The Tyranny of the Vacation Instagram Post

Upon my arrival at Paradero, the stunning resort nestled in Todos Santos at the southern tip of Baja California, I’m immediately captivated; it’s the kind of setting that has you exclaiming, “Wow!” at every turn.

The welcome I receive includes a refreshing towel, a glass of locally-sourced juice, and a fragrant bundle of sage, all elegantly arranged on a tray. As I head to my room, I’m greeted by a breathtaking view of deep brown sands interspersed with lush gardens, with majestic mountains painting the backdrop. The resort itself is an architectural marvel, with stark concrete structures that evoke the image of a sleek spaceship that has curiously landed in the Baja desert.

However, rather than soaking in the atmosphere or truly “living in the moment”—as motivational figures might suggest—my instinct leads me to reach for my iPhone. I start snapping photos of everything in sight, experimenting with angles for Instagram later. Just before that refreshing drink touches my lips, I pause to capture it on the platter. The mountains? I can’t resist clicking away. Once inside my room, my first action isn’t to unpack and nestle into bed after a long journey. Instead, I zero in on capturing the pristine state of the space, making sure to exclude my bags from the frame, so it appears I arrived sans belongings. It’s essentially the kind of image you’d find on the hotel’s website—but now, I’ve got a personal, albeit imperfect, version stored on my phone. Throughout my stay, I’m practically a modern-day Annie Leibovitz, with my camera fervently working overtime.

Gone are the days when you had only a few rolls of film to document your travels. Back then, most people understood the concept of merely “enjoying” their vacation (it’s a feeling I’m still striving to grasp). Today, social media dominates our travel experiences, and it’s evident that platforms like Instagram heavily influence how we engage with the world. I’ve coined the term Instagramxiety to describe this phenomenon, and I’m just a step away from proposing it for inclusion in the Merriam-Webster dictionary. It seems that experiencing a moment is often overshadowed by the pressure to post it online for validation.

I’ve lost count of how many beach photos clutter my camera roll. Each one seems nearly indistinguishable from the rest: endless sand, crashing waves, and nearly always a vivid blue sky. Perhaps there’s even a distant seagull added for flair. Instead of inhaling the salty sea breeze and feeling the warmth of the sand, I’m squinting at a screen, trying to ensure my shot of the waves captures that perfect high point. I encountered a similar situation during a recent visit to the Fairmont Grand Del Mar, which exudes European elegance despite its northern San Diego location, with sprawling gardens and grand interiors. I now possess more photos of this venue’s exterior and interior than new parents do of their newborn.