When: September

Where: Kauai, Hawaii Distances: Half Marathon, Marathon Highlights: Run past hula dancers and Taiko drum troupes and through Kauai’s Tunnel of Trees. Register at The Kauai Marathon

When: January

Where: Bermuda Distances: 1 mile, 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon, The Bermuda Triangle Challenge (3 races in 3 days) Highlights: The Bermuda Triangle Challenge lets participants run three races in three days and receive a bonus challenge medal. Register at The Bermuda Marathon

When: September

Where: Marco Island, Florida Distances: Half Marathon Highlights: Enjoy a small local race without huge crowds. Register at Marco Island Half Marathon

When: December

Where: Kiawah Island, South Carolina Distances: Marathon Highlights: Run through beautiful natural marshes and maritime forests. Register at Kiawah Island Golf Resort Marathon

When: November

Where: Cuba Distances: 10k, Half Marathon, Marathon Highlights: Book a marathon tour package and see all the sites that Cuba has to offer before you enjoy your race. Register at Havana Marathon

The post 5 Island Marathons We Would Actually Run appeared first on Islands.

1. ADOBE LIGHTROOM

Adobe Photoshop is so synonymous with photography that it has even become its own verb — just Photoshop it! But it’s also a massive (and costly) program that’s far too robust for the basic user. Enter Adobe Lightroom, whose sleek interface and deep image-processing capabilities are ideal for every level of shooter. Within its “develop” module (where the image manipulation occurs), you’ll find slider bars for everything — from basic contrast and saturation adjustments to advanced camera calibration options. The free Lightroom mobile app (with much less functionality) can sync with your Adobe account, allowing for seamless cloud editing on the go.

2. PHOTOGENE

Available for both iPhone and iPad, this photo editing app truly shines on the latter. Photogene has the standard contrast, color balance, saturation and effects you’d expect, but it also gives users metadata editing, export resizing and options to remove noise. It can sync your files directly to Flickr, Dropbox, Facebook, Picasa and more, ensuring you won’t miss a beat between snap and share. Unlike most mobile apps, Photogene supports RAW files as well as JPEGS.

3. PIXLR

This photo editing app for both Apple and Android devices boasts over 2 million combinations of free effects, overlays and filters. Its robust adjustment and effects program also allows users to create collages with multiple images. Text effects and a selection of image borders and frames help polish your photo before posting. Amazingly, this gem of an app is free, but you can pay to expand its database of filters and effects.

The post Photo Editing Apps for Travel Photography appeared first on Islands.

One in 10 readers spends just a long weekend in the Caribbean, so every minute counts. Check out how to spend your three day weekend in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

Day One

The San Juan Water and Beach Club will serve as your center for a slothlike afternoon on the shoreline. Book a spa appointment and stroll the sand come sunset in Isla Verde or Condado. End the night with dinner at La Placita de Santurce, a trendy spot in the metro area. A farmers market by day, come twilight, it’s the place to spin pina coladas at one of the family-owned bars.

Day Two

Rise with the sun and carve up some waves with WoW Surfing School. Rinse off and score some retail therapy in Old San Juan, where the seven blocks are filled with boutiques, cafes and restaurants. Stop at the kiosks along the road to pick up a picnic and drive 30 minutes to El Yunque National Forest for a hike among waterfalls and coqui, tiny tree frogs native to Puerto Rico. come nightfall, head to Fajardo’s Bio Bay, located in a natural reserve dotted with mangroves. Kayak into the darkness and watch the water come alive with millions of glowing microorganisms, known as dinoflagellates. Look for shooting stars and distinct constellations.

Day Three

Take note: you should arrive at the airport at least two and a half hours before your flight. But there’s plenty of time for brunch at Cafe Marquesa. Red-velvet pancakes with cream-cheese glaze are for digging in with no remorse. Cinnamon French toast, eggs Florentine and breakfast pizza (not an oxymoron!), topped with queso blanco, are other favorite.

The post How to Have a 3-Day Weekend in San Juan, Puerto Rico appeared first on Islands.

Day One

Check in to The Albany, a 600-acre resort community with posh rentals and a distinct South Beach feel. Think: floor-to-ceiling windows from wall to wall with panoramic bay views. Get the lay of the land with the Bahamas Segway & Beach Experience. Roll along scenic Nassau Harbor to Junkanoo Beach to meet locals, and check out Fort Charlotte for a clear view to Paradise Island. When hunger strikes, head west of downtown to the Fish Fry at Arawak Cay, a mishmash of pastel-colored shacks serving up friend snapper and freshly cracked conch. If you’re not totally bushed, go club-hopping. Start at Aura Nightclub at Atlantis, where Cirque-du-Soleil-style acrobats in skimpy outfits entertain while you swill lemontinis. Then head to Bambu, which is filled with hotel guests and locals.

Day Two

Greet the day with salutations at Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat, where yogi masters will help you perfect your flow. Afterward, pull and 180 from last night and order healthy nibbles at Goodfellow Farms. Choices include cranberry almond chicken salad or smoked salmon over micro greens. Continue the foodie theme with a three-hour Tru Bahamian Food Tour, a culinary adventure through historic downtown Nassau. Local chefs are on hand to chat, and among the included bites are conch fritters and rum cakes.

Day Three

You’ve spent enough time on land, now find your sea legs aboard the Seaworld Explorer semi-submarine with a captain who knows the fish by name. Once you get to the coral reef, keep your eyes peeled for sea turtles and blacktip sharks. Back on land, select one of the colorful picnic tables at Oh Andros and chow down on conch chowder, or pick one of 14 dinner combos, like fresh snapper and grilled chicken.

The post How to Have a 3-Day Weekend Getaway in the Bahamas appeared first on Islands.

Day One

Make a beeline for Chankanaab National Park where you can snorkel next to limestone cenotes. Get there early to stake out some shade under a palapa, then explore the Maya ruins and visit the botanical gardens. Post immediately for instant #vacationenvy. Enjoy dinner at Casa Mission, an impressive colonial-style Mexican and seafood restaurant featuring live music every night of the week.

Day Two

Visit San Gervasio, an archaeological site paying tribute to lxchel, goddess of fertility and love. Lunch on lobster crepes at Pepe’s. Then, stroll Cozumel’s city center with stops at El Mercado, the island’s traditional market, and the town square, to sit under the shade of flamboyan tree. Big appetites will love Rolandi’s Cozumel, a cozy Italian restaurant that locals have frequented for the past 30 years.

Day Three

Dive or snorkel the Mesoamerican Reef, the second-largest reef in the world. Then take your pick of beaches on the eastern shore, like Punta Morena, Punta Chiqueros, Playa Bonita and Playa Chen Rio. These beaches are typically less crowded than those on the west side. Lunch at Pancho’s Backyard for fresh guacamole, famous black-bean soup, fish tacos, fajitas and the perfect margarita.

The post How to Have a 3-Day Weekend Getaway in Cozumel appeared first on Islands.

Think taking your family to the Caribbean is a lot of work? You’re not wrong, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pull it off. With a little strategy and planning, jet-setting with the whole fam isn’t only doable, you might just have fun.

1. “If you couldn’t reserve a seat next to your kids when booking a flight, ask at the airport (or the day before) if adjacent seats have opened after elite fliers move up and seats become available.” – George Hobica, founder of airfarewatchdog.com

2. “To eliminate airport hassles, sign up for Clear, a TSA-approved way to skip security lines at 13 airpots, including Miami International and George Bush International, both Caribbean hubs.” – Amy Norman, CEO of Little Passports

3. “Download some parent-friendly apps pronto. GateGuru shows amenities at over 100 airport terminals, and Pack & Go is an app with age-group-specific packing lists.” – Sasha Emmons, editor-in-chief of Today’s Parent

4. “Pack the kids’ swimsuits in your carry-on. If you arrive at the hotel before check-in or if it’s a while before the bellman brings your bags, your kids can jump right in the pool.” – Wendy Perrin, TripAdvisor Travel Advocate

5. “It’s easy to lose track of time by the water, so buy a suntan timer for your kids, like Sunfriend, a waterproof wristband that will alert you when it’s time to reapply that SPF.” – Jason Cochran, editor-in-chief of frommers.com

The post 5 Tips for Traveling with Kids appeared first on Islands.

See the light. The best bet for a flattering photo is soft, indirect light (like light coming through a window) or open shade. Avoid settings where a bright light source is behind you, where your face is in partial or broken light, or in too dark a space.

Create some distance. It doesn’t say much about where you are if all we can see is an eyeball. Especially with travelcentric selfies, where the destination is an important supporting character, tripods, selfie sticks and self timers allow you to escape from the arm-length photo and reveal more of the environment.

Watch your background. As with any form of photography, beware of tunnel vision. It’s far too easy to focus on your face without taking a second to scan the edges of the frame for any distracting elements. That shot of you in front of Mount Otemanu in Bora Bora might be epic, but if a row of garbage cans appears in the corner of it, it probably won’t end up on your wall.

Involve the locals. A huge part of travel is the people you meet. Photographing yourself with locals tells a much richer visual story and will inspire more interest (aka likes) when shared.

Our Favorite Products for Selfie Improvement

GorillaPod: This handy and flexible tripod can wrap around objects or stand on a tabletop to make timed selfies a breeze. It’s also small enough to stow in a backpack. $29

Looq G Selfie Stick: For smartphones only, these sticks connect to your phone’s headphone jack with a small wire built in next to the clamp that holds your device. No batteries, no Bluetooth. $25

Phantom 3 Drone: Heard of Dronies? You will soon. GoPro, Canon and Nikon are working on drones for the consumer market, ensuring dronies will be the next big thing in the selfie universe. $1,000

The post How to Take a Better Travel Selfie appeared first on Islands.