

There are plenty of decorative binders out there that don’t look like you stole them from the office supply closet. Find one you love, or create a personalized cover for one using travel photos. Then, take all of your paper mementos—postcards, brochures, restaurant menus, etc.—and punch holes in them. Soon you’ll have a library full of binders from all your trips. Find instructions here.

Sand Jars

Want to remember that beautiful white-sand or black-sand beach forever? Scoop up a little bit to take home with you (and maybe some shells, too) if that’s permitted at your beach. Use your souvenir sand to partially fill up a glass mason jar. Insert a photo in the jar and maybe some shells or other memorabilia. See how to do it (and how to protect the photo in the jar) here.

Make a Ticket Collage

Put your tickets on display by making a collage. You can use ones from events, flights, and more. Best of all, it’s easy and cheap to do. All you need is a frame and a map. Use the map as a solid background, and then overlay your tickets on top. See some examples here.

Shadow Box

Got bulkier objects that you want to show off, like coins or even an old passport? Get a shadow box, a type of frame that lets you fit way more than a photo inside. Find ideas and instructions here.

Photo Book

If you’d rather get crafty on your phone or computer, turn your travel snaps into a photo book from Shutterfly. You can customize photo sizes, layouts, captions, backgrounds, and more, and then add a memorabilia pocket to store boarding passes, tickets, or other mementos.

Room-Key Magnets

If you ask nicely, most hotels will let you keep those cheap plastic room keys. Once you’ve stockpiled a few, all you need is some magnetic tape to turn your keys into refrigerator magnets. Now every time you look at your fridge, you’ll be reminded of all of the amazing places you’ve stayed. You can also create magnets out of other memorabilia, such as casino chips, as shown here.

Fillable Ornaments

Wound up with a handful of foreign currency that you can’t bear to throw away? Grab some of these fillable ornaments and add in your coins for a sentimental decoration.

Passport Art

This project requires some crafting skills, but the end result will be more than worth it. Basically, photocopy and enlarge your favorite stamps from your passport, and transfer them onto wooden panels. Here’s what it looks like when it’s all done (plus detailed instructions).

More from SmarterTravel:

• 7 Travel Decor Ideas to Make Your Home Feel Like Your Favorite Place
• 6 Cozy Ways to Feel Like You’re on Vacation at Home
• 5 Ways to Make Your Bedroom Feel Like a Hotel Room

Editor’s note: This story was originally published in 2015. It has been updated to reflect the most current information.

The post 8 Crafty Ways to Display Travel Keepsakes appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Miss travel? We do, too. But we’ve got a sorta-solve: these custom backgrounds you can download and use on all your Zoom calls.

There’s a backdrop for every occasion. Work Zoom? Class things up with the Amalfi Coast backdrop. Virtual cocktails with friends? Drink beneath tropical palm trees. Family dinner a la video call? Channel the fun of a day at the beach. As we all hunker down for another month of sheltering in place, video conferencing continues to be an important part of reducing social isolation.

Download your favorite travel-inspired backgrounds below, and then follow these instructions to bring the vacation vibe to this stay-at-home time.

Beach Dreams

Download: Palm Trees | Beach Day | Bungalow Sunset

European Adventures

Download: Madrid | Amalfi Coast | Santorini

City Lights

Download: Shanghai | San Francisco | New York City

More from SmarterTravel:

• 14 Amazing Travel Memoirs to Read When You’re Stuck at Home
• 21 Sites Offering Virtual Tours and Live Streams
• 14 Ways to Improve Your Future Trips While You’re at Home

The post Bring a Vacation Vibe to Your Zoom Calls with These Free Custom Backgrounds appeared first on SmarterTravel.

Rome, Italy

A police officer stands in front of the Spanish Steps on March 12, 2020.

New York, New York

Times Square stands mostly empty on March 21, 2020.

Madrid, Spain

Madrid’s Puerta del Sol is deserted on March 15, 2020.

London, England

A lone tourist sits in an empty Trafalgar Square on March 23, 2020.

Florence, Italy

Piazza del Duomo is shuttered in Florence on March 24, 2020.

Paris, France

Few tourists gather around the Eiffel Tower on March 17, 2020.

Warsaw, Poland

Old Town Square is empty in Warsaw, Poland.

Berlin, Germany

Berlin’s famous Brandenburg Gate is void of tourists on March 21, 2020.

Kolkata, India

A railway platform is empty for Janata Curfew in Kolkata on March 22, 2020.

Amsterdam, Netherlands

The typically busy streets of Amsterdam are nearly empty on March 7, 2020.

More from SmarterTravel:

• 14 Ways to Improve Your Future Trips While You’re Stuck at Home
• 11 Books to Inspire Your Future Travels
• 6 Ways to Feel Like You’re on Vacation at Home

The post 10 Eerily Beautiful Photos of Deserted Cities appeared first on SmarterTravel.