Instagram might be everyone’s favorite social media tool, but have you ever used it to plan your travel itinerary? We sure have! Turns out, Instagram is way more than pretty pictures and inspiration. With over five million uses of #dametraveler and over half a million followers, Instagram is stocked with lots of information for you to leverage when it comes to your adventures! Today, we’re sharing our tips and tricks for using Instagram to plan your travels.
Make “Saved” Bucket List Boards
A few years ago, Instagram added a lovely little bookmark feature to “save” photos (it looks like a ribbon on the right hand side)! You’ve probably overlooked this feature a million times. But, honestly, it’s one of our go-to tools to save and organize photos that inspire us!
You can make saved boards for any sort of need. Home interior inspiration, quotes you love, etc. Similar to Pinterest, keeping organized boards is a great way to save handy information and inspiration. But we particularly love creating “bucket list boards.” Here are some ideas of how to organize your Instagram finds using saved boards!
Photo Inspiration
Whenever you see a photo that truly takes your breath away, take a second and save it for future reference. Why? Because there’s so much to learn from a well-executed photo! It’s fun to collect our favorite, epic photographs that inspire our work. Scrolling through them is like an instant refresh when you’re feeling uninspired or tired of the way you’re shooting. It’s fun to see how others shoot light, alter perspective, edit, play with color, posing and more! Plus, it gives you a clearer view on the type of imagery that speaks to you.
Location-Specific Details
We love when a ‘grammer shares a very specific location tag in their posts! Why? Because then researching our itinerary to get there is so much easier. Specific location details give travelers the clarity on how/when/where they need to go to visit those iconic sights they’ve long loved!
Foodie Recommendations
Let’s be real. The best part about travel is sometimes the discoveries we make in restaurants around the world!
Start tuning in when others mention or tag their favorite restaurants/meals in the city you’re about to visit… and don’t forget to “save” them into your bucket list folder! Or, if you so happen to stumble upon a beautifully lit, stunning setting to have a coffee or grab a drink, save that too. Racking up lots of recommendations via Instagram gives you a visual on how delicious your trip is going to be, so get excited!
You can also do a quick search for Instagrammers that focus on food and travel. Just search your city + food/restaurants and see what pops up. If you happen to follow our page @dametravelerfoodie, you know we love sharing curated finds of our favorite restaurants and bars around the world!
P.S. you can also find more foodie-travel inspiration right here!
Hotels And Lodgings You Love
Finding a unique, stunning place to rest your head at night can be tricky. But not if you’re using Instagram as your tool to plan your itinerary. Start noticing with travelers share their tagged hotels in the destination. If you absolutely love where they are staying, give that hotel a follow and “save” some of their pictures into the bucket list folder too! Don’t know where to start? Check out @dametravelerhotels and see some of our most beautiful hotels and residences we adore!
Follow Location-Based Instagram Accounts
Instagram is a playground of fun when you’re starting to nail down the details in your trip itinerary! Guidebooks and blog posts are incredibly handy… but following location-based Instagram accounts not only gets you incredibly excited for your trip every time you open the app! After following some specific accounts, you’ll find that you’ll become more familiar with cities, locations, famous sights and cultural traditions – simply because they’re more present in your daily life.
Don’t know where to find these sort of accounts? Take a second or two and delve into Instagram’s search bar. Sometimes the tourism board Instagram’s have contain tons of gems. Simply search your location and start exploring.
Don’t Forget To Source Hashtags!
Hashtags are follow-able! So, give a follow to some of your favorite hashtags that categorize photos by style, location and more. It’s a great way to collect inspiration and location-specific information.
Did you know that we actually sort hashtags by location? For example, if you want to plan a trip to New York City, you can search #dametravelernyc on Instagram and find some gorgeous sights and photos to guide your itinerary!
Plus, if you’re trying to grow your following on Instagram, having these hashtags on lock to add to your post is a great way to start getting your photos more views.
Read Our E-Book On Finding Picturesque Hidden Gems
That’s right! We have an e-book going into detail on how we find epicly beautiful landscapes around the world that most consider to be hidden-gems. Check it out!
Instagram is so much more than a social media platform. In fact, it’s completely changing the travel industry. Use it to its fullest potential!
Do you use Instagram to plan your trips? We’d love to know your tips and triccks!
These are all great tips! Thanks for sharing 🙂