How many times have you received a valet ticket and couldn’t find it when it was time to get your car? How many times did you forget where your car was parked? It has happened enough times to me that I knew I needed to find a solution which was to use my smartphone camera. With lots of research, I found several amazing tips on how to use your smartphone camera as a valuable travel resource! Read on for more…

Recently, I noticed, after parking my car at the LAX airport, a woman taking out her phone and snapping a picture of the location of the car. I know that several people have already figured this out, but for me, this was a game-changer.

After realizing the benefits of using my phone to keep track of my car, I started thinking of ways that my smartphone camera would help with all my traveling. I began looking for ways to maximize the benefits of the camera.

From then on I became hyper-aware of where I might substitute my smartphone camera as a travel resource. So, my very next trip when I rented a car, drove to the hotel and handed my keys over to the valet who gave me my valet ticket. I realized I could take a picture of this valet ticket too and keep the information on my phone. I hate to admit it, but I have often misplaced my valet ticket. Well…this solved it! I actually did misplace my ticket on this trip as well (classic!) and I was excited to look at my pics and easily found my ticket for the valet. Voila!

Now I was hooked! I started looking for more ways to utilize my camera on my smartphone.

Our smartphones are with us at all times (or is that just me?) and we can magnify their value when traveling. Here are a few more tips that I discovered to help you maximize the benefits:

• Keep a screenshot of your driver’s license and/or passport identification page on your phone in a secure storage app that you can easily download.

• Snap a photo of your rental car license plate and the car’s interior and exterior when you first rent it. You will have a record if you there was a ding or dent before you drove it.

• Take pictures of your loyalty reward cards for reward programs and store them in an album or special folder on your phone.  If the reward program card has a scan bar, be sure and include that in the picture as well.

• Take a picture of what you packed in your luggage.

• Take pictures of your wardrobe selections so that you have an understanding of how you packed.

• Take a screenshot of any map routes that you will need. This is very helpful if you cannot get cell phone service while traveling!

• Pictures of your valuables that you store in a hotel room safe for insurance purposes in case of theft.

• A picture of your luggage so that you can easily show the baggage claim if your luggage is lost.

• Screenshot currency converter information while traveling internationally.

• Use your cell phone camera to take pictures of business cards so that you do not have to carry them with you.

• Take a picture of important information from itineraries to travel brochures so that you do not have to carry them around.

• Have you ever forgotten your hotel room number? I know I have…a great way to remember is to take a picture of your room number on the door!

• I have oftentimes taken the picture of the name tag of a person that I have met who went above and beyond in service. I do this in order to write their manager a letter of appreciation and it helps to remind me of their name.

Final Thoughts:

I know these tips will help! As I have used each and every one of these mentioned, I feel confident that you will see the benefit of utilizing your smartphone in new ways to assist with your travel experience. So, let’s use smartphone camera capabilities and let’s get creative with how we can maximize our travels! Please comment below if you have used any of these ideas or have some of your own that I can add! Cheers my friends!

---