Many people anxiously await the summer months. It’s the best time to travel, school is out, and you can take advantage of many vacation spots. With the season, though, also comes those scorching temperatures that have you scrambling for the shade or the comfort of your AC-cooled home. However, it’s possible to enjoy the season and still stay cool.

Stay Hydrated

One of the most important things you can do to regulate your body temperature and avoid overheating is to stay hydrated. Unfortunately, a whopping 78% of people don’t drink nearly enough water. Experts say you should consume about half your body weight in ounces each day.

Staying hydrated helps regulate your body temperature. It can help prevent heat stroke and help you with your fitness goals if you’re active. It has a host of health benefits, which makes sense considering your body is 70% water.

Freeze Ice Pops

This might be a kids’ favorite treat, but it’s ideal for all ages. What better way to cool off than to sit back and relax with an ice pop? If you’re entertaining, you can get the fruity ones for children and store boozy ones separately for adults. Frozen whiskey pops are often a hit with those who have a refined palate, and it’s easy to keep out of the reach of kids. Plus, it’ll add a new spin to cocktail hour.

Time Your Destination Visits

If you’re planning to travel to San Diego and want to see the local attractions, such as the San Diego Zoo or one of the local golf courses, going early in the morning or later in the evening can help you stave off those hours under direct sunlight. Plus, you might get lucky and avoid all the tourists at these hours. Beaches also tend to be less busy at these times, so if hitting the waves is on your list of things to do, keep this in mind.

Get Wet!

One of the best ways to cool down during the summer heat is to get wet. As we mentioned before, you can hit the beaches. There are many within a short drive of San Diego or you can head up the coast until you find one you want to set up your towel on. Not itching to get covered in sand? We understand. There are a number of resorts that offer pools, or maybe you live in the region and have one yourself. You can also take advantage of Waterfront Park, a place for the entire family, or attend a dive-in movie where you watch a feature film while floating in a pool.

Indoor Activities

Sometimes, the weather is just too uncomfortable to venture out, which means all outdoor activities are off the list — at least temporarily. No worries, though! There are plenty of indoor activities that will take your mind off the scorching heat and keep you cool at the same time. If you have kids or simply love aquatic life, head to an aquarium. There are also several museums in the area, such as San Diego Air & Space and the Museum of Contemporary Art. If you enjoy the arts, take in a performance at La Jolla Playhouse.

No matter where your interests lie, there’s always something to do in the summer in San Diego. Soak up the sun, take a dip in the pools or ocean, or check out one of many indoor attractions. You’ll never run out of options!

There’s more to travel photography than just snapping popular sites. We’re going to give you some tips for your next shoot abroad.

Travel photography is one of the most unique genres and arguably the most competitive. Taking good photos in this genre is about more than visiting fancy locations; you also need to convey the emotions you were feeling at that moment in time.

When taking photos on your travels abroad, it’s vital to prepare accordingly. Compared to shooting images in your hometown, you haven’t got as much room for maneuver. If that’s left you feeling a little daunted, don’t worry; we’re here to help.

Keep reading to discover our best tips for improving your travel photography.

1. Use the Right Lens

Travel photography is a versatile genre. As a result, you’ll want a versatile lens to help you get the best results.

When picking a suitable lens for travel photography, you can go down a couple of routes. The first is to choose a zoom lens with a wide enough range of focal lengths for the type of pictures you want to take.

Alternatively, you can choose a prime lens with a fixed focal length; this is what we recommend. Using a prime lens will help you document a wide range of situations, and since travel photography is fast-paced, this can also reduce the decision fatigue often associated with zoom lenses.

When picking a focal length for travel photography, we recommend going for something between 27 and 50 millimeters.

2. Brainstorm Your Photo Ideas in Advance

Spontaneity can be helpful for things like choosing where to go for dinner. And although travel photography requires some spontaneity, planning in advance will give you better results if you want to capture the life and atmosphere of the places you visit.

When preparing for a trip, think about the culture of the place you’re visiting. While your images in New York City might be chaotic and vibrant, a trip to Sweden could involve capturing the visual demonstration of calming feelings and sounds.

You might find it helpful to create a storyboard based on your itinerary. Doing so will add structure to your photoshoots, and it’ll force you to stop and think about each image before you snap away. Thanks to this, you’ll get better shots.

3. Scout the Areas That You Want to Photograph

When it comes to travel photography, many people make the mistake of only visiting popular tourist sites. By doing this, they get the same results as everyone else. This is why you see so many of the same images on Instagram; if you fall into this trap, you’re not going to stand out.

Of course, the touristy spots will most likely be a part of your trip; when you visit Paris for the first time, you’re going to want to see the Eiffel Tower. But before you stand in the same spot as all the other tourists, go for a walk and look for unique angles.

It’s also a good idea to walk around other parts of the place you’re visiting before you start snapping away. Take an aimless walk in a particular district and scout exciting spots. You can take a photo on your phone to save the location and then return later with your camera.

4. Wait Before Editing Your Images

When you travel, emotions are high. Beautiful landscapes, hot weather, and the excitement of exploring a new place can all cloud your judgment. And if you begin editing your photos while still on holiday, you could end up with edits where you’ve pushed the colors, clarity, and everything else too far.

It’s all too tempting to show off to your social media followers straight away about your latest trip, but you’re better off waiting a few weeks when you get back. Having this buffer between the trip and the editing phase will let you choose the pictures you like the most and edit them from a neutral perspective.

Because you’ll no longer feel the same high as when you were traveling, you’ll edit with a clear mind—and your photos will look better.

5. Pack Minimialistically

If you’ve got several camera lenses, it’s tempting to throw them all into your backpack or suitcase. However, the last thing you want is to feel the weight of those lenses as you carry them around. It’s also pointless to have five or six lenses if you don’t have enough space to pack your clothes and other essentials.

You probably won’t need most of the lenses that you thought you would, anyway. Taking everything you have means more decisions to make, and, if something goes wrong, a higher fee to pay to get everything repaired.

You’ll take better travel photos if you only pack the essentials. Try to take one—at most two—lenses with you. Ask yourself whether a tripod is necessary, too; in some cases, it isn’t.

6. Seek Inspiration Beforehand

Of course, you want your travel photography to be unique. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t seek inspiration from others before you visit. And thanks to the internet, you can get to know more about an area through its network of local photographers.

Pinterest is an excellent place to find travel photography inspiration. You can save all of your ideas in a pin and send direct messages to other users for additional tips. Instagram is another great platform to seek inspiration from; you can look for local photographers and search geotags and hashtags for ideas. And don’t forget about YouTube and Twitter, too.

There’s More to Travel Photography Than You Think

Travel photography is much more than visiting pretty places and pointing your camera at things that look nice. To become a successful travel photographer, it’s crucial that you think about the things you want to capture in advance. Try to avoid cliché poses that will look staged to your followers, and think outside the box as much as you can.

Every trip is unique, and only you can capture your experiences and emotions. These tips should help you start thinking about how to do that.

With worldwide airfares taking a dip, now is probably the best time to pack your bags and go out exploring! Here are four of the best vacation spots to visit when your wallets are not that tightly packed.

Mazatlan, Mexico- Mazatlan is abounding with marvelous restaurants and crisp, fascinating dishes. Lodgings are amazingly modest and true since most aren’t a piece of the colossal chains. El Cid Marina has magnificent pools that are ideal for families, extraordinary nourishment and enormous rooms.

South Africa- With traveling expenses and hotel prices being absolutely rock bottom, spending a holiday in South Africa is a no-brainer. Add on top the local wine prices which can be acquired for less than the price of a can of soda, South Africa can be a dream destination for those seeking a holiday getaway for the cheap and a load of fun!

San Juan, Puerto Rico- With Puerto Rico still being inside the boundaries of the US, there is no hassle of passports and with US Dollars being legal tender, there is no money lost during the exchange.

Chile- With the current exchange rates being favorable, visits to any European country is fair game! With Chile, there is a lot of delicious food and amazing wine to go by. With the local scenery being exquisite and renting cars being very easy and cheap, Chile is an ideal vacation spot on a budget.

The rules on travelling without a passport have changed since the UK left the EU – here’s what you need to know

Travelling without a passport isn’t generally the done thing, but it is possible; to some destinations, at least.

Anyone in the UK can enter another country within the Common Travel Area, which consists of England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, plus the Crown Dependencies (Bailiwick of Jersey, Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Isle of Man) and Ireland, without the requirement to carry a passport.

There are no passport checks when travelling between a land border between England, Wales and Scotland and Northern Ireland and Ireland, but when you enter via airport or port, you will go through security. In this case, if you’re planning to leave your passport at home, you’ll need to show another form of ID. Accepted other travel documents generally include:

• Photographic driving license
• International student card
• Government issued photographic ID cards
• Health insurance/social security photographic ID cards
• Photographic bus/train pass
• Place of work photographic ID
• Birth certificates (for under 18s with no photo ID)

Digital copies of your ID will not be accepted. We also recommend checking the rules on the transport company you’re travelling with, as they often provide a list of accepted forms of ID, and these can vary.

Can I travel to the EU without a passport?

No. Since the UK left the EU on 31 January 2021, anyone travelling from England, Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland to a country in the European Union or Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland or Vatican City will only be able to travel with a valid passport.

It’s also important to know that the rules have become stricter post-Brexit, and all travellers from the UK must now ensure that their passport is less than 10 years old on the day of entry to an EU country, and is valid for three months after the planned end date of the trip. So for example, if you will be returning to the UK on 1 August 2022, your passport cannot expire before 1 November 2022.

If in doubt, it’s always helpful to travel with your passport and ensure that it will not be expiring soon.