Instagram Travel

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A Few of my Favorite Holiday Instagrams This Week #IGTravelThursday

They say Santa is watching us to see who is naughty and nice. Well, this month, I'm watching my Instagram feed to see who makes me festive. All month, we'll celebrate the season with my #IGTravelThursday Holiday feature so grab an eggnog, and let's get festive.



A decedent display of sweet macarons brings the holiday spirit to the @TheRitzCarlton in Charlotte. The culinary Christmas tree at the Ritz Carlton in Charlotte is amazing. Last year, the luxury hotel dazzled with a white chocolate tree. I visited that one in person for this Skimbaco article last year. This macaron tree looks divine. 


Christmas Decorations line the streets of Sydney by @Independenttraveller  Jacey Brasse




This photo from my Skimbaco colleage, Adrienne Shubin of @TheRichLifeonaBudget just makes me feel festive. It was taken from a yacht at the Marin Yacht Club. 


The Fearrington House at @FearringtonNC, a five-star Relais and Chateaux Inn, in Pittsboro, NC is magical during the holidays. These trees line their famous barn, used for parties and wedding receptions. 


@ColonialWilliamsburg is twinkling this holiday. I spent some time at Colonial Williamsburg this summer. It's a very special place, and extremely beautiful during the holidays.  Read more about my stay at the Williamsburg Lodge and my tour of the Williamsburg Inn.  If hungry, Shield's Tavern was a delight and my dinner there made my Top 10 Southern Culinary Bites on Skimbaco Lifestyle. 


From my own Instagram account, this a favorite photo of mine from the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, North Carolina.  This photo was taken outside the Fairview Dining Room.  I attended a great event at the Inn over the weekend called, "Cookies are not just for Santa!". My children got to meet Santa, and decorate a few cookies to take home. The Inn had a wonderful beverage and dessert station for participants. The pastry chef made some great cookies, too. Remember to check your luxury hotels in your hometown for fun, family events. As I stated last week, hotels put the "merry" in Christmas.





Speaking of my post from last week, I got a little present from Four Seasons Las Vegas this week. If you recall, after last's week's "Santa Sighting", I inquired if the barista at PRESS could make us a snowman. The barista did it. Thank you, @FSLasVegas.  I really want to drink this baby in person now. It's cold outside! Is it in Vegas?

And here is a fun, little holiday Instagram video from the @FamilyAdventureProject that has me tapping my toes and waiting for Santa.
Join us for #IGTRAVELThursday. 
Do you have a great Instagram travel story to share? Read the linky rules below and join us this week (but don’t forget to grab our logo {here} and link to at least one of hosts in your post). If you are not a blogger, but have an Instagram account tag your lovely travel moments with #IGTravelThursday. No blog, no Instagram? You can still join in the fun by reading our IG-related travel stories and by giving us some feedback love!  If you want to host the IG Travel linky on your blog so that your readers can easily find our posts, you may use this code found here.

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A Few of my Favorite Holiday Instagrams This Week #IGTravelThursday
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Hotels Can Put the "Merry" in Christmas #IGTRAVELThursday

My Instagram feed is filled with mulled cider, holiday cookies, lights, and trees. I love it! Looking at the hashtag #SkimbacoHolidays really puts me in the holiday spirit. I was at Walt Disney World over the Thanksgiving holiday, and there, I got a head start on feeling festive. Disney is always magical, but the resorts truly shine this time of year.


This photo that I snapped while staying at the Yacht Club wins "most popular" among my Instagram friends. I don't know if it had to do with the fact that it was one of the first photos I published on my trip, but it got one of the best responses of all.

I'll be sharing more holiday photos this month so I hope you visit the blog again in your spare time so you can see some of my favorite photos. Hotels can certainly do holiday decor well.  I plan to visit as many local hotels as I can this month to show some of the best like this one at the Grand Floridian. Now THAT is a tree!



I'll be instagramming from the Washington Duke Inn in Durham, N.C. on December 8 while I get to chat with Santa. I'll be sure to tell him that you all said hello.

I'll also be showcasing other holiday photos from hotels on IG  this month.  To kick things off, I am sharing my love for the Four Seasons Instagram account again.  The Four Seasons Las Vegas Hotel delighted me with this "Santa Sighting" this week.


I wonder if the Four Seasons Las Vegas barista can do "Elvis", too.  Well, in this case, "what happens in Vegas is definitely not staying in Vegas," because this coffee shot is too good not to share. PRESS, is the hotel's new lounge that is open morning through late night. This chic space overlooks the hotel's private pool. Not putting any pressure on the barista, but it would be fun to see a snowman, too. You can read more about PRESS on the Four Seasons Las Vegas website.

And finally, I leave with you the fastest hotel tree decorating in Instagram history. The Four Season Beverly Wilshire has 53 amazing trees throughout the hotel. With that many trees, they certainly need a magical elf to decorate in no time. Enjoy!



Join us for #IGTRAVELThursday.

Do you have a great Instagram travel story to share? Read the linky rules below and join us this week (but don’t forget to grab our logo {here} and link to at least one of hosts in your post). If you are not a blogger, but have an Instagram account tag your lovely travel moments with #IGTravelThursday. No blog, no Instagram? You can still join in the fun by reading our IG-related travel stories and by giving us some feedback love!

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Hotels Can Put the "Merry" in Christmas #IGTRAVELThursday
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How to Engage Your Community on Instagram

When I first started using Instagram last summer, I didn't know much about it, but I knew I liked it. It was fun for me to take a break from the grind of daily life, and view eye-pleasing photos. It wasn't like Facebook and Twitter, which are constantly filled with links wanting you to take some type of action. 

 Instagram was a refreshing change of pace. I defined it as simple, natural photos that gave me a glimpse of a person's everyday life in the moment. It's now my favorite social media tool out there. 

Like my newly purchased Vietri 30th anniversary mug? All proceeds will go toward Habitat for Humanity.  I love that the company is giving back for its 30th anniversary. 

On my blog Instagram account, I share some personal family moments, my travels, great eats, and of course, fabulous hotel properties.

Lately though, I've been spending more time talking to others on Instagram instead of posting my own photos. It does take some time to comment on a photo (especially since I can't type well on a phone), but I love the connections I am making. I allow several minutes a day to tell people I like their photos or ask questions about their photos.  This helps create a conversation. 

 Before I read Katja Presnal's "Instagram as Your Guide to the World" travel book, I did not engage with other users on Instagram much at all. I scrolled through a few photos, hit a few likes, and that was about it. I didn't take the time to talk to others, which if you remember, is basically the foundation for social media.

 After being on Instagram for more than a year, I now find myself wanting more of my followers to talk to me, too. The other day I was visiting the Siena Hotel in Chapel Hill, North Carolina. I've already written a "Pack Your Bags" on this beautiful property. I stayed in a lovely renovated room last February, and it was fabulous. 



During my last visit, renovations were ongoing, but now renovations on all 79 rooms at the Siena Hotel are complete. They are all unique, but similar in style. I shot a few photos for Instagram while on property last week. Instead of just sharing photos of the new rooms in my feed, I wanted my followers to feel as if they were part of the tour with me. 

So naturally I asked, "What do you think of these chairs?"


It was a lot of fun, and I absolutely adored the engagement. People took the time to give me their opinions. Some thought the chairs were quirky and fun. Others thought they would be uncomfortable. A few thought they were beautiful.  And my absolute favorite comment was, "They look like something in the Capitol in the Hunger Games." I can see that, and some of my followers did, too. 

 The chairs were imported from Italy. They look grand in the room. The rooms are the true essence of an Italian villa. 


Personally, I think the chairs work for the room, and do not look weird in person at all. They were really stunning. I think this is one reason why I like boutique hotel properties so much. They are not afraid to show a little personality. 


 Rates at the Siena Hotel range from $150 to $300 per night, depending on season and availability. The hotel is part of the Marriott Autograph Collection.  Engage with your followers as much as your time allows. I think you will find it rewarding. 

 If you are a blogger, link up with us and you may end up on my Facebook page. I share some of my favorite photos from the week. 

Post by Hines-Sight Blog.

Take a look at the link-up rules below before linking, and please link back to a host so others can find everyone's links. 



Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.

Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.

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How to Engage Your Community on Instagram
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Instagram Travel: What Captures Your Heart on Instagram?

I love the Instagram account of Eatlivtravwrite. Don't look at her account hungry.

We're going to talk about something fun here today for Instagram Travel. Once you get to know me, you will find that I like to be light-hearted, and have a few laughs.

 Also, I've had a busy week and I don't really feel like being too serious or informative. I finished my "Pack Your Bags" on the Williamsburg Lodge this week.  Truthfully, after I write those features, I don't really feel like writing anything else for a week.  I love them, but they drain me because I want them to be just right. 

 However, I have writing commitments besides my own blog so today's post is my fourth article this week.  I researched some great ski travel deals for Skimbaco, and I even learned how to "twerk" for an article.  Yeah, really!  Jimmy Kimmel put me in a tail spin this week once he revealed he uploaded a fake video to "You Tube" less than 12 hours before my local column was scheduled to run online. I had a piece on how girls should keep their booty off camera. I went with it anyway with a disclaimer.  Now that I think about it my advice applies to Instagram, too.  We all should keep our booty off of Instagram, too.

 But, let's talk about the elephant in the room, shall we?  Literally. (Make sure you are in another browser than Internet Explorer, or this video may not load.)
I have to admit that I don't always take the time to view videos on Instagram. But, I'm a big fan of the Four Seasons Instagram account, and I think the caption of the video intrigued me. 

  "You can do it, baby elephant! How cute is that?" This video came from the Four Seasons Safari Lodge Sergenti.

 That baby elephant reeled me right in. It tugged at my heart.

 And, at the same time, it also caused me to learn a little bit more about this particular hotel. I even put it on my "potential" bucketlist for when my kids are teens. Due to the nature of the Lodge, only guests over 8 are permitted. 

 I think we all have things that trigger our emotions and interests when we take the time to engage on Instagram. 

 I like to follow Mardi at eatlivtravwrite. She captured that gorgeous champagne flute in Vancouver at the beginning of this post.  And guess what? I know Mardi in person. My editor, Katja of Skimbaco, introduced her to me when were in Toronto. Mardi concentrates on culinary travel, and food blogging. I've learned from Mardi's feed that well photographed food gets me excited.  I mean, really. She makes me want to finish food when she's already taken a bite. 


 But, Mardi also has a knack of occasionally appealing to the cat lover in me. She shot this photo in France this summer.  I fell in love. It's so artistic, and reminds me of a postcard. 

I did not use statigram here to label Mardi's photo  because I didn't want to hide the cat.  Photo by Eatlivtravwrite. 
Mardi cooks a lot.  I am smart enough to know just how lucky her cat, Cleo, must be to live in her house, and drink crème anglaise..This photo captured life in Mardi's house very well.  She's not traveling here, but none of us travel every single day of our lives.  It's nice to show a little bit of real life on Instagram, too. 


Mardi's Instagram account appeals to many.  She has more than 18,000 IG followers. 

 So tell us, what types of photos can you not resist on Instagram? Dogs? Cats? Water? Cocktails?  Tory Burch shoes?

 If you are a blogger, link up with us. Take a look at the link-up rules below before linking, and please link back to a host so others can find everyone's links. 



Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.

Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.


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Instagram Travel: What Captures Your Heart on Instagram?
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Instagram Travel: The "Likeable" Shot

Let's face it. We all get a warm spot in our heart when someone likes a photo that we share on social media. And if someone comments, we really get that warm and fuzzy feeling. First off, I'm a writer. Some may call me a journalist. I like the idea of being a storyteller. I don't claim to be a photographer. Far from it. Photography is not my strength. I was my own videographer when I was in television several decades ago, but I have no real experience in still photography. I just snap photos for my blog, and try to tell you a story. 
IG Travel: Little Feet at Topsail Beach: Getting the Likeable Shot
Instagram is forcing me to try to get more creative with my shots and angles.  And on occasion, I may snap a photo that everyone loves. That doesn't happen too often, but when it does, I love the interaction and reaction the photo causes. 

 I guess if you make your living as a photographer then one could call it the "money shot."  I snapped the "Little Feet" photo last year on Instagram when I had about three followers during a trip to Topsail Beach, North Carolina. I was going up the stairs and saw my children's feet. I thought it was cute. When I shared it on Facebook, and later on my blog, other people liked it, too. Even those people who are on your friends list who never comment at all, came out of the just "stalking" mode and actually had some interaction. I had a "likeable" photo, and some even went so far as to comment.  

 "Frame it"

 "Great shot!"

 "Adorable"

 "That's a keeper!"

 My editor, Katja Presnal, owner of Skimbaco Lifestyle loved the photo so much that she included it in the Skimbaco "Living Life to the Fullest" video this year.  


I have worked hard to try to get creative with kid shots. It's not easy. I am still learning. The best advice I ever received about Instagram also came from Katja (She's authored this book on Instagram).  She encouraged me in late Spring to start my own personal account at LeighPHines, and keep my HinesSightBlog account more artistic, and to continue to let it be an extension of my travel and leisure blog posts. 

 Since I write about luxury family travel, I want my Instagram account to allow my followers to experience a destination when I am there. Showing you photos of my kids smiling at the camera is great for the people who have a true connection to me, and know me well in my personal life, but those photos don't tell you much about the destination. I now keep the majority of my family type shots over at the LeighPHines account, and on my personal Facebook page. That Instagram account looks more like this. 


My kids are certainly part of my travels, and are still a big part of this blog so I don't cut my children out of my feed. Instead, I will slip in shots like this one.
IG Travel: North Myrtle Beach

This photo, taken this summer in North Myrtle Beach for Instagram, has probably been my most popular photo with children in it. Again, it brought out comments from people who usually never comment. It even caught the attention of North Myrtle Beach, and they tweeted it to their followers. 

 I do include some family shots in my blog Instagram account on occasion, and I think they are better received because they are more rare than the norm for what I try to do with my blog. This is fireworks night at the beach. My son acted as photographer, which he loves to do. It's a posed photograph, and people gave it a warm welcome in the blog Instagram feed, but it was the first photo they had seen of me in three weeks, and it was 42 shots later from the last time a photo of me appeared in their Instagram feed.  Maybe they liked my daughter's sun-kissed cheeks and curly, wild hair. I'm not sure. My husband and I look like we needed a vacation after a vacation.  


I am at Topsail Beach again this week for our last family beach vacation before school starts this month.  I may have used all of my beach creativity on past Instagram shots. We'll see. Follow one or both of my accounts if you want more of the family-life photos, and see if I am up for the photo challenge. 

If you are a blogger, please join us in the Instagram Travel Thursday link-up.  Take a look at the link-up rules below before linking, and please link back to a host so others can find everyone's links. 



Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.


Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.

The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.












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Instagram Travel: The "Likeable" Shot
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My Favorite Instagram Shots from Visit Raleigh

We are back again this week with our third Instagram Travel Thursday link-up. Just to recap, we are here each week sharing the joy of travel through Instagram photos. If you have been following me this week on Instagram then you know I'm enjoying Colonial Williamsburg with my family this week. I cannot wait to share that trip with you in the future, but today I thought it would be great to a highlight an Instagram account that I enjoy following: VISITRALEIGH

 Yes, I live in Raleigh, North Carolina and I follow my own hometown's Instagram account. I love seeing the view of my town through the eyes of others. 




I love this shot of the State Capitol Building.




The history of Raleigh dates by to 1792, and was established as North Carolina's government seat.



Thirteen years ago when I moved to Raleigh, the downtown area had recently started its revitalization efforts. Now, the downtown area is seeing more boutiques. Raleigh purse designer, Holly Aiken, has her own shop called, Stitch. Purse lovers are beginning to recognize a bag designed by Holly as soon as they see it around town.





I love the architecture of this former residence in Raleigh. It is currently the home to Raleigh's Second Empire Tavern and Restaurant, a Four-Diamond Award winner.  It's special to me because it was the site of my wedding reception in 2002.


The North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences provides hours of enjoyment for families. 
Raleigh, of course, is named after Sir Walter Raleigh. 




If you ever decide to visit Raleigh, please let me know.  I'll tell you the best places to eat, and stay.  You can start planning your trip at VisitRaleigh.com.

 And if you are a blogger, please join us in the link-up.  

Take a look at the official rules on Skimbaco Lifestyle, but here are some important things to remember when linking your post.

Here are the Linky rules:
Link to a new Instagram travel post and use the permalink of your post, not the homepage URL.
Only new posts from the week of the linky and no giveaways, other linkys or sales pitches.
No links to your Instagram profile, only links to your blog.
Link back to one of the Instagram Travel Thursday hosts.
Visit a few other posts in the linky and show them some love (comment, tweet, Pin etc.).
Links that do not follow the guidelines will be removed.
The Instagram Travel Thursday linky is posted on Thursdays at 1AM EST and the linky is open until the following Wednesday.
On a side note, I am returning from Colonial Williamsburg late tonight.  I look forward to reading the posts in the link-up when I return tomorrow. In the meantime, you can find me on Instagram. 

Be sure to follow me on one or more of my social media platforms.  Twitter, Instagram ,Facebook, Pinterest, Google Plus or on Bloglovin, if you just want post updates. When traveling, I'm on Instagram the most.  My personal family Instagram account is LeighPHines.



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My Favorite Instagram Shots from Visit Raleigh
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