Unsurprisingly, Lonely Planet is staffed with people who are passionate about travel.

PIA PETERSON

PHOTO DIRECTOR

Unsurprisingly, Lonely Planet is staffed with people who are passionate about travel. We’re very lucky to do the work we do, informing and influencing how you travel, and we hope every trip ends with many magical moments to look back on for years to come.

This summer, we gave over a dozen staffers cheap disposable cameras to share how they spent their PTO in the hopes of inspiring future vacations. No professional photographers, no drone shots that the average traveler won’t be able to replicate, no retouching or filters – thumbs in the photo and all.

Learn more about their summer vacations, and enjoy the snapshots they took with their disposable cameras, below.

Paula finally got the chance to visit her bucket-list destination, Japan, on a nine-day trip with her family. 

Do: Visit the tucked away garden in the Heian-jingū in Kyoto. Take in the bright orange Japanese maples, lily pads and beautiful and fragrant kuro matsu (Japanese pines) – every piece of that garden was absolutely intentional. I have never felt more at peace.

Eat: I can go on and on about the incredible food we had – ramen with a rich pork broth, 7/11 egg sandos, matcha soft serve and onigiri (rice-ball snack).

Highlight: Making our own Japanese knives with a 14th generation Japanese bladesmith in his studio. This was the most special souvenir I took home, especially as a home cook.

TRY THESE JAPAN ITINERARIES

Ann Douglas' inner calling for wide open spaces brought her to South Dakota’s Black Hills, with a detour to Badlands National Park.

Stay: There’s something undeniably American about staying in a state park lodge. In Custer State Park, I stayed in a woodsy room at Creekside Lodge. I also spent a cozy night in a private log cabin at Badlands Frontier Cabins in Wall, right by Badlands National Park.

Do: A jeep safari on the park’s Wildlife Loop Rd (book it – they take you off-road where other cars can’t go), hiking around Sylvan Lake and horseback riding through streams in Black Hills National Forest.

Highlight: A tour at Deadwood's brothel museum, which is housed in one of the gold rush town's former brothels and covers the complex stories of the women who lived and worked in the town’s 104-year-long brothel scene.

READ MORE HERE

Ru and her husband experienced a taste of local life while traveling to

Barcelona, the Costa Brava and Madrid.

Do: Visit Tossa de Mar, a beautiful, walkable medieval village framed by three beaches – widely recognized as one of the most beautiful beaches in Costa Brava.

Eat: In Madrid, hop from stall to stall sampling Spanish and international dishes at Mercado Antón Martín and enjoy tapas, oysters and wine at the very popular El Mercado de San Miguel.

Highlight: Visiting the distinct autonomous region of Catalonia. We felt the locals' passion for their culture and language most strongly in Girona, a city that really surprised us with its passionate energy. 

TRY THESE SPAIN ITINERARIES

Serina spent a relaxing, oceanside weekend in Newport, Rhode Island with her friends.

Do: Walk the 3-mile stretch of the Cliff Walk, passing the Newport Mansions (hello, Gilded Age) and other early morning risers. Head to The Castle Hill Inn for ocean views and hang on lawn chairs, get some light bites and chit chat.

Eat: In downtown Newport, try coffee at the Nitro Bar, lunch at Cru Cafe, dinner at Perro Salado and ice cream at Kilwins. 

Highlight: Doing a morning sail with Newport Classic Cruises. We had some of the best weather of the summer – 73°F (23°C) and not a cloud in sight.

MORE RHODE ISLAND INSPO

Photography credits: Paula Somoza, Ann Douglas Lott, Ru Ogata, Serina Patel

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