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Remember that rickshaw ride to the Taj Mahal? Or the 3-hour lunch in the Marais? This collection is inspired by your colorful travels and the things you picked up along the way. Where will you go next?

a warm mustard frame with glossy finish

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coral red glazed frame

Influenced by artisanal pottery, we created 10 beautiful hues by layering transparent tones with a glossy finish. 
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“Santorini was like the beginning of a new chapter.”

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The 6 Best Digital Picture Frames to Display Your Travel Photos

Show off your travel memories with these digital photo frames.

In This Article

Jump to a Section

• Our top picks
• Others We Liked

Our Testing Process

• Tips For Buying
• Why Trust T+L

We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation. Learn more .

Travel + Leisure / Laura Miller

I’ll be the first to admit that as much as I want to create scrapbooks and photo albums of my travels, somehow I never get there. Life gets busy, the hundreds (or let's be real, thousands) of photos end up buried in my camera roll, and I never take the time to go back and look at them. Enter the digital picture frame: a modern yet nostalgic solution to showcase your cherished travel memories.

Before purchasing your digital frame, take a moment to think about some of the qualities you want to prioritize. Do you want it to look like a traditional frame, or do you want a more tech-forward look? Do you care about the orientation your frame will sit? Do you want to hang it on the wall? Do you want your frame to do more than just display photos? 

Our team tested 12 digital picture frames for ease of use, photo and video quality, aesthetic, and more. We evaluated and compared each option based on the setup process, frame design, display quality, features, and value. (Read more about our comprehensive testing process below.) Our testing is ongoing for six more months to ensure each option’s reliability. Keep reading to find the digital picture frame that will best show off your adventures!

Best Overall

Aura carver digital picture frame.

• Design 4.8 /5
• Display 5 /5
• Features 5 /5
• Value 4.8 /5

This digital frame is stylish, user friendly, easy to set up, and features unlimited storage so you can keep adding pictures to your liking.

You cannot hang the frame on a wall due to the design of the wall outlet. 

Every little detail of this photo frame, from a speaker that plays sounds from videos to the automatic turn-off feature at night (that also automatically turns on in the morning), make this Aura option our top pick for any user. We had a very positive experience setting up the digital frame, using the Aura app for easy photo and video uploads over Wi-Fi. The sturdy frame will adjust the photos and automatically crop them based on whether it’s placed vertically or horizontally.  

The display’s high resolution provides bright and high-definition images without graininess. Videos play super crisp as well, and the frame includes a speaker for video sound. Additional features include an automatic turn off at night and turn on in the morning, the ability to preload images and messages for gifting, and unlimited storage. We also love that you can also email photos to the frame’s unique address to easily add photos. Or, you can share a link with other loved ones in your life for them to add photos to your frame — and if it’s photos you haven’t seen before, the experience is a total welcome surprise.

The Details: 10.1 inches | 1280 x 800 resolution | Unlimited storage | Interactive touchbar | Works with Apple (iOS 12+) and Android devices (5.0+) | App required

Best Touchscreen

Aeezo 10.1-inch digital photo frame.

This digital frame is super customizable, featuring a clock, a weather report, brightness adjustments, ability to add photo captions, and more. 

While the display is clear, the image resolution is not as sharp as on high-end smartphones, especially when viewed up close.

We love that this option looks more decorative, appearing to be a traditional, wooden photo frame with a white area that makes it look like your photos are matted. The setup process is straightforward, and the frame is easy to use in both landscape and portrait modes. It automatically adjusts photo orientation, and the cord is designed for easy concealment. The photos don’t look as clear on the frame as they did on our phones, but it is fine if you’re displaying photos from afar.

The frame offers a range of features including a touchscreen; notifications for new photos; video playback with sound (although notably quieter compared to the volume of notification sounds); and customizable settings like a clock, viewing the weather, adjusting brightness, and adding photo captions. Plus, all of these features are easy to navigate right on the frame itself with the super responsive touchscreen. Users can also tap a photo currently being displayed and change how it fits in the frame in real-time.

The Details: 10.1 inches | 1280 x 800 resolution | 8 GB memory | Touchscreen | Works with Apple and Android devices | App required | USB and memory card slots

Best Display

Aura mason digital picture frame.

• Features 4.8 /5
• Value 4.5 /5

The 9-inch frame displays photos and videos crystal clear, every time.

If you want to play video with sound, you have to manually turn the volume on for each video that cycles through, as opposed to toggling a volume button on and off.

A picture’s worth a thousand words, especially when the quality is so clear that you feel transported back to a moment in time. The display on this Aura frame has the highest resolution of our entire list, boasting 224 pixels per inch, and the quality is consistent from photo to photo and video. Even the photos that the frame has had to crop or adjust (in situations where the orientation of the images doesn't match the orientation of the frame) have displayed quite clear and filled the frame. The frame's setup is straightforward, with an intuitive app to add photos and videos. Its design is high-end and non-techy, giving it a beautiful aesthetic that would complement any room. We especially love the unlimited cloud storage for all users (even for those who you invite to add photos to your frame), automatic turn off when the room gets dark, and customizable slideshow timings. 

The Details: 9 inches | 1600 x 1200 resolution | Unlimited storage | Interactive touch bar | Works with Apple and Android devices | App required

Travel + Leisure / Laura Miller

Google Nest Hub

This smart home device offers several features and doubles as a photo frame.

Since the Google Nest Hub is designed with a stand, it is only functionable in landscape mode.

Get yourself a frame that can do both: for those who want a smart home device integrated into their photo frame, look no further than the Google Nest Hub. The digital display is clear with high-resolution images and videos, ensuring no distortion in the displayed content. The setup is managed through the Google Home app with step-by-step instructions and uploading photos via Google Photos is seamless, especially for those already using the app. Beyond being a digital photo frame, it offers various smart features like music streaming, calendar integration, voice recognition, web access for recipes, the ability to control other smart devices, and more.

The Details: 7 inches | 1024 x 600 resolution | 2 GB memory | Voice control & touchscreen | Works with Apple (iOS 15+) and Android Devices (9.0+) | App required | USB or memory card slots

Travel + Leisure / Rebecca Park

Most Versatile

Pix-star digital picture frame.

• Setup 4.5 /5

There are additional smart device features while also maintaining somewhat of a traditional photo frame look. 

The frame is restricted to landscape mode because it relies on a stand and lacks wall-mounting capabilities.

Although this Pix-Star frame is one of the more expensive options on our list, all of its additional features definitely make up for it. The setup process is simple, with various ways to transfer photos, including an app, a dedicated email address, and importing from social media or cloud services. The frame displays crisp, clear, high-resolution images and videos, as long as the original image size is used. Beyond photo display, the frame includes features like reminders, games, web radio, music upload capability, and the option to connect external speakers, adding more to its functionality than solely displaying photos. 

The Details: 10 inches | 1024 x 768 resolution | 8 GB memory | Remote control | Works with Apple and Android devices | App required | USB slot

Travel + Leisure / Cathy Fallone

Amazon Echo Show 8 (2nd Gen)

• Setup 4.2 /5

The touchscreen, built-in speaker, camera, and access to various apps like Netflix and Spotify enhance its functionality beyond being a digital photo frame.

The setup process, while generally straightforward, may pose challenges for less tech-savvy users.

The Echo Show 8 impresses with its high-quality display and versatile features. While the initial steps may be a bit clunky, once you get the hang of using both the Amazon Alexa and Amazon Photos apps, the ability to share images remotely and the variety of display options make it worthwhile. While the aesthetic is tech-oriented, the device's landscape-only mode and white cord blend well in various spaces. The high-resolution display and clear video are reliable, with multiple display options available. We deemed the Echo Show 8 as a great value for its size, brand reputation, and multitude of features, making it an ideal gift option. 

The Details: 8 inches | 1280 x 800 resolution | 3 GB memory | Touchscreen | Works with Apple, Android, and Fire OS devices | App required

Travel + Leisure / Dera Burreson

Other Digital Picture Frames We Liked

Two additional digital photo frames we tested couldn’t quite earn a spot on our list but had standout features that may be appealing to some shoppers.

Nixplay 9.7-inch Smart Digital Photo Frame : We like that this frame features video capabilities, sound, adjustable brightness, transition options, a timer, motion activation, sleep schedule, and a clock. However, the remote control, essential for setting up and connecting to Wi-Fi, was initially non-functional and difficult to open, delaying the setup process and making it frustrating. 

Atatat Digital Picture Frame : While the frame is feature rich — including a clock, calendar view, brightness adjuster, a motion sensor, an alarm setting, USB and SD card slots, a headphone jack, music settings, a volume adjuster, and the ability to use the frame vertically — we found that the resolution of both photos and videos is not as clear as on high-end devices like modern smartphones, especially on the large 15.6-inch screen.

We tested 12 digital picture frames over two weeks to assess the setup process, frame design, display quality, features, and value. The testing period included the practical use of the photo frame, evaluating aspects such as the ease of adding and removing photos from various devices, adjustability of the slideshow, storage capacity, display duration, photo orientation options, hanging capabilities, resolution of images and videos, sound and music clarity, and testing additional features like timer settings, clock and calendar displays, weather information, motion activation, and adjustable brightness. For Wi-Fi models, testing involved having someone from a separate household send photos to the digital photo frame.

Our long-term plan includes testing for an additional six months to monitor each jacket’s durability, performance, and user satisfaction over an extended period. We will update these results if our findings should change.

Tips for Buying a Digital Photo Frame

Prioritize high-resolution displays with your desired size.

The display quality of your digital photo frame will make or break your relationship with it. Opt for a frame that boasts a resolution capable of showcasing your photos with clarity and sharpness. Whether you prefer a compact frame for a side table or a larger one to command attention on the wall, ensure the size aligns with where you intend to place your frame. A high-resolution display paired with the right size ensures that each image is presented with the utmost detail, making your investment in a digital photo frame truly worthwhile. 

To make an informed decision, evaluate the intended size of your displayed pictures and consider whether you plan to showcase them vertically, horizontally, or a mix of both? Understanding the specific dimensions and aspect ratios that your chosen digital frame supports ensures that your cherished memories are presented in optimal clarity.

Pay attention to storage space

Enough storage space on the device you choose ensures that you can showcase a vast collection of your favorite moments without constantly shuffling or deleting images. Before making a purchase, consider how many photos you intend to display and opt for a frame with sufficient internal storage or external memory card support.

We recommend choosing an option that has built-in memory (most of the frames on this list feature 8 GB of memory, allowing for approximately 30,000 photos) or one that uses cloud/unlimited storage so you never have to worry about running out of space.

Check compatible devices

Most digital photo frames nowadays require dedicated apps for streamlined photo management. These apps play a crucial role in uploading, organizing, and deleting photos on your digital frame. Check for compatibility with your smartphones, tablets, and other devices you commonly use so you can transfer and manage your photos easily. The best way to ensure your device(s) works with the app is to ask the manufacturer, read the frame’s product description, or check that your device’s app store has it available to download. 

A digital picture frame is an electronic device designed to display photos in a slideshow format, constantly rotating through a selection of images of your choosing. Digital picture frames may offer features such as touchscreen functionality, adjustable slideshow settings, compatibility with different photo orientations, and the ability to display videos. Some advanced models even include built-in speakers for playing music or videos, internet connectivity for accessing online content, and smart home integration. 

While some digital photo frames allow you to upload photos through a USB drive, a cable via built-in storage, or a memory card, most options today cater to our penchant to use phones as our sole cameras. Most options today will require you to download a compatible app on a smartphone or tablet to easily upload and manage your photos, and even allow access to friends and family to add photos to your frame (making this a grandparent-friendly gift). Always follow your device’s instructions to ensure a seamless and pain-free setting up experience. 

Not all digital picture frames require Wi-Fi, and there are both Wi-Fi-enabled and non-Wi-Fi models available in the market. The choice depends on the specific features you want and how you plan to use the digital picture frame. 

Wi-Fi-enabled frames offer additional functionalities such as the ability to connect to the internet, access online photo-sharing platforms, receive remote photo updates from friends and family, or even display weather and news updates. Non-Wi-Fi digital picture frames are standalone devices that don't rely on internet connectivity, and use local methods of updating your photo selection, including memory cards and USB drives.

Yes, many modern digital picture frames come with the capability to play videos, and many that do also have speakers to play sound. Keep in mind that the specific features and supported formats may vary between different models and brands, so it's advisable to review the product details before making a purchase.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

An expert on shopping trends and a frequent traveler, Maddie Michalik has been professionally reviewing products since 2014. For this story, she combed through Travel + Leisure ’s detailed testing insights for all types of digital photo frames, reading through testing feedback for each frame, then referenced product descriptions and additional research to create a comprehensive roundup of the best digital picture frames today.

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Five creative ways to display your travel photos

Dec 11, 2020 • 5 min read

Bring the outside in with a photo mural. This wall art by travel photographer Laura Watilo Blake shows Colombia’s wax palm forest in the Cocora Valley © Oleksii Nazaruk / Lonely Planet

There hasn't been much travel this year but that does mean that many of us have been looking to make our living space that little bit brighter.

Whether you're still in lockdown, looking for the perfect gift or just enjoying some downtime over the holidays, you can keep the sweet memories of past adventures alive. Here are a few suggestions for personalizing your living spaces with vacation photos trapped on your digital devices.

1. Put a frame around it

A digital photo frame is one of the easiest ways to display your travel images. The latest generation of digital photo frames are Wi-Fi enabled and make it easy to link to popular social media and cloud-storage services without a big time commitment. Nixplay , for example, has free-standing and wall-mounted frames that connect to Dropbox , Google Photos , Facebook and Instagram .

The Nixplay mobile app unlocks more features, including collection curation, viewing preferences and sharing options. Digital frames also make great gifts for less tech-savvy family members from whom you’re socially distanced. You can create a dedicated email address so you and other family members can send photos directly to their frame.

2. Create a photo book of your past vacations

Instead of swiping through your travel photos on your phone, turn them into real page turners with a photo book. They can be organized by theme, color or by specific trips. No matter how they are curated, make sure to pick only the images you really love. Fewer photos will have maximum impact on the page, but you break up the book with collages of smaller images, too.

While services like Blurb , Mixbook , Printique , Costco , Mpix , Shutterfly , and Artifact Uprising have templates and tools that will help automate the process, they don’t always populate the layout in a way that makes sense.

Here’s some advice from Steph Lehman, a photo book editor and graphic designer for Far-Country Press , an independent book publisher based in Helena, Montana: “I like many options to work with for subjects and locations, including different orientations, color schemes, choices for usage as main images or accent photos, etc.”

3. Experiment with unexpected print surfaces

Society6 is an online marketplace for artists who sell their artwork printed on a variety of media, from more traditional framed prints to all kinds of home décor items and consumer goods. Anyone can join, which means you can upload your own travel photos and even make money selling them if you’re looking for a side hustle.

Don’t expect a windfall since you’ll probably want to buy all the cool products adorned with your travel photos. Among other things, you can beautify your home office with a photo calendar, enhance your daily meditation with a printed yoga mat and drift off to sleep snuggled under a custom-designed comforter.

There are all kinds of online printing services with unique products on which to print, including lampshades ( Zazzle ), wood boards ( PhotoBarn ), metal ( Artbeat Studios ), acrylic ( Mpix ) and peel-and-stick fabric ( SnapBox ).

4. Go big with a wall mural or photo wall

It may feel like your world has shrunk a little, but your travel photos can be larger than life. Photo wall murals can make you feel like you’re sleeping in a Scandinavian forest or dining on a white-sand beach at dusk. Murals Your Way , for example, will take your photo and wall dimensions and create custom wallpaper with a water-activated adhesive backing. 

Kelsey Miller, a copy editor based in Chicago, likes to find unique ways for displaying images. She went the DIY route to save some money on a photo wall in her living room. “The image on my wall is a cloth tapestry I purchased from Society6 ,” she says. “I cut it into 12 pieces with a rotary cutter (for a super clean cut), then used a cornstarch/water paste to ‘glue’ them to the back of 12 square frames from IKEA. The best part is that I can peel off the tapestry and the cornstarch/water paste washes off with soap and water, so I can always replace it.” 

Photo walls can also be groupings of many different travel photos like the one Cleveland art director Stephanie Park has in her home. “They are from all different places, but I’ve made them cohesive by printing them in black and white. They are in silver frames of all different sizes and styles.”

5. Don’t underestimate the power of a classic print

Printing out your photos isn’t a new idea, but chances are most of your images have stayed trapped in the digital realm. Give your memories some space in the real world and blow them up to appreciate the details on traditional photo paper. “Do your research before you print,” says Vincent McCracken of Mpix , the online arm of Miller’s Professional Imaging , the largest professional photo lab in the United States.

“While drugstores or big box stores might be a convenient way to print your photos, some use cheap paper and your color will vary widely from print to print.” Mpix uses certified archival quality papers and has in-house experts that personally review photos to ensure perfect color on every print. Their standard E-surface paper, which has a pearl finish that you commonly see in wedding albums, reduces glare, which you would normally get from printing on glossy paper.

5. Think outside the frame

There are all kinds of non-traditional ways to show off your travel photos on a wall. You can spend hours on Pinterest and other social media sites exploring all the possibilities. Some of my favorite ideas for exhibiting travel photos include wooden hanger frames , fairy string lights with clips , postcard racks and vintage luggage tags . Finally, if you’re one of those people who hoarded toilet paper at the onset of Covid-19, you can turn the empty cardboard rolls into frames , too.

You may also like: 

How to organize your travel photos in four steps

This article was first published April 2020 and last updated December 2020.

This article was first published April 2020 and updated December 2020

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A brown 8x10 frame with printed designs, keyhole hanging slots, and easel back for easy display.

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Pros: Great as a gift, High photo quality, Fast shipping, Beautiful color, Stylish design

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A blue personalized frame with printed designs, keyhole hanging slots, and easel back for easy display.

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A personalized gray frame with printed designs, keyhole hanging slots, and easel back for easy display.

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A vibrant and clear metallic framed print with optional mat(s) and contemporary style frames.

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A personalized 8x10 frame with printed woodgrain design, keyhole hanging slots, and easel back.

Pros: texture, weight, style

A red curved glass print with smooth beveled edges and translucent photos for a glowing effect.

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Pros: quality, aesthetic, easy to use

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Travel Memories: 37 Creative Ways to Keep them Alive

Keep your travel memories alive with these creative storage ideas that will add a touch of wanderlust to every space in your home.

Table of Contents

Travel memories are worth keeping alive. This is especially true when you’re home and can’t wait to satisfy your wanderlust with an epic adventure. Here are some creative ways to display your favourite memories at home:

Travel Memory Boxes

Black wood framed shadow box.

Keep your ticket stubs and other travel memorabilia in the perfect shadow box. This box has a slot on the top where you can drop your tickets in. The back opens so you’ll be able to access what you’ve added to the box. Add anything from ticket stubs, foreign money, maps, business cards from hotels or even little travel notes.

Recommended Reading: The 33 Best Travel – Inspired Decor Ideas for 2021

Punch Studio Photo Box World Atlas

If you aren’t one for openly displaying all of your travel memories, then this sturdy photo box is perfect. It comes with divider cards so you can neatly organize your pictures according to destination. And isn’t the print just perfect for travellers?

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Luckies Of London Memory Box for Keepsakes

Memory boxes are great for storing your travel keepsakes. This box includes small compartments, tins and even a small bottle. It is beautiful and will make a great addition to your bookshelf or coffee table. The case also includes a notebook that you can use to keep track of your memories.

Anzon Mories Decorative Box Set

Keeping your travel memories together doesn’t have to be hard. These stunning travel-inspired boxes look like coffee table books. Keep them on your favourite shelf or on a table to create the perfect decor that is also great for keeping your favourite travel memories all together.

Recommended Reading: 5 Staycation Ideas To Have an Amazing Local Adventure

Travel Photo Albums

Pioneer travel photo album.

A great way to bring travel memories home is by taking loads of photos. And when you have a million (maybe more) photos of that epic trip, what better way to keep them organized than in a travel-specific album. It can keep two pictures per page and even has a small space next to each for you to add a little note.

Recutms Photo Album

This photo album has a beautiful design that will easily fit into any space. The front window is perfect for adding your favourite pictures as a display. The album can fit 600 photographs, six on each page that fit into individual pockets.

Totocan Photo Album

Store your travel memories in a beautiful vintage leather photo album. This album has a simple yet sophisticated look that makes it a great gift for someone special in your life. You can easily fit six photos onto each page so you won’t run out of room.

Pioneer Photo Album

Simple yet elegant, this album is great for your travel memories. The front cover has a pocket to add a picture, and the interior pages hold five photos each. Keep this for your own travel photos or gift it to the traveller in your life.

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Travel Scrapbooks

Zeeyuan scrapbook photo album.

If you are the creative type and love scrapbooking, then this is the perfect journal for your travel memories. Add everything from tickets, maps and photos to your travel scrapbook. This journal has a ring binder style that allows you to add and remove pages. Check out this black and brown scrapbooking paper for your travel journal.

Original Travel Jour n al

Keep a journal and record all your favourite travel memories. The travelogue comes with incredible scratch maps, one for each part of the world. It’s a unique way to organize your travel memories and even makes the perfect gift for the traveller in your life.

Handmade Photo Album

A quality photo album with thick and luxurious paper is just what you need to organize and store your travel memories. This album has a rustic element that looks handmade. The binding can be loosened to add more paper so you’ll never run out of space. Check out these cool travel stickers that you can add to your scrapbook album.

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Travel Photo Frames

Novica digital photo frame.

Add your favourite travel memories to the Novica digital photo album. The Nixplay app can be installed on iOS and Android, and you can easily transfer your photos directly to the frame using wifi. Create folders of your favourite travel memories for the perfect playback. You also have an option for family sharing through the app.

Kankei Shadow Box Frame

Add a collage of your travel memories into this shadow box for a creative addition to your home. The box has a magnetic closure for easy access, and the wooden frame matches perfectly with any decor. This unique frame makes the perfect gift for your travel buddy.

Wooden Folding Picture Frames

Add some of your favourite travel memories to this six photo frame. This folding frame is pretty and can be added to any place in your home, wherever you decide to set up your travel memories.

DLQuarts Collage Hanging Picture Frame Photo Display

Made with solid wood and hemp rope, this set of frames is perfect for your travel memories. Add a few of these hanging collages to the same wall, each with photos from a specific destination. It will add something special to any space.

Vilight Photo Frame Photo Display

There is always one special picture on your vacation that you treasure above the rest. This is a wonderful travel-themed frame for that travel memory. It is unique and beautiful and will look amazing in any space. Add a photo of you and your travel buddy and make this the perfect gift.

Mladen Retro Vintage Photo Frames

Travel photos are never few. Displaying them doesn’t have to be difficult, especially when you can add your pictures to this cool metal display. The Ferris wheel turns and is a fun addition to your travel memories.

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Travel Collage Ideas

Perfect gallery wall kit.

Spread your favourite travel memories across an entire wall with this gallery wall kit. You’ll be able to make the perfect collage of all your travel memories. Be creative and add more than just photos to the frames. You can add postcards, city maps, ticket stubs, foreign money and even your old passport pages.

Kankei Wood Picture Photo Frame

This collage frame is one of the best on this list. It has an easy setup, and you can add on more clothespins. You can hang as many travel memories that you want to. Add photos, postcards, ticket stubs and more to your collage.

Olakee Hanging Photo Display

Hang as many photos and other travel memories as you like on this stunning wall collage. You can peg your favourite photos, postcards and notes to create a unique look that you can easily change. And the crystals add a dash of glamour to your already beautiful collage.

Scratchable World Map

Although it is not exactly a collage frame, it does make a great centrepiece. Scratch maps are a great way to keep track of where you’ve travelled. This super bright and beautiful map is the perfect centrepiece for your travel memory collage.

Melannco Customizable Letter Board

Add your photo’s to a collage frame with a difference. You can use the centre message board to add the destination’s name and add all your photos. It’s perfect for all your favourite travel memories.

Hayata Photo Hanging Display

Add a tropical touch to your home with this wall collage. Peg up any of your travel memories on the net to create the perfect wall display. You can add as many photos and other trinkets as you want to this collage. Add some sketches and postcards to really make it pop.

Large Metal Wall Clock with World Map

Wall clocks are always great and they have the ability to tie a room together like no other decor piece. This wall clock is stunning and perfect for the traveller with its world map shape and its versatility that allows you to add all your favourite travel notes and photos to the clock itself. It also comes with LED lights which give it an extra sparkle. Check out these world map decor ideas for your home.

Gallery Solutions Collage Frame

Collage frames are the perfect solution for getting all your memories in one place. You can get creative and add more than just your travel photos. Add in special notes and other travel trinkets and create the perfect travel story.

Recommended Reading: Best Travel Backpacks: Our Top Picks For Every Budget

Printing Travel Photos

Hp sprocket studio instant photo printer.

Print your favourite travel memories with the HP Sprocket. You’ll be able to print pictures that are 4×6 inches straight from your smartphones. The HP Sprocket app allows you to personalize your photos and even create your very own collages. And it’s pocket-sized so you can carry it with you no matter where you go.

Kodak Dock Plus

The Kodak Dock is the perfect addition to your camera gear. The dock comes with two types of USB, for both Android and iOS, so almost any smartphone can be used on it. The free Kodak app allows you to add stickers and frames to your favourite travel pics.

Kodak Mini 3 Retro

Get retro 3×3 photos printed instantly with the Kodak Mini 3. You’ll be able to enjoy your travel memories for a long time and add them to one of the awesome photo wall collages on this list. Use the Kodak app to personalize your photos and add them to your travel collage.

Lifeprint 2×3

The Lifeprint is as good as its app. Download the Lifeprint app and share all your favourite photos with friends and family straight from the app. The app allows you to personalize and edit your photos so you’ll always print the perfect picture.

Canon SELPHY CP1300

The Canon SELPHY is a little more pricey when it comes to portable printers. You can print postcard-sized and colour photos easily right from any device with the Canon app. This printer also works with memory cards and USB if you choose not to use wifi. It all comes neatly packed in a 12-inch hard case that is easy to carry with you or pack away at home.

Canon IVY Mobile

Print your favourite travel memories with the nifty Canon IVY Mobile. It’s compact enough to carry anywhere and easily store away when you aren’t using it. Just download the app onto your mobile, connect to the IVY via Bluetooth and start printing your favourite photos. The 2×3 inch paper has a peel-and-stick back for easy application.

Recommended Reading: Gifts for the Animal Lover in Your Life

Travel Souvenirs

Artwork is great to bring home.

One of my favourite ways to keep travel memories alive is to collect artwork from the various countries I’ve visited. I saw the monkey painting on my first day in Costa Rica. I saw it from across the street, through a window and knew I had to have it. Hanging your artwork in your favourite room at home will always remind you of happy travels.

Create a Magnet Collage

If you collect travel magnets, why not create a collage to show them off. All you need is a cool magnetic frame and the perfect place to hang it in your home. You’ll never run out of space on your refrigerator again.

Unique Ways to Display Travel Photos

Perhaps the best way to keep travel memories alive is through photos. They are inexpensive and don’t involve hauling back any bulky souvenirs. My house is filled with travel photos, but our diving photos from Cocos, Costa Rica and Galapagos are my favourites. I have even made their way onto coasters which I had made for less than $20.

Bring Travel Home with Decor

Bring your travel memories home with inspirational decor. You can do this in so many ways, and your home will look gorgeous. For instance, if you loved your trip to India, why not add Indian-inspired decor pieces to your home. Add anything from world map murals to travel-inspired decor to your home.

Make a Travel Inspired Cookbook

One of the best things about travelling is tasting exceptional cuisine from all over the world. And if you love cooking those tasty treats at home, then why not create your very own travel-inspired cookbook. Companies such as Shutterfly create photo books with pictures and notes that you provide. You can choose one of their templates, including a cookbook. It’s the perfect way to bring home scrumptious travel memories.

Send yourself a Postcard

Make sure to keep your travel memories fresh by sending yourself postcards on your next vacation. You can either purchase a postcard where you are and mail it to yourself or create your own postcard in a few easy steps. Check out this post on how to create your own postcards .

How do you keep your travel memories alive?

1 thought on “Travel Memories: 37 Creative Ways to Keep them Alive”

These are some really great ideas! We have a scratch map on the wall and surrounding it we have all collages of each of our trips. I love eating my breakfast whilst reminiscing on our adventures every morning.

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• Mar 31, 2020

How to Make a Travel Photo Collage for Your Wall

What to do with all of those pictures you take on vacation.

When I travel, I take a lot of pictures. And I mean, a LOT. I think when I got back from China, I found I had taken over 6,000 pictures! Yes, we were going non-stop all day for 28 days, and I saw soooo many amazing places, and in all fairness, there were a number of duplicates in there. Nevertheless, because I saw so many incredible things and had such a fabulous trip, I wanted to share that with my family and friends. But nobody, and I really mean NOBODY!, wants to slog through 6,000 vacation photos (including me!). So over the years, I’ve come up with a few ways I share my travel pictures while also being able to enjoy them myself.

1. social media: facebook, instagram, etc., 2. photo book/journal, 3. blog page, 4. photo collage, social media: facebook, instagram, etc., i’m pretty sure you would have to be living under a rock to not have thought of—or used—number 1. it’s the easiest photo sharing method and will randomly hit the most amount of people. for all of its faults and frustrations, social media has been a great venue for sharing family and vacation photos. and best of all, you get immediate feedback from friends and family., the downside of this is a) not everyone is on social media (i know, hard to believe), and b) three or five years from now you’ll be looking for that picture you really liked from your trip to the bahamas, and will have to scroll through countless pictures of your dog to find it. still, i always love sharing my photos on social media. (follow me on instagram lmorgan_travels ), photo book/journal, personally, i like doing a photo book after every major trip. it takes a little time to choose my favorite pictures, but after that, it’s pretty easy to do. i use two different services for this, depending on how much i’m willing to spend on quality., the first online site i use is snapfish.com . i use them a lot because their platform is super easy to navigate, you can upload tons of pictures at a time, and they have a lot of templates and patterns to create a really nice-looking book. best of all, they often run specials on their photo books, so they aren’t too expensive., my only problem with snapfish is that while the quality is good, it’s not great. and every once in a while, i want great quality. for that i use printique.com (previously adoramapix.com). their quality is excellent, but you do have to pay more for it. when i’m doing a really special book, that’s the site i use. my china book (actually 2 books) i had done in a glossy photo finish that looks very professional. sometimes you can find them running a special on their books, you just have to keep an eye out., i’ll be doing a blog post on how to create a great travel photo book, so check that out when i do, last year before heading out on my trip around the world, i started this travel blog. it was surprisingly an easy thing to do. i did a little research and found a platform that would work perfectly for my purposes. wix.com is one of many web development services available, but i chose this one because it allows even the technologically challenged like myself to create a nice, professional looking site. and what i liked most was it was absolutely free of course, there are up-sells if you are so inclined and i did end up paying a little extra to get my domain name as my website address, but it doesn’t change the look of the site itself. a blog page can combine both your journal and your photos into shareable content for friends, family, and/or the world. you can write as much or as little as you’d like, about anything you’d like..

Create a Photo Collage

So this is really what i wanted to talk about today. creating a work of art for your home that gives you joy and triggers memories every time you look at it. over the years a number of people have commented on my travel photo collage, and then they asked me how they can create one of their own. so here is a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it yourself., materials you will need: canvas inkjet paper, canvas frames, inkjet printer, scissors, and a stapler. that’s it for hanging the collage, you’ll want a ruler, a level, small nails, a hammer, and two-sided tape., the canvas inkjet paper i use is the 8-1/2”x11” from photo paper direct and you can get it on amazon. they sell a 10 pack and a 20 pack. here is a direct link to their product: photo paper direct, the 5”x7” canvas blocks i get from michaels. they have a couple of different kinds, but the one that is 1-1/2” thick is the one i prefer and it is the gallery wrapped heavy duty canvas, level 3 by artist’s loft. the other one is too thin in my opinion, but you may prefer it. they often have a sale on their canvases, so keep an eye out for that. here is a direct link to the artist’s loft canvas: michaels ., choosing your images, of course, you may decide it’s not a travel collage you want to do, but one of your kids, or your cat, or just some of your favorite photos you’ve taken over the years. great there really is no limit to what your collage theme could be. my collage started out as a 4x5. that’s 4 frames across and 5 down. as you can see, it’s grown since then and is now a 6x6., for my collage, i’ve chosen just one picture from some of the different places i’ve been or lived. i picked something that is either iconic about the place, or brings back a specific memory. i try to keep the images fairly simple, in fact, the simpler, the better. if every picture has too much going on in it, the group as a whole will start to look too busy. so when you’re choosing your photos, look for images that have strong graphic lines. you can also do some creative cropping to edit out extraneous information., the other consideration when choosing your photos is contrast, especially if you’ll be toning them like i have. here, you’ll have to consider color less than how it would look as if it were in black and white. sometimes, if you squint your eyes you can get an idea of what it will look like. sometimes a lot of trees, grass and flowers will come across as very flat, whereas white puffy clouds against a blue sky will give you a more dynamic picture. so look for whites, mid-tones, and blacks….typically. i say that and my taj mahal picture is one of my favorites and it pretty much lacks a mid-tone range, so all rules are made to be broken, how to: create your photos and get them ready to print, the first part of your project is all done on the computer. this will be the most time consuming part of the project (or it is for me anyway). choosing your pictures, setting them up to be the right size, and digitally manipulating them to be just the way you want them takes a little time, but it’s well worth it. the first photo you work on will probably take the longest as you figure out your style and how to work through the steps i’ve laid out for you below., i’ve made all of my images duo-chromatic. so if you look closely, you’ll see the photos aren’t actually “in color.” they’re more like black and white photos, but with a sepia (or green, blue gold, red, or blue) tone to them. again, this keeps the collection from looking too chaotic, and keeps it cohesive., if you don’t have a good photo imaging program and/or aren’t very fluent in how to use them , i have written up a how to that goes through the whole process step-by-step. what is a good photo imaging program one that allows you to set up an exact size for your print, allows you to work in layers, and lets you manipulate the color into mono- or duo-tones. if you don’t have one, don’t worry, i’ve recommended a free imaging program for you to use and how to use it. it’s not all that hard, and i’ve included a bunch of pictures to help you out. click here for those instructions., if you’re using photoshop or your own imaging program, here are the steps to create the photo for print:, the end product you’re going for here is basically a 5”x7” image with a 1-1/2” border around it. i’ve also done some extra stuff like turning the image into a duotone, rendering clouds in the border, and softening the edges of the image. you can pick and choose which of these (any or all of them) you want to do., 1. work from a copy of the original image. i almost always recommend this., 2. change your image size to 5”x7” and 300 dpi or ppi., 3. convert your image mode to a grayscale., 4. convert your image mode duotone and choose the colors you want to use., 5. adjust your levels, contrast, sharpness, etc. until you’re happy with the image., 6. make your canvas size 8”x10” with the image centered in the new space., 7. create another level, 8. using the eyedropper tool, choose a light color from the image for the sides of the canvas block., 9. using the paint bucket, fill the new layer. move the layer down so it sits behind the original., 10. optional: filter > render > cloud, 11. adjust the opacity of the new layer until you like how it looks, 12. select the original layer so the selection box is on the edges of the 5x7 image., 13. select > feather > 25 pixels, 14. select > invert, 15. delete. this should soften the edges of the image for you so there isn’t a hard line between that and the new color of the sides of the frame., 16. that’s it, you’re done now you just have to print it up., when you’re all done, it will look like this:.

How To: Wrap Photo Your Canvas Frames

This is actually the easy part. once you’ve done one, the rest will come together pretty quickly. for this part of the project you’ll need your canvas photo paper, inkjet printer, scissors, and stapler., print your completed images on the photo canvas paper. the white side is the side you’ll want to print on. set up your preferences so that it is printing the best quality print and on the appropriate type of paper. my printer calls it matte specialty paper, but they are all so different. i would recommend just printing one to start and crafting your first block from that to make sure everything turned out the way it should before printing up the rest., to get the canvas to wrap smoothly around the frames, you’ll need to make a few cuts. you’ll do these cuts to each of the corners..

Now grab your blank frame and wrap the canvas print right over the top of it. Take some time to make sure your edges are falling on the edge of the frame.

Once you feel confident you have the image square on the frame, lay them upside down on the table. without letting the canvas slip out of position, pull it tight across the back and put 3 staples along each side. then tucking the tabs under, staple the short side., if you have a little over hang on the sides, trim that off so you can't see it from the front of the frame..

That’s it, you’re done! Now all you have to do is hang it up on the wall.

How To: Hang Your Collage

Obviously, you can hang your collage any way you want. if you’re looking for some guidelines, i have my frames hung with 1” of space between them on a grid. you may have a more horizontal space and want to do more across than down, or you may even want to hang them in a more random pattern., once you’ve decided on the pattern, measure out where to put the nail holes. remember that there will be 1-1/2” from the top of the frame to where it will actually sit on the nail. if you are doing a grid and have a long level with a ruler on it, using that is the best and easiest. once you’ve marked your wall, use small nails to set the frames on and add a strip of double-sided tape along the bottom to keep them from slipping out of level., conclusion:, get creative with your collage. have fun and don’t be afraid to put your own twist on things. you may decide to go all black and white, or all sepia, or even keep the original colors as they are. you may decide to not hang it on a grid, but in a more random pattern. i've often thought of getting a world map that is larger and hanging it in there with dots representing where the pictures are from., reusing the same duotone palette for multiple images, i feel gave my collage a more cohesive look – i think for 36 images i used 6 different palettes – but there are no rules when it comes to creating your own work of art. if you do create your own photo collage, i would love to see a picture of the results in the comments section below., it really makes me happy every time i look up and see this wall of memories. and while i still have my daily journal and my photo books that i can take out to show those really interested, the collage is always there, front and center. and i can’t tell you how many people comment on it and like hearing about where each picture is from..

Disclosure: I use affiliate links in this post. In the event of a sale, I will be awarded a small commission (there is no extra cost to you). I only recommend products or services that I myself use and recommend. Thank you for supporting my blog!

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The Moscow Metro Museum of Art: 10 Must-See Stations

There are few times one can claim having been on the subway all afternoon and loving it, but the Moscow Metro provides just that opportunity.  While many cities boast famous public transport systems—New York’s subway, London’s underground, San Salvador’s chicken buses—few warrant hours of exploration.  Moscow is different: Take one ride on the Metro, and you’ll find out that this network of railways can be so much more than point A to B drudgery.

The Metro began operating in 1935 with just thirteen stations, covering less than seven miles, but it has since grown into the world’s third busiest transit system ( Tokyo is first ), spanning about 200 miles and offering over 180 stops along the way.  The construction of the Metro began under Joseph Stalin’s command, and being one of the USSR’s most ambitious building projects, the iron-fisted leader instructed designers to create a place full of svet (radiance) and svetloe budushchee (a radiant future), a palace for the people and a tribute to the Mother nation.

Consequently, the Metro is among the most memorable attractions in Moscow.  The stations provide a unique collection of public art, comparable to anything the city’s galleries have to offer and providing a sense of the Soviet era, which is absent from the State National History Museum.  Even better, touring the Metro delivers palpable, experiential moments, which many of us don’t get standing in front of painting or a case of coins.

Though tours are available , discovering the Moscow Metro on your own provides a much more comprehensive, truer experience, something much less sterile than following a guide.  What better place is there to see the “real” Moscow than on mass transit: A few hours will expose you to characters and caricatures you’ll be hard-pressed to find dining near the Bolshoi Theater.  You become part of the attraction, hear it in the screech of the train, feel it as hurried commuters brush by: The Metro sucks you beneath the city and churns you into the mix.

With the recommendations of our born-and-bred Muscovite students, my wife Emma and I have just taken a self-guided tour of what some locals consider the top ten stations of the Moscow Metro. What most satisfied me about our Metro tour was the sense of adventure .  I loved following our route on the maps of the wagon walls as we circled the city, plotting out the course to the subsequent stops; having the weird sensation of being underground for nearly four hours; and discovering the next cavern of treasures, playing Indiana Jones for the afternoon, piecing together fragments of Russia’s mysterious history.  It’s the ultimate interactive museum.

Top Ten Stations (In order of appearance)

Kievskaya station.

Kievskaya Station went public in March of 1937, the rails between it and Park Kultury Station being the first to cross the Moscow River.  Kievskaya is full of mosaics depicting aristocratic scenes of Russian life, with great cameo appearances by Lenin, Trotsky, and Stalin.  Each work has a Cyrillic title/explanation etched in the marble beneath it; however, if your Russian is rusty, you can just appreciate seeing familiar revolutionary dates like 1905 ( the Russian Revolution ) and 1917 ( the October Revolution ).

Mayakovskaya Station

Mayakovskaya Station ranks in my top three most notable Metro stations. Mayakovskaya just feels right, done Art Deco but no sense of gaudiness or pretention.  The arches are adorned with rounded chrome piping and create feeling of being in a jukebox, but the roof’s expansive mosaics of the sky are the real showstopper.  Subjects cleverly range from looking up at a high jumper, workers atop a building, spires of Orthodox cathedrals, to nimble aircraft humming by, a fleet of prop planes spelling out CCCP in the bluest of skies.

Novoslobodskaya Station

Novoslobodskaya is the Metro’s unique stained glass station.  Each column has its own distinctive panels of colorful glass, most of them with a floral theme, some of them capturing the odd sailor, musician, artist, gardener, or stenographer in action.  The glass is framed in Art Deco metalwork, and there is the lovely aspect of discovering panels in the less frequented haunches of the hall (on the trackside, between the incoming staircases).  Novosblod is, I’ve been told, the favorite amongst out-of-town visitors.

Komsomolskaya Station

Komsomolskaya Station is one of palatial grandeur.  It seems both magnificent and obligatory, like the presidential palace of a colonial city.  The yellow ceiling has leafy, white concrete garland and a series of golden military mosaics accenting the tile mosaics of glorified Russian life.  Switching lines here, the hallway has an Alice-in-Wonderland feel, impossibly long with decorative tile walls, culminating in a very old station left in a remarkable state of disrepair, offering a really tangible glimpse behind the palace walls.

Dostoevskaya Station

Dostoevskaya is a tribute to the late, great hero of Russian literature .  The station at first glance seems bare and unimpressive, a stark marble platform without a whiff of reassembled chips of tile.  However, two columns have eerie stone inlay collages of scenes from Dostoevsky’s work, including The Idiot , The Brothers Karamazov , and Crime and Punishment.   Then, standing at the center of the platform, the marble creates a kaleidoscope of reflections.  At the entrance, there is a large, inlay portrait of the author.

Chkalovskaya Station

Chkalovskaya does space Art Deco style (yet again).  Chrome borders all.  Passageways with curvy overhangs create the illusion of walking through the belly of a chic, new-age spacecraft.  There are two (kos)mosaics, one at each end, with planetary subjects.  Transferring here brings you above ground, where some rather elaborate metalwork is on display.  By name similarity only, I’d expected Komsolskaya Station to deliver some kosmonaut décor; instead, it was Chkalovskaya that took us up to the space station.

Elektrozavodskaya Station

Elektrozavodskaya is full of marble reliefs of workers, men and women, laboring through the different stages of industry.  The superhuman figures are round with muscles, Hollywood fit, and seemingly undeterred by each Herculean task they respectively perform.  The station is chocked with brass, from hammer and sickle light fixtures to beautiful, angular framework up the innards of the columns.  The station’s art pieces are less clever or extravagant than others, but identifying the different stages of industry is entertaining.

Baumanskaya Statio

Baumanskaya Station is the only stop that wasn’t suggested by the students.  Pulling in, the network of statues was just too enticing: Out of half-circle depressions in the platform’s columns, the USSR’s proud and powerful labor force again flaunts its success.  Pilots, blacksmiths, politicians, and artists have all congregated, posing amongst more Art Deco framing.  At the far end, a massive Soviet flag dons the face of Lenin and banners for ’05, ’17, and ‘45.  Standing in front of the flag, you can play with the echoing roof.

Ploshchad Revolutsii Station

Novokuznetskaya Station

Novokuznetskaya Station finishes off this tour, more or less, where it started: beautiful mosaics.  This station recalls the skyward-facing pieces from Mayakovskaya (Station #2), only with a little larger pictures in a more cramped, very trafficked area.  Due to a line of street lamps in the center of the platform, it has the atmosphere of a bustling market.  The more inventive sky scenes include a man on a ladder, women picking fruit, and a tank-dozer being craned in.  The station’s also has a handsome black-and-white stone mural.

Here is a map and a brief description of our route:

Start at (1)Kievskaya on the “ring line” (look for the squares at the bottom of the platform signs to help you navigate—the ring line is #5, brown line) and go north to Belorusskaya, make a quick switch to the Dark Green/#2 line, and go south one stop to (2)Mayakovskaya.  Backtrack to the ring line—Brown/#5—and continue north, getting off at (3)Novosblodskaya and (4)Komsolskaya.  At Komsolskaya Station, transfer to the Red/#1 line, go south for two stops to Chistye Prudy, and get on the Light Green/#10 line going north.  Take a look at (5)Dostoevskaya Station on the northern segment of Light Green/#10 line then change directions and head south to (6)Chkalovskaya, which offers a transfer to the Dark Blue/#3 line, going west, away from the city center.  Have a look (7)Elektroskaya Station before backtracking into the center of Moscow, stopping off at (8)Baumskaya, getting off the Dark Blue/#3 line at (9)Ploschad Revolyutsii.  Change to the Dark Green/#2 line and go south one stop to see (10)Novokuznetskaya Station.

Check out our new Moscow Indie Travel Guide , book a flight to Moscow and read 10 Bars with Views Worth Blowing the Budget For

Jonathon Engels, formerly a patron saint of misadventure, has been stumbling his way across cultural borders since 2005 and is currently volunteering in the mountains outside of Antigua, Guatemala.  For more of his work, visit his website and blog .

Photo credits:   SergeyRod , all others courtesy of the author and may not be used without permission

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Christmas gift guide to Moscow surroundings

Visitors from America and Western Europe might be surprised to discover that Russia celebrates Christmas on January 7th. That’s because the Russian Orthodox Church follows the Julian calendar. After the end of the Soviet Union, some Russians have begun celebrating Christmas on December 25 in accordance with the Gregorian calendar. But many Russians still observe the tradition of fasting on January 6th, breaking the fast with a large feast on Christmas Eve after the first star has appeared in the sky.

During the Soviet era, Christmas and religious traditions were banned in Russia. Santa Claus was replaced by Ded Moroz, or, Grandfather Frost, an old man with a long white beard who would bring gifts to children on New Year’s instead of Christmas. According to Russian tradition, Ded Moroz is accompanied by his granddaughter, Snegurochka, the Snowmaiden, who helps him on his journey to give presents to children.

Although the tradition of having a Christmas tree, known as a yolka in Russian, was also banned during Soviet times, Russians got around this by having New Year’s trees from which they hung homemade decorations. Today, the restrictions of the Soviet Union have faded into history, and during the Christmas season visitors to Russia can even purchase Christmas ornaments in the shape of matryoshka dolls, or religious icons that depict nativity scenes.

Heading counterclockwise around the Golden Ring this holiday season, northeast of Moscow, your first stop will most likely be the city of Vladimir, home to some of Russia’s most striking churches and cathedrals. The Vladimir region is known for its fine crystal. Stop by the Crystal, Lacquer Miniatures, and Embroidery Museum ( 2 Bolshaya Moskovskaya ) for an overview of traditional crafts before visiting the gift shop in the museum to browse the crystal selection. Vladimir Chic ( 2 Dvoryanskaya ) also sells local glass and crystal work.

Typical souvenirs are also for sale in Vladimir’s old town, especially by the Golden Gate, a triumphal arch and defensive tower that is one of the last-remaining parts of the wall that once surrounded ancient Vladimir and a sure stop on any tour of the Golden Ring.

Just 63 kilometers from Vladimir lays the nearby city of Gus-Khrustalny , the ‘Crystal Goose,’ also home to a rich glass and crystal making tradition. You can visit the glassmaking factory in Gus-Khrustalny and buy gifts ranging from plates and vases to decanters, or visit the outlet store back in Moscow ( 4 Ilyinka ) just east of the Kremlin.

North of Vladimir, you’ll arrive in Suzdal, one of the Golden Ring route’s more tranquil towns. Suzdal boasts a number of small bazaars and stands outside the main tourist sites where visitors can purchase local honey mead, called medovukha, along with traditional crafts, like a pair valenki, or Russian woolen boots, which make an ideal Christmas gift for friends and family back home. The shopping stands outside Suzdal’s Museum of Wooden Architecture and Peasant Life ( Ul. Pushkarskaya ) are also highly recommended. Market Square ( Torgovaya Pl ) houses a number of shops where visitors can search for arts and crafts.

Following the Golden Ring north of Suzdal, many tours will stop in the city of Kostroma, a former trading outpost on the immense Volga River. One of the city’s highlights is the Museum of Linen and Birchbark ( 38 Tereshkova ), where visitors can view exhibits on traditional Russian crafts woven from flax and bark. A gift shop in the basement sells tablecloths, napkins, baskets, linen dolls, and traditional clothing typical of the region.

South from Kostroma, stop in the city of Rostov-Veliky for enamel jewelry, a craft which allows artists to produce small paintings on metal that are then fired to produce a thin glaze over the image. Rostov became famous for its tradition of enamel work. Today, visitors can purchase rings, earrings, bracelets, brooches, and jewelry boxes in the gift shop of the Rostov Enamel factory ( 3 Borisoglebskoye Highway ).

While you’re in Rostov, visit the House of Crafts ( 16 Vtoraya Tolstovskaya Naberezhnaya ) for local pottery and the Souvenirs shop ( 5 Ul. Kamennyi Most ) for ushanka hats—Russian fur caps with earflaps—paintings, and samovars for tea lovers.

The last two stops on a tour of the Golden Ring are the cities of Pereslavl-Zalesskiy and Sergiev Posad. Pereslavl is most famous for its embroidery work, available at the Art Salon ( 12 Ul. Sovetskaya ) along with souvenirs made of wood and stone. Nearby Sergiev Posad is considered the place where Russia’s matryoshka dolls were first invented, and was the chief production center of the dolls before Soviet times. Visit the city’s Toy Museum ( 123 Pr. Krasny Armii ) to get a better sense of the birthplace of one of Russia’s most recognizable toys, then head over to the market alongside the Trinity Monastery of St. Sergius—one of the city’s most important sites—to load up on matryoshka dolls, painted eggs, and icons before going home.

If you’ll be in the Golden Ring during New Years, the city of Vladimir hosts an impressive Christmas fair, with an iceskating rink and performances by local artists, in the main square ( Sobornaya Pl ). In most other Golden Ring cities you’ll find similar events in the center square as Christmas nears.

Most shops and markets in the Golden Ring are open year round. If you’re coming to Russia for a short period of time, whether in winter or summer, consider a trip to this stunning part of the country, and bring an extra bag if you plan to go shopping for Christmas gifts.

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Mother’s Day is less than a month away — so if you’re looking for gift ideas, I’ve got some on-sale options below that will arrive with plenty of time to spare, including a digital picture frame and a stylish Scandinavian raincoat . (You can find the rest of our gift guides here .) I also found a cache of deals on cute kids’ clothes at Nordstrom, our favorite teeth-whitening strips , and a few pet accessories to pamper your pup. And as always, make sure to sign up for our  email newsletter  for even more sales coverage — including extra deals each Friday hand-selected by yours truly.

All it takes is 30 minutes and a set of these Strategist-approved teeth-whitening strips for noticeably brighter pearly whites.

Our best-selling (and top rated) micellar water from Bioderma is finally on sale again.

A fuzzy doughnut bed to cocoon your pet (and provide ample Instagrammable moments).

We named the Aura Mason the best digital picture frame and this slightly-larger version — it’s 9.7 inches across — is 20 percent off. It’d be a great Mother’s Day gift, as Aura “lets you preload the frame remotely with photos and a gift message, so when it ships straight to your giftee, all they have to do is download the app and connect the frame to Wi-Fi,” according to our senior editor Jen Trolio.

Some Scandinavian-inspired salt-and-pepper mills are nearly 50 percent off.

If you’re short on kitchen drawer space, former Strategist staffer Hannah Starke recommends this compact cutlery-drawer tray, which she uses in her 22-square-foot kitchen. It can store enough silverware for six to eight place settings in a four-inch-wide footprint.

We recently named these our best overall baby bottles . They’re easy to clean, comfortable to hold, come in multiple sizes, and stack neatly in diaper bags thanks to the flat top on the bottle caps.

In this kit, kids use chisels, brushes, and a magnifying glass to uncover highly realistic fossils, from dinosaur bones to shark teeth to sea urchins. One nanny told us that she gave it as a gift to a 7-year-old and 9-year-old, who were then digging for the better part of a rainy day inside.

Another foolproof gift for creative kids: this 100-piece set of  magnetic tiles , which snap together to build flat or 3-D shapes, patterns, and creatures.

The bagless Shark Rocket weighs less than nine pounds and easily converts into a hand vacuum (complete with three different nozzles).

Blueland’s sustainably packaged and travel-friendly laundry detergent is also an excellent stain remover . Now that it’s on sale, this 60-pack shakes out to 40 cents per load.

This Sharpie-size device filters bacteria and parasites out of water from any source — making it an especially smart gift for avid hikers and campers.

And for those who prefer to spend their time outdoors r-e-l-a-x-ing, this lightweight beach chair is 20 percent off.

Some definitely comfortable shoes that don’t scream “ orthopedics ” — and they come in six colors!

If you’re looking to zhuzh up your work wardrobe, there are plenty of Topman not-so-basics that are deeply on sale at Nordstrom.

The real star of Nordstrom’s clearance bins right now is the kids’ section — this cute color-block onesie for babies is just $16.

And I spotted plenty of utterly adorable tops and dresses from Mini Boden.

These Crocs are technically for Valentine’s Day but cute enough to wear year-round.

Fable, who makes some of our go-to stylish pet accessories , is offering 20 percent off select items with the code GETOUTSIDE. This versatile leash comes in several colors and sizes and can be worn as a belt, a bandolier, or around your wrist on outings with your dog.

Strategist junior writer Brenley Goertzen says her Aussie mix enjoys knocking this wobbly device around with her paws or snout to release a few chunks of  food .

Stutterheim’s ultra-elegant raincoats are 30 percent off in select colors and styles. Strategist writer Dominique Pariso purchased hers  on a trip to Sweden , where the brand is based: “The slight A-line flare leaves some much-appreciated wiggle room around my hips and lets me comfortably button the coat all the way down,” she writes

This even-longer option features a sweet collar and a bow on the back.

The Strategist is designed to surface the most useful, expert recommendations for things to buy across the vast e-commerce landscape. Some of our latest conquests include the best acne treatments , rolling luggage , pillows for side sleepers , natural anxiety remedies , and bath towels . We update links when possible, but note that deals can expire and all prices are subject to change.

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Every product is independently selected by (obsessive) editors. Things you buy through our links may earn us a commission.

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America’s most loathed airport is cool now

New york city’s laguardia airport went from punchline to a flier favorite.

NEW YORK — From an arriving plane, taxiing up to a gate in the new Terminal B at New York’s LaGuardia Airport is like approaching a steel-and-glass fortress. Flat gray walls at ground level immediately meet the eye. The building’s notable touches — its floor-to-ceiling windows, pedestrian bridges and other architectural flourishes — all rise above you.

After that fortress-like approach, deplaning into the building is a pleasant departure from its dreary reputation . The concourse is light and airy with a rising roofline that visually guides travelers to the bridge to the terminal and the city beyond.

Concessions, including local favorites like Irving Farm coffee roasters and national chains like Wendy’s, beckon with dining options. Forget a book? Grab one at beloved New York bookstore Strand . Need a gift for the kids? The Lego store has you covered.

Or just want to relax away from the traveling masses? Credit card provider Chase recently opened a gleaming new lounge, joining ones managed by Air Canada, American Airlines, United Airlines and American Express.

This isn’t the LaGuardia of “ airport sushi ” infamy anymore.

The airport has come a long way since Vice President Joe Biden described it as “third world” in 2014. Gone is the 1960s-era Central Terminal Building with its leaky roofs , lack of food options and nowhere to sit. Terminal B replaced it in 2020. And Terminal C, which is still under construction, will replace Terminals C and D when it is completed later this year.

“This is gorgeous,” one female traveler stopped to tell Port Authority of New York and New Jersey Executive Director Rick Cotton, the man who oversaw the transformation of LaGuardia, as he watched a water feature falling from the ceiling in the middle of Terminal B.

“I feel like I’m not at home,” she added before disappearing to catch a flight as “New York, New York” played in the background.

Reactions like these are common, Cotton said on a walk through Terminal B last month. The Port Authority, which operates LaGuardia, receives similar feedback from travelers.

“This is civic architecture,” he said while looking out one of those walls of glass you can see from taxiing planes. “It should be inspiring and appealing.”

And an inspiring and appealing edifice is what the Port Authority and its private partners have achieved: a pleasant, art-filled, Instagrammable place — and this time in a good way.

From last to first place

There are many problems with LaGuardia. For one, in a world of large, mega-airports like Dallas-Fort Worth, it’s minuscule. The airport, with just 680 acres, is smaller than Central Park.

On top of that, LaGuardia was built without a master plan, Cotton said. The original terminal — Terminal A, later known as the Marine Air Terminal — opened in 1940 and Terminal B was completed in 1964. Later came Terminals C and D in the 1980s and 1990s.

“It was ‘we’ll just build this one new terminal building,’ and it was how the Port Authority had approached the airport as a whole … No plan. Piecemeal,” Cotton said.

Then came former New York governor Andrew M. Cuomo.

Cuomo, in January 2015, announced an “aggressive infrastructure redesign” of New York’s John F. Kennedy and LaGuardia airports after years of inaction. Cotton noted that, among other reasons, rebuilding the World Trade Center after the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks took “an enormous amount of the resources of the agency.”

By summer 2015, New York State had selected private partners to redevelop Terminals B, C and D at LaGuardia, including LaGuardia Gateway Partners for Terminal B and Delta Air Lines for Terminal C. Construction began on Terminal B in 2016 and Terminal C a year later.

“There was a real continuity of top leadership support,” Cotton said. He cited Cuomo and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul for their support.

“You need that in terms of committing the funding, and you need that in terms of a thousand different problems that come into play,” Cotton added, who was named Port Authority executive director in 2017.

What the Port Authority and its private partners did was no small feat. “You have a fully operational airport with passengers and you’re fully reconstructing that facility,” said TJ Schulz, president of the trade group Airports Consultants Council.

He likened the reconstruction of LaGuardia to “changing a tire on a car that’s moving on the interstate.”

It paid off: the trade group Airports Council International World recently named LaGuardia as having the best customer experience for airports its size in North America, which is a dramatic turnaround from its historical last or near-last place standing. Skytrax , the publisher of global airline and airport quality rankings, lists LaGuardia Terminal B as one of just three facilities in North America with the top five-star rating. LaGuardia Airport as a whole is rated four stars.

A work in progress

The design of the new Terminal B, which was completed in 2022, aims to reduce stress and create a “calm, frictionless experience” for travelers, as LaGuardia Gateway Partners CEO Suzette Noble put it.

“Once you’re through security, this great window looks out on the airfield. You can see the two bridges, [and] you can see the airplanes,” said Peter Ruggiero, a design principal at architecture firm HOK that designed Terminal B, in a 2020 talk. “You know where you’re going; you have a sense of those distances.”

When asked about all of the vertical movements travelers must make — at least three from curb to gate — Noble said it was solely the result of the terminal site’s small size. It’s not something LaGuardia Gateway Partners has, at least not publicly, received many complaints about. She said complaints are typically about WiFi and flight delays.

In addition to improving the inside, the Port Authority, along with the Metropolitan Transportation Authority and city officials, is working to improve the journey to LaGuardia with bus upgrades. A new direct shuttle service is planned from the end of a nearby subway line. A controversial AirTrain to the subway, like the one at JFK, was canceled in early 2023 due to spiraling costs.

The new Terminal C, which is home to Delta Air Lines, is still under construction with two-and-a-half of the four new concourses open. The rest is expected to open this summer.

Construction on the building is still very obvious. Look out the panoramic windows after security, and you see half of the former Terminal D amid arriving and departing planes with an old Delta sign — “NEW YORK’S #1 AIRLINE” — still hanging above the former curbside drop-off area.

Travelers, though, already like what they see.

“How did LaGuardia went from being a joke to this,” X user umichvoter posted in September , along with an image of one of the new multilevel atriums in Terminal C.

How did LaGuardia went from being a joke to this pic.twitter.com/kLMDDWOfSs — umichvoter 🏳️‍🌈 (@umichvoter) September 8, 2023

Like Terminal B, Terminal C goes up where most airport spaces go out. There’s no great hall welcoming travelers when they enter from departures; instead ticketing is on one level and security a level above connected by two three-story atriums filled with public art. A massive, digital screen spanning the space above the security queues shows changing images that reflect the destination of a soon-to-depart flight.

“New York City is such a vertical city,” said Jay Liese, the project principal on Terminal C at architecture firm Corgan. “In some ways we see the three-level [terminal] as being a little bit of a metaphor for New York.”

One thing Corgan and architectural partner Gensler did after security was create soaring atriums at the entrance to the concourses in Terminal C. That makes the place where travelers wait to board their flights feel much larger, and significantly increases the space for restaurants , restrooms and kid play areas.

The concourse atriums are the concessions space in Terminal C, a more dispersed approach than the central hub in Terminal B.

“It becomes a more organic part of the customer’s journey to their gate,” Liese said of the decision to spread out amenities across the terminal.

You can eat a sandwich or pizza at Sunday Supper looking out a floor-to-ceiling window on the ramp where planes are coming and going, or down on the travelers milling about as they wait for their flights. From there, it’s a quick escalator ride down to the concourse floor and walk to the gate for your flight out.

“It has exceeded, frankly, my highest hopes and expectations,” Cotton said of the new LaGuardia while sitting in Terminal B. “The combination of the architecture — light and airy, and you compare that to the old, dark, undersized LaGuardia. [It’s] night and day.”

More on air travel

Leave flying to the pros: Think you could land a plane in an emergency? Experts say you’re wrong . Here’s what you should actually do if something goes awry during a flight .

Pet peeves: Why do “gate lice” line up early for a flight ? Psychologists explained for us. Another move that annoys airline workers: abusing the flight attendant call button . For more on how to behave on a flight, check out our 52 definitive rules of flying .

Plane mess: Stories about extremely disgusting airplanes have been grossing out travelers. The question of plane cleanups became the subject of a recent debate after a flight attendant allegedly told a pregnant passenger to pick up the popcorn spilled by her toddler.

Frequent flying: Airline status isn’t what it used to be, but at least there are some good movies and TV shows to watch in the air. And somewhere out there, experts are trying to make airline food taste good.