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How to Take the Best Family Vacation Photos

Apr 3, 2020

See recent posts by Jeff Bogle

Ahh, the allure of the family vacation photo—blown up big in a thick wooden frame or transformed into a canvas print to hang atop the mantel. The problem is, we all know your teens will moan, toddlers (and spouses) fidget, and babies are almost guaranteed to spit up at the exact moment the shutter goes off. So how can you get that perfect shot?

We have several family photo ideas and tips on how to do just that, from logistics to location, plus infant distraction tactics and groan-worthy dad jokes that’ll have the whole crew smiling wide.

1. Get Everyone in the Shot

How do you get everyone in the shot? I think even Jesus had to prod the painter and wrangle his followers to get each and every apostle into the famous Last Supper portrait. However, this isn’t as complicated a task as it seems.

To get started, frame the shot before you lasso your kids. The less time your children are ‘on set,’ the less they complain and the lower your blood pressure will be. It’s a win-win scenario. Have the scene for your photo selected, the camera lens attached (if using a DSLR ), and the shot blocked and framed by asking a few easy-going adults to stand in while you look through the viewfinder or at the phone screen to determine how far away or close the camera needs to be, which focal length lens will work best, and the angle at which you’ll eventually get everyone to line up to in order to get the best light.

2. Use a Tripod

Tripods are cheap, often flexible and/or collapsable for travel, and easily available for whatever device you’ll be using to take your best family vacation photo. If you’re wondering how to take family photos on an iPhone , for example, simply buy an affordable Ubeesize tripod that’s bendable enough to curl around a fencepost or stand up straight on a table, and comes with a remote control. This nifty little clicker will allow you to skip the phone timer trick of running back into the shot.

3. Consider Outsourcing the Job

Don’t want the hassle of getting the perfect shot? You can pay someone else to do the heavy lifting. Sites such as Flytographer will connect you with a professional photographer to make your memories concrete. Rates start at $250 for a 30-minute session in a single location with 15 photos. And while that fee—which may be equivalent to one night at your resort—seems steep, it’s worth it when you factor in the equipment you won’t need to buy or carry with you on vacation, the skills you don’t need to possess or attempt to gain through online tutorials, and the stress taken off your shoulders by a trained, friendly professional.

Related: 11 Best Ways to Preserve Your Family Vacation Photos

4. Choose the Right Location

Location, location, location… always repeated three times, and with good reason when it comes to family vacation photos! Sites such as Trover may help you plant clever family photo ideas in the soil of your mind before you depart for your vacation. But we’ve found the best way to approach choosing a photogenic location for family vacation photos is to keep your eyes open as you drive around the destination, walk around the resort property you’ve booked, and even ask the concierge (they’ll appreciate the unique question!) where are the defining geological features, best views of the surrounding city skyline, landscape, rugged coastline, etc. to stage a family photo.

5. Tell Dad Jokes

The last thing you want to see in a well-planned, well-executed family vacation photo are lifeless, artificial grins. No, no, that won’t do it all! Instead, bust out some of these premium, grade-A dad jokes to make your kids laugh. A dad joke or three is the best way to get everyone looking at the camera lens and smiling big, wide, honest smiles. Here are some fine dad jokes adapted from Chris Illuminati’s collection (many of which he put into his Everything Big Book of Jokes , written under a pen name).

• What kind of shoes do ninjas wear? Sneakers .
• After we’re done with the photos, anyone want to get some pizza for lunch/dinner? Oh, that reminds me, I’ve got a great pizza joke for you. Actually, nevermind, it’s way too cheesy.
• Hey, you guys hear the rumor going around about butter? You know what, actually, I shouldn’t really be spreading it.
• Okay, everyone, look at the phone… the one I just nicknamed the “Titanic” so that whenever it’s charging I can say, “the Titanic is syncing!”

In addition to these gems, we recommend the pocket-sized Dad Joke book with 200 zingers at the ready.

6. Avoid Clashing Outfits

They say that “clothes make a man” …and the best family vacation photo.

This doesn’t mean you all have to coordinate outfits (although there’s something to be said for matching Christmas pajamas during a holiday vacation photo). That said, you don’t want to clash either, so talk about it, plan it out, and for goodness sake, son, pick something that doesn’t have holes in it! But mom, please relax if your toddler demands to wear his absolute favorite Spiderman outfit , the one he wears nonstop at home. Remember: a family photo that captures your crew as they are is better than the fabricated version you might be envisioning.

Related: 8 Ways to Make Your Smartphone Do More on Vacation

7. (Try to) Choose the Right Time

When is the best time of day to take a good family vacation photo, you ask? It’s purely situational, based largely on the ages and temperaments of your children. Morning light is lovely, softer than midday usually, but if your kid is simply not having it before noon, the results will be less than stellar and your day will be off to a frustrating start. Those kind of photos just aren’t worth it.

Generally, stay away from any time and location where the sun will be behind you or directly on your happy campers. The harshness of the latter will not only have everyone squinting and complaining, but it’ll also whitewash those wide smiles after you’ve just spit out a few more brilliant dad jokes. The former, while gorgeous to look at as the sun dips, will throw a blanket over your family’s pearly whites and leave you with a murky photo no one will want to hang up or share on social media (unless it’s for a #FamilyPhotoFail challenge).

8. But Skip the Golden Hour for Family Portraits

You’ve probably heard of the “golden hour,” which happens toward the end of the day, in the dying embers before sunset when everything and everyone framed by a camera lens seems to have that Midas touch. It’s glorious and might make for a great family vacation photo, but… probably not. There isn’t an abundance of time to pull off a full family photo in this fleeting light, but for individual kid portraits, it works wonders.

Here’s my teenager during the golden hour, in a field of massive sunflowers that Van Gogh surely would’ve loved to paint. So skip the golden hour family photo idea to make one-off portraits and/or candids of your individual kids being their best, unique selves in this glorious light.

9. Capture the Baby’s Attention

No food , not yet. You don’t want baby chewing, spilling or spitting up while you take the best family vacation photo to commemorate your trip. Instead, use a toy to distract and delight. Make it something small that matches his or her outfit so that the toy doesn’t stand out in the finished photograph, but will make the tiniest tot if not happy, at least amenable to being held for however long it takes to get the shot! Check out the Gizmovine baby rattle set , with 10 pieces in a variety of soft colors that should blend seamlessly into your family photo.

Related: 9 Best Portable Photo Printers

10. Get Creative

Not every family photo needs to be straight on, in a line, staring at the camera. Honestly, that’s kind of boring. Plus, with digital cameras , you can experiment, take a dozen or a hundred shots, and mess around with angles, perspective and the features of the area around us—whether that’s wildflowers in a national park or circular swings in a pop-up city park.

The following summer, while on vacation in New England, I saw a set of visually pleasing swings and thought, “those would be cool to photograph!”. Once four together became available, I asked my crew to position themselves and act however they were feeling in the moment—not posed, but instinctual—some were happy, some chill, some afraid of falling off, and some weird (the youngest kid, it’s always the youngest!). And that tells a small portion of the story of this sunny day exploring Boston .

11. Let Accidents Happen

Sometimes the best photos are the ones that are unplanned. Years ago, we asked a tour company employee to take a family photo of us before our Blue Hawaiian Helicopter Tour on the Big Island . It ended up being one of our favorites from the trip. Our outfits, through no coordination at all, actually sort of worked together, too. Happy accidents are the best accidents!

Jeff Bogle lives in the suburbs of Philadelphia with his two teen daughters, two cats, one dog and six (yes, six) guinea pigs. He is an award-winning photographer and respected travel journalist with bylines on Reader’s Digest, Good Housekeeping, PBS, Esquire and more. Jeff (probably) spends too much time in England watching football and far too many hours plotting his family’s future travel adventures. Find Jeff on his own site,  Out With the Kids . 

What to Pack for Your Next Trip

Dad’s/men’s outfit for a family vacation in vegas in summer/spring, shop the look.

Cotton Pocket Tee

Beach Sweat Shorts

57mm Phantos Aviator Polarized Sunglasses

Travel Laptop Backpack

Nike Roshe Run

Mom’s/women’s outfit for a family vacation in vegas in summer/spring.

Japanese GoWeave High-Neck Tank

Lightweight Wide Leg Crop Chino

Single Pearl Necklace

Stirrup Leather Bag

Alina Flats

Teen girl’s cool cruise outfit for summer.

Colwyn Shirt

Bleach Joni Shorts

Canvas Tote Bag

Moment Espadrille

Teen boy’s cool cruise outfit for summer.

Pink Lemonade Shirt

Stone Utility Shorts

Polarized Sunglasses

Our team of parents and travel experts chooses each product and service we recommend. Anything you purchase through links on our site may earn us a commission.

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25 easy tips for stunning family travel photography

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Table of Contents

Family photography ideas and Instagram tips for your next family vacation photos

Have you ever had the feeling your family vacation photos don’t end up the way you pictured them in your head (a lot of the time because the kids don’t cooperate)? They don’t represent the way your family felt at the moment or tell the story in the right way? Or do you want to improve your family travel photography to show it off on Instagram or Facebook as we do?

Taking amazing shots doesn’t have to be difficult. In this article, I’ll give you a lot of simple tips and tricks to up your game and take those family travel pictures you always dreamed of!

You don’t even need a fancy camera for most of them, the tips are always applicable!

To me, beautiful pictures are art. They tell a story, take you into the moment. They are the most precious souvenirs I take back home. Travel and photography are my passions, which is also the reason why I turned them into my business. I hope all of our photos will be amazing memories for our kids and ourselves, and that they will inspire other families to go out and explore with their own kids.

A family vacation is, first of all, a time to be together, be in the moment with your kids and partner. If you are like me, however, you also want beautiful shots that reflect the way you felt about your trip.

I once started without any knowledge about photography, picturing in my head all the stunning photos I would take during our trips and would frame onto our wall afterward. Unfortunately, that’s not what happened. I didn’t do it the right way to really let my pictures and family shine. I’m still not a professional, but over the years I learned a lot and gained much experience. Especially since we started to travel full time with our kids.

Read more: Our travel stories

And now it’s time to share all of my tips with you guys, so you can take the best pictures ever on your next family trip.

What camera gear to use for your family travel photography

The question most people ask us on our Instagram is which camera or lens we use during our travels .

Whatever you choose, don’t forget you’re traveling with kids. Think about your holiday, the trips you are planning, the activities you will do.

And of course, the kids you will bring along. You don’t want to travel with gear that is too heavy or takes up too much room in your backpack. Try to pack light. Sometimes it’s a difficult balance between the weight of your bag and the level of quality you want to achieve with your photography.

Read more: Our travel photography gear guide

Let’s dive into it.

1. Choose the right camera

First of all, a good picture doesn’t only rely on a professional camera. For an amazing shot, you both need the vision, experience, and material. If you have a DSLR camera but don’t know how to handle it, it’s useless.

You don’t have to spend a huge amount of money to take great family travel pictures. Once you get experienced though, you’ll slowly start to dream about the more expensive gear.

The tips in this article are useful for whichever phone or camera you use . I have taken some great shots with my iPhone 7plus.

If photography isn’t really your thing or maybe something you only practice occasionally, you might want to invest in a smartphone with an excellent camera. Top of the notch at the moment is the iPhone XS and iPhone 11 Pro , the Huawei P30 Pro , and the Samsung Galaxy S10 5G

That being said, once you get the hang of it, you’ll soon meet the limitations of smartphones. For example, low light performance and the possibilities for editing are really limited.

I can highly recommend you to buy a DSLR or mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses if you want to shine in family travel photography. You won’t regret it!

Make sure you learn how to work with your camera . Don’t shoot in automatic. Take a basic photography course and learn to shoot in manual. Master the triangle of ISO, aperture (F), and shutter time (S). It’s not that hard, you just need to practice a lot!

Download your FREE manual photography cheat sheet & discover OUR PHOTOGRAPHY E-BOOK

Want to learn how to take travel pictures that tell a story?  How to use the manual mode of your camera?  And how to use these pictures to grow your social media or business? 

Our online photography e-book and course will launch soon!  

Download our FREE printable manual photography cheat sheets now  to learn what terminology and settings to use and  be the first to know about the launch of our course with an early-bird discount!!

We’ll launch our course both in English and in Dutch. Let us know below which language interests you.

Thank you and welcome to the tribe!

You can download your FREE manual photography cheat sheet HERE . 

Have fun with manual photography!

For travel, mirrorless cameras are a fantastic alternative to the classic DSLR. They also have high-quality and interchangeable lenses.

But they don’t have a mirror, which means they are smaller (ideal for a travel backpack) and make less noise. Great for taking candid shots of your kids without them noticing.

My favorite mirrorless camera for smaller budgets is the Sony A6000, which we have. In my opinion, it is one of the cameras that offer the best value for money and is a great starter’s camera! You could also look into its successors such as the Sony A6300 and Sony A6500.

If you want to go more professional, the full-frame Sony A7 series is the way to go. Our next camera will be the Sony A7R Mark III or its successor Sony A7R Mark IV if I really want to go wild!

I’m a Sony photographer, but for Nikon people, I can recommend the Nikon D850 and for Canon lovers the Canon EOS 5D Mark IV . Both are full-frame DSLR cameras.

2. Take the right lens along

Another big thing to consider is which lens to use for family travel photography on your mirrorless or DSLR camera. Personally, I love family travel pictures where my kids or family are in focus and the background is blurry (which you achieve by opening up the aperture and having a lower f-number).

Either that or a stunning wide-angle landscape picture with or without my family in it, where everything is in focus.

When traveling, you don’t have the luxury to take many different lenses , mainly because you also have to carry all that stuff for your kids. That, and your children won’t have the patience to wait until you have changed your lens for the perfect shot. So the difficult thing to decide is which lenses to bring that will cover most of your wishes.

One of my favorite lenses is a prime lens . You can’t zoom so you will have to use your feet to go closer or further away. But the image quality is often better, they are small (ideal for travel) and are quite affordable, even if you want to have a low aperture such as f1,8 (which will give you that amazing blurry background).

I use a Sony FE 50mm f1,8 , ideal for a lower budget. But the Sony E 35mm f1,8 is on my list because it will allow me to take more wide-angle shots. I have to admit, for budget reasons, I often take pictures with my basic kit lens too, which is the Sony FE 16-50 mm f3,5 – 5,6 . It does what it has to, but not more than that.

The real lens that can’t miss in your travel bag, is a zoom lens in the 20 – 70 mm range . This will give you all the possibilities you want for family travel photography without having to change your lenses all the time. There are different kinds, but the one on my list is the Sony FE 24-70mm f2,8 , which is quite costly but the best lens on the market in its range.

3. Invest in some photography accessories

If you have any money left, some accessories are really handy or even unmissable if you want to make amazing family travel pictures.

First of all, the tripod . You may have noticed we often take pictures with all four of us. Although I love the pictures of my kids, the pictures that go on our wall are often those with the four of us. I could ask a random person to take the shot, but more often than not, the picture doesn’t turn out the way I want it. We either have no feet, aren’t close enough in the shot, or even worse, aren’t in focus.

The tripods we recommend for your camera and have ourselves are the Manfrotto Compact Light Tripods . Another great accessory is a Gorilla Tripod , either for your camera or smartphone. With its flexible legs, you can put it up anywhere!

How recognizable is this to you? You set up your camera on self-timer, press the button, have to run towards your family and a nice stranger is standing there having fun.

Buy a remote , and you won’t have that problem anymore. Works great too if you want your kids to be more natural because they forget you are actually taking pictures. Every brand has its own specific remotes so research which one is best for your camera.

Prepare yourself

4. practice with your camera before you go.

You are ready to get more serious about your family travel photography and you have bought yourself a DSLR or mirrorless camera. And there you are, at this iconic place, the kids are all lined up and the magic doesn’t happen.

You take a picture and it doesn’t come out the way you want it. So you start adjusting some settings, but by then the moment has passed. You have one annoyed partner and the kids are on the loose.

The solution: practice, practice, practice!

Trust me, I’ve been there! I only started shooting with my DSLR a couple of years ago and had to learn a lot. I am not even a professional right now, but I did gain a lot of experience. If you really want to master your camera, take a small course on how to use it. Or watch lots of Youtube videos . Because who wants to read the manual after all.

A great other tip is to use a cheat sheet , which contains the best settings for different kinds of situations. In the beginning, you will need it, but after a while, you’ll get so familiar with your camera and certain situations it will all come naturally.

5. Look for inspiration for your family vacation pictures

Although I do believe in impulsive and in-the-moment shots, I always do research about a place before we head off to explore. It inspires me and gives me tips on great spots I might otherwise miss.

And because you travel with kids, you don’t have the luxury like other photographers to take a shot over and over again or walk around for hours until you find the perfect angle.

I mainly use Pinterest and Instagram to find my inspiration for a destination. On Instagram, go to the search option and either look for the location or use hashtags in the top section (not most recent).

Hashtags that always work well are the official hashtags of a tourism board, often starting with #visit, for example, #visitscotland. The more specific your search, the better the examples will be. If you are in Kuala Lumpur, you could search for #kualalumpur, but you will get better results for #petronastowers or #batucaves which are specific highlights.

Check out our Instagram for more family travel pictures.

Read more : 50 travel families to follow on Instagram

These family travel pictures, for example, were created based on the inspiration I gained from Instagram. The left one is the Burg Eltz castle in Germany. We stayed in Cochem, but without Instagram, I would have never known this castle existed and was so close by. The drone shot on the right also was inspired by some other shots I saw on Instagram.

On Pinterest, type ‘Best Instagram spots in your destination’ , ‘Most Instagrammable spots in your destination or ‘Best photo spots in your destination ‘. Browse for a while and you’ll most definitely find a lot of ideas. Follow our Pinterest to get more family travel and travel photography-related tips.

Just one short note, this inspiration will give you ideas or a different perspective on a certain destination. Maybe show you some hidden spots you otherwise wouldn’t have found. But please, also go away from the typical Instagrammable places .

Go wander and discover your own magical spots when you’re there! Don’t forget to just enjoy the moment and capture your kids while they are having fun.

6. Communicate the idea with your family

You’ve done your research, have some stunning pictures in your head, but forgot to tell the rest of the family about it. The result: a cranky husband because he thinks it’s time to go or kids who don’t want to cooperate anymore. Or even worse, you were planning to go to a spot by sunset and it doesn’t fit in the family planning anymore. 

The solution: talk to each other ! I used to make those mistakes too, but now I show my inspiration to the rest of my family. Which often inspires them too or at least they see what the goal is.

And they clearly know that after those shots, it’s time again for some regular old-school family fun! Can’t promise I’ll put away the camera then though, cause I also like those candid shots of my kids having fun!

If you want a shot of yourself with the kids, help your partner . Take a few test shots to show what you want, how it should be framed, what the whole idea is. And most of all be patient!

Your partner will learn too, but you can’t expect him/her to immediately have the same vision or know all the tricks.

Composition

7. frame your picture correctly.

One of the basic principles of photography composition is the rule of thirds

The basic principle is you divide a picture into three, both horizontally and vertically. This will create 4 lines and 4 intersection points.

The general rule is you don’t center your main subject in a picture, but you place it on one of those intersection points. If you couldn’t frame it correctly when taking the shot, no worries. It’s something you also can adjust afterward by cropping your picture in the right way during editing.

It will make your pictures much more interesting and appealing to the eye! This doesn’t mean you always have to apply this rule (for example in a shot where symmetry is important), but most of the time your picture will be more balanced that way. It has to do with the natural way the eye and brain look at a photo.

Another thing that makes a composition interesting is choosing symmetry, lines, or frames . By using train tracks, symmetric lines in buildings, doors, windows, … you’ll create a whole other dimension to your picture.

And then there is one more thing. You can go portrait such as a close-up or waist up. Or you take a wide shot with attention to the background. But if you go wide, don’t lose parts of the body such as hands or feet .

You can always crop afterward, but if you forgot to take the feet in the original picture, they are lost. Another reason why I don’t like to ask strangers to take pictures of us.

8. Be selective

Be very critical when it comes to deciding what should be in your shot and what should be excluded. For example, you can take an amazing shot with the perfect background but that red trash can or ugly car takes away all the intention.

Maybe if you move a bit to the right when taking the picture, it’s not in the frame anymore and you have the perfect shot!

Think about the story you want to tell with your family vacation pictures! You might want to show how beautiful the scenery is, with your family enjoying it. Here you have to choose a wide-angle shot.

Or you want to tell how much fun your kids are having. Then you should choose a close-up and don’t let the surroundings distract from this lovely moment. Try to think about what your story is and which elements therefore need to be in your picture.

9. Use different perspectives and angles

To make your family travel pictures interesting, try different things. Go level with your kids to really capture the moment. Try a top-down perspective or go low and shoot up . People have often been laughing because I’m laying flat down in the dirt capturing my kids.

By using different perspectives and angles, you’ll draw people into your picture. Because that’s what amazing photography is about. You want to recreate the moment and the atmosphere for people looking at your picture. Pass on the magic you felt there!

Be creative, try something else!

Try to play with your camera settings, for example, choose a long shutter speed  if you want movement in your shot.

A big thing in photography is shooting pictures in the perfect light . For me, this is one of the most difficult things in family travel photography. Chasing the perfect light is so much easier for solo or couple-travelers!

10. Use the golden hour

You’ve probably heard about it before, the golden hour. It’s that timing right after sunrise or before sunset when the light is magical. The perfect timing to shoot family travel pictures. The light is soft, there are no harsh shadows and you’ll have beautiful colors. But oh that’s right! Do we have kids?

The annoying part is that sunrise often is quite late, so by the time the lightning is perfect, the kids are cranky or even in bed already. The solution: shoot during wintertime, travel to countries around the equator such as South East Asia, or get up early.

11. Get up early

Most kids are up early anyway, so why not take advantage of that and go out. During and immediately after sunrise, the lightning is beautiful . Although it’s not realistic to want this every morning, plan to get up early on two or more occasions when you are traveling

Another benefit is you’ll avoid the crowds  in popular places or big cities! Which is great for your pictures but also so much easier to control the kids and let them play.

12. Find the shade during the day

There’s a lot you can do in the editing phase, but one of the most difficult things to correct is family travel pictures taken in direct sunlight with extremely harsh shadows and bright areas. Try to look for shadows during the day.

Go under some trees, look for the shade of a building. Not only will your kids thank you, but you’ll also get much better results.

Taking the picture

13. take candid or in-the-moment shots.

Although I love those shots of my kids looking at some amazing view or building, the most beautiful family vacation pictures are often candid shots. The photos where they don’t realize they are being captured and they are just enjoying the moment, having fun, or learning something new .

It’s the expression on their faces that you’ll want to remember as much as the things you see. For this kind of picture, I love to take close-ups .

Candid pictures are honest, they show how your kids really are. Don’t be afraid to even picture them when they’re having a hard time, feel sad or angry. You want to remember your holiday as it was, also those moments that were less relaxing or fun.

Another thing is to be ready ! I’ve missed some amazing candid shots just because I forgot to bring my camera or thought I wouldn’t take any pictures at that moment. Your camera should be within easy reach.

Great help here is a strap that goes over your shoulder . You can walk around like that, move it away when you need to help or carry the kids, but have it within reach at all times.

By using the burst modus or continuous shooting , your chances of taking the perfect facial expression will definitely improve! And they can be a great way to create a gif video afterward.

A great tip when shooting kids is to use the back focus button instead of the shutter autofocus. By holding that button , you can lock your focus, which is great when you want to shoot kids running around!

14. Don’t be afraid to stage or coach the kids

I know, I just said you should take candid pictures of the kids but there’s no harm in staging a shot once and a while. You probably have the perfect picture in your head, so tell the kids where to stand, what to do .

Otherwise, they will be running around and be everywhere except where you want them to be.

If you want to make it feel more natural, let them run towards you or away from you, make them look at each other or away from the camera, take a shot of them enjoying the views.

And I always love jumping pictures as well. It’s a lot of fun to get everyone to jump at the exact same moment. The burst or continuous shooting comes in handy again here.

15. Make the kids cooperate

First of all, don’t ask your kids to pose or cooperate with you the whole day. Let them be kids , they want to play, run around, and just not be doing what you ask all day long. Try to limit the moments you take family vacation pictures where they have to cooperate.

Ok, I’ll admit, I bribe my kids too . With candy or a lollipop, the promise of a refreshing pool or a nice playground. Always works.

I don’t like it when the kids put up their fake smiles. So I either tell them a joke or get in the shot myself and start to tickle them.

If they don’t feel like having taken their pictures at that moment, I let them look at the view while I capture their backs. Ask them to tell you what they see.

Get in the shot

16. use a remote and tripod for your family travel pictures.

Pictures of my kids… I have hundreds. What am I saying… Thousands! But at a certain point, I realized I didn’t have a lot of pictures with all four of us besides the occasional selfie. Or even just with one of us and the kids.

After all, we are on this trip together. So I started to take more shots of our entire family . Trust me, those are often the pictures that make it to our wall.

As of now, a tripod is an essential part of our photography gear . We never go anywhere without it. The great thing is you don’t have to ask a stranger to take a picture, which often doesn’t turn out how you want it anyway. When you choose a tripod , make sure it isn’t too heavy, but strong enough to carry your camera.

Although there is some charm in using the self-timer and running back to your family to get there just in time for the shot (or not ?), you might want to consider using a remote as we said before.

The remote will most definitely make life easier and the great thing is kids often forget they are being captured that way.

17. Don’t be embarrassed

It took us some time (especially Jurgen, the dad in this family) to get over the embarrassment of openly setting up tripods, posing, taking time for pictures while other people are watching or waiting.

In the beginning, we felt really awkward, which often translated into the pictures as well.

But you’ll get used to it. Now, we often have people copying us after we’ve been taking pictures. So maybe they are not laughing at you but admire you for your great idea!

18. Try something different than the typical ‘let’s all smile in the camera’ picture

Don’t get me wrong, those shots are lovely. And you definitely need to take some of those. But try to be a bit more original with your family travel photography!

Walk up towards the camera, be silly, throw yourself in a pile (preferably with daddy on the bottom ?), look at each other, tickle the kids, walk away from the camera, jump, get a drone shot, …

The more creative you get with your family travel pictures, the more fun you’ll have!

Be creative in your family travel photography

19. find the light.

Every photographer knows how important this is. You have to find the light! If you don’t have an external flash (which most travelers don’t as it is again a lot of extra weight), try to avoid using your flash . It will make your family travel pictures look unnatural.

Instead, find the light in your surroundings . Look for the sun peeping through the trees or a window. Try to play with the light by shooting right into the sun for silhouettes, create sun flares by putting the sun right at the edge of your frame, …

Don’t forget to change the settings of your camera if you’re taking pictures of the sun, such as the ISO (low), aperture (high f-number), and shutter speed (1/125 and up).

Like we said before, try to avoid harsh shadows by taking pictures in the shadow when the sun is up high. The better your lens or camera, the easier you can take pictures in low-light situations. You’d be amazed at how bright they can get after editing them.

20. Think about what you wear

I have to admit I will sometimes prepare the clothes we are wearing before we head out to explore. I either try to match all of our clothes , colorwise, to make sure we don’t get a cacophony.

Or I make sure the kids are wearing colors that go well with the surroundings. Sometimes I’ll choose soft colors, but mostly I go with colors that pop.

It makes family vacation pictures far more interesting when you wear bright clothes. For example in a landscape picture, wearing a colorful coat such as red or yellow will make you stand out.

21. Try underwater or drone photography

If you really want to be creative in your family travel photography, try to use an underwater camera or drone. We bought our drone before we left for full-time travel and it has been amazing to take family pictures from a whole different perspective .

The drone we use is the DJI Mavic Pro , but we’d love to upgrade to the DJI Mavic 2 Pro . In our opinion, these are the best travel drones, compact, stable, and stunning quality.

As far as underwater photography is concerned, I am not an expert at the moment, but I’m planning on becoming one. I love the endless possibilities, the way you can put things in another perspective, and the beauty of underwater conditions.

You could buy a case for your regular camera. In my opinion, however, this is for professionals or if you really want to excel in underwater photography. One of the best budget-friendly solutions would be a GoPro Hero 8   (with an extra underwater case). It’s small, easy to handle, and has amazing quality!

22. Let the kids take a picture

Our girls both love to take over the camera or run around with their own. I guess they want to be like mom ?. Let them! They might surprise you with their unique point of view.

If they can practice, they will learn how to take good pictures. Might come in handy when you want a shot of the two of you!

Both of our kids had a Nikon Coolpix W100 which is also waterproof. Another great one is the Olympus Tough TG-6 Waterproof Camera or even the mirrorless Sony A6000m if they are getting older and serious about it. Read more: Best travel gifts for kids

Edit your family travel pictures

23. use an editing app or software to take your photography to the next level.

Although a lot needs to happen at the moment you are taking pictures such as the composition and getting your kids to cooperate, it’s amazing how much you can do afterward. I’ve really discovered the game of editing for family travel photography.

The better the quality of your camera, the more is possible, especially when it comes to lifting up the darks.

I prefer Adobe Lightroom for my editing . In my opinion, it’s still the most complete software. You’ll have to practice a bit in the beginning to use it, but once you get the hang of it the possibilities are endless. If you really want to get better at editing, Lightroom is definitely the way to go. They also have a free app for smartphones.

Even by doing some quick changes to the colors, highlights, and shadows, you can improve your family travel picture a lot. One piece of advice is to practice, practice, practice. There are tons of tutorials, YouTube videos, and courses out there to learn all the tips and tricks.

If you don’t want to get into Lightroom, there are some great apps out there to easily edit your pictures on your phone. Examples are Snapseed, VSCO, Prisma Photo editor, …

24. Crop and frame your picture correctly

One of the things that really bother me when I see other family vacation pictures, is when the horizon isn’t leveled out. It’s really simple to adjust this and can be done in every app or even right on your phone. A quick win to make your picture more attractive and look professional.

Like we said before, don’t forget to crop your photo according to the rules of good composition as well. Think about the rule of thirds, symmetry, lines, …

25. Edit differently depending on the goal

Everybody needs to find their own style. I started with overediting a bit too much, now I prefer the richer colors and leave the shadows darker. Don’t try to overdo it, keep it natural.

It also depends on the goal . I sometimes edit differently for Instagram, for a picture that I want to be framed on my wall, for our blog, …

Try to find your own style!

If you want to have some more travel photography inspiration have a look at the website of National Geographic. Click here and go straight to the article

I hope these 25 tips will help you to take your family travel photography to the next level. They are quite easily applicable. You’ll be surprised how much better your family vacation pictures can look.

But most of all, have fun! You’re on this family trip because you want to have quality time with your kids and partner. You want to explore, learn new things, see new cultures or just relax.

Have fun taking these family travel pictures, have fun as a family trying to be creative. Don’t make the family travel photography something that annoys the rest of the family because they just want to enjoy their trip.

Let us know in the comments what you think about this article or if you want to add something else. And save it on Pinterest for later!

Happy travels!

Other articles that might interest you

• What’s in our camera bag: our travel photography gear
• 50 travel families to follow on Instagram
• 150 road trip quotes for Instagram

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TRAVEL WITH MERAKI

Make Moments Matter

Travel Photography Tips For Family Vacation Pictures

Easy photography tips for family travel

Table of Contents

Want to avoid the dreaded awkward family photos or just make sure you capture all those amazing family vacation memories? 

Holiday family photos can be some of the most precious memories of childhood. On fun family vacations everyone is relaxed and often the scenery is pretty special too. 

Making sure you capture the best vacation photos doesn’t have to be difficult!

No matter the destination, from family cruises to hiking through national parks and road trips, holiday photography can be a skill you can learn, even as a photography beginner.  

Follow these basic photography tips for family travel and you will be sure to come home with vacation pictures you will treasure for a lifetime. 

Photography Basics

Photography for beginners.

If you are new to photography then make sure you learn photography basics before you leave for your family vacation. 

Find photography classes for beginners in your local area, join a photography club or teach yourself online . Knowing a few simple things about camera settings and composition will take your vacation images from okay to amazing. 

I’ve done a HUGE post on some really easy travel photography tips that can improve your photography. 

Here’s a quick video that shows you some photography basics if you are new to photography. 

We may get commissions for purchases made through links in this post. For more information go to  Disclaimer & Disclosure.

Know How To Use Your Camera

Another great tip is to get to know your camera before you travel. 

If reading the manual is not your thing ( and whose is it???), then just watch some clips on YouTube. There are so many helpful photography resources online to help you learn how your camera works. 

If you are wondering what camera is best for travel photography, I asked a few of my favorite travel families to share what cameras they love to take when they travel with kids. 

Pack The Right Photography Gear

If you are on a relaxing family holiday…you don’t want to be lugging around a whole heap of photography gear. 

Think ahead about what activities you will be doing, day trips you might have and conditions you will encounter then take the bare minimum.

Here are some ideas of things you may want to take depending on your family vacation destination:

• Your favorite lens
• An action camera like a GoPro
• Charging cords etc
• Spare battery
• 3 or more camera cards
• A hard drive to download images
• Good quality Camera Bag
• A comfortable Camera Strap

Traveling with just one or two lenses is ideal. Although it can be hard if you are used to having a big selection of lens it really makes you more creative with your images as well as freeing your time and energy to soaking up those family vacation vibes. 

There’s one last tip for before you leave on your family holiday. 

Plan Your Trip Ahead

Before your trip scroll through some travel hashtags of your destination on social media, look through others travel photography. Find places that capture your interest and would love to photography. 

Make a note of these to take with you and keep in your travel bag or journal.  

Although you don’t want to plan your trip around the photographs you want to take, this list will remind you of beautiful places to see and help you think more about the vacation photographs you are taking.

Travel Family Photography

How to take amazing travel pictures of your family.

So you’ve practiced tips on travel photography, are a whizz on your camera, packed light like a pro and are on your vacation.

How else can you make sure you take travel photos you are going to love?

It may seem obvious but always have your camera with you! Some of my all-time favorite photographs are funny vacation images that I caught on the fly when I least expected. Because your photographs don’t have to be perfect…they want to take you back to that moment and make you feel. 

Make sure your camera is in an easy to reach place where you can take a photograph quickly.

This is one of the reasons I now wear my camera with an over shoulder strap rather than around my neck. I found my Canon was too heavy and bulky around my neck, and I was leaving it in the hotel room or in the camera bag more and more.

With an over shoulder strap it’s super comfy, I can quickly grab my camera for a shot, or move it to behind my back if I need to help the kids with something. 

Be Creative

Most amazing travel photos you see have been captured by people that travel for photography. Since you are on a family vacation first and foremost don’t expect to take the same sort of images. 

A family vacation means you have to work around children’s sleep, things to do with family and planned activities.

This might limit you from finding the perfect location for a picture or sitting until the light is just right. But it also means you can get more creative!

Find unusual angles, look at a place through the eyes of your child ( getting down to their level is great) and capture the adventure you are on.

Using silhouettes is one of my favorite ways to be creative. 

Be Intuitive 

What is drawing you to take a photograph or a place or moment? 

You want to make sure you capture that essence so that when you look back through your vacation photos you feel that same way again! Even better if you can make family and friends feel the same way when they look through your images later.

If you love that fountain because the locals are chatting and using it as a meeting place then get the kids to join in the atmosphere rather than standing next to it grinning at the camera. 

Maybe the busy market place is so much fun because of the bantering and colors? Give the children some coins and see if they can barter like a local while you capture from a small distance. 

Creating feelings and atmosphere for those looking at your image is one of the big secrets to taking amazing travel photos. 

Be Watchful

Your family vacation is not just about those sweeping landscapes. It’s about trying new foods, learning new things, sleeping in different beds and the quiet moment’s in between activities. Capture these! 

It’s often these little things that we forget first, but that can be the most meaningful to us. 

Capture a sweet smile on your child’s face while they play with a local child is worth a thousand forced smiles from a posed image. 

Travel with kids can be hard work! It isn’t all giggles and joyful family time. Things go wrong, kids fight and get tired. 

Don’t force kids to be in photographs…or smile. If they are busy with something and not taking in the scenery then capture that. You may find that these become some of your favorite family photographs as they are real and honest. 

Be A Storyteller

Sure, you want at least one family photograph with an iconic backdrop. But does that image really tell a story about your family vacation? Other than you were there and how old the kids were, it doesn’t even begin to tell of the adventures you had.

Instead of having lots of posed photographs think more about capturing moments as they happen, including the culture, customs or events that are unfolding around you. 

Capturing your child running ahead because they are so excited to see something is a much more special memory than having them standing next to it when they get there. 

Think about how you can tell the story of your vacation rather than recording the destination. 

A great example of this is always having someone in your images. Try taking a picture of a place or landscape without a person..now add in your kid or partner. Straight away the image becomes more relatable and has a story to tell. 

Be Included

There’s usually a family photographer and I’m guessing it’s you if you’re reading this, and I’m also guessing you don’t very often get on the other side of the camera.

I have vacation albums where it looks like I didn’t even go on the trip as there is not one photograph of me!

Let someone else hold that camera.

Not only will you get some shots including you but you will also get to see the vacation from someones else’s perspective. 

It’s also okay to ask someone to take a whole family photo…but remember the storytelling. You can all be in a photo without all standing in front of a place looking at the camera.

Be Selective

Know what to include in your photograph… and what to exclude. The scenery might be pretty but does it add or distract from the story you are trying to tell? 

If it’s your children enjoying a moment together that you want to capture then you may want to crop your image in close. If it’s all about the wild freedom the children are feeling in a place then make them small in comparison to the landscape. 

Focus on what story you want your photograph to tell and try not to include too many different parts to the story in one image. 

Be Technical

Use those photography tips you learned before your trip.

Place the subject of your story along the rule of thirds lines, use lines (roads, paths, treelines) and frames (doorways, window frames ) to really make your images draw the eye. 

Play with the shutter speed to capture movement. 

And don’t be afraid to experiment. One of the magic things about allowing children to enjoy a moment and you capture it means that no one gets fed up of posing if you need some extra time to get just the right shot. They may not even notice you are taking the photo! 

Family Photography Ideas

Family portrait photography.

If you are looking at getting some really nice images of the whole family then it may be worth looking up local photographers in the area you are traveling to. 

Companies like flytographer can help you find a vacation photographer.

Another option is to hire a photographer by just researching “local photographers near me”..but with the destination, you are heading to on your family vacation. 

I suggest this if you really want family photography poses or even more natural candid images of the whole family. It can be hard to get a natural family photo if you are relying on a tripod and timer. 

Travel Photo Book

My very last tip is to PRINT all those gorgeous family vacation pictures!

Make a travel photo album, print out your favorites and stick them in your travel journal , or make a wall collage for your home with some beautiful picture frames .

It doesn’t matter how, but don’t leave your treasured vacation pics on a hard drive somewhere they are never looked at. 

Find More Photography Tips On How To Take Travel Photographs:

• Best Cameras For Travel With Kids
• Travel Photography Tips For Beginners
• How To Take Photographs At The Beach
• How To Photograph Sunrise While Traveling

I hope you found these tips on travel photography for  family photography helpful. 

Sharing is caring!

Family Photo Tips For Travel: Getting Great Family Vacation Photos

When Dan and I first started traveling, selfies weren’t really a thing. I mean, you could hold a camera out, but it was significantly more difficult. Still, we didn’t really need any family photo tips because the quality of that little camera was so terrible that it didn’t really matter, anyway.

We’ve since gotten a bit better at photography, but tips for good family photos are very different from taking a good landscape photo. When you add kids into the mix, it gets trickier and often more fun!

Here are some of our best tips for family vacation photos, whether you’re using a smartphone or big lens. I hope they’re helpful for getting great family photos while traveling.

And if you really want some terrific family vacation photos where you can all get in the frame, be sure to check out Flytographer . It’s an awesome service to book a local photographer anywhere in the world either while you’re traveling or even in your home city. The quality of the photography tends to be really high, and the rates are really reasonable (it’s much cheaper than most local photographers in the area where we live). You can use the code PASSPORT to get $25 off your photo shoot.

This post on travel family photo tips contains affiliate links, but all opinions are 100% my own. That means I earn a small commission if you purchase through my link, but doesn’t change your price.

Set Expectations for Family Vacation Photos & Make It Quick

There’s a reason this one is first – because it might be the most important! I don’t ever want to take away from an experience by focusing too much on getting a photo, and used to think taking photos first would detract from the experience.

But I’ve found that for our family, it usually works better to take the photo first. We do a few quick shots, and then the kids can play and explore. I always give them a heads up when I want to take a family shot so they know what to expect. And when I say I’ll take 2 minutes or 5 minutes or whatever for family shots, I try my best to stick to that. After that, we’re pretty much done!

My kids are usually in a more cheerful and less tired mood at the start of an outing, so we can get a couple of shots quickly. Plus, they know that if they cooperate, then the photos will take less time and they have more time to play – it’s a good incentive. I’ll usually continue to take a few shots after – either of the surroundings or candids of them playing. But their participation in photos is done at that point and they can play!

Have 3-5 Standard “Poses” For Family Travel Photos

When we first started taking more family photos while traveling, I found that it took at least 75% of the time just to set everyone up for the shot. Kids would argue over who to stand next to, that someone was blocking them, or that so-and-so was breathing on their neck. So annoying and time-consuming.

So I started choosing just a few “standard” shots that our family would do. Not only did it help our photos feel more consistent and connected, but it majorly cut down on the amount of time it took to get everyone set up. I could quickly say which position I wanted everyone in, and we generally knew where to go.

Family Photo Tips: Learn The Basics of Composition

This post does a great job at detailing some of the basics of composition. I’m a firm believer that you can take a fantastic shot with a smartphone and a terrible shot with a fancy camera. Composition is essential no matter what gear you use to shoot!

The rule of thirds is one of the most basic and important. While it’s tempting to place your family smack in the middle of your shot, consider moving off to the side a bit. Or is there a way to frame your family photo? Are there any leading lines in your environment to direct attention to you?

Family Travel Photo Tips: Experiment with Different Zoom Lengths

Sometimes it’s fun to get a wide angle so you can imagine the whole scene. And sometimes it’s nice to get a closer up view of the people. Or maybe you want your bodies closer to the camera, or perhaps you’d like the background to appear larger. Feel free to experiment to see what you like best!

Wear Colors That Contrast with Your Surroundings For Family Travel Pictures

While that beige sweater may feel cozy and warm at home, it will disappear if you do a lot of beach shots with the sand. Or that multicolored maxi dress? May feel painful to look at against brightly colored buildings. Think about the kind of surroundings in which you’ll be shooting, and try to come up with a few general outfits that look good there.

Remember that this doesn’t need to be complicated, and you don’t need a ton of outfits! We have some standard jackets ( women’s , men’s , kids ) that we almost always pack for travel. They’re brightly colored and lightweight, and generally pop against a lot of backgrounds. Easy, inexpensive, and functional!

Avoid “Witching” Times When Taking Family Photos on Vacation

Is it lunchtime or naptime and your toddler is melting down? Probably not the best time for a family shot. Sometimes those times are unavoidable, but try to if you can. Of course, this can get tricky with family vacation photos when everyone may be off their schedules. (Here are 10 tips for getting over jet lag with kids .) But try to have a quick snack beforehand and don’t push kids too much.

Carry The Right Gear

We didn’t have a tripod for years. We almost always asked strangers to take photos for us (I have a whole post with tips on getting strangers to take good family photos!), with the occasional selfie or propping up the camera.

And then we got a lightweight travel tripod and it made photo taking SO much easier. (Also available on Amazon .) While we do still occasionally ask strangers to take a family photo for us, it’s rare, because it’s so much easier to get the shot we want with a tripod. The tripod is also essential for nighttime photography or for capturing beautiful waves of water movement.

I shoot with this camera (and usually with this lens ), and I can take the photo remotely with the app on my phone. It is SO MUCH easier than doing the 10-second timer and running back and forth a million times! This camera remote also does the trick.

I also always like having a couple of extra batteries on hand. (For a phone, I ALWAYS carry an external charger – I super love this extra lightweight and small one , or this one that is slightly bigger is so powerful. I use it all the time, even at home!). Here’s more about our family’s photography gear .

Add Movement to Family Vacation Photos

Kids love to move their bodies. They like to dance and jump and kick and twirl. There’s no need for them to be perfectly still – let them move their bodies. Try to see if you can all jump at the same time. Spin your child in a circle. Have everyone run toward (or away from) the camera. Try tossing a kid in the air (but be careful!!).

If you’re shooting on manual, just make sure to keep your shutter speed to at least 1/400 or faster to avoid blur (unless you want to capture blur, which can be fun! Here’s a great post on capture blur ).

Family Vacation Photo Tips: Don’t Wait For The Perfect Moment

While adults may be able to spend hours waiting for the perfect light and creating the perfect pose, it’s unlikely that kids will. There are a few very rare occasions when we’ve gotten up early for sunset, but it’s super unusual. Sunset are more common, but happen far more frequently in the winter than in the summer. While that light might be perfect during those times, it won’t be perfect for my kids and for our family. It’s not worth it to me to get the perfect photo by ruining a whole day of our family vacation with grumpy moods.

Perhaps your kids are early risers and sunrise works well. That’s great! Or maybe you don’t mind sitting around reading a book while you wait for the right moment for crowds to dissipate. Whatever works for your family is just fine. Just know what you can happily tolerate and stick to that, and don’t let anyone tell you that you “have” to wait for a specific time to get a great photo. Focus on the right time to have fun and connect as a family instead.

Consider Height in Family Photos While Traveling

One unique thing with travel family photo tips versus regular travel photo tips is that families often have big height differentials! As you set up your scene, take that into account – where will a head stick out? Do you need to pick up a toddler so she or he isn’t too low?

For our family, we’ve found that it often works best to have the grown ups in the middle. That way, we don’t have a bunch of empty space above (shorter) kids heads in the middle of the photo, and it creates a nice pyramid shape to the outside. We also like experimenting with people in height order. But sometimes we do the opposite, and that’s okay, too! Take some time to look at past photographs or other ones that you see from friends and figure out your preferences.

Show Connection & Have Fun With Your Family Vacation Photos!

Remember, you want travel family photo tips because you actually LIKE your family and want to document those experiences together. You don’t want to document stiff robots who look like they’ve never met!

Be silly, have fun, and enjoy one another. I guarantee you’ll treasure pictures where you look happy and like you’re having fun way more than those with just the best smiles and lighting in the world.

Here are a few ideas for creating intimacy and connection.

• Hug or kiss
• Point out things that you notice, or have your child point something out
• Play a joke on a grown up (or a kid who won’t be upset by it)
• Toss in the air
• Turn a child upside down
• Run toward something (the camera, the beach, each other)
• Do cartwheels
• Throw snow in the air or at each other
• To get a baby to look at the camera, try tossing a small stone or other small object in that direction

Let The Kids Take A Turn Taking Your Family Photos on Vacation

I’m always amazed at how much more interested and cooperative my kids are with taking a family photo when I let them also take one by themselves. They feel so responsible and love seeing their work. Always place the camera strap around their necks, and help them as needed. Since I usually use my longer (and heavier) lens , I sometimes help my 6 year old hold it up (but my 10 and 8 year olds can use it on their own).

And especially while traveling, there are so many interesting things to see and remember. Letting your child capture one is great for helping them feel interested in the photo process and is one of my best travel photo tips!

Capture Details Through Your Vacation Photos

While it’s wonderful to get those epic family shots, you’ll also want to remember those little details – chubby fingers pointing at a crab, hair flowing back as a kiddo gazes up to the top of cathedral spires. Notice those little moments of wonder and try to capture a few of them, while reveling in enjoying the rest.

Try Looking Away From The Camera In Family Vacation Photos

If you really want to get a shot and the kids are just not having it, one of my favorite travel family photo tips is to have everyone look the other direction while hugging or holding hands. It’s a fun shot and it doesn’t matter if you have sad faces!

Play With Light in Your Family Trip Photos

Sometimes you want light shining on you, while other times a shadow may create interest. Or you can try shooting into the sun for some gorgeous light streaks! Try different times of day and see what you like for your personal style.

Shoot From Different Directions in Family Vacation Pictures

Instead of turning your bodies different directions from the camera, try turning the camera! Shoot your kids from up above, or lay down on the ground and shoot up. Crouch down to your kids’ eye level. Snap photos while twirling around. Turn the camera vertical. See the world through your lens from all kinds of different angles!

Capture Personalities Through Candid Family Trip Pictures

While it’s definitely nice to get a solid photo of everyone smiling, it’s also really nice to capture your kids’ personalities during family travel photos. Does your child think it’s hilarious when you stick straws in your mouth like a walrus? Does your child suck her or his thumb? Does your child hate hiking and sit down and refuse to move? Or maybe your child really loves bugs and is is always kneeling down to look for them.

Think of what makes your child unique or what their special interests are, and try to work those into your family photos while traveling. They’ll likely do those things naturally, so be ready with the camera to capture some of those moments while they’re happening. And then put the camera down after a few shots so you can go and join them!

Don’t Worry About Perfection in Your Family Travel Photos

While it’s nice to get everyone smiling and happy, you’ll likely look back on some of the crazy photos and smile nostalgically, or at least laugh. Similarly to capturing their personalities, the pictures are often better when you capture true emotions. Sometimes having a kid looking off to the side at an animal or someone making a grumpy face because their sibling just fell on them is exactly what will evoke fun and authentic memories of your trip.

Edit Your Travel Photos

There’s no need to spend a million hours editing, but a few light edits can make a world of difference. I always edit in Lightroom . I tried a million presets and hated them all, and came up with a pretty solid editing process that works for me.

But then I finally found the Jess Kettle presets and I LOVE them so much. They’re all I use because they look very similar to my own natural edits but just better. I love that they’re one click and make my photos look so much nicer.

View Your Physical and Digital Family Trip Pictures

So often, I take a million pictures and we end up not spending much time actually reviewing them. That sort of defeats the whole purpose of creating photos to help us relive those wonderful memories!

I find that when we take time to sit down and actually review the photos, it not only is so enjoyable to relive the memories, but it also helps us appreciate actually taking those photos. So the next time we’re out exploring, we feel more inclined to take a few quick ones, too. And be sure to print your photos (I do all my prints and photo books here )!! I also love inserting a few photos into a family video for a trip. (This family video course is inexpensive and so so helpful – you can use the code PREETHI for $5 off!)

We also really love having our photos cycle through on our Google Home hub . Our kids think it’s so fun to see all our photos, new and old!

Family Vacation Photo Tips: Know When To Be Done

Remember that the photos aren’t the memories themselves; they’re just there to document the memories. So don’t spend so much time shooting that you forget to actually enjoy and appreciate the experience. I try to limit my shooting to about 5% of our total time somewhere. That way, I have 95% of the time to actually BE with my family and create those wonderful travel memories. Be happy with what you’ve captured, and be willing to put the camera down.

I hope these tips for getting good family photos while on vacation are helpful! I’d love to hear something that has helped you in the comments!

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5 responses.

I have wondered how you capture all these family photos from the day I started following you. Despite this fabulous post I’m still amazed by your skills! I struggle to feel like I’m taking away from the experience too much, but after reading this and thinking about it I realize, it may be an ask from the future but it’s a gift to the future. Because my children really cherish the photo books we make and the memories those pictures bring back. I’ve started to say, “Let’s get a picture so we can put it in your photo book and you can remember this day forever!” It’s surprising how often that’s enough to change the mood. Love this, and you. You’re an inspiration!

Oh you’re sweet. I’m so happy this has helped you a bit, and thank you so much for reading!!

[…] Tips for Getting Great Family Vacation Photos […]

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13 Tips for Taking the Perfect Family Vacation Photo

By Me Ra Koh

Use windows or doorways to frame your family.

This family lives in a quaint town in northern Italy. They love the view from their second-story window, so I thought it would be fun to capture them all in that spot. There are three things I considered in the composition of this photo. 1. Capture one of their favorite spots in the home (that’s the story). 2. Place them off-center so we get the feel for the village surroundings with the lamppost and hanging baskets (accentuate the story). 3. Let the window frame naturally frame the family (frame the story).

Let your hands accentuate the story.

While traveling by bamboo raft to film Thailand’s deep jungle, we decided to get a family photo. Instead of looking at the camera and smiling, we staggered our bodies and all did something different with our hands to accentuate the story of our photo.

Create sunrise or sunset silhouettes.

While waiting for the sunrise in Egypt, our family decided to have fun taking silhouettes. With the camera’s timer set, we danced like Egyptians. The trick is to have an unobstructed horizon behind you so you see clear definition of your bodies’ movements and shapes.

Consider black and white to add a timeless feel to the photo’s story.

I love to capture a family in its environment. This family lives in Thailand’s jungle and spends many hours reading books and playing under the mosquito net. (If you’ve ever spent time in a tropical jungle, you know that mosquito nets are a big part of sleeping through the night or surviving monsoon season.) When you see a lot of contrasting tones (i.e. white mosquito net, white bed sheets, dark hair, dark colored shorts, etc), consider shooting in black and white to enhance the sense of timelessness.

Harrison Pierce

María Casbas

CNT Editors

Be mid-step when taking a walking shot.

My husband Brian and I did a hiking trip to Mt. Rainier in Washington state. We wanted a family photo that captured the story of our adventure. If you want a family photo of everyone walking, there is a trick to it—make sure you’re in mid-step when the camera clicks. If both feet are planted, it will look like you are standing still.

Get the right equipment.

We set our camera on the ground with a Joby GorillaPod , and then used Sony’s a7 camera and Smart Remote app to see on our smartphone what the camera was seeing. We positioned ourselves to where we wanted to be in the photo, then triggered the camera from the smartphone. This app revolutionizes self-portraits; it takes all the guessing away, and you don’t need anyone to take the photo. Read more about how I’ve used Smart Remote here .

Incorporate the background.

Rule of thumb for how much background should be in your photo: If the background enhances your story, take the wider-framed shot. I had this young family sit in the middle of Italy’s cobblestone streets because the romantic setting accentuated their love and joy.

Know when to get in tight.

This Muslim mother lives in Al-Fayoum, Egypt, where she runs a humble pottery business. She is raising her daughter to learn the trade. I wanted a family photo that spotlighted their beautiful, gentle smiles and head coverings. That is why I got in tight and have a blank wall behind them. If the background doesn’t add to your story, either step closer to your subject(s) or zoom in with your lens.

Ignore the camera.

We often see the spirit of a family much clearer when they aren’t looking at the camera, but rather just enjoying each other’s company. For this Seattle family, I turned the couch around to face the window for more light and asked everyone to sing songs and tell stories on the couch. Consider taking a family travel photo where everyone is looking at one family member, especially if it’s a child. Kids eat that energy up and often give the cutest, most unexpected smiles.

Play with lines.

Look for lines to accentuate your family travel photo. Lines can be found with fences, hand railings, tree lines, walking paths, or old train tracks. I had this Washington, D.C. family sit in the middle of the railroads tracks because I wanted the lines of the tracks to lead our eye to them that much more.

Get into costume.

When traveling abroad, our family always jumps at the chance to get into cultural costume. Wearing the culture’s clothes brings the history and awareness to life that much more. While in Israel, we took a day to study the ancient history and way of life. Instead of looking in the camera (because we want a story that says more than “we did this”), we decided to point and look into the distance as if we were seeing our home for the first time. A family travel photo with everyone in costume looking into the distance is the perfect idea for a comical holiday card.

Show some profile.

When you want a family travel photo of everyone with their backs to the camera, make sure you and your spouse or you and the kids look at each other so the picture captures your profiles. Our family rented a home in Thailand’s jungle for six weeks. While waiting for a long tail boat to take us (and our groceries) back to our jungle home, we had someone take our family photo with our smartphone—but notice how Brian and I are smiling at each other. You can feel the emotion of the story that much more. If we all looked straight ahead, we would lose the emotion.

Mother knows best.

The most common question I am asked by clients is, “What should we wear to look our best in a family photo?” There is only one answer: Have mom wear what she feels most beautiful in, and then have everyone else complement her. Instead of buying a whole new wardrobe for her kids, this Seattle mom pulled out her favorite top and cardigan. She had the boys and dad complement her with lighter shades of blue, and she bought a lilac scarf for her daughter to tie everyone together. If Mom doesn’t like the family photo, it will never see the light of day, no matter where you are in the world.

Add a pop of color.

You don’t have to wear Santa hats or have snow-covered trees to take a holiday photo that looks festive. This New York City family brought a bouquet of red balloons to add a pop of color to their holiday card. For more of Me Ra’s simple holiday, travel, and family photo tips, check out her latest book in the best-selling series Your Family in Pictures .

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The Family Vacation Guide

80 Best Family Vacation Instagram Captions for Your Favorite Photos

posted by James Brockbank on December 9, 2021 // last updated on December 9, 2021

Social media has become incorporated into everyone’s lives. It is the sole way to let the world get a glimpse of the moments that fill your heart. With each photo and experience displayed, you let people into your life and let them experience it with you. 

When you want to share your moments with the world, you spend some time to create a public moment everyone can indulge in. You crop the photo just right and add the perfect filter. Then comes the caption. You want something enticing, something interesting, something powerful. 

So, when you have all the wonderful photos from your family vacation, you want to make sure you get it right. From lighthearted and funny captions to heartfelt words, here are some of the best original captions for Instagram to commemorate your family’s adventures.

Beachy Family Photos

Family road trip photos, snowy family photos, neutral family vacation captions, how to pick the best caption.

The beach is the number one vacation destination for families. The hot sun, salty water, and white sand make for a perfect family fun getaway. When you return, you want to share those moments with your followers (and maybe make them a bit jealous).

These original captions should help get the attention of your Insta followers while inspiring them to get out in the sun and have their own fun.

• “With the sun on our face and the sand between our toes, these memories with the family will last forever.”
• “The love our family shares only grows with every crashing wave.”
• “The sun, the sand, and your family by your side, make the best memories stay alive.”
• “Family is the cornerstone of every great beach vacation.”
• “As the kids build a sandcastle, and your husband surfs the waves, you appreciate the family you’ve made.”
• “Every moment spent together watching the waves makes you realize the most important thing in life are the memories you make with your family.”
• “The most remarkable thing about the beach is that amidst all the chaos your family creates, you’re still so calm and full of love.”
• “You’ll go home with a tan, an experience, and the best memories that were spent with your family.”
• “Teaching my kids the beauty of the water, sand, and sun and the beauty of our family being together.”
• “The beach is the most serene place to go; it is even better when you can enjoy it with the family you’ve built.” 
• “I am hot, tired, and burnt, but my kids are happy.”
• “Life’s a beach, the kids are a mess, the family’s alive watching the sunset.”
• “Enjoying the sun, the surf, the sand, and the family together.”
• “The best beach activities involve sand, sun, and family.”
• “High tides, good vibes, and the family building memories.”
• “When we build a sandcastle with our kids, we build memories that will last a lifetime.”
• “You can live in bliss at the beach, watching the ocean, feeling the sand between your toes, and spending every moment with your family.”
• “What’s better than the beach? You and your family are making memories together.”
• “Bury my feet in the sand, a cold drink in my hand, my family by my side, I let my worries wash away with the tide.”
• “Happiness is the shore in your view, the sun on your skin, the sand on your feet, and your family enjoying it with you.”

Using emojis in your captions to make them stand out is also a creative way to add to your post. There is an array of different emojis you can use. Add in some “🌊🌅⛱” to break up longer captions and make them more engaging. 

Family road trips can be the most exciting experience you share. Whether you’re a family of five or road tripping with your siblings, experiencing the open road is something everyone should do. 

Of course, you want to capture the magic of the moments, whether you’re co-piloting or snapping pics during pit stops.

What better way to express your enjoyment than with a good Instagram picture and caption to match? Plus, road trips offer opportunities for unique captions that reflect your specific on or off-road adventures.

• “The key to a good road trip starts with your favorite snacks, great music, and your family by your side.”
• “Having your kids experience the open road is a remarkable feeling.”
• “The best road trips always need the chaos of the family to make it a memory never forgotten.”
• “The road least traveled is better with your family by your side.”
• “The radio blasting, the long open road, the kids laughing in the back seat, all make for the perfect road trip.”
• “The perfect road trip requires a full-blown karaoke show, with your kids as the backup singers.”
• “During a road trip, stopping on the side of the road to embrace nature and the family you made is the best feeling in the world.”
• “A road trip by yourself is fun; a road trip with your family is a beautiful experience.”
• “The open road, the beautiful scenery, and the family you created make for the best memories.”
• “I want my kids to experience the entire world and the love we have for one another.”
• “When you’re on the road with your family, and you look in the back seat, you realize this is all you ever needed.”
• Happiness is the open road and hearing your kids fighting over the music on the radio.”
• “With the wheel in my hand, the perfect song on the radio, and my husband by my side, we begin the journey of happily ever after.”
• “No road trip is long with your family making you laugh the entire time.”
• “The best part of a road trip isn’t arriving at your destination; it’s the memories you make with the people you created.”
• “Always take the scenic route; you won’t regret the memories you make with your family.”
• “All you need to make you happy is a good road trip and the people you love with you.”
• “The only trip I want to take is the trip with you on this open road.”
• “A road trip can have a bunch of bumps in the road but create the best memories.”
• “An adventure with your family is the best one you can have.” 

Just remember to keep your eyes on the road while driving, and leave the Instagram posts to your co-pilot or backseat drivers.

Taking a family trip to the mountains or any ski resort can lead to some incredible moments captured. Catching dad making that ski jump or watching your kids build a snowman; every opportunity leads to a great memorable photo. 

With those photos, you need perfect captions, and here are some of the best. Don’t forget a snowflake or snowman emoji, or even a pair of skis. 

• “The best moments made are the ones made in the snow.”
• “A journey is best with family, snow, and a rosy nose.”
• “Our hands and cheeks are cold, but my heart is warm watching my family make the best memories.”
• “Cold feet, rosy cheeks, and a warm heart.”
• “Family can warm your soul in the coldest weather.”
• “Like snowflakes, we are all different, but we make a beautiful family.”
• “Snowy mountains, cold air, toasty fire, and family is all you need.”
• “What’s a winter vacation without a family snowball fight?”
• “Tis the season to build snowmen, have snowball fights, and warm your toes by the fire with your family.”
• “Snow falling down, the crackle of the fire, hot chocolate, and my family is all I need.”
• “Having a snowball fight with your kids makes you realize how mad they are that they couldn’t have that piece of candy.”
• “Watching your kids sled down a hill at top speed makes your anxiety high but your heart full.”
• “The season to be freezing comes with the laughs to warm you up.”
• “Cold hands, a warm heart, and the love of your kids are all you need.”
• “Making the best memories by throwing a snowball right at my husband’s face.”
• “When your vacation involves snow and family, it involves the best of what life has to offer.”
• “The snow is falling, the mountains are calling, my family along with love so strong, we make the memories that will last for so long.”
• “Creating the best memories, with snow, sleds, and laughter.”
• “The mountains covered in snow, your face red from the cold, we enjoy our family and the memories we are creating.”
• “What better way to enjoy your family than to enjoy a cold, snowy day and then warm up with some hot chocolate by the fire.”

Family vacations, in general, are fun, heartwarming experiences that make the best memories. You want to express to your followers the pure enjoyment you got out of your family vacation, even if you didn’t relax at the beachside or venture into the wilderness.

Here are a few nonspecific family vacation captions you can use to spice up those beautiful photos. 

• “All you need to make a vacation a success is family, food, and peace.”
• “We haven’t been everywhere, we haven’t even come close, but experiencing it all with the family is all that matters.”
• “The wonderful thing about vacations is we can pretend like we’re a nice normal family.”
• “Fights and spending all your money are what makes a family vacation fun.”
• “The stress, the money spent, the time planning – it all becomes worth it when you see your kids smile.”
• “Having the best family vacation entails happy hearts, bellies full of food, good conversations, and wonderful memories made.”
• “It doesn’t feel like a vacation unless my kids are fighting, my husband is asleep on the pool chair, and I am toeing the line of keeping my sanity.”
• “When we have kids, we experience life through their eyes; why not make the scenery beautiful.”
• “I would spend my whole life traveling, as long as I could do it with my loved ones.”
• “The trips we take and the roads we travel create the best memories together.”
• “We only have a short time to teach our kids the beauty of the world; make sure you do it in the best places.”
• “Spending an entire vacation with your kids really makes you appreciate your alone time.”
• “Living my best life on vacation with my best people.”
• “Family, love, and laughter are the only things you need to make a vacation great.
• “The memories you make now will inspire your kids to do the same.”
• “The best vacations are where you can just enjoy the love you and your family have created.”
• “Here’s to family, food, and laughter.”
• “I would not want to change a single moment of the time I spent with my beautiful, chaotic, crazy family.”
• “This world gives you beauty; you just have to discover it.”
• “The most fulfilling thing you can do is spend time with the people you love and make the best memories possible.”

Snowy, beachy, or on the road, vacations are filled with great memories and fun that you want to share with the world. We want to represent our family and our fun in the best way possible. We want to make people understand our experiences and how we interpret them.

Social media platforms have really made it so easy to show family and friends the joys of your life. Finding the perfect caption for your photo can be a difficult task. Sometimes your brain goes blank, and you cannot find the right words to express your true feelings.

Whether it’s a caption that involves a little humor or a passionate caption that lets your followers know your true feelings, it helps to have some ideas. Hopefully, these captions help create the perfect post you are looking for. Any caption you post has the potential to inspire someone else to create great memories on a family vacation.

Now, get out there, enjoy your vacation, and happy posting!

More about our TFVG Author

James Brockbank

A seasoned traveller, Dad, and avid sports tourist, James foundered The Family Vacation Guide to share his expert vacation experiences- especially when it comes to being a travelling family man.

Featured in Travel articles such as Travel + Leisure, TripSavvy and SFGate, you know you're reading some of the best vacation tips online.

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8 Best Photo Books and Albums To Organize Your Family Vacation Photos

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Family vacations are the perfect time to make lasting memories! Unfortunately, many live on our cell phones, computers, or digital cameras. Instead of being displayed where they can be shared, family vacation photos are hidden away and forgotten. But it doesn’t have to be this way! When it comes to unforgettable vacations, the best way to preserve your family travel pictures is by organizing and printing photo books. Of course, some photo books are better than others, particularly in terms of usability or design. Find the perfect one for your family to keep the adventure alive after you’ve returned! If you’re pressed for time, however, this task can seem daunting. That’s why we’ve rounded up this list using suggestions from our Facebook group members . Here are the 8 Best Photo Books and Albums To Organize Your Family Vacation Photos, including options that do all of the hard work for you!

According to a recent Facebook poll , our users prefer Shutterfly when it comes to photo books for family vacation pictures . From simple photo books to elegant albums, you can also select the size of your book and upgrade your cover type. Plus, creating a Shutterfly photo book is relatively simple! Choose the type you want to create, select your book size, and choose a style. From there, you can upload between 50 and 800 photos and start designing your book. Create a completely personalized photo book by customizing the layout for each page and adding embellishments. Short on time? Upload your photos, leave special instructions, and let a Shutterfly designer create your family vacation photo book! For a limited time, Shutterfly is also offering photo book design services for free. Prices start at $13.98. However, the price can increase fairly quickly as you select various cover upgrades, larger sizes, or special design features.

“I do Shutterfly books – huge ones! I start the project and add embellishments, keeping it in my cart until they have a sale on free pages, 50% off hardcover books, or free shipping.” – Rebecca Swanson

Chatbooks is known for its convenience and simplicity! Create a photo book directly from your phone, easily importing all of your family vacation pictures. Standard photo books are available in three sizes, either a softcover or hardcover. Families also have three choices for your cover color. Plus, Chatbooks offers beautiful coffee table books designed with your photos as well as prints, wall tiles, and postcards! Another unique offering is the Chatbooks photo book subscriptions. Create a photo book series with a new book printed every 60 photos! Through the Chatbooks app, you can even create monthly minis starting at $5 each. Customize your mini photo book each month in just a few minutes to look back on the month’s highlights. Chatbooks are one of the least expensive options for the best photo books. Families who create them frequently will appreciate the quick process, convenient app, and lower prices! 

“We make Chatbooks and save them. Our daughter loves sharing them and looking back over them. She even used to take them to school with her to share with her class.” – Marie Love Cano

Mixbook is a top-rated photo book company! Offering fully customizable designs, families can choose from a wide range of styles and themes to jumpstart your photo book project. Or, get creative and start with a completely blank photo book! You can also select the size and shape of your photo book to match your preferences. Once you’ve selected your theme and size, import your photos, and customize your layout. Add embellishments, backgrounds, and texts to make your family vacation photos pop! Auto-fill options can make the process faster if you’re busy, and themes do most of the design work for you. Finish your photo book by selecting your paper type, final size, and cover style. Photo books from Mixbook start at $15.99, and prices increase based on which finishing touches you select. Mixbook offers more options than Chatbooks, and their prices are less than Shutterfly (on average).

Snapfish is another one of the best photo books to organize your family vacation photos! Offering hardcover options, this reliable company dates back almost twenty years. Families who like a little variety in their photo collections will also appreciate the various media available for purchase. Choose from prints, cards, mugs, and other printed gifts! There are several sizes to select, in addition to your own cover style. Photo books from Snapfish are limited to 20 pages, but you can also add two additional pages for an extra fee. If you create a family vacation photo book with Snapfish, you can start from scratch with a blank book or choose a predesigned template. Small, softcover photo books start at $12.99, but larger books and hardcovers quickly get more expensive. Luckily, Snapfish almost always has a discount coupon available or a special deal of the day!

Looking for photogenic locations for your next family vacation? Try our top picks for scenic places for family travel in the United States.

12 Best Scenic Places For Families (U.S.A)

Use Printique for your family’s next vacation photo album! To preserve your travel memories in the highest quality possible, parents often turn to this Brooklyn-based company. Printique offers both hardcover books and leather photo albums to hold your favorite family vacation photos or special memories. You can even select the orientation and size of your photo book, as well as your paper type! Printique also offers wall decor, prints, and calendars available to customize. Buyers beware, however: you definitely get what you pay for here. Printique’s photo books are fairly expensive when compared to other options on this list. But they’re also extremely high-quality and crisp, which will add an entirely new dimension to your vacation photographs. Customize up to 100 pages of photos in a classic hardcover photo book, starting at $27.99. Or, design a one-of-a-kind leather photo album to hold your most precious memories!

“Printique is by far the best quality, service, and styling. They are not cheap, but your memories are worth it!” – Holly Kee Miller

Google Photos

Google Photos is already used by countless people to store their favorite vacation memories. With inexpensive photo storage, you can house your family photos in the cloud and access them easily from any device. Luckily, if you want to get your vacation photos off your phone and into a photo book, Google Photos offers a variety of options for printed books! Organize your photos to display on Google Home Hubs in your home, showing off your pictures in a digital fashion. Easily create a custom photo book through Google Photos by searching for specific people, places, or dates. Then, customize your photo book by adjusting your pictures, adding text, and selecting a cover. Softcover photo books start at $9.99 and include 20 pages. Once you create a photo book, you can save it to your account and order copies for the whole family!

“We use Google Photos and have several Google Home Hubs around the house. When we get home, we create an album of all the photos. They automatically upload to the Google Home Hub and scroll through the pictures.” – Stephanie Danaher

SmileBooks is another contender on our list of best photo books to organize your family vacation photos! To make your photo printing process even easier, the company has partnered with Picaboo to offer a variety of photo book options. Starting at $7.99, photo books from SmileBooks are fairly inexpensive and come with a wide range of customizable features. Choose from seven different sizes and select your paper and cover options! With the Fast Book Builder program from SmileBooks, on-the-go parents will find ways to customize family vacation photo books in no time! Don’t worry, if you’re not a technology expert, though. Guided instructions show you how to drag and drop your photos, text, and embellishments to create a beautiful photo book. You can also download the design software from SmileBooks and create photo albums from anywhere! 

“SmileBooks, hands down, photo paper books are much better quality than Shutterfly. I buy the lay-flat pages and always wait on a coupon.” – Amy McMahon Dorset

Amazon Prints

Amazon Prints is another popular photo storage solution for families! Particularly convenient if you already have Amazon credentials, subscribers can store countless photos in an easy-to-access Cloud account. Then, order décor, prints, and photo books directly from their account! Photo books are available in multiple sizes, making it easy to find an option to best fit your needs. Need space-saving options to store in your home? You can also choose from softcover, hardcover, and lay flat books. Small, softcover photo books from Amazon Prints start at $8.99. Select from several pre-designed templates, including vacation and special travel themes to make it festive. Or, you can even design a book from scratch! Add up to 150 pages of photos, insert text and embellishments, and customize each page of your photo book based on your preferences.

Thank You To Our Community!

As always, this article on the 8 Best Photo Books and Albums To Organize Your Family Vacation Photos would not have been as helpful, informed, or family-friendly without the contributions and input from the amazing members on our Facebook group, Families Who Love To Travel ! For more travel recommendations on vacationing with children, be sure to join us on Facebook at Families Who Love To Travel . It’s a community of dynamic families who love to adventure and explore through travel. Plus, follow us on Instagram (@families.love.travel) to connect with other families who love the unique experiences travel has to offer – and to get sneak peeks of upcoming articles!

Looking for the best luggage for kids? Check out our list for the best luggage for everyone in your family (they make great gifts!).

Best Travel Luggage, Carry-Ons, and Backpacks for Kids and Families

Traveling with children who have allergies can be confusing without proper preparation. Even as our world changes with the current Read more

Wondering how to find child care for your next family vacation? If you don’t want to give up traveling just Read more

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Last Updated on 3 years by Antonia Grant

7 useful apps to organize and store travel photos

If you're stuck at home with no travel plans in the near future, you can guide all that bubbling wanderlust into something productive. If you're anything like us at TPG, you have thousands of travel photos on your phone and computer. These may or may not be organized, categorized, backed up or put into albums.

Here's a list of our favorite apps to store and organize your shots, making them easier to view, share and print — keeping those fabulous travel memories alive.

The Dropbox app is all-encompassing — you can use it to save all your photos and have certain folders and files available offline on your phone and synced to your computer. Sharing is easy -- just invite others to view your photos by sharing the folder via email. You can also set the app to automatically upload every photo you take. If you have a business account, you can connect your personal account with it. 2GB of space is offered for free, and paid plans are available for more space.

Download for free on Apple and Google Play .

Google Photos

Google Photos is ideal if you want to create specific albums for many different trips, places or events. It's similar to Dropbox in that you can set it to automatically upload all the photos you take and you can share specific albums with others. The app can be set to upload any shots you've snapped on your phone, or also use it to take photos from a camera you've put on a desktop or laptop computer. If you love using Google Docs, Google Drive, Gmail and Google Sheets, this app integrates seamlessly with all of them, making it easy to share photos (and documents) across the board. Rate plans through GoogleOne are available if you need more space (backing up photos, mail and drive) but if you're willing to limit the resolution of your photos (16mp) and videos (1080p HD) you'll get free unlimited storage.

If you're traveling in a group and want to share photos, or it's important that family and friends back home are updated on the play-by-plays of your adventures, Tripcast is the app for you. With an easy-to-use photo map feature, you can track your photos by place, and everyone on your trip can upload to the same album. Once you get home, you can easily download all of your (and everyone else's) photos for safekeeping and offline access. Although the app feels a bit like social media, it's private, sharing your memories only with the people that you allow to access.

Download for free for Apple and Google Play .

Amazon Photos

If you have an Amazon Prime account, you can get unlimited photo storage with Amazon Photos as a benefit of your yearly membership. Although you'll only get 5GB of space for videos, this isn't a bad deal, as the $119 annual fee (more if you pay month-to-month) comes with this as well as a variety of other benefits like movie streaming and free shipping. The app could also be worth it for serious photographers, as it allows you to store not only JPEG files but also raw images. Keep in mind, that if you cancel your membership, you'll lose this perk (and your photos), so this app is best for those who plan to have Amazon Prime indefinitely.

Download for free for Apple and Google Play and then enter your Prime login information to access your account.

Related: The best credit cards for Amazon purchases

Diehard Apple users should consider using iCloud, which automatically uploads and syncs your photos and files between all of your Apple devices -- iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. If you're someone who constantly upgrades to the newest iPhone, iCloud will make these transfers easy, backing up all your important files and transferring them to the new device. The first 5GB are free with iCloud, and paid plans start at 50GB, with options for 200GB or 2TB (these last two plans you can share with your family).

Look for iCloud on your iPhone, iPad or Mac under settings.

Microsoft OneDrive

With both business and personal/home plans, OneDrive syncs all of your documents and photos between your computer, tablet and phone. Those who love to use Microsoft Office in addition to organizing photos will find that OneDrive integrates well with all of the Office apps. Get 5GB of photo storage for free or 100GB for $1.99 per month. For those wanting Office, too, pricing starts at $69.99 for 1TB of space plus Office apps such as Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint, as well as Skype.

Download for free on Apple Store or Google Play .

Snapfish is best for those who want to also print their photos, offering 100 free prints per month (but plan to pay for shipping). You can also link your social media accounts to upload photos from them, as well as create photo gifts, books, calendars and more. Although the app offers unlimited storage (each image must be150MB or less), it's best for selective photo storage, since your photos must be manually uploaded, though you can upload several at a time. Automatic uploading isn't an option, and the app doesn't offer video storage.

Bottom line

With lots of time at home these days and likely over the coming weeks now is the ideal chance to get your photos in order -- imagine the sense of satisfaction!

(Featured photo by Brad Fickeisen/Unsplash)

16 Best Family Beach Vacations in the U.S. That Everyone Will Love

Give everyone plenty of sea, sun, and sand.

Every item on this page was chosen by a The Pioneer Woman editor. We may earn commission on some of the items you choose to buy.

To help you plan your dream getaway, we've searched high and low to uncover the 16 hottest (sorry, we couldn't resist) beach getaways right here in the U.S. Whether you want to head north, south, east or really far west (we're looking at you, Hawaii), we've got the perfect vacation for the fam. Looking for classic sand and surf? You'll find some iconic Florida and California destinations on this list. And because we know there are trailblazers among you, we've also included a few less well-known spots.

Find places with sprawling boardwalks and classic carnival rides to keep the kiddos active or more secluded spots where you can set up your beach umbrellas and beach chairs , then let nature simply take your breath away. (Did we mention you can find wild horses on one of these beaches?) Whatever you're looking for, you'll find it here. Just make sure to plan and book ahead, so there's less stress come vacation time. Then, be sure to share all of your delightful photos with the best beach Instagram captions !

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Destin, Florida

Situated in the Sunshine State's panhandle, Destin is one of the country's favorite towns for family-friendly beach getaways. The white sands and pretty green seas at Henderson Beach State Park and James Lee Park—which both also offer playgrounds, picnic areas and bathrooms—are just one enticement. Also, grandparents, parents, and the kiddos alike will adore the fun attractions like dolphin cruises, golfing, tours, a zoo, a massive water park, and water activities like parasailing, kayaking, and snorkeling.

Gulf Shores/Orange Beach, Alabama

For Southern hospitality with a down-home vibe, few locales beat Gulf Shores and its sister city, Orange Beach. The sugar-like sand spans 32 miles, and there are plenty of activities available for adults (championship golf) and kids (amusement parks) alike. Families can also partake in the 6,000-acre Gulf State Park, with public beach access, fishing, hiking, biking and even Segway tours all available. You might also check out attractions like The Wharf which offers shopping, dining, and one-of-a-kind entertainment thanks to its amphitheater, Ferris wheel, and arcades.

PLAN YOUR TRIP

Outer Banks, North Carolina

From watching wild horses play along the shoreline in Corolla, to hang gliding off the East Coast's tallest sand dunes at Jockey's Ridge State Park, there is no shortage of unique adventures to try in the Outer Banks . We're talking museums, lighthouses, fishing, water tours, and even mini golf! But also keep in mind that this 100 mile-plus stretch of barrier islands dishes out a wealth of unspoiled, serene sand you definitely won't want to miss. And speaking of dishes, don't miss out on the local cuisine. You can't go wrong ordering the fresh catch of the day!

Maui, Hawaii

If you're going to fly the fam to Hawaii, make sure you double your fun and schedule a stop in Maui . Known as the "Valley Isle," the second-largest island in the 50th state is blessed with more than 30 miles of white, black, and even red sand beaches. Take the little ones to Baldwin State Park, which includes a "baby beach" on a lagoon. Launiupoko Beach Park, with a pool formed by a natural rock wall, is also good for younger children, while older ones will want to snorkel at Kaanapali Beach. Of course, along with stunning beaches and water activities, you can enjoy aquariums, a scenic drive on Road to Hana, hikes, and other cultural experiences.

Ocean City, Maryland

Ocean City is another big hit on the East Coast with family vacationers come summer, thanks to 10 miles of well-maintained beaches great for fishing, surfing, kayaking and more. The area also hosts free events in the warm weather months, ranging from fireworks to movie showings. In particular, teens will want to stroll the three-mile boardwalk, lined with arcades, ride and shops.

Cape May, New Jersey

With less than three miles of beaches, historic Cape May makes for a small but mighty destination for families. Popular activities on the sand and in the sea include not only swimming but also surfing, skimboarding and sand sculpting, as well as kayaking and volleyball (nets are located at both Steger and 2nd Avenue beaches). The cozy size of this island, said to be the country's oldest seaside resort, keeps it all friendly and familiar, but remember to purchase beach tags in the summer months.

Amelia Island, Florida

More laid back than some other locations in Florida, Amelia Island is situated only 30 minutes from the Jacksonville Airport, but feels a world away. You get 13 miles of uncrowded and unspoiled beaches where you can explore nature and abundant native wildlife. And yet, there are still plenty of top-notch restaurants and even music festivals to enjoy in the island's historic downtown center. Enjoy the beach and Fort Clinch State Park on a horseback tour and then head to town for dinner.

Laguna Beach, California

You might be surprised to learn it, since surfing is pretty much the official pastime in Southern California, but Laguna Beach has a few sections in its seven miles of coastline that actually feature calm-ish water. Take the whole family to see-and-be-seen Main Beach, where there are restrooms, lifeguards, a playground and volleyball courts known to be frequented by Olympians. Or, bring teens who dream of learning to "shoot the curl" to Thalia Street Beach, a great spot for beginner surfers.

Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Located just over 20 miles south of Charleston, Kiawah Island is home to ten miles of sandy beaches, over 100 acres of parks, and 30 miles of trails to hike and bike. Oh, and there are five championship golf courses! Hit nine holes one day and then go on a nature walk in Marsh Island Park to look for birds, butterflies, and even alligators. There's plenty to do for kids and adults of all ages.

Myrtle Beach, South Carolina

Myrtle Beach boasts a beaut that runs through more than a mile of the city's downtown. Kids will get a kick out of SkyWheel, an observation ride that rises nearly 200 feet high, but parents will also want to schedule plenty of time to explore the surrounding 60 miles of uninterrupted beaches. With lifeguards, a daily cleaning crew and access points that provide restrooms and showers, Surfside Beach is the best bet for families.

Virginia Beach, Virginia

Home to a popular aquarium, indoor skydiving, mini golf and a three-mile boardwalk, Virginia Beach provides plenty of family attractions to go with its sandy shores. But be sure not to overlook the fabulous beaches, whether you opt for an Atlantic-fronted view or prefer to dip your toes in the Chesapeake (the city is the only one located on both bodies of water). The bay's beaches, like Chic's Beach, are great for younger kids, thanks to comfortably calm waters.

Kennebunkport, Maine

When you think of Maine, you probably picture a rocky coastline battered by wild waves smashing against the shore, but sweet little Kennebunkport is home to some wonderful family beaches. In particular, three-mile-long Goose Rocks Beach, which gets its name from the barrier reef that shelters it, is gifted with tranquil waters. After splashing in the surf, the whole family can head off to a hands-on lobster boat experience aboard the Rugosa and get a true taste of the life of a fisherman. The area also offers whale watching cruises and sailing excursions.

San Diego, California

As if that nearly perfect climate year-round isn't enough to draw vacationers, San Diego entices with 70 miles of coastline. Kids love La Jolla Shores, with its gentle waves at water's edge, while Coronado Beach's wide white sands will please the kite flyers and volleyball players in the family. For a look at sea lions and seals romping, check out Shell Beach, or gather everyone up for a visit to Sea World or the San Diego's world-famous zoo.

Nantucket, Massachusetts

Perched south of Cape Cod, postcard-perfect Nantucket Island is a relaxed, classic getaway for families. Leave your car behind (just about everyone bikes on the island) take the ferry over, then hit the appropriately-named Children's Beach, where kids can safely play in the soft surf. Or, hop aboard an Ice Cream or Critter cruise—the former serves the cold treat, while the latter gives the littles a chance to handle sea life like lobsters and crabs.

Jekyll Island, Georgia

A 5,500-acre barrier island located off of the Georgia coast, Jekyll Island is home to 10 miles of shoreline, including the stunning Driftwood Beach. It's beloved for the photogenic pieces of weathered trees and branches that litter its sand, a result of natural erosion. After beach time, families can partake in dolphin cruises, a water park, horseback riding tours and biking on 20 miles of paved trails.

Grand Haven, Michigan

Not all great beaches have to be located on the sea, and Grand Haven's wealth of stellar sand along Lake Michigan proves it. Grand Haven State Park is popular not only for its lovely beach, but also it's connection to a lively boardwalk that buzzes with people enjoying the businesses lining it. It also accesses Grand Haven's historic red lighthouses, always good for a photo op. North Beach Park, in Ferrysburg, just to the north of Grand Haven, is a bit quieter and a great swimming beach for families.

Jill Gleeson is a travel journalist and memoirist based in the Appalachian Mountains of western Pennsylvania who has written for websites and publications including Good Housekeeping, Woman’s Day, Country Living, Washingtonian, Gothamist, Canadian Traveller, and EDGE Media Network. Jill is the travel editor for Enchanted Living. Learn more about her journey at gleesonreboots.com.

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RB ITALIA Blog

Don't Let Mom-stress Ruin Your Family Vacation; 12 Tips from Experts

Posted: April 26, 2024 | Last updated: April 26, 2024

Involve the Kids in Planning

Involving your children in planning a trip can be a fun and inclusive experience for the whole family. By researching and organizing the trip together, you bond with your kids and ensure that the trip meets their expectations and desires. This way, you won’t have to worry about whether your children are enjoying the journey once you get there.

Set Realistic Expectations

Before leaving, sit down with your children and prepare them for the upcoming vacation. You should create a list of reasonable expectations for your children to behave and be respectful in a new place. You should not be too strict, though, as watching your kids like a hawk will keep you and your children stressed out.

Come Up with a Trip Goal

A special incentive can be a great way to get kids excited about a trip. As you plan your vacation, consider working with your family to establish a trip goal and decide what you would like to get out of your trip. This way, you can all work towards a common goal and ensure that your children are traveling purposefully. Whether your goal is to see as much wildlife as possible or to simply relax on the beach, don’t hesitate to get creative!

Have Patience

When things don’t go according to plan, avoiding panicking is essential. Whether you’re dealing with travel problems or your children misbehaving, it’s best to approach the situation calmly. Maintaining a positive outlook can change your perspective and better prepare you to handle stressful situations.

Stick to a Routine

Implementing your usual daily routine with your children while on vacation can also help to lower your stress levels. When children are comfortable and familiar with their surroundings, they are more likely to feel secure and behave well. This can give you a break from worrying about tantrums or meltdowns and allow you to relax and enjoy the vacation.

Consult a Travel Agent

As a mother, you may find yourself handling multiple tasks simultaneously. However, it is essential to remember that you do not have to do everything alone. Travel advisors can help you create a travel plan while organizing your documents. They can help you identify the optimal routes from one destination to another, provide valuable insider tips, and offer exclusive pricing deals. Don’t hesitate to seek their help.

Prepare for Boredom

Not every moment of your day will be filled with exciting activities, and that’s perfectly fine. Instead of worrying about how to keep your children entertained during these moments, it’s a good idea to come equipped. Pack some card games, activity books, and toys to keep the kids busy. You can also bring a tablet for online gaming, but it’s recommended that you limit screen time to a minimum.

Give Yourself Space

Taking a break from spending every moment with your children is essential. Constantly being together can cause you to become more irritable and frustrated, leading to a higher chance of getting annoyed with your kids. Allow yourself an hour or so of peace to destress and appreciate some time apart.

Allow for A Lot of Time

If you find yourself constantly in a rush with your kids despite allocating enough time, try giving yourself twice the time you think you need. With this relaxed approach, you ensure your children are fully prepared and fed, and leaving the house on time becomes much more achievable. This is particularly crucial on travel days, especially at the airport, where lines can get long, and you must arrive hours before your flight.

Introduce Your Children to New Things

It is essential not to shelter your children during vacations. They will never learn anything if they cannot try new experiences and foods. Although it may be scary for a parent to allow their children to step out of their comfort zone, giving them a chance to grow and become independent is necessary.

Don’t Bring Your Work Along

You are on vacation, and there is no reason for you to be working instead of relaxing. Spending time with your family is the most critical aspect of a family vacation. Bringing your work laptop will only leave you checked out and anxious. If you worry about your work more than enjoying your trip, you must learn to temporarily forget about it.

Eliminate Your Fears & Doubts

Traveling with your family as an overly concerned mother can cause unnecessary worry. Whether you are nervous about taking your kids on planes or convinced that the trip will not go well for some reason, overcoming your fears and anxieties is essential. Don’t let your worries set a negative tone for your trip. Instead, be fearless, let go of your inhibitions, and enjoy the adventure with your loved ones.

Planning and maintaining a positive mindset can help moms and their families enjoy family vacations. With expert advice on navigating the journey smoothly, moms can focus on creating unforgettable memories with their loved ones. By implementing the right strategies, moms can confidently embark on family vacations, prepared to overcome any challenges that may arise.

The post Don't Let Mom-stress Ruin Your Family Vacation; 12 Tips from Experts appeared first on RB Italia Blog .

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At Cruise Planners, we pride ourselves on curating unforgettable adventures that cater to the unique needs of our clients. By choosing us, you're not just getting a vacation, you're investing in lifetime memories. We're committed to exceptional customer service, and with our knowledge and expertise, you can trust that Cruise Planners is the right choice for your travel needs. Experience the difference and join our community of satisfied travelers today! *Exclusive Pricing *Ocean Cruises *River Cruises *World Cruises *Expedition Cruises *Luxury Travel *All-inclusive resorts *Personalized Vacation Packages *Group Travel (Reunions, weddings, birthdays, friends and family, etc.) *Solo Travel *Guided Land Tours *Travel Insurance (provided by Allianz) - insurance available for travel booked with or without us. It's not too late! …

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Angry Ape Off-Road

We offer mild & scenic, to wild & hang on to your shorts off road adventure tours in the Prescott National Forest. We take you places in the forest many never get the opportunity to see in the comfort of one of our Hummer H3’s. Come… read more

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