Instagram offers a variety of great travel accounts


Already tired of campus just a few weeks after spring break? Are midterms, papers, and looming finals making you antsy for a change of scenery? Here are eight Instagram accounts to follow if you find yourself yearning for adventure. If you can suppress your urge to drop out of school and become a travel writer or vagabond while perusing these accounts, they can provide endless material for your travel daydreams.

@nytimestravel: The New York Times Travel section, a classic staple for aspiring globetrotters, goes digital with its social media account. The adventures of all the paper’s travel writers are compiled here, resulting in a diverse array of photos. On any given day, this account can take you from Chile to Italy to New Mexico. Many photos are also linked to corresponding stories, like the Times “36 Hours In…” series, providing even more virtual wandering.

@brendanvanson: A professional travel photographer and writer, Brendan van Son is living the dream, literally making money by traveling the world. His photos showcase not just landscapes and travel destinations, but the people he meets on his adventures. Photos of his recent trip to Colombia included one of a Gaucho as well as an image of a forest waterfall. A deeper look into Brendan’s account reveals photos from various locations, from oil rigs in Alberta, Canada to waterfalls in Arizona.

@andy_best: Many people travel to experience a new culture. Andy Best travels to get away from culture, and exclusively features outdoor destinations. With a bio that reads, “I show people the world that makes me happy with hopes they too are inspired.” A self-proclaimed “earth roamer,” Best’s account features images from backpacking, hiking, rafting and just general adventuring. You won’t find food photos from a five-star European restaurant or a crowded city skyline — just nature, in its purest state.

@dguttenfelder: North Korea obviously isn’t a travel destination, but with the country’s recent prominence in the media and the attention surrounding The Interview, you’ve got to be at least curious at what life in the secluded country really looks like. The Instagram of David Guttenfelder, National Geographic photographer, includes images of North Korean life from his stint as the Associated Press’s chief Asia photographer. Scroll back a few weeks for the acclaimed images or admire his recent photos of American life, including national parks.

@ourwildabandon We all dream of road tripping with our best friend but are usually held back by work, school and differing schedules. Besties Jill and Kyla from Vancouver actually made it happen and are showcasing their trip via Instagram. You can also read about their trip on their accompanying blog. Photos document a classic American road trip, with unique stops like Louisiana State Penitentiary rodeos and Arizona ghost towns.

@bipolaire61: If you’re dreaming of an exotic getaway, it doesn’t get much more exotic than Antarctica. This account mainly features photos of the Arctic and Antarctic regions, areas rarely visited by even the most accomplished travelers. And it’s not all March of the Penguins, though there are definitely plenty of penguin portraits. Photos include igloos, snowy beaches and stark landscapes. Sailing appears to be this photographer’s preferred mode of transportation, so tropical islands are mixed in among the white, frozen tundra.

@muradosmann: You’ve probably already seen Murad Osmann’s photos on the “trending” page of Instagram. Instead of focusing only on places themselves, Osmann frames each photo by featuring his girlfriend, reaching her hand back and holding his, in front of exotic locales. This spurred the hashtag “followmeto,” which now boasts nearly 2 hundred thousand photos. A little cheesy? Yes, but with over 200,000, Osmann has certainly established himself in the emerging niche of Instagram travel photographers.

@discoverLA: Sometimes we forget that we live in one of the tourist capitals of the world. Sure, the Walk of Fame is overrated, and you only need to see the Hollywood sign once, but if you’re seeking instant gratification to your travel cravings, there’s plenty to see in the city. This account, run by the L.A. Tourism Board, reminds you of all the things that draws more than 40 million annual visitors to our city. The account pulls photos from personal accounts using the hashtag #LAstory, motivating users to take their own photos.

So, if plagued with the post-spring break, pre-summer break blues, check out these accounts as the cure. Maybe a photo will feature the location of your future study abroad destination, give you ideas for a summer road trip, or even motivate a spur of the moment weekend adventure in Los Angeles. At the very least, they prove that there’s a world outside of Leavey.