31 stunning real-world photos that might be your next phone wallpaper.
Beauty is in the eye of the phone holder.
It's a fact: Every year, we're spending more and more time looking at our phones.
Estimates indicate that on average Americans spend anywhere from three to five hours on their smartphones every day. That's an astoundingly high number — and the perfect excuse for a little perspective.
There's an extraordinary world buzzing all around us, and we miss so much of it staring endlessly at our tiny screens. You say your busy life won't let you escape to some of our planet's most remarkable places? Not to worry. You can bring those places back home to your phone.
Here are 31 marvelous world wonders we think would look perfect as your lock screen.
1. Iceland's northern lights are a stunning sight, in person or online.
Who knew geomagnetic storms could be so stunning? Image by iStock.
2. Find peace in this photo of a storm-swept lighthouse.
Image by iStock.
3. The arch at Palau's Rock Islands is beautiful above water and below.
Image by iStock.
4. Milford Sound on New Zealand's South Island is an Instagram filter-lover's dream.
Image by iStock.
5. A huge statue of the Hindu god Lord Murugan greets visitors to the Batu Caves in Malaysia.
Image by iStock.
6. Watch sunlight break over the peaks in the Himalayas.
Image by iStock.
7. About 45 million gallons of water rush over North America's largest waterfall, Niagara Falls, every minute.
Image by iStock.
8. This ginormous "Christ the Redeemer" statue watches over Rio de Janeiro's six million residents.
Image by iStock.
9. Live vicariously through these thrill-seeking spelunkers.
Image by iStock.
10. Looking at Haystack Rock near Cannon Beach, Oregon, might inspire you to head to your nearest beach.
Image by iStock
11. Soothe your muggle heart with this image of the IRL Hogwarts Express chugging across Scotland.
Image by iStock
12. These towering redwoods are some of the largest trees in North America.
Image by iStock
13. This tiny sandbar in the Pacific didn't think it'd end up a helicopter perch. But sometimes life — and conspicuous wealth — finds a way.
Image by iStock
14. Mossy green wonderlands — like this one near Oregon's Punch Bowl Falls — are unique to the temperate rainforests of the Pacific Northwest.
Image by iStock
15. Follow the stepping stones of Northern Ireland's Giant's Causeway straight into the North Atlantic.
Image by iStock
16. Decades of pounding surf carved a perfect alcove in the rocks at Lands End in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
Image by iStock
17. Mother Nature really shows off her sculpting skills in Utah's Paria Canyon.
Image by iStock
18. The Matterhorn is more than a ride I got stuck on for 45 minutes at Disneyland. It's a breath-catchingly stunning peak in the Alps.
Image by iStock
19. The Grand Canyon is so incredible, it really deserves a better adjective. "Astoundageous" maybe?
Image by iStock
20. The narrow, rocky green peaks of the Wulingyuan scenic area in China's Hunan province are both a Unesco World Heritage site, and the inspiration for Pandora, the world in "Avatar."
Image by iStock
21. Creeping tree roots reclaiming this temple in Angkor, Cambodia, are a reminder that, eventually, no matter how hard we work, nature always wins.
Image by iStock
22. Find your most flattering light in Arizona's Antelope Canyon.
Image by iStock
23. The Colorado River's Horseshoe Bend in Arizona will keep you coming around for more.
Image by iStock
24. This Norwegian waterfall is stunning and proud, naturally.
Image by iStock
25. This icy blue Icelandic cave is guaranteed free of abominable snowmen.
Image by iStock
26. Gold dunes and golden skies are everywhere in Morocco's eastern desert.
Image by iStock
27. This solitary tree in New Zealand's Lake Wanaka isn't content to live on land.
Image by iStock
28. This secluded beach at Knysna Heads in South Africa's Western Cape Province is #goals.
Image by iStock
29. Baobab trees beat the thirst by storing water away in their thick trunks. Just like your phone's text message archive.
Image by iStock
30. Nobody knows for sure where the Sphinx's nose is, but she's a towering beauty nonetheless.
Image by iStock
31. Find peace — however you define it — in the stark cold beauty of the Himalayan mountains.
Image by iStock
Did we miss your favorite spot in our wallpaper roundup? Let us know!
