travel journal for students

20 Best Travel Journals to Document Your Trips

Some include prompts and templates to help get you started.

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Last-minute planning of a trip can consist of chaotic lists in your phone's notes app while the chronicling of said trip may look like sporadic photos in your camera roll. But what if there was a collective place you could plan in advance and jot down funny moments along the way? A travel journal can culminate the ups (and downs) of your vacation with guided prompts and templates.

Our experts at Good Housekeeping Institute extended our expertise in the best photo book makers and best wedding planning books to research the best travel journals, a category we have not yet formally tested. We rounded up the best travel journals of 2023, whether you want a self-designed bullet journal or a notebook with fun maps and stickers. At the end of our list, you can find advice on how to start your travel journal as well as read more about why you can trust Good Housekeeping. And if you have a frequent traveler in your life besides yourself, check out our guide to the best travel gift ideas (although a journal is a great idea too!).

The Art of the National Parks: Park-Lover's Journal

Perfect for the outdoors enthusiast in your life, this journal celebrates each of the 63 parks. It's 175 pages long and comes with prompts that'll help them chronicle their journey. It doesn't hurt that this journal has gorgeous illustrations of each park by real artists.

Papier Off Piste

Whether this is your first or fifth travel journal, or a gift for the college student in your life who's about to go abroad, Papier's notebooks will check all of the boxes. One GH editor has the Off Piste journal and loves the cover, a simple design that includes a meaningful quote, and appreciates the helpful templates you'll find inside the notebook. You'll be able to document up to six trips with templates for your budget, packing list, transportation, accommodation, itinerary and a journaling space for freestyle writing. There are also pages dedicated to a travel wishlist as well an illustrative map you can color in as you mark off countries you've visited.

Peter Pauper Press Page-A-Day

Journals can ring in at a variety of prices, but you can find a great travel journal for under $10 that will still give you enough space to write about your wanderings around the world. This leather-bound journal dedicates one page to each day of your trip, with spaces to add in the date, location and weather conditions (we especially like the delicate drawings for types of participation which you can circle with your pencil or pen). Dotted lines on the page will keep your entries neat and organized and an included ribbon bookmark will keep track of where you left off last. Even though this journal is pretty basic in design and on the smaller side, we think it's a great option for someone who doesn't want to spend too much on their first travel journal.

Clever Fox Vacation Planner

Amazon's Choice with a 4.6-star rating across over 900 customer reviews, this travel journal comes with more than just a notebook. You'll also get 150+ fun stickers to embellish your entries, plus the journal also has a pocket to hold the pages of stickers and an elastic band for your pen. But what makes this journal really stand out is its extensive range of templates geared towards helping you plan your trip. For five trips, you'll get pages for research and budget, a packing checklist, transportation and accommodation details and an expense tracker, plus a map and more journaling pages. If you like to plan out every detail, this is the perfect travel journal for your needs. We wish you could fit more than five trips in the journal, but for the price, it's a great value.

Peter Pauper Press Kids Travel Journal

Perfect for the adventure-inclined kiddo, this 96-page travel journal lets young travelers record everything from general entries about a trip to a packing list. Kids can even paste in photos, tickets and more and store the rest in the journal's back pocket. The journal is also full of games, maps, helpful phrases in other languages, metric information, quotes and fun facts. Not only is this kid-friendly journal a creative means to document their early adventures, but its accessories encourage international learning.

Leatherology Medium Spiral Snap Journal

Available in four hues including black onyx (pictured), brown, azure and lilac, this journal is made from gorgeous dyed leather with light gold hardware. You can choose from a spiral or bound format, but note that the spiral option has 130 perforated pages while the bound journal has 265 ruled sheets (or 128 pages). Regardless of which style you choose, you'll will get the benefit of a snap closure and a built-in pen loop, although the writing utensil is not included. We appreciate the versatility of this journal given the blank pages that let you doodle and write freely over the course of your next trip.

Mark and Graham Leather Bound World Travel Journal

This beautiful leather bound journal not only has pages for writing about your trips, but it also includes full-color maps of major cities plus world weather information, international dialing codes and more. A perfect gift for the international traveler, you can also add a foil debossed monogram to the cover if you want to add a personal flare to the notebook. We wish that the journal was available in more than one color, but the rust orange is a versatile enough choice that will stick out in a dark suitcase or bag.

Duncan & Stone Paper Co. World Trip Adventure Book

An almost-perfect five-star rating on Amazon and the titular Amazon's Choice badge is enough to make you add this travel journal to your cart. The layflat design makes it easy to open and write on, and you'll have enough pages to reflect on 15 trips plus a back pocket for extra photos and blank pages for notes and random musings. What we love most about this journal are the helpful prompts that guide newbies through the process of journaling, with questions like "Where did you stay?." and "Something I learned from this destination/culture..." From basic to more thought-provoking questions, you'll have a boost of inspiration to help you document your journey.

Day One Day One

While the majority of picks on this list are physical journals, you can also document your trips through an app if you prefer a digital format or have minimal space in your luggage . Chief Technologist & Executive Technical Director at the GH Institute Rachel Rothman , says Day One is a solid choice with ample positive reviews from consumers. You can download the app for free on your iPhone, Android, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch. You'll get one journal for one device with the ability to add a photo per entry, plus templates, export capabilities and tags. If you want unlimited journals, devices and photos plus the option to add videos, audio recordings and more, opt for Day One Premium which rings in at $2.92 per month.

Extreme Assistants Classic Notebook

If you travel a lot, or tend to squish as much as you possibly can into your carry-on (we have all been there), you'll want a durable journal that can withstand being tossed around and bumping against other items in your bag. A faux leather hardcover and thick paper ensure your journal will stay intact as you travel to and fro. The manufacturer adds that the cover is designed to be easy to clean, which is helpful if you are journaling on the airplane or train and accidentally spill your drink. We also appreciate that you can add a photo or logo to the cover for an element of personalization, especially since the notebook is more basic in style.

Deanna Didzun The Traveler's Playbook: A World Travel Journal

Journaling of any kind can be intimidating as you don't always know where to start — even a notebook with guiding prompts can lead to partial writer's block. If this sounds like you, then opting for a book that has more structure and a variety of templates is the way to go. This popular travel journal has a 4.3-star rating on Uncommon Goods is designed by explorer Deanna Didzun who created illustrations and lists to help jog your memory of your most recent journey. You can give overall star ratings for each destination and write down food and drink highlights if you so please.

Smythson Travels and Experiences Panama Notebook

There are journals and then there are journals — and this beautiful handcrafted leather journal falls into the latter category. Bound in crossgrain lambskin and available in a light blue or scarlet red, you'll have 128 pages of lined Featherweight paper to fill. This notebook is all about quality and is designed to last, but with that comes a higher price tag. It would be a great gift for the writer in your life who loves to travel, but given its simple layout and lack of templates other travel journals can have, it may not be splurge-worthy for every traveler.

DesignWorks Ink Suede Travel Journal

If you or a friend is traveling to Santorini, Mexico and/or Sydney in the near future, you may want to opt for this travel journal inspired by each of those stunning cities. You can add personal information in the first page of the notebook and the 240 pages are lined with spaces to include the subject and date. Although the journal does not include prompts or templates, we love the eye-catching gold design and appreciate the ribbon bookmark to keep track of your last entry.

Moleskine Traveller's Journal

Moleskine, the established brand that has been around for over two decades, is synonymous with traditional, high quality notebooks — and this travel-specific journal is no different. There are three sections for a travel wish list, short trips and long trips plus two sheets of stickers and a ribbon bookmark. The journal has a 4.6-star rating on Amazon across over 3,200 consumer ratings. One five-star review calls this notebook "the traveler's best friend," and notes how helpful it can be to keep track of places, restaurants and sites so you don't forget.

JB Leather Personalized Travel Notebook

For a personalized touch, this pick lets you choose from over 1,000 charm and stamp combinations including astrological charms, meaningful quotes and more . There are also three different vegan leather hues to choose from: cinnamon, cedar and sandy brown. The notebook has 18 plastic card slots, a zippered pocket for storage and a total of 152 lined pages. You can also refill the notebook as you cross places off your travel wish list. A best-seller on Etsy with a perfect five-star rating, this customizable notebook is popular among customers. Multiple reviews comment on the fast delivery, and its high-quality, beautiful appearance.

Transient Books Custom Travel Journal for Kids

With this journal, you can customize the cover color, font and cover map, as well as choose between 100- and 200-page books with lined, unlined and prompts variations. We love the various ways you can personalize this kid-friendly journal, making little ones that more excited to explore new places. The five-star seller has over 3,000 customer reviews on Etsy. And the travel journal doesn't just have to be a gift for the kids: Adult customers also said they enjoyed using the notebook for camping trips and vacations around the globe.

Compendium Everywhere You Go

We have included travel journals on this list that have prompts but none like the unexpected ones in this notebook that will get your creative wheels turning. The questions may catch you off guard, but prompt thoughtful reflection: they range from "If this place had a perfume, it would smell like..." to, "If this place had a soundtrack, these songs would be on it." The notebook is Amazon's Choice and has a 4.5-star rating, with multiple customers calling it the perfect gift for the traveler in your life, whether you need a gift for a teen or a present for a thirtieth birthday .

PAPERAGE Dotted Journal Notebook

Keeping a bullet journal is a popular trend that can easily translate to an aesthetic yet meaningful travel journal. This popular bullet notebook has a 4.7-star rating on Amazon with over 18 color options to chose from including mustard yellow (pictured), burgundy, lavender, royal blue and more. The 5.7-by-8-inch dotted pages lend themselves to open-ended creativity. While it can be hard to start designing and writing a journal from scratch, you have the benefit of customizing how much space you want for each list or entry.

Polarsteps Travel Tracker

Physical journals are not everyone's cup of tea, which is where an app like Polarsteps comes into play. Available for iOS and Android devices, Polarsteps lets travelers track their journeys. You can utilize over 300 helpful guides created by travel editors, as well as use the itinerary planner to dream up your perfect vacation and check the transport planner when unsure of what mode of transportation to use from one destination to another. Once you begin your trip, plot each site you visit and slowly form a personalized map that you can embellish with photos and videos. From there, share your map with friends and family or turn it into a travel book to look back on for years to come.

Glad & Young Studio The Traveler's Journal

If you have a bookshelf with rows of novels, photo albums and notebooks, you may want an aesthetic-looking travel journal that fits your style. This leather notebook has 60 pages to document your travels, and is available in a neutral shade (pictured) as well as two marbled patterns that are unique to each purchase. We personally love the brightly colored assorted pattern that has swirls of lavender, yellow, fuchsia and blue. The lined pages are great for daily entries and you can also note the day and weather. Note that to clean, you'll want to wipe away and spills or messes with a soft cloth.

Elizabeth Berry (she/her) is the Updates Editor at the Good Housekeeping Institute where she optimizes lifestyle content across verticals. Prior to this role, she was an Editorial Assistant for Woman’s Day where she covered everything from gift guides to recipes. She also has experience fact checking commerce articles and holds a B.A. in English and Italian Studies from Connecticut College.

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Awesome Travel Journal Ideas for Kids {with free printable!}

By: Author Jacquie Fisher

Posted on Published: June 6, 2019

Categories Travel Fun

Use these travel journal ideas & free printable pages to help kids document their next vacation or trip!

Since we’re heading out on a big road trip this summer, I thought I would include some travel journal pages in our Road Trip Binder (which already has 40+ Free Printable Road Trip Activities you might want to check out!)

Summer travel is the perfect opportunity to inspire kids to do a little writing not to mention record some great memories!

Travel Journal Ideas for Kids

I think downtime during the summer months is really important for kids but I’ve also seen what happens when they don’t pick up a pencil for a few months ( yikes !)  It can be a rude awaking when they head back to school so I’m always looking for fun ways to encourage them to write a little throughout the summer.

We’re all about DIY which is why I like to create a Road Trip binder and include things that are very specific to our trip.

If you’re just starting to travel with your kids, check out Why Kids Need to Travel & What They Learn on the Trip for inspiration!

In my search for travel journal templates, I can across so many wonderful options that I didn’t limit it to just one ( I’m never good at narrowing things down 😉

So here are some awesomely creative ways to keep your kids writing while you travel — whether you have a child that’s 5 or 15!

Free Printable Travel Journal Pages

These free printable travel journal pages are the perfect way for kids to record all their favorite things each day!  Be sure to leave a note to thank the amazing people who created these free printables pages!

Before My Vacation journaling page from TSLBooks is perfect to use the week before you head out! 

We 3 Travel has some awesome Travel Journal Pages for Kids — 3 varieties which include drawing pages for younger kids and fill-in vacation details for older ones!

I adore this Travel Journal for Kids over at the Travel Turtle .

B. Nute Productions has a printable Trip Journal Page that’s very colorful & your kids will really enjoy!

The Unlikely Homeschool has a beautiful Field Trip Log printable for any side trips you have planned.

Creative Travel Journal Ideas & Books

If your child prefers a book-type travel journal, here are some of the ones we would recommend:

My favorite is The Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids which includes TONS of colorful pages, games, boredom busters and fun ways to kids to record their travel memories.  It’s perfect for kids ages 6 – 10 years old.

Another really cool option is The Children’s Travel Journal which is sketched out in black and white so kids can color all the pages while they travel!  Details include food journals, people you meet on the trip, spaces to draw your favorite memories and so many more ways to record the trip.

Go! A Kid’s Interactive Travel Journal is for pint-sized artists!  Each page has a colorful prompt where kids can draw in experiences from their trip.  The journal also includes games, stickers and other fun prompts too.

Lonely Planet also publishes a great Kids Travel Journal that’s packed with prompts, lists, fill-in areas and more!  This is a great journal option for older kids

If you’re looking for something a parent & child can fill out together, check the My Travel Journal: A Journal for 5 Family Vacations. It’s perfect for kids ages 5 – 9 years old and allows you to keep the details from multiple vacations in one spot.

If you’re getting ready for a road trip, be sure to visit our popular travel posts for lots of tips to help you get organized before you go & on the road:

10 Things to do Before Your Next Road Trip {which includes a free printable checklist!}

The Ultimate Guide to Family Road Trips

More Travel Activities & Ideas

40 Printable Road Trip Activities

DIY Travel Buckets:  The Perfect Souviner

Traveling Tulls

Eco-Travel in Retirement – Nature and Sustainable Luxury Travel

101 Travel Journal Ideas & Creative Prompts to make journaling fun

My mother insisted we keep a journal on our childhood trips. I love looking through those travel logs, seeing my little girl handwriting and reading the entries. But even with Mom’s urging, my entries all grow shorter as the trip progressed. Fifty some years and many trips later, I’ve returned to keeping journals, but have come up with journal prompts and fun travel journal ideas to keep up my enthusiasm throughout the trip .

This post includes affiliate links. We may get paid if you buy something or take an action after clicking on one of these links. Unless noted, we have not received products for review. We suggest items we have enjoyed and hope you will too.

A travel journal is one of the best souvenirs you can bring home. In it you capture feelings and travel memories as they happen. Opening that journal years later will transport you back to that trip and let you savor the experience all over again. But that is IF you are diligent in keeping your journal. Many of us begin with enthusiasm, only to drop off as the week goes on. It’s not easy to begin writing at the end of a long day of touring.

Table of Contents

Find a style and create a schedule to keep you on track.

Travel journal ideas: the medium.

Consider a format that works best for you. Some enjoy the traditional travel diary, but some are more comfortable using technology for their notes. A video diary might be the best travel journal for you!

Journaling with technology – platforms and apps

A plus for using technology for journaling is luggage space. You already have your phone, so there’s nothing more to pack!

Mobile device apps for journaling

• note taking apps . Tried and true apps like Evernote , OneNote, or Google Keep , are easy to use for your personal journal entries. If you use these at home, you’ll feel comfortable using them on the road.
• We recommend: Polarsteps – tracks your trip on a map with images and brief captions. This app has a private option which is great. Travel photo books can be created after your trip. (We haven’t tried the photo books so cannot comment on quality.)
• another popular and well-reviewed app is Journi’s Travel Blog which also allows for a printed book after the trip.
• itinerary based apps . These allow you to upload information ahead of time re. flights, hotels, etc. and you’ll get notifications if there’s a change in plans. These are great for staying organized on a long trip . Some of these will allow you to add notes, eg., journal-like comments as you travel.

Blogging platforms for journaling

• Set up a simple blog – WordPress.com, blogger, etc. offer free blog options. It’s easier than you might think to set up your blog, and you can easily share with friends and family. Again, try this at home before you go. (Be forewarned… this website started as a way to keep in touch with family on a trip to Egypt in 2012 …)

I try to write on my WordPress itinerary blog at the end of each day. If I’m really tired, I dictate my thoughts from my phone. Fortunately, these late-night ramblings go into the private blog until I’ve had a chance to review and correct any mistakes. (The transcription of the dictation is often strange, so enjoy a laugh, but remember to edit.) I also carry a notebook, for quick entries and information. The important thing is to try to preserve those memories. More on that later!

Paper travel journals

Some people just prefer the feel of paper and pen. And most of us know it’s smart to carry paper documentation in case phone batteries die, or there’s no internet available.

There are many options for buying a travel diary . The benefits of a printed journal is that the pages are preformatted and often include pages for contact info, itinerary, etc.. It’s easy to just pick up the journal and begin to write.

But consider designing your own travel journal. Creating a trip journal is a great option for filling those exciting weeks before your trip. Your journal can be as detailed or as freewheeling as you like it. With your own self-created book, you will not end up with empty pages reminding you when you hadn’t the time or inclination to write every day.

How to set up your own travel journal

• Choose a notebook. Use one you have at home or buy something special. To save space I use either a Field Notes book for a short trip, or a Leuchtturm 1917 A6 notebook for a longer, more important adventure. Both of these are small enough to fit easily into my bag. But if space isn’t a problem, choose a larger traveler’s notebook or similar.
• Outline the pages you’d like to include. Suggestions: index page, itinerary, contact info, a world map, etc.
• If you plan to keep a travel diary in your book, designate blank pages ahead of time. Note any travel prompts you think you’d like to write about on a back page to refer to as you go. Leave space for travel photos you can add later.
• Decorate as much or as little as you choose! I’m not artistic, so I personalize my journal with washi tape and 1-2 stickers before the trip and add any cute stamps or stickers I come across while traveling.

Keep going: strategies to encourage journaling

Ok. So, you’ve got the journal. Now how to stay motivated to write in it?

Add some lists, prompts, and fun activity pages to your book. Some of these ideas only require checkmarks or quick dashed off notes. But knowing you need to check off that place, or write what you had for supper, will keep you coming back to the journal.

If you’re artistic, bring sketching materials, use paint, and fill your pages with images. No room for colored pencils and paints? A multi-colored pen takes up little space and will brighten your pages.

If you’re a collector, adding ticket stubs or postcards is a great way to preserve a memory. Bring along a glue stick if there’s room in your luggage. These little details will be fun to see in years to come.

101 Travel Journal Prompts

Some people are naturally creative. They need no suggestions for their evening journaling. But for most of us, it’s helpful to have some writing prompts to get us started. Here are some of my favorites:

Important information for your journal’s front pages

Be sure to share your travel plans with a family member before leaving home!

• Your travel itinerary
• Transportation and Flight details
• Accommodations with address and contact information
• Booked tours and guides with contact information

Travel Planning and Brainstorming Lists

• Your packing list and pre-trip to-do list
• Your destination bucket list? What are you most excited about doing or seeing?
• Foods and drinks you want to try
• Travel budget & ongoing expenses
• Souvenirs you plan to buy and for who (leave room for spontaneous purchases)
• Books (or movies) about your destination.
• Some basic words in the language – please, thank you, etc.
• Cultural customs to understand and respect.
• What advice have you read or been given about your destination?
• Inspirational quotes: your favorites or something you hear and want to remember.
• Plan a playlist for your trip.

Travel journal prompts: on your way

These are great prompts to work on during those never-ending days before the trip, or on the flight.

• Facts about your destination
• What are your expectations of the destination or experience?
• What made you choose this destination?
• What part of this trip have you enjoyed planning for the most?
• Have there been any pre-trip disasters? 
• Is there anything about the trip that worries you or makes you anxious?
• What do you want to learn on this adventure?
• How will you prioritize your health while you are traveling?
• Make a list of things you can do for self-care while on the trip.
• What an essential thing you pack that you will never travel without?

Daily prompts for your travel journal

• Gratitude pages (or add a bit of gratitude to every day’s entry)
• How did you travel to your destination?
• What was your first reaction upon arrival in this new place- joy, surprise, disappointment?
• What did you do today?
• What will be your favorite memory of this day?
• What was the most amazing thing you did today?
• Did anything embarrassing happen today?
• What made you laugh today? Or was there something that made you cry?
• Was there an uncomfortable or difficult moment today? How did you handle it? 
• Did you try something new today? If you’re on a big trip, you could designate a whole page in the journal for new experiences!
• What’s the biggest challenge about being in this destination?
• What did you eat today? Did you try a local delicacy?
• Are you maintaining a balanced diet? How does it make you feel?
• Did you meet some interesting people today? What did you talk about? If you think you’d like to keep up with them, make a note of their contact information or tuck business cards into your journal.
• Did anything go wrong today? How was it resolved and how did you react?
• What cultural experience did you experience today? How did it impact you?
• What makes this place similar or different from your home?
• Is your destination being affected by any current events? How is it impacting your trip
• Do a self-check. Are you feeling relaxed and happy or tired and stressed?
• What exercise did you get today? How many steps have you logged? 
• Did you take time for self-care today? How will you prioritize yourself tomorrow?
• What did you do today that energized you? What drained your energy?
• What did you wear today? Make a list of what you packed and check items off as you wear them. See what can be left at home next trip.
• Make a timeline of your day.
• What local traditions might you like to adopt at home.
• Consider the environment at your destination? Is there a problem with litter or smog? What is being done to fix this.
• What challenges are the local people facing?
• How do the locals live? What’s the top industry?
• Make a prompt based on your hobbies, e.g. Wines you’ve tasted, art museums you’re visiting…
• What’s working for you on this trip? Do you like the pace of travel? The people you’re with?
• Describe your hotel/accommodation as if you were reviewing it for Travel and Leisure
• Make a list of the interesting animals and wildlife you see on the trip. This is one of my favorite things to keep track of in my journal.
• Travel stats: distance traveled, weather, etc.
• What can’t you wait to share with your friends back home?
• What music have you listened to today?

Some creative travel journal ideas to keep things fun

• Describe where you are in right now using as many of your senses as you can.
• Draw a famous landmark you saw today.
• Sketch the inside of your hotel room or the view out the window.
• Share a story or legend about your destination.
• If you were to write a book about this trip, what would the title be?
• Draw a map of your travels.
• Make a rainbow or an ABC page – (these is a fun travel journal ideas if you’re traveling with kids!) Note things you see of every color in the rainbow (or every color of the alphabet), take pictures, or sketch what you saw.
• Make a photography (or wildlife) BINGO game .

Travel reflections

• What advice do you have for others who visit here?
• What is something special to do here that isn’t in the tour guide?
• What was the most memorable meal from the trip?
• What were the favorite places you visited during the trip?
• Make a list of all the places you stayed.
• Words you’ve learned in the local language. Or regional expressions!
• What is the biggest lesson that this trip taught you? 
• Am you any different when you travel? Do you have more or less – energy, creativity, irritability, etc.?
• What is something you did that you are proud of?
• What local traditions resonated with you most?
• What about life here is better than life at home?
• What are you most grateful for about this trip?
• Was there a moment that impacted you more than you expected?
• What do you miss most from home?
• Do you think this trip will change your life for the better? Will tourism help the community you’re visiting? 
• Could you live in this foreign country? Would you like to?
• What advice have you been told by a local while on this trip? Can you apply it to your life?

Travel journal prompts: after the trip

Some ideas to reflect on during your flight home.

• What is something new you learned from this trip?
• Is there anything about this trip that didn’t meet your expectations?
• What was the highlight of your trip?
• What was the worst thing that happened on your trip?
• Would you visit here again?
• Is there anything you would do differently next time you visit? Experiences you missed or style of travel?
• Has your perception of the destination changed because of this trip?
• Has this trip inspired you to make changes in your life at home?
• What did you wish you’d pack and what could have been left at home?
• What has been the most rewarding travel experience of your life?
• If you could go on a trip with anyone, who would you go with and where would you go? 
• What is a fear you’ve overcome while traveling? How?
• What have you learned about travel that will impact how you travel next and how?
• How has your travel (past and present) changed you? 
• Did this trip challenge your limits physically or put you out of your comfort zone? Will you make changes on your next vacation?
• Where do you plan to go next?

BINGO – A fun idea for your travel journal – photography, wildlife sightings, etc.

One of our favorite travel journal pages is the bingo page. You’ll probably remember this from the road trips we took as kids where we checked off signs or other roadside things to make BINGO.

As we love to take pictures when we travel, I make a photography game. This can be an individual challenge or a competition among traveling companions. Though in my travel I’m usually doing this solo, the benefit of the photography game is that it encourages me to look at my surroundings in a deeper way. As my game ‘card’ get filled up, I find myself focusing on finding that elusive image. This is a creative and fun idea to include in your own journal.

Create your own photography challenge

• simple things – sunsets, hotel room, or food
• artistic ideas – black & white, close-ups, or low light
• things that elicits a feeling – funny signs or something scary.
• randomize the list (we have our list in excel which has a randomize option but you can do it manually just by mixing up your list)
• create ‘bingo’ cards in your journal, with 5 or 6 squares across and down.
• write the list, as randomized, on as many ‘cards’ as there are participants. (everyone’s card should be different)
• at the end of each day, or when you’ve got some downtime, fill in the boxes where you’ve captured images. See who gets bingo first!

If you’re not a photographer, you can do this with highway sightings or whatever. On our recent safari we made grids of animals and birds we hoped to see.

Travel Journal Ideas – make it easy, make it personal

Whatever medium you choose, make it something that you’ll enjoy, that will add to the trip, and not become a burden. Keep it close, so you can note things in it when there’s quiet time. Air travel is a great time to work on it.

I hope I’ve given you suggestions that will make keeping a travel journal easy and relevant. Remember, this journal is for you. Have fun!

For more suggestions, Megan from Cullessense has a great list of travel journal ideas .

Do you keep a travel log when you travel? What do you do to keep your interest from flagging? We’d love to add your suggestions into our next travel diary!

This post is part of our Travel 101 series of posts that will prepare you for your trip.

Amy Tull and Team

• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Nature and Birding in Costa Rica: a World of Strange & Wonderful Beauty
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ How to Survive a Long Flight: be comfortable even in Economy Seats (2024)
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Best Time to Travel to Machu Picchu, Peru: a traveler’s guide (2024)
• Amy Tull and Team https://travelingtulls.com/author/gramma2chance/ Undercover Birding: how to enjoy birdwatching while traveling with friends

Amy, a writer on responsible bucket list travel, is your reliable source for insightful travel advice. With a career background in libraries, and a degree in biology and mathematics, Amy's approach to travel is rooted in meticulous research and planning, and her commitment to eco-conscious adventures.

Amy’s dedication to sustainable travel practices, including efficient packing techniques, ensures that every adventure leaves a positive impact on both the environment and the traveler's well-being. Trust Amy to guide you towards meaningful and eco-friendly travel, making the most of your retirement years.

A lifelong New England resident, Amy is also the source for insider tips on travel in the Northeastern U.S.

• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ 25 Tips to Conquer Travel Anxiety: How to Make Travel Easier (and almost stress-free!)
• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ Easy Elegance: 3 Capsule Wardrobe Templates for Travel Planning
• Amy Tull https://travelingtulls.com/author/amy-travelingtulls/ Navigating the Amazon and Caribbean with Viking: An Honest Review (2024)
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28 thoughts on “ 101 Travel Journal Ideas & Creative Prompts to make journaling fun ”

Love the Photo Bingo Challenge! I’ll definitely be adding this to my own travel journals

Wrote a similar post not long time ago. Wish I was more organized when writing my journal

I’ve never been successful at keeping a regular journal. But I so enjoy making my own travel journal that I keep at it.

I need to do more of this! If only to remember for when I come to writing blog posts and knowing what the heck that photo is of! Inspired! Alison

Yes!! I use excerpts from my journal if we make a photo book after the trip. It’s interesting sometimes to read things that we’d completely forgotten.

Great post! I made a paper journal last year but got addicted to putting so much into it that it got too heavy to carry!

Ha ha! I love that! We do tend to accumulate as we travel, don’t we?

Yes it’s terrible!!

I do a mix of several things (paper notebook, notes on phone, journaling on my tablet with keyboard) and yet, I am not always successful at getting it all down so I can write about it later. The best laid plans… One thing I do that helps me is that I take more photos than you might think necessary of things like signs explaining the site we are seeing or of menus in restaurants. This helps with reference later.

I am going to start doing this! Will come in very useful when I am trying to recall details of when I was “there”!

I do keep a paper travel notebook, but it’s very basic, more my thoughts and impressions on the road rather than a journal. You have given me some great ideas to make more of my on the road notes – thank you.

Great! Let me know if you come up with other good ideas!

Wow! a lot of interesting ideas. Thanks for sharing!

This is something I majorly struggle with when traveling. I like that you included the various mediums because sometimes I feel like “journaling” is more paper. Thank you. I am going to try some of these strategies during my next big trip.

I struggle too. I really, really try to get down thoughts at the end of each day, but sometimes I’m just too tired. That’s why I like having easy options in my journal to just jot something down quick.

I really love journaling. But with no success. I would follow yours. Thanks a lot!

I think as travel bloggers we are all biased by the fact that we enjoy writing. I finished a full notebook on my last trip, while for some people in my group, keeping a journal ment only to write what they ate and what they saw. And… I am a classy journalist (?), only paper, and then once I am back I write on the blog a less chaotic version of it. Love this type of posts! Thanks for sharing =)

That’s amazing! I do a great job most days but there are times when I lag behind and just jot down a few things. I wish I wrote down what I ate!

Some great ideas here Amy. We take a lot of photos and videos but I am afraid I have never bee ngreat about taking detailed notes. I like your idea of dictating them. Even though mine would likely be rambling musings it would help sort things out later on.

I love this post – I really struggle with journalling, I always go on and off. Lots of great ideas – I am going to try some out for my NY resolutions next year 🙂

When I first started travelling I kept paper journals. But the photos were in a separate place. I finally decided I wanted to bring the words and pics together and created a blog to do that. We still create a planning journal that capture all of our travel plans, things to see and do, photo ideas, contacts and more. Some good ideas here for blog topics.

That’s how this blog got started too! But, like you, I still carry a small notebook.

I do love to have a travel journal and it has to be a new one for every trip. I love that photo bingo idea, thats cool!

I create a travel journal as a planning guide before we travel listing what we must do and what is optional. Then comes the photos. I download the pics at the end of every day under the rightly named folder. That makes it easier later when we are writing blogs. I also tried the voice recording in our Australia trip at every destination. Thanks for the tips. 🙂

I love, love, love this post! I always bring a journal with me and recently spent about 2 hours journaling in the Rodin sculpture garden in Paris. One of my favorite prompts is “Has this trip inspired you to make changes in your life at home?” which, to me, is sort of the essence of traveling. I’ll definitely use some of these on my next trip.

Thanks Amber! What a wonderful place to journal!

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31 Travel Journal Prompts + Creative Travel Journal Ideas

Looking for travel journal prompts and creative travel journal ideas ?

Then you’re in the right place! 

Especially right now as travel is limited and people are searching for ways to travel at home, such as through relaxing staycations , keeping a travel journal can be a great way to relive your favorite trip memories. 

Moreover, it can keep travel alive, allow you to explore the world from home, and help you stay curious. 

Keep reading for a list of fun journal writing prompts related to travel as well as tips for creating something tangible that truly helps you feel inspired. 

Table of Contents

Downloadable Travel Journal PDF

Before we dive into the post, though, I want to offer you the chance to grab my free printable travel journal . 

The trip journal includes 56 prompts in total. 

This inspiring printable and fillable journal is great for exercising your creativity while traveling from home as you remember your favorite trips. 

Grab it, and then feel free to message me on Instagram ( @jessieonajourney ) to let me know which travel journal writing prompts were your favorite and why.

I plan to update the journal in the future — and you’ll get any revisions I make — so your feedback is appreciated!

What Is A Travel Journal?

A travel journal is a place where you can document your trip memories, whether you’re spending 7 days in Cancun , going on a solo USA road trip , off completing the world’s best hiking trails , or something else.

These can be paper or digital, bound or looseleaf, thin or thick. And— when it comes to how to write in a travel journal — it can include just text or a variety of mediums.

The point is, it offers a way to record what happens to you on the road — though you’re welcome to take your entries and give them a fictional twist for fun! 

Choosing Your Travel Journal

I may be a little biased, but if you’re looking for the best travel journal with prompts, I recommend grabbing my free printable journal here . 

Because I made it fillable, you can also use it as a travel journal online!

Additionally, there are loads of inspiring options online if you’d prefer to purchase one. A quick note that the below journal links are affiliate links. 

On Amazon, I love this vegan leather option as well as this mindful travel journal .

Additionally, I’m a huge fan of the travel journals at Modcloth. Click here and search “journals” to view their latest collection.

Creative Travel Journal Ideas

Wondering how to be creative in your journal?

First of all, remember that a journal doesn’t just have to be writing. Use markers, paints, stickers, glitter, and even momentos from your travels to really bring the text to life. 

Of course, don’t forget about travel-themed accents, too, like stamps, tickets, postcards, and maps — you can even cut out sections of a map to showcase your favorite destinations. 

If you’re artistic, you might also consider bullet journaling and other techniques to make your journal more visual. 

In terms of keeping your travel writing fresh, having details to pull from can be a huge help.

When possible, try to experience a place with all five senses so you have more to draw from later. I personally like to take notes right after any experience I think I may write about later. 

Keep in mind, being fully present in this way is also just an overall healthy practice. 

If you’re having trouble remembering details, try to sit in silence and do a visualization. Personally, when I do this exercise I aim to not only see myself in a place, but to put myself back in the place so that I am seeing the scene through my own eyes. 

Feeling writer’s block?

Sometimes all that it takes is a change of scenery to get inspired again. Try going for a walk or trying a new cafe to see if that helps.

If not, put the journal away, give yourself some mental space, and pick it back up tomorrow. 

And if you’re proud of what you’ve written, feel free to post it on social media, share it in an email with friends or, of course, keep it to yourself. 

How To Keep A Travel Journal: Quick Tips 

As an avid journaler myself, these are some of my personal tips for having fun, feeling creative, and staying inspired while writing.

As with travel tips and trip styles, everyone has their own process when it comes to journaling, and something that works for me may not work for you. Feel free to try out this advice, keep what works, and let go of what doesn’t.

Overall, the goal is that you get something beneficial out of these pages.

Tip #1: Journal when you feel most creative.

For instance, you might choose some mindful ways to start your day and have completing daily journal prompts be one of your morning rituals. 

However, if you find you feel more creative in the afternoon or evening, plan your writing for then.

Tip #2: Don’t edit as you write.

Allow your first draft to be all about getting your ideas and thoughts down onto the paper and getting into a creative flow state.

You can always tweak things later.

Tip #3: Remember the power of lists.

This is one of my favorite trip journal ideas!

Writing in lists can be helpful when you’re:

• having trouble getting started
• wondering what things to put in a travel journal
• feeling like your sentences just aren’t flowing together

This way, you can at least get your ideas down and edit them together in a cohesive manner later on.

Tip #4: Write stories.

While this isn’t mandatory, those who are curious how to write a travel journal that’s worth reading should consider writing your thoughts as stories instead of in a stream-of-conscious fashion. 

To write a story, make sure you have a beginning, middle, and end. Actually, if you really want to do it right, you should also consider character, plot, setting, and tension.

For a lesson in storytelling, make sure to check out this video on how to improve your creative storytelling skills for more engaging writing:

Tip #5: Go beyond text.

Wondering what to put in a travel journal?

Realize there is no right or wrong answer to this question!

Keep it text-based, or add paintings, drawings, stickers, momentos from your trip, and more. 

Personally, I’ve started writing out my journal entries and then drawing them to add some additional creativity and really bring the pages to life. 

The Best Travel Journal Apps

Prefer a digital journal option over paper? 

There is an app for that! 

I’ve talked about my favorite travel safety apps before, but here are a few of my favorite apps for keeping a travel journal:

Travel Diaries .  This free app allows you to create both public and private journals. The layouts are customizable, and you can easily add text, photos, and even maps. 

One really neat feature of this app:

You can turn your travel diary into a physical creation to be shipped to your home!

Day One Journal . This is another great travel journal app that makes it simple to record your memories using photos, videos, drawings, and even audio recordings. 

The “On This Day” feature allows you to go back in time to revisit your favorite trip moments, while automatic backups ensure your content never gets lost. 

Unique app feature:

You can handwrite in your journal using your finger or Apple Pencil. 

This travel app has both free and paid premium versions. 

Polarsteps . Dubbed “the personal travel log in your pocket,” Polarsteps is an app that helps you plan your trips as well as record them along the way in a visually-appealing manner.

In fact, this app puts an emphasis on adding experiences to maps and using video to document, so you can really bring your trips back to life later on. 

A feature I love:

You can turn your travel memories into a stunning hardcover book to keep!

Unique Travel Journal Examples

Looking for some travel journal inspiration?

Here are some mood boards with journal examples to help get your creative juices flowing.

These are also helpful if you’re wanting to learn how to make a travel journal.

By the way:

Check out the bottom right photo in the top collage if you’re looking for travel journal layout ideas.

Travel Writing Prompts – Quick Picker 

If you’re like me and often feel indecisive when choosing a prompt, I’ve got a fun little tool that can help:

The above video moves through the list of writing prompts quickly.

To use it as a quick picker, press play, turn your gaze down, and then stop the video at a random moment.

Then, voilà , you’ve got your travel writing prompt chosen for you! 

31 Travel Journal Prompts

Whether you’re physically traveling or at home dreaming of the road, use these travel prompts for your journal.

I love these prompts for when I’m feeling stuck and am searching for things to write in a travel journal:

1. Remember a time when you met people while traveling that felt like family. Describe your time with them in great detail.

2. Write a postcard to a friend from a place you’ve loved visiting.

3. Think about a problem that exists in travel. Now, invent a solution to the problem. Hey, could this journal help you come up with your next million-dollar idea?

4. If you could go on a trip with anyone, dead or alive, who would you go with? Where would you go and what would you do?

5. Share a time you were lost or that you lost something while traveling. 

6. How has travel changed or shaped you? Note: This is one of my favorite self-discovery journal prompts!

7. Start your travel story with the following: “It was a dark and stormy night…”

8. What is the first vacation memory that comes to mind? Come up with your memory in 10 seconds or less!

9. Think back to the most beautiful place you’ve ever been to. Now, describe it using all five senses.

10. Write about a multi-destination trip — from the perspective of your backpack.

11. What is a sticky situation you’ve gotten out of on the road? Hint: Allow this to also be a reminder of your strength!

12. What is a fear you’ve overcome while traveling? How?

13. Take your story from the previous prompt about overcoming a fear while traveling and rewrite it from the perspective of an onlooker.

14. What has been your craziest transportation experience?

15. Write a review of the best hotel you’ve ever stayed in.

16. Write a review of the worst hotel you’ve ever stayed in using humor.

17. Write a letter of gratitude to someone who showed you an act of kindness on the road .

18. Write about the last trip you took — from the perspective of yourself in the year 2600.

19. Write about a hike you loved doing using all five senses.

20. “Travel makes me feel _____.” Why?

21. Write about a trip you took last year from the perspective of your favorite book or movie character.

22. What is the biggest lesson that travel has taught you? Share a story that brings this to life.

23. Pretend that you were given an extra day on a trip you loved. What would that day have looked like?

24. Choose a trip you haven’t written about yet. Now choose a different time period, and write about the trip as if it happened in that time period.

25. In your opinion, what is the biggest misconception about travel?

26. Think back to an interesting conversation you’ve had while traveling and begin your story with that dialogue.

27. Transport yourself to a beautiful beach you’ve visited. Suddenly, a message in a bottle washes up onto the shore. What does it say? How do you react?

28. Here is a road trip journal idea! Write about a road trip you went on, but have someone else from the trip be the narrator. Hint: If you traveled solo, have the car or an onlooker be the narrator.

29. Think of a time you went on a trip that took you out of your comfort zone. Write the end of the story, then the middle, then the beginning.

30. What is one piece of advice you’ve been told by a local while traveling? Have you applied it to your life? Why/why not?

31. If you were to write a travel memoir, what would the first chapter look like?

Bonus: Pair Your Journal Prompts With Self-Care

In my opinion, the best way to enjoy time spent journaling is by pairing it with other self-care activities.

In the video above, I share my top 10 favorite self-care tips and rituals for travelers — though they can also be enjoyed at home!

My recommendation:

Make a day of it! Use the journal prompts and the self-care rituals to create your own DIY retreat .

Want more travel-themed prompts?

Don’t forget to grab my free downloadable Inspired Storyteller Travel Journal — featuring inspiring quotes, writing tips, and 56 fun prompts to help you recount your favorite trip memories and write creatively. 

Do you have any travel journal prompts to add?

What are your favorite creative travel journal ideas, related posts:.

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These prompts are just the inspiration I needed to capture my thoughts about travel. Not only do they tap into my travel memories, but they feed my creative spirit. Who says you have to actually go anywhere to be well-traveled? 😉

I have trouble keeping a journal, but have always want too – these are such good prompts ill have to give it another try!

Wow, what an incredible article! I’m so grateful to have come across this treasure trove of travel journal prompts and ideas. The suggestions provided here are truly inspiring and have sparked my wanderlust even more. From capturing the sensory details to reflecting on personal growth, these prompts cover every aspect of a fulfilling travel journal. The beautiful descriptions and practical tips have motivated me to start documenting my adventures with a renewed passion. Thank you for sharing such a valuable resource that will undoubtedly enhance my future travel experiences. Keep up the fantastic work!

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Travel Journal: Ideas, Tips, and How To Write a Travel Diary

• Travel Journal

Traveling has the potential to be wildly fulfilling. It exposes you to new cultures, different perspectives and unique experiences. The further you travel the more you are pushed out of your comfort zone. And the more you are pushed out of your comfort zone, the more you learn about yourself and the world around you.

One of the most popular types of journals is a travel journal. By having a travel diary, you can keep all these new experiences and knowledge in one place where you can reflect on them.

What is a travel journal?

Travel journals are a place where you can write about trips you have taken, what you learned during and the experiences you had. It is a collection of adventures, stories, memories and discovery.  It doesn’t matter where you're going or who you’re traveling with, an online trip journal can come anywhere. 

Why Write A Journal When Traveling?

There are many benefits of keeping a journal when traveling, but here are a few to start with:

Remember More

By writing down the things you want to do on your trip and the things you have done during it, you won’t forget the reasons you wanted to go and will remember more of your visit.

When traveling somewhere new, you will learn a lot about that place’s culture, customs and people. By having a place to write down your observations, you will absorb more of your surroundings.

Reflect More

A journal is a place to record new things you have discovered while exploring various places you visit. By having all these new findings in one place, you will be able to look back and reflect on what you have learned and apply it to other parts of your life.

How To Write Travel Journals: 5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Journaling

You don’t need to be traveling to Timbuktu to write a travel diary. Your writing can start with a family vacation or a weekend getaway. All you need is a destination and your holiday journal can begin!

1. Use your journal to plan your trip

Your trip journal can begin before your trip has even started. Use your journal to start planning the things you want to do. It can be anything from a cool restaurant you want to eat at, a hike you want to go on or different sights you want to see. Write down whatever is on your trip check-list, so you don’t forget it.

Once you know what you want to do, do some research and figure out the best way to do it. If you want to go see a special monument, figure out the best way to get there and put it in your journal. If you want to do some cool activities, write down the contact information of the people, places or tours that facilitate them. Your journal is also a great place to keep the contact information of your accommodations and transportation.

2. Write about what you imagine it will be like

Sometimes when you travel, your destination is wildly different than what you expected. Maybe you expected the local food to be bad and it turned out to be delicious. Maybe you imagined the town to be smaller than it actually is. Maybe you thought you would be more comfortable with the language. Whatever it is, think about writing it down before you arrive. It will be interesting to compare these predictions to what you actually experienced.

3. Write during your trip

It is always easier to remember things when they are fresh in your brain, so try and write as much as you can while traveling; every day if you can. Your journal entries don’t have to be long, but let them highlight what you feel was most important or exciting. How did you feel during your visit to the local market? What did you smell, taste and hear? Did you learn something new from the person you spoke to at the bar? Were you surprised by the clothes people were wearing? What was the view from the top of the mountain like? Before you go to bed, try and recall what you did that day, what you thought and how you felt. This will serve as a great way to remember more from your trip, but will also help you reflect and grow from what you encountered.

4. Add pictures to your journal

Even though your journal is meant for writing, pictures are still worth a thousand words. Combining pictures with your first-hand accounts of what they represent, or what happened when they were taken, will make for an even more comprehensive narrative of your travels. Don’t worry about glueing or taping anything either. Penzu allows you to upload pictures straight into your online travel journal, so you can keep your pictures and words connected and organized.

5. Write about your trip after you leave

Since you write about your trip before you arrive, you should also write about it after you leave.

• What was it like?
• What did you learn?
• What surprised you?
• What disappointed you?

It is important to reflect on your travels, so you can retain new understandings and apply them to future adventures. This is also a great way to learn about yourself, other people you may have travelled with and how you can grow. Step back from all the things you did and try to see the big picture. It may surprise you.

10 Travel Journal Ideas To Inspire You

The blank pages of your travel journal may not be serving as great inspiration, but your new trip should! Here are 10 travel journal ideas to get those creative juices flowing, kick-start your writing and help you get the most out of your travels. We hope these journal prompts help!

1. Why are you going?

Not every trip needs an explanation and not every vacation needs a justification. People travel for all sorts of different reasons or for no reason at all, but if your travel has purpose, write about it. Even if you’re traveling for the sake of it, that is a reason worth talking about too.

2. Write about your expectations.

As we mentioned above, expectations can wildly differ from reality, especially when going somewhere you’ve never been or going with someone you have never travelled with before. Jot down what you think the trip will be like, or hope it will be like.

3. What are you going to do?

Write about the things you want to do, the sights you want to see, the music you want to dance to, the food you want to taste. Writing it all down will get you excited and help you not to forget.

4. Write about the people.

Did you meet anyone new? Did you make a new friend? Were the locals welcoming? Did you learn something new from a stranger? Did you learn something new from a friend? People can really make a trip. Whether you came with them, or met them there, write about how the people you encountered affected your experience.

5. Write about the food.

Just because you call it your travel diary, doesn’t mean it can’t double as a food diary . If there are any foods you loved, dishes you hated or recipes you can’t live without, write them down to remember them all. Maybe some new fare you tried will influence your tastes when you return home.

6. The ups and the downs.

What did you like most about the trip? What did you like the least?

7. Write about yourself.

Reflect on the new experiences you had, what made you uncomfortable and what enticed you. Did you learn anything new about yourself on the trip? Did being somewhere else expose something you hadn’t seen in yourself before? Traveling can help people grow. Think about your journey and if it helped you grow in any way.

8. Write a travel guide.

If you knew friends were going to the same place, what would you tell them to do? Write down your recommendations and the stuff that should not be missed.

9. What would you have changed?

Is there anything about the trip you would have changed? Is there anything else you wish you did? Anything you wish you didn’t do? Write about your travels and how you can improve them for the next time you go away.

10. Where do you want to go next?

We all have a wish-list of places we want to go. Write yours down and try to start checking them off.

Using Penzu for Your Travel Journal

Penzu’s journal software allows you to access your journal from any computer, smartphone or tablet. Penzu will be your travel journal app ; all you need is your mobile phone or tablet and can write in in it, with or without wifi. You never have to miss an entry or forget a moment, as Penzu can come with you around the world. No internet necessary.

Now that you know what to write in a travel diary and how to write one, all you need to decide is where to go. Pick a place get start your online journal today!

There's no time like the present - start your free online journal today!

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Get access to your diary wherever you are – download the free Penzu app for your all of your iOS and Android devices today!

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The 13 Best Travel Journals

From leather-bound to Moleskine, here are the best travel journals to keep track of your adventures.

In This Article

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Travel + Leisure / Alli Waataja

Whether you’re staying close to home or embarking on a bucket-list trip, it’s no secret that travel helps enrich our minds and provides us with a better understanding of the world around us — all while creating lifelong memories. To document your adventures and preserve these precious memories, consider snagging a travel journal. As you shop, keep in mind that the best travel journals come in a slew of different forms — including some with all-blank pages for long-form freewriting and others with a mix of dotted pages and prompts to spark some inspiration. All in all, it’s safe to say that there’s a travel journal out there for everyone. Ahead, we’ve rounded up our favorites, including a handful with bonus features like illustrations, maps, stickers, detachable packing lists, and storage pockets.

Best Overall

Papier joy travel journal.

The journal is divided into six sections to help travelers stay organized while planning their vacations and documenting their memories.

There’s no place to store a pen.

Divided into six distinct sections, the Papier Joy Travel Journal makes documenting your travels easy and fun. Use the wishlist and trip ideas sections to write down your top bucket list travel locales, while the journey planning and reflection sections provide plenty of space to document your escapades. Pass the time en route to your destination — be it by train, plane, or automobile — by filling out the travel games section of the notebook which includes fun activities like “I Spy,” airport bingo, word searches, and word scrambles. At the very back of the journal, you’ll find an illustrative world map to color in. You can, of course, use the journal to jot down packing must-haves, restaurant recommendations, and anything else to help you stay organized while on the go.  

The Details: 192 pages | 5.5 × 8.5 inches

Best Hardcover

Moleskine voyageur notebook.

This journal features fun and functional bonus features like stickers, detachable packing lists, and to-do lists.

There are limited color options.

Moleskine is renowned for its durable notebooks, and this travel-themed one is no exception. Featuring a clothbound hardcover, elastic closure, and an expandable inner back pocket, this 208-page travel notebook is unique in that it also comes complete with detachable packing lists, to-do lists, and, best of all, a sheet of themed stickers for decorating. The travel-planning section is excellent for — you guessed it — planning out your itinerary, while the budget pages come in especially helpful for jotting down and keeping track of expenses. And, since this is a travel journal, it should come as no surprise that there is also a dedicated section for writing down key memories to look back on. 

The Details: Lined, blank | 208 pages | 4.5 x 7 inches

Best Accessories

Clever fox travel journal.

It comes with fun themed stickers and offers specific sections for budgeting and trip reviews.

It’s made with faux leather, which is considered less durable than genuine leather.

Creative types will especially appreciate this Clever Fox Travel Journal, which comes with over 150 stickers to decorate away. Need some inspo? Check out the included user guide with examples to help you create your own one-of-a-kind travel journal. The calendar page can be used to mark down important trip dates, while the illustrative map page can be used to plan out your route. There are also research and budgeting pages, along with a trip review section where travelers can look back on their favorite activities. Additional highlights include a ribbon bookmark, a back pocket, and a pen loop.

The Details: Blank, lined, dotted | 120 pages | 5.8 x ‎8.4 inches

Best Sustainable

Rocketbook smart reusable notebook.

This innovative journal utilizes QR code technology to scan and safely store your entries in a digital app on your smartphone.

Those who prefer a more traditional journaling experience may not feel so connected to this smart journal.

Travelers looking for a more sustainable approach to journaling (read: one that doesn’t require excessive amounts of paper) should consider snagging the Rocketbook Core Reusable Smart Notebook. Simply scan the QR code printed on each page, and your smartphone will automatically snap a photo of your work before subsequently updating it to the corresponding app where your entry will live on forever. You don’t need to worry about accidentally losing the journal, and your memories, along with it!). To “write,” use the included reusable pen, add a drop of water, and wipe with the included microfiber cloth to reveal a blank page ready to fill once more.  

The Details: Dotted | 36 pages | 6 x 8.8 inches

Best Pocket Sized

Letterfolk trip passport journal.

This compact travel journal can be easily stashed away in your backpack or pocket while on the move.

With just 48 pages, this journal is not ideal for longform entries.

As the name suggests, the Letterfolk Trip Passport Journal is about the size of a passport, which means it can easily fit in your carry-on, tote bag, backpack, or everyday purse. Despite its small size, it contains a total of 20 entry logs for travelers to jot down key details of each trip. Each entry page is also accompanied by a blank page that can be used to record thoughts, photos, illustrations, and even keepsakes like ticket stubs and museum tickets. The back pages of the journal offer checklists, flight logs, bucket lists, and other fun activities. 

The Details: Lined, blank | 48 pages | 3.5 x 5.5 inches

Best Prompts

The traveler's playbook.

Uncommon Goods

The specific prompts will help inspire travelers to record small but memorable details of their vacations.

Conversely, the creative, hyper-focused pages and prompts may feel overwhelming to some.

Document each and every one of your adventures with this beautiful journal, which was created by an avid traveler. Inside, you’ll find a slew of illustrations and prompts to help get those creative juices flowing and inspire travelers to record seemingly small but unique details of their journeys that will live on for decades. There’s even a dedicated page for each country, a master tracker to help plan the ultimate itinerary, a travel bucket list, checklists, and pages where travelers can record the names and details of new friends made while globetrotting. Finally, for each country visited, color it in on the world map page. 

The Details: 256 pages | 5.8 x 8.3 inches

Best Leather

Smythson "travel and experiences" cross-grain leather notebook.

Bergdorf Goodman

This timeless travel notebook features a chic albeit durable cross-grain calf leather construction.

There are no specific prompts or unlined pages.

This portable, pocket-sized travel journal is both functional and fashionable thanks to its cross-grain leather construction, which is known for its excellent ability to withstand wear and tear. As such, you can expect it to stay intact for years on end while serving as your trusty travel companion. Plus, it can even be personalized with your initials for an extra-special touch. Choose from four fun color options: Nile Blue, Orange, Scarlet Red, and Bright Emerald. 

The Details: Lined | 64 pages | 3.5 x 5.5 inches

Mark and Graham Leather Bound World Travel Journal

Mark and Graham

This leather-bound travel journal includes colored maps of cities around the world.

It’s not refillable, meaning that you’ll need to purchase an entirely new journal when you run out.

World travelers may opt for a travel journal with multiple maps to 1) plan their upcoming trips, 2) map out future itineraries, and 3) know where they’re going when wandering through new-to-them locales. This one from Mark and Graham includes full-color maps of major cities, as well as world weather information and international dialing codes. The leather-bound book is a sleek and functional choice. For extra-luxe flair, consider adding foil-debossed monogramming for just $12.50. 

The Details: 320 pages | 6 x 4.5 inches

Best Customizable

No ordinary emporium personalised travel journal with map pages.

This fully customizable journal makes an excellent gift for friends or family, or a keepsake for yourself!

Since it ships from the United Kingdom, it can take several weeks to arrive.

Whether shopping for yourself or a lucky giftee, this travel journal can be fully personalized based on specific preferences and travels. Shoppers can customize the cover with a title, subtitle, name, date, and message. There’s also the option to select the number of pages, along with the page design. Choose between blank or lined pages, and between colored or gray maps. Lastly, the journal boasts a sleek matte finish and sturdy hardcover construction to ensure it’ll stand the test of time. 

The Details: Blank, lined | 50-150 pages | 5.9 x 8.2 inches

Best Refillable

Robrasim refillable travelers notebook.

Three different paper refills are available.

It’s a small notebook.

This versatile leather travel journal has not one, not two, but three different 64-page refill inserts — lined, blank, and kraft paper — based on personal preference. When one notepad is full, simply remove it and replace it with a new one. The included pouch is also great for storing receipts, ticket stubs, and other small travel mementos. And while this is technically classified as a travel journal, it can also be used for general note-taking, sketching, or daily planning. Take your pick of two colors: coffee and wine.

The Details: Lined, blank | 64 pages | 4 x 5.2 inches

Best with Stickers

Legend travel planner.

It has three sheets of stickers, plus dedicated pages for safety tips and checklists.

It only holds info for a maximum of five trips.

This fun travel journal-slash-itinerary planner has three sheets of themed stickers to decorate. With dedicated pages for emergency contacts, safety tips, pre-trip checklists, and even translation to commonly spoken languages, think of this journal as the ultimate travel companion. Globetrotters also have the opportunity to add photos and mementos while simultaneously jotting down notes, ideas, and expenses. The attached pen loop, three ribbon bookmarks, elastic closure, and pocket for loose notes and documents are all added bonuses. Travelers can take their pick of six fun color and pattern options, as well. 

The Details: Ruled, dotted | 5.8 x 8.3 inches

Best for Kids

Peter pauper kids’ travel journal.

A combination of maps, prompts, illustrations, and games make this the ultimate kid-friendly travel journal.

It's most suited for international travel.

Surprise and delight your child(ren) with this kids’ travel journal ahead of your next family trip. Suitable for those ages seven through 12, this journal is filled with prompts, photos, illustrations, maps, puzzles, and games to keep little ones entertained for hours on end. Kids can use the blank pages to paste photos and mementos, while the lined pages are great for jotting down memorable experiences, reflections, and drawings. The travel journal is also chock full of travel-centric quotes and fascinating world facts. The back pocket is great for stashing keepsakes.

The Details: Blank, lined | 96 pages | 6.2 x 8.2 inches

Journo Travel Journal & Trip Tracker

Apple App Store

This is a great option if you plan to transfer your digital travel memories to a glossy photo book.

Digital journaling may not be for everyone.

Travelers looking for a non-traditional journaling option should download Journo, a travel journal app and trip tracker that’s Android and Apple smartphones — along with tablets and Macs. Think of this app as a digital travel scrapbook complete with notes, photos, and — get this — audio clips. Travelers can choose to type or handwrite their entries, and the digital journal can be completely customized with specific text styles and colors. It can also be printed out into a gorgeous coffee table book. 

The Details: Customizable | Unlimited pages

Tips for Buying a Travel Journal

Consider your needs.

Are you going on a road trip? Backcountry hiking? On a month-long ship journey across the ocean? Consider where you’re going and for how long when picking a journal. If you’re going to be in some extreme weather, you might want to pick a journal that has some weather protection. Short on suitcase space? Or maybe you’re only bringing minimal gear? Consider a pocket-sized journal to maximize precious packing room.

Pick the right page format and style

Be sure to look at what types of pages come with your journal, and if it is refillable, what types of page refills are available. If you’re used to writing on lined paper, you’ll want to make sure your journal has that. But if you’re looking for some blank pages so you can sketch or add photos, make sure the journal includes them, too.

There is no right or wrong way to journal. Simply start and just let the words flow onto the pages. Talk about what you’re doing, how you’re feeling, who you're traveling with, the itinerary, what you ate, etc. If you’re not quite sure how to journal, choose a journal with prompts that will help you get started.

A bullet journal is more for to-do lists, scheduling, organizing, and jotting down ideas. Usually, bullet journals include dotted pages instead of lined pages, but you could simply add in your own bullet points to a lined journal if you wish. Bullet journals are great for quick notes while on the go, or for organization in between long journaling sessions.

Why Trust Travel + Leisure

For this article, T+L contributor Lauren Dana Ellman utilized a combination of research and personal expertise as a travel commerce writer to compile a list of the best travel journals on the market. She also combed through dozens — if not hundreds — of product reviews and ratings to narrow down the specific product picks mentioned above.

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How To Make A Travel Journal For Kids

• Published on May 31, 2023
• by The Mom Trotter
• in Crafts , Travel

This post may contain affiliate links. By clicking on any of the links below, I may get a commission if you make a purchase at absolutely no additional charge to you. This helps offset the costs of running this blog & I appreciate your support. Please see my  privacy & disclosure policy  for more.

Table of Contents

A travel journal is so much more than just a keepsake. A kids’ travel journal is a great way for your children to reflect on their experiences and remember each trip. It’s also a unique and fun way to get their creative juices flowing. 

I also love that keeping a journal helps children improve their writing skills. Plus, creating your travel journal lets you personalize it based on your kids’ personalities, interests, etc. 

If your family enjoys traveling as much as we do, a travel journal is a great way to help your kid remember each adventure. Here’s a round-up of tips that can help you make the perfect travel journal for your kids. 

What You’ll Need

• Blank journal
• Blank envelopes
• Writing utensils ( pencils or pens )
• Colored pencils or crayons
• Travel-themed stickers

Instructions

Step 1: decorate and personalize the cover..

Before your child begins filling the inside of their travel journal, have them take a few minutes and decorate the outside, making it their own.

Tell them to let the creative juices flow as they decide how to cover the front and back cover. They can use stickers, and scraps of paper, or create artwork.

It’s fun to write out the year on the front page of the blank journal so when you go back years later, they can reminisce about all the fun adventures.

Step 2: Create tab pages.

Tab pages make it easy to find and separate each location during the year they visit. Tab stickers like these make it easy to make the tab pages. Once you have several tab pages, you can write the place they traveled to on each tab.

Step 3: Glue an envelope onto each tab page.

I like to have my child glue an envelope onto each tab page to have a place to put random keepsakes and mementos from the trip. It’s the perfect safe place for tickets from museums, extra photos, receipts, and anything else they want to keep inside the envelope.

With the envelope, they can easily pull out those souvenirs and reminisce about all the fun adventures they had during the trip.

Step 4: Create!

This part is entirely up to you and your child! Encourage your child to create a travel diary they can be excited about. Crafts are among the best activities to reduce screen time .

Your child can decorate and organize the pages of their travel journal however they want. You can use a portable printer to print photos and then glue them to pages in the journal. They can draw pictures to remember their trip.

Or, they can write entries for each trip using the prompts listed further down in this article. 

Ready Made Travel Journal for Kids

Kids’ travel journal.

The Kids’ Travel Journal is perfect for elementary-aged kiddos who want to document their family vacation. Although ideal for a single trip as opposed to multiple, there is so much for your child to do within the 96 pages of this journal. Plus, the hardcover binding means it’ll hold up to being carried around throughout your trip.

The Journal includes:

• Fun world facts
• Travel-related kid-friendly quotes
• Helpful words and phrases in different languages
• Maps, puzzles, games, and more.

Your child can plan for the trip with a packing list, write what happened during each stage of their adventure, sketch what they saw, and even attach photos and other mementos.

And So The Adventure Begins

This is a great travel journal for kids who travel frequently. The Travel Journal for Kids: And So the Adventure Begins makes it easy for your child to document and remember their trips. This journal is best for older kids, like middle school- and high-school-aged children.

It’s the size of a standard notebook (8.5 x 11”), giving kids plenty of space to document every detail of their vacation. There are over 100 pages, with a two-page template repeated for every day of their trip. There’s space for documenting their mood and the weather, as well as space for doodling, journaling, sharing what they’ve learned, and so much more.

The Ultimate Travel Journal For Kids

No matter where you’re headed or how you’re getting there, the Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids is a great way for your kid to document their favorite parts of the trip. 

This travel journal is divided into four sections; each section is designated for a single trip. It’s great for families who love to travel. With prompts in each section, your child will have the opportunity to write about every aspect of their trip, to remember for years to come. There are also games to keep your child entertained.

Go! (Blue): A Kids’ Interactive Travel Diary and Journal (Wee Society)

Here’s a fantastic travel journal for younger kids. The Go! (Blue): A Kids’ Interactive Travel Diary and Journal from Wee Society is designed for kids aged 3 to 7. 

This fun travel journal can be transformed into a beloved souvenir. Your kids will love writing down things they see and try for the first time, people they meet, etc. They can also earn adventure badges, attach photos, send postcards, and so much more.

Prompts For Kids Travel Journal

Favorite prompts to ask kids about travel

• What did you pack for your trip? Share your packing list.
• If you could relive one family vacation, which one would it be?
• Where are you going this week?
• Draw a picture of your favorite activity from this trip.
• What are some of your favorite memories from road trips?
• Do you have a bucket list vacation? Write about it!
• What are you most excited about today?
• What was your favorite experience today?
• When was the last time you did something outside your comfort zone?
• Write about things you’ve eaten recently. Have you eaten anything weird lately?
• How did you get to where you are? What kind of transportation did you use? Was that a new experience?

Travel journals for kids are great for keeping track of travel memories and experiences.

I would love to hear how you keep track of memories and mementos from your travels. If you use something other than a travel journal, tell me about it!

You can read more about our family adventures and check out what it’s like to live on the road over on the blog .

Hey Fam, I’m so glad you’re here! I am an entrepreneur and travel enthusiast who is passionate about sharing an alternate way of living surrounding travel, homeschooling, parenting and financial independence, with a mission to inspire other families.

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16 Pack Kraft Notebooks, Journals in Bulk for Writing, Blank Paper Sketchbooks, 60 Pages Composition Notebook, 8.3x5.5 Inch, A5 Size, Travel Journal Set, for Gifts, Students and Office Supplies

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About this item.

• Package Contains: 16 pack blank paper journal notebooks with Kraft paper cover, 60 pages / 30 sheets and 80gsm paper, offering enough space for you to express your thoughts,
• PERFECT SIZE: The size of each blank notebook is 8.3" x 5.5", A5 size. You can easily put it in your handbag or school bag, making is convenient for you to carry out, and you can record with it anytime, anywhere.
• Blank pages: Each blank notebook has 60 pages per pack,total 960 Writing Pages.Great Value for Money! High Cost Performance,A set of 16 pcs, good value for money, let you can buy your desired products at a favorable price.
• Excellent design High Quality: The simple solid color cover is made of sturdy and durable Kraft paper and can be written at will. The paper is smooth and easy to write without ink penetration. Cream-colored paper protects your eyesight, reduces visual fatigue, and prevents you from overusing your eyes.
• Wide range of uses: This blank notebook can be used as your diary to record your daily life, or as your travel diary, to record the interesting things during your travel. This notebook can also be used as your record notebook to record your class notes, study notes, work notes and more.

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Product description.

High Quality Material: Line cream off-white paper, thick paper prevents ink from bleeding through the pages, suitable for most pen types, and the durable binding of each travel journal notebook keeps these pages together.

A5 Size Lines Notebooks

Widely Fit: mini journals are suitable for writing, drawing, sketching, record keeping, scrap booking, you can use for keeping a travelogue, a daily, plan, travelogue; This is also a practical gift for your family, friends, classmates, kids and more

DIY different bookcovers by yourself

Creative DIY Cover: the cover of journaling notebook is blank, which offers an ideal chance for you to create your own notebook cover, your book will become lovely and distinctive according to your DIY

Durable and Portable A5 Size (5.5x8.3 inches)

Specifications

Name: Travelers-kraft Brown Soft Cover

Paper Size: 8.3" x 5.5", A5 Size,16 notebooks per pack

Pages: 30 Sheets/ 60 Pages

Weight: 2.64 Pounds

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Customers like the usefulness, customization, length, and value of the notebook. For example, they mention it works well for short creative entries, notes for work, household lists, and craft projects. They appreciate the variety in colors and designs and the subject dividers are a thoughtful touch. They also appreciate the thick paper that prevents bleed-through. Customers are happy with ease of writing.

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"These are nice little notebooks for sketching and taking notes. But the notebook on top was apparently folded vertically in 2 places...." Read more

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Customers find the paper in the book thick enough to prevent bleed-through. They also say the pages are sturdy and do not bleed through with fine ballpoint pen.

"...The paper quality is excellent - smooth and thick enough to prevent bleed-through . The subject dividers are a thoughtful touch, aiding organization...." Read more

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Customers like the customization of the blank book. They mention that the variety in colors and designs adds a touch of personality to note-taking, and the subject dividers are a thoughtful touch that aids organization.

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What Is a Travel Journal + How to Make One with Examples

Traveling to new places and journaling about your exciting and enriching experiences is beyond rewarding. Whether you're exploring a bustling city, immersing yourself in nature's wonders, or embarking on a cultural adventure, capturing your travel experiences is a great way to preserve memories and reflect on your journey. One popular and creative way to document your travels is through a travel journal . In this article, we'll cover what a travel journal is, the benefits of keeping one, how to choose the best travel journal among different types, and provide you with tips and examples on how to make your own.

Ready to discover how to capture your travel experiences in different places, explore creative travel journal ideas and travel journal prompts, and more? Let the adventure begin!

What is a Travel Journal?

A travel journal is a personal diary that allows you to record your thoughts, feelings, and experiences during your travels. It serves as a visual and written account of your adventures, providing you with a tangible keepsake that you can cherish for years to come. Unlike a regular journal, a travel diary focuses specifically on your journeys, including details about the different places you visit, the people you meet, the food you try, and the sights you see.

Benefits of Keeping a Travel Journal

Keeping a travel journal offers numerous benefits beyond simply documenting your experiences. Here are some additional reasons why you should consider starting one:

1. Emotional and Mental Well-Being

Journaling has been shown to have positive effects on emotional and mental well-being . When you write about your travel experiences, you have the opportunity to process and reflect on your emotions, helping you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and your reactions to different situations via your journal entries. It can be a therapeutic outlet for releasing stress, anxiety, or even excitement, allowing you to better manage your emotions throughout your journey.

2. Enhanced Memory Retention

Writing about your travels helps improve memory retention. By actively engaging with your experiences and recording them in detail, you reinforce the neural connections related to those memories. This makes it easier to recall specific moments, sights, sounds, and even the feelings associated with them in the future. Your travel diary becomes a valuable tool for preserving and retrieving cherished memories.

3. Cultural Exploration and Appreciation

A travel journal encourages you to be more observant and attentive to the details of the places you visit. It prompts you to delve deeper into the local culture, traditions, and customs. By documenting your interactions with locals, sampling regional cuisine, and exploring hidden gems, you develop a greater appreciation for the unique aspects of each destination. Your journal becomes a testament to the richness and diversity of the world around you.

4. Personal Growth and Self-Reflection

Writing in a travel diary allows for introspection and personal growth. As you reflect on your experiences, you gain insights into your own values, beliefs, and perspectives. You may discover new passions or interests, challenge preconceived notions, or develop a greater sense of empathy and understanding for others. The process of self-reflection through journaling can lead to personal transformation and a deeper connection to the world.

5. Travel Planning and Preparation

Your travel journal can serve as a practical resource for future trips. By documenting your itineraries, accommodations, transportation details, and recommendations, you create a valuable reference guide that covers your experiences more fully. You can refer back to your journal to jog your memory or provide recommendations to fellow travelers. It becomes a repository of knowledge that can streamline the planning process for future adventures.

6. Connection with Loved Ones

Sharing your travel journal with friends, family, or future generations can be a meaningful way to connect and bond. Your journal becomes a storytelling tool, allowing others to experience your journey vicariously through your words, sketches, and photographs. It can spark conversations, ignite curiosity, and inspire others to embark on their own adventures.

7. Creative Expression

Engaging in the creative process of journaling stimulates your imagination and artistic abilities. Whether you're writing prose, sketching landscapes, creating collages, or experimenting with different art mediums, your travel diary becomes a canvas for self-expression. It encourages you to think outside the box, explore new artistic techniques, and develop your creative skills.

Keeping a travel journal goes beyond simply recording your experiences. It has profound benefits for your emotional well-being, memory retention, personal growth, and cultural appreciation. It serves as a tangible reminder of your adventures, a tool for planning future trips, a means of connecting with others, and a creative outlet for self-expression. So, grab a journal and embark on your journey of exploration and self-discovery through travel journaling.

Types of Travel Journals

There are different journals for just about any goal or activity you can think of – from travel journals to fitness journals , from gratitude journals to garden journals , and more. Similarly, there are various types of travel diaries to suit different preferences and styles. We cover the best travel journals below so you can find one perfect for you.

1. Guided Travel Journals

Guided journals provide travel journal prompts and structured sections to help you capture specific aspects of your journey. Guided journals often include questions, blank pages to fill in, and guided activities to guide your journaling process. Using a guided journal or planner , can ensure you cover all the essentials, without missing any crucial details you’ll want to revisit later.

2. Traditional Handwritten Journals

These are classic journals or notebooks with blank pages where you can freely write, draw, or glue mementos. Traditional journals offer the most flexibility in terms of customization for creative journal entries.

3. Photographic Travel Journals

For those who prefer visual storytelling, a photographic travel journal focuses on capturing moments through photographs. You can include pictures alongside brief descriptions or captions to narrate your journey visually.

4. Scrapbook Travel Journals

Scrapbook-style journals combine photographs, tickets, postcards, and other memorabilia with handwritten notes and decorative elements. They provide a visually appealing way to preserve your travel memories.

5. Sketchbook Travel Journals

If you have artistic inclinations, a sketchbook journal allows you to sketch and paint scenes, landmarks, and people you encounter during your travels. It's a great way to capture the essence of a place through your own artwork.

6. Digital Travel Journals

In the digital age, many people opt for digital travel journals, using apps or online platforms to document their adventures. Digital journals offer the convenience of easy editing, multimedia integration, and the ability to share your journey with others online.

7. Travel Bullet Journals

A popular trend in journaling, travel bullet journals combine organization and creativity. Based on the bullet journaling system, these journals use symbols, icons, and trackers to help you plan and record your travels. You can create sections for itineraries, packing lists, daily logs, and more, all while adding artistic touches and personalization.

You can also use a monthly planner with ample note pages and customize it as a travel calendar journal.

Whether you prefer the structure of guided journals, the freedom of traditional handwritten journals, the visual impact of photographic or scrapbook journals, the artistic expression of sketchbook journals, the convenience of digital journals, or the organization of travel bullet journals, there's a type of travel journal that will resonate with you and enhance your travel experiences. Choose the one that suits your style and embark on a journey of creativity and self-expression.

How to Make a Travel Journal

Now that you have an idea of the different types of travel journals, let's explore how to make your own.

1. Selecting the Right Journal

Consider the type of journaling experience you desire. If you prefer writing and sketching, a traditional blank-page journal or sketchbook might be ideal. If you want structure and guidance, opt for a guided travel journal. If you're tech-savvy, explore digital journaling options.

2. Gathering Essential Supplies

Depending on the type of journal you choose, gather supplies such as pens, pencils, markers, glue, scissors, washi tape, stickers, and any other decorative elements you'd like to incorporate. If you're going digital, ensure you have a suitable device and any necessary apps or software.

3. Planning Your Journal

Before your trip, plan how you want to organize your journal. Consider creating sections for different aspects like itineraries, accommodation, food, and sightseeing. This will help you stay organized and make it easier to find information later.

4. Documenting Your Journey

During your trip, actively engage in your journaling process with regular (yet not restrictive or rigid) journal entries. Write about your daily experiences, jot down interesting conversations, glue in ticket stubs or postcards, and take photographs to complement your entries. Let your creativity flow and capture the essence of each moment.

Travel Journal Page and Layout Examples

The layout and organization of your travel journal pages play a crucial role in bringing your travel experiences, from all the different places you’ve visited, to life. By incorporating various elements and sections, you can create a visually appealing and informative journal that captures the essence of your journey. From practical pages for itineraries and packing lists to creative spreads for reflections and bucket lists, here are some ideas to help you design engaging and meaningful pages for your travel diary.

1. Packing List and Pre-Trip Planning Pages

Dedicate a page or spread to jot down your packing list and pre-trip preparations. Include essential items, travel tips, and any special considerations for the destination. You can even add checkboxes or symbols to mark off items as you pack, ensuring you don't forget anything important.

You may also want to check out these helpful travel and packing tips .

2. A List of Local Words and Phrases

Learning a few basic words and phrases in the local language can greatly enhance your travel experience. Create a page dedicated to practicing and referring to these words and phrases. Include translations, pronunciation guides, and space to practice writing them. This page can be a helpful tool for connecting with locals and immersing yourself in the local culture.

3. Itinerary Pages

Design pages dedicated to your daily itineraries. Include the places you plan to visit, opening hours, transportation details, and any additional notes or reservations. You can add maps, photographs, or illustrations to make the page visually appealing and easy to navigate.

4. Accommodation and Restaurant Reviews

Reserve pages to review and rate the accommodations and restaurants you experience. Include details like the location, ambiance, service, and any standout dishes. You can even attach business cards, menus, or photographs to accompany your reviews. These pages will not only serve as a reference for future trips but also help fellow travelers discover hidden gems.

5. Post-Trip Reflection and Wrap-Up

Allocate space in your journal for post-trip reflections. Create pages to summarize your overall experience, highlight your favorite moments, and reflect on the lessons learned during your journey. Include photographs, sketches, or quotes that capture the essence of your adventure. These reflection pages will serve as a reminder of the growth and memories you gained from your travels.

6. Travel Bucket List

Create a dedicated page to list destinations, landmarks, or experiences you aspire to visit or accomplish in the future. You can divide the page into different categories like countries, UNESCO World Heritage Sites, or adrenaline-fueled activities. This page will serve as a source of inspiration and motivation for your future travels.

7. Travel Budget, Savings Goals, and Tracking

If budgeting is important to you, design pages to track your travel expenses, savings goals, and tips for saving money during your travels. Create tables or graphs to visually represent your budget and savings progress. These pages will help you stay accountable and ensure you're making the most of your financial resources.

Your travel diary is a personal and creative space to capture the memories, emotions, and experiences of your journeys. Through carefully designed pages and layouts, you can transform your journal into a visual and written narrative of your adventures. Whether you choose to incorporate practical elements like itineraries and packing lists or focus on creative expressions like reflections and bucket lists, the possibilities are endless. Let your imagination guide you as you create pages that reflect your unique travel style and personality. With each turn of the page, your travel diary will become a treasure trove of cherished memories and a gateway to relive your journeys again and again.

Creative Travel Journaling Ideas and Prompts

Stuck on what to write or include in your travel diary? Here are some creative travel journal ideas and travel journal prompts to get you started:

• Write a letter to your future self reflecting on your travel experiences and what you hope to remember.
• Describe the scents, sounds, and tastes that stand out in each place you visit.
• Create a "People You Meet" page, where you can jot down brief descriptions or draw portraits of interesting individuals you encounter during your journey.
• Write a short story or poem inspired by a specific location or experience.
• Make a to-do list of activities or experiences you want to accomplish at each destination. Challenge yourself to complete as many as possible and check them off as you go.
• Write a gratitude list, noting the things you're grateful for during your travels. It could be the stunning sunsets, the kindness of locals, or the serendipitous encounters.

A travel diary is a beautiful way to document and cherish your travel experiences. Whether you opt for a traditional handwritten journal, a photographic account, or a digital platform, the process of journaling will enhance your journey and provide a lasting memory of your adventures. Experiment with different styles, layouts, and prompts to make your travel journal uniquely yours. So, grab a journal and start capturing your travel memories today!

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101 Travel Journal Ideas: Page Examples, Inspiration & Prompts

Use these 101 travel journal ideas as prompts and inspiration to fill your travel journal no matter where your next adventure might be.

These 101 Travel Journal ideas will help you fill up a notebook of all sorts of adventures – whether it’s an exotic voyage or the everyday journey in life. 

And of course, please, please, please DO NOT feel like you have to do every single thing I put on this list – especially all in one journal. {That would be one awfully big, heavy book to lug around!} 

Whether you’re off to a grand exotic adventure, dreaming of places you want to go or maybe just enjoying a stay-cation and local points of interest, I hope you will find this post of travel journal ideas inspiring to document your next creative adventure.

101 Travel Journal Ideas: What to Put in a Traveler’s Notebook

1. start with a map.

Maps are always great in a journal. You can paste or tape them in or even make pockets and envelopes with them. Drawing maps can be a lot of fun also.

There are also a lot of ways to get maps:

• Google Maps: You could even print out a satellite/street view version or the directions.
• Maps Category on Wikimedia Commons : Lots of great free maps you can download and print out.
• Old Books & Atlases: If you have an old set of encyclopedias that’s way outdated and not of collector value, there are likely a lot of great maps to use in your journals. I love finding an old atlas at the thrift store or book sales.
• Marketing Maps: Many welcome centers, tourist agencies and travel rest stops have all sorts of maps available in marketing brochures. 

Staying local? Why not make a map of where you live? It could be your neighborhood, the backyard or even your kitchen. Doodles and sketches are perfectly 100% awesome here.

Another idea is to cut out shapes from old outdated maps you have. I sometimes buy old atlases and books with maps just for this purpose! These hearts shown below were cut out using a heart shaped punch similar to this one on Amazon .

I love scrapbook punches for so many different things in my art journals – you don’t even need that many of them and you can get perfect cut-outs anytime. These are great to make in advance before you travel somewhere – and you can get all sorts of different shapes! Circles, tags, you name it.

2. Can’t Decide Where to Go? Make a Mind Map

As creative people, making plans and staying organized is sometimes a challenge. I know when I go anywhere it sometimes feels overwhelming to keep track of all the details or even just decide what I want to do. Sometimes I don’t even know where I want to go or what I want to do. 

Mind Maps are great for easily mapping out ideas, dreams, plans, thoughts – especially if you’re not sure how to really organize them. You can draw them out on paper or even use mindmap software to create one you like and then print out and decorate.

Sometimes just making a mind map of an ordinary place can be fun – this mindmap of things to do in Ohio actually makes me excited to go there this summer. {Living next door in PA sometimes causes me to take all the neat things to explore in Ohio for granted.}

Even if you’re only going as far as your imagination, a mind map is a great way to explore all sorts of different ideas and concepts.

3. Packing List & Trip Prep

If you are using your travel journal as part planner, part journal, making a packing list and a to-do list before leaving is a great idea.

This is not only practical, as it will hopefully help you remember everything, but it can also help document some of the excitement and anticipation for the trip before you even arrive at your destination.

4. What’s In Your Bag?

While similar to a packing list, it can sometimes be fun to either snap a quick photo or sketch and doodle a picture of your suitcase and bags.

This can also be a fun way to document different day trips – it’s always interesting to see what sorts of things you consider essential to carry with you – especially if you find yourself looking back 5 – 10 years later. I am still in awe that fanny packs are coming back in style . 

5. Make a Bucket List

A bucket list is a list of all the things you want to do. Maybe this is a list for while you are at a specific location for a period of time – or this could even be a list of all the different places you want to visit during your lifetime.

Some of the examples of things you could create for a bucket list:

• Places you want to go
• Region Specific Foods you want to try
• Things you want to do
• People you hope to see 

6. Found Things: Collecting Ephemera & Other Treasures

Lately I’ve been keeping my eyes on the ground whenever we go places. I’ve found all sorts of very interesting things by keeping my eyes and my head open to finding stuff at random.

I’ve found old coins and pennies, tokens, dropped business cards – all sorts of interesting stuff. A lot of times people may think this stuff is just trash, but if it’s flat enough it can fit into a journal and a great way to document things you’ve encountered while out exploring the world. You never know what you might find on a sidewalk.

7. Save Those Receipts

Receipts are a great way to keep track of different things you do and need during your trip. Maybe you need a special airline approved travel bag you buy before the trip, or it’s the receipt for lunch at that adorable sea-side cafe you stumbled across.

Usually these sorts of things also have geographic information printed on them, so it can make even the national/international chains a little more interesting.

I always joke that doesn’t matter where we go or how well I plan I usually end up at a Wal-mart buying supplies we forgot – but hey, at least it’s fun to see your Wal-mart receipt has a different city and state printed on it. 

8. Attach an Envelope or Pocket for Collecting & Storing Supplies 

Speaking of ephemera and found things, another great idea for things to include in your journal is an envelope you can use as storage. The pocket for collage supplies is one of my favorite things about Dylusions Art Journals – so handy for holding stuff!

Since most of my journals are either 7×10″ or 6×9″,  I like to use the 6×9″ mailing envelopes and glue them or tape them into my notebooks and journals to use as a pocket for holding stuff. They are great for fitting all sorts of paper scraps and other things you might find on the trip!

If you are like me and realize what a deal it is to buy 100 clasp envelopes on Amazon , you can use the envelopes to make many, many more junk journals and art journals in the future! 

Beyond just envelopes, there are also a lot of other ways to display and store things inside of a journal, and one of the great things to use for this are the pocket page protectors often used in pocket scrapbooks.

If you are trying to keep things small and simple while traveling, Simple Stories is one brand with a wide variety of differently configured 6×8″ Pocket Page Protectors that can be a great way to hold and display items you might find in your adventures. Bonus : No glue stick needed. 

9. Keep a Record/Log of Daily Events

I know sometimes when I actually DO go on a real vacation, I don’t always have time to keep track of everything we do. One good way to get around this, without necessarily having to write a whole lot or spend the day drawing and gluing things in the book is to keep a very simple log each day. 

This doesn’t have to be elaborate. Keep it simple – use the actual date or the day of the week and challenge yourself to j ust write one word for each day . This will help you remember details of the trip long after it happens. 

• Monday – Beach
• Tuesday – Friends
• Wednesday – Museum

Keeping a log helps you remember things so that you can continue to fill the book up with memories and ephemera from the trip long after you return.

10. Method of Travel: Document Your Transportation

There are plenty of ways to get from one place to another. You can ride a bus, take a train, or fly up high in a fancy jet plane! 

Once you arrive at your destination, there can also be a lot of additional things to note about getting around town, especially if you are traveling somewhere that drives on opposite sides of the street or relies primarily on bicycles or scooters for transportation. 

All of these things make for great ideas for stuff to doodle, sketch, and write about!

11. Accommodations – Where Are You Sleeping?

Whether you’re staying in a hotel, airBNB, fancy resort or maybe your RV, there are plenty of things to document about where you are staying during the trip. 

Some ideas for ephemera might be brochures, print-outs of your reservation confirmation, map directions to the location. You can also always do a sketch of your room or view out the window. 

12. How’s the Weather?

Weather is one of those things that might be considered “small talk” but it’s also something I know can really influence what types of activities we do when we are on a trip.

We do a lot of camping – so if it’s warm and sunny, you’ll find us hiking, kayaking, and fishing. If it’s rainy, you might find us playing card games, visiting shops, or checking out area museums.

Sometimes bad weather can even make a trip more fun than expected – you might check out something new you ordinarily would have skipped, or maybe you will come home with a funny story of events.

You can record different weather events bullet journal style in your notebook or just draw different weather related symbols whenever you jot down any notes.

13. First Impressions – Any surprises?

Once you arrive at your destination, take a note of some of the things you notice right away or any different thoughts you might have about the trip there so far. This is especially a good idea if you are going somewhere completely new that is not like anything you have done before.

You might also want to take note of what expectations you had prior to leaving the trip – Is there anything that surprised you once you got there? Did you over estimate or under estimate what it might be like? Sometimes the anticipation before a trip can be much different than the actual reality once you get there!

14. Paint Backgrounds in Advance to Pack Less Art Supplies

Something I like to do in art journals when I’m traveling is to paint the pages before I go with acrylic paints I like to use. It doesn’t have to be anything elaborate – maybe some simple stripes for writing on, or you can even use by block-by-block art journal technique to prep different page sections in advance.

This gives your pages a nice background and start for any type of journaling or doodles – and you don’t have the hassle of having to pack or carry around a whole lot of supplies. All you need from there is a couple of favorite pens and maybe a glue stick.

15. Try Watercolors for Compact & Portable Art Supplies

If you do want to paint while you are on your trip, a set of travel watercolors is a great option because they are generally very compact and easy to clean up and carry around – some pocket field sets could literally fit in your pocket and are smaller than most cell phones!

Watercolors are a great fun way to give your pages a little hint of color – and of course you can always use the opportunity to try out some new and different watercolor painting techniques !

16. Portrait Sketches

Meeting new people, or sometimes just seeing new people can be very inspiring to practice sketching different portrait drawing techniques. 

Portraits of new faces and people can be a great way to practice and hone in on your skills in drawing and painting faces – it can also serve as a springboard for additional art to make even when you return from the trip.

If the idea of sketching or painting a portrait makes you nervous, do not worry – there are lots of great resources to help you out here, like Mixed Media Portraits With Pam Carriker – Jane Davenport also has lots of great books such as this one which can be a wonderful resource to start with.

17. Draw & Sketch Landmarks

No matter where you go, there are sure to be landmarks. These can be great sources of inspiration for stories and drawing practice. 

Some landmarks are famous {such as The Statue of Liberty in NYC or The Sistine Chapel in Vatican City} – other landmarks are more of directional markers or might have personal significance to you. One example is a water tower we always look for when we drive past it on the highway.

18. Architecture

Wherever you find yourself, take some time to notice different architectural details such as windows, doors, gates, fences and roofs. Make a page inspired by the different things you see! This can be a detailed sketch or simply a whimsical doodle like the photo shown above.

19. Make a Cityscape

After you pay some attention to the different architectural details, it can be fun to incorporate this into cityscape art.

It can be a very fun challenge to recreate a drawing or doodle of the places you visit in your journals, and of course you can always combine these with other drawings or collage and ephemera.

Many of the Watercolor Doodle Cities here and other city-inspired paintings I make start from inspiration from real-life cities and towns I’ve visited.

20. Capture the Landscape

Sketching or painting the landscape can be a wonderful way to document all the beautiful views in nature. You can also photograph these scenes to inspire you to make more art when you get back home.

Maybe it’s an early morning sunrise or a field you drive past on the highway, the waves at the beach or even the way the mountains look in the distance.

21. Use Whatever You Can Find for Art Supplies  

I like to pack light when I’m traveling, and so that usually means sadly most of my art supplies have to stay at home. The good news is the lack of supplies can push you to try using everyday materials in creative ways.

For example, say you go out for tea – you can use the tea in your cup or a used tea bag to create tea stains on your papers. {Just be careful not to smear any ink from pens unless that is your desired effect!}

Over the years I’ve used all sorts of things to create with in my journal beyond traditional materials. A dandelion can often be used to get yellow coloring on paper – you could even use makeup like lipstick or eye shadow and blush on your pages.

22. Pay Attention to Special Events & Holidays

While you don’t need a special event or holiday as an excuse to explore the world, often times we do go places depending on the season and traditions we like to celebrate. 

If your journaling happens to fall around a certain holiday or you attend a special event in your adventures, there can be all sorts of seasonal things you can add onto your pages – hearts for Valentine’s Day, Flowers in the Spring, Pumpkins for Halloween, Christmas Decorations, etc.

23. Everybody Eats: Food is Never Ending Inspiration

There are some places I would visit again just with the sole purpose of eating amazing food. Food also makes for an endless source of things to put in your journal. You might not need to record every single meal or snack, but if you enjoy something good – make a note of it or use it as inspiration for art.

Another thing you can do, especially if you visit different countries is save food wrappers. Different languages, different wrappers – all these things can easily be added into your journal and will even help you remember what foods and restaurants you like if you should visit that place again.

24. Street Signs & Names

As someone who loves all things words, letters and numbers, I can’t help but feel gravitated towards interesting signs we see in different places. These can be great starting points for drawings, sketches or even things to photograph and add to your pages at a later time.

25. Read any good books?

Sometimes the books we read can inspire our travels – or a book can help us pass the time on a long bus ride or flight. Vacation is also a good time to catch up on books you’ve been wanting to read.

I love books so some of my favorite places to visit while traveling are small bookstores and libraries – I always find some nice treasures that way!

26. Foreign Language

If you’re traveling to a country where English is not the native language, it can be very fun and interesting to find different things that have the country’s language in your journal.

Whenever I’m shopping at used book sales, I often find a lot of foreign language dictionaries. These make for excellent paper backgrounds to use in junk journals, or you can always have fun copying the words to practice your foreign language skills.

Staying local in your own hometown? Have some fun visiting regular mundane places by learning or practicing a different language. 

¡Vamos a cocinar papas en la estufa!

Even a place as mundane your kitchen can be more fun if you learn fun ways to explore it as a traveler. This can also be a great way to help your kids practice their foreign language skills. 

27. Everyday Life

What do the people who call the place you are visiting home everyday? Take some notes, sketches or photos of a day in the life of a local.

Another thing that can be fun to do is to imagine for a moment if this place was your home, and not just a place you were visiting. What might you like or dislike about staying in that one place long-term?

28. What are other tourists doing?

Every time we’ve visited tourist-destination types of places it is always fascinating to watch the other travelers and what they are doing. Maybe you see hundreds of people with cameras, or you see people waiting in line to get their picture taken next to a certain attraction.

29. Trees & Flowers

I spend most of my vacations immersed in nature and I love drawing and painting trees and flowers. You might also want to keep some wax paper in your notebook – this can be a great way to preserve flowers or leaves.

30. Birds of a Feather

When we visit cities I always notice pigeons, and I always see seagulls at the beach. I love photographing ducks! Sometimes places we go have aviaries to visit. When we go camping, we love looking for woodpeckers, cardinals, and other birds.

You can fill your journal with bird related images or just make a list or doodles of the different birds you might encounter.

31. Animals

If you love animals, this is another great source of inspiration while you are traveling. Maybe you go to a nearby zoo, or maybe friends you are staying with have a friendly cat. 

Some places you visit may even have animals you don’t typically see that often. I remember when I visited Toronto in Canada I saw so many moose statues everywhere we went!

32. Notes From History

Most places have historical centers – even small towns often have an interesting past. If you enjoy historical points of interest, there all sorts of ways to incorporate this on your pages.

Use cut outs from brochures or old books, record facts, or even attempt to recreate a scene from history in your journal. This is a great way to use up some of your favorite vintage ephemera also!

33. Famous People / Persons of Interest Who Lived there

Almost every place has people who are famous or played an important role in the history of the area. It can be very interesting to research before you go some different people who have lived in that place – and maybe even tour some of the different things that would have been part of their daily life.

One example of this is when a friend of mine in high school was slightly obsessed with all things Trent Reznor and Nine Inch Nails. She had learned he grew up in boring old Mercer, PA {not so far from the same boring town we lived in} – so we decided to go up one day to check it out.

It was very neat to think hey, here’s this little town in Pennsylvania just like our little town in Pennsylvania, he was a band dork, we were band dorks. It is always neat to see these sorts of places, especially if it someone who is inspiring to you, because in a way you can see the kind of environment that inspired them to become the creative person they are.

34. Music Playlist

Speaking of Trent Reznor – let’s talk about another favorite aspect of traveling for me – plenty of opportunity to listen to music!

I can’t think of a better way to enjoy a long ride than to come prepared with a good music playlist.  If you’re riding passenger on long trips, a good music playlist and a sketchbook is a great way to help pass the time.

I also like to listen to different music that is popular in different areas. It’s way more fun to listen to Blue Grass music if you are in the Mountains of Virgina or a little country music on the city streets of Nashville.

There are so many different types of music around the world, and all of it can be very inspiring to listen to while writing or creating.

Need more ideas for how to incorporate music into your journals? Our list of creative music inspired art prompts can help inspire you!

35. Textures

Make a page about different textures you might encounter on your trip. Maybe it’s the sand between your toes, the concrete on the sidewalks or the familiar softness of your favorite shirt in a place where everything is different. 

You can even optionally include some of these textures into your journal, especially if you encounter things like fabric swatches or handwoven items.

Another idea is to use different textures from objects around you as unique stencils and stamps. You can do all sorts of mark making with different textures in your book!

While I suppose this could fall under “food” – coffee for me is more than just a tasty caffeinated beverage. Draw a Picture of Coffee with the different backdrop of the place you visit. Save ephemera like napkins, coffee stirrer or receipts from shops you visit.

Pay attention to ways coffee is prepared and served. If you are visiting a place that grows and produces coffee, this too can be very fascinating to learn about and try different flavors native to the area. 

37. Souvenirs

Do you collect anything? Some people collect pennies, spoons, key chains, salt shakers – you name it! Collecting is a fun low-stress hobby and traveling can be a great way to find new things.

If you are a collector of something, it can be fun to make a page about different sorts of things you like to collect. If you don’t have a collection yet – what is one you might you be inclined to start or find interesting? 

Many different places you might visit often also have souvenir shops with all sorts of interesting things for the area. Even if you’re not a collector, you may enjoy sketching or making a list of the sort of things you notice. 

 38. Pick Up a Newspaper – Local, National & Global News

It’s always interesting to read the news somewhere you aren’t. It gives you a greater understanding of what types of things the residents who live in a place might experience on a regular day to day basis and what is important to them.

Another bonus is often times when you visit a new area the newspaper may syndicate different feature columns than your papers back home. This could mean new recipes, different horoscopes, puzzles, comments, and opinion pieces.

Newspapers are also great to use in collage and art you might be inspired to create, especially if you have very limited access to art supplies.

What does the place you’re visiting smell like? Maybe you can smell freshly baked bread drifting across the plaza, or it’s the smell of the ocean next to you, or even just the smell of pine trees in the woods. 

Paying attention to how all of your different senses experience the place can help you remember the adventure all that much more.

40. Include Conversations With the People You Talk To

One thing I enjoy doing when traveling is meeting and talking to new people and listening in on what people might be saying at the different places we visit. 

It’s funny, but some of the conversations I remember are not exactly quotable, but totally memorable enough to document in a journal. One time when we were at a beach an old man was talking to us and told us we needed to visit a place that was about 6 hours away.

“They have the most unbelievable peaches! Miles and miles of orchards…” he said. Well, after talking to him we decided to go that way the next day and yes, they did have peaches, but we were mostly awed by the unbelievable beautiful beaches!

Had we not talked to that stranger on the beach that day we never would have discovered one of our favorite beaches in the U.S.

41. The Local Dialect

I live in the Pittsburgh area and we are sorta famous for our unique dialect. Many local shops sell Yinzer stickers and other Pittsburghese types of things that are always popular with tourists and would make great journal fodder.

If you happen to be somewhere, pay attention to different words and phrases people use for things. You might be surprised how many sayings and words you pick up that aren’t in any foreign language dictionary!

42. Quotes About the Area and/or General Traveling

There are all sorts of great quotes that can be a great way to add to the journal. You can include general travel quotes in your journal while you are getting ready for the trip – or of course you can always add these once you are back. 

43. Interview The People Traveling With You

It’s always interesting how two different people can have two different options and memories about a trip! Traveling with kids? Ask them their thoughts – and of course don’t forget to encourage them to create their own travel journals!

44. Hidden in Plain View – Important or Sensitive Information 

It’s always a good idea to have a paper copy of important info while you are in a different place – especially if WiFi access or phone reception might be hard to come by. 

While I don’t recommend keeping sensitive info in plain sight in a journal, sometimes you can give yourself cryptic ways only you would know to have a reference for things like addresses or bank account info.

Some ways you can do this is by drawing the numbers in a certain specific pattern, or you could even make up your own secret code. 

45. Reference Lists & Safety Info

I’m sorta neurotic about safety, so I like to include helpful safety info in my notebooks, especially because we spend so much time outdoors. This might be something as simple as a mini first aid guide or a list of emergency numbers for the area. If you are traveling in a foreign place, you may even want to list some emergency contacts in the notebook.

I also like to print out this type of information to keep in planner binders. For the planner I keep in our camper, I included printed information for dog medications and first aid, since our dog has a habit of finding bees nests, eating fishing rods and getting into all sorts of trouble.

46. Currency From Different Countries

Many foreign countries have different types of currency that can be very interesting to keep in a journal. If you have a few smaller value notes leftover from a trip they can be a great thing to put in a journal or slip into a clear pocket you attach to the pages.

47. Track Your Budget

Budgeting might not seem exciting, especially while supposedly on a vacation! Still, it is definitely an inevitable part of life that doesn’t go away just because you are somewhere different! 

Fortunately, it can be way more fun to do when you find a way to express your creativity in your journal or planner. Keep records of expenses while you are traveling and think about different ways you can save money.

If you haven’t left for your destination yet, there are lots of great ways to plan a trip without spending a lot. Make a page about how you will save for an upcoming trip or make a list of ways to you can see the world without going into debt.

48. Random Fun Facts

Do you enjoy games like trivial pursuit? Something that can be fun to do before you leave is read up on different fun facts about an area, or you can even just jot down these things as you experience them in the place you visit.

Random Fun Fact Example: We can thank computer scientist Scott Fahlman at CMU in Pittsburgh for the widespread use of the smiley face symbol . 🙂 Pittsburgh is also home to another famous smiley face – the Eat ‘N Park Smiley ! 

49. Local Business & Industry

Do you ever need to travel for work? Business travel can sometimes create all sorts of new interesting opportunities to see sights and document parts of a place that don’t exactly make it to the city guides!

Many cities are also famous for different things related to businesses and industries. Factory Tours can be super fascinating and educational – they also make for a great activity during rainy day travels.

50. Movies, Plays & Film

Many places you wouldn’t expect have been featured in movies – other times there may be films or movies that take place in the very same places you visit.

One example is the time we visited Savannah, Georgia. My husband loves the movie Forest Gump so naturally this meant we had to visit Chippewa Square and the famous park bench at the Savannah History Museum when we explored the city.

51. The Clothes We Wear

Just like food and money, most of the time we typically need to also wear clothes. You don’t have to be a fashionista to appreciate unique clothing styles in different places you visit.

Depending where you travel to, the culture and weather can be very different from where you live and so the style of clothes and things people wear and do can be fascinating. 

Don’t forget to also pay attention to the clothes you are wearing. Maybe it’s a raincoat because it’s raining or you bought something special to wear for the trip.

52. Travel Shoes

Going places usually means lots of walking and standing – which means the pair of shoes you wear can make all the difference! Sketch a pair of your shoes and take note of whether they have reliably served you well in your travels, or if they’ve caused you pain, agony and misery. 

53. Hobbies & Interests

When I visited NYC my top must-see destination was the Sketchbook museum at the Brooklyn Art Library of course!

One of the ways I documented that visit was to put a safety pin in one of my pages once I got home because I noticed one of the journals there was completely bound with safety pins and I thought that was pretty unique and I didn’t want to forget it! 

Your different hobbies and interests can always overlap in travel – and sometimes in the most of unexpected ways. If you have a specific hobby or interest you enjoy, take some time to research different clubs and organizations in the area. You can find groups and points of interest for almost anything!

54. What’s Trending Now

Do you notice any interesting trends about the place you visit? Maybe there is an activity that is popular or something you notice everyone is doing.

This could be something like a TV show everyone is watching, something seasonally related or it could even be many of the homes decorated with certain pieces or in a certain style.

55. Funny Stuff

One thing you should always bring along any adventure is a good sense of humor. I love this one picture we snapped while we traveled through VA – antique tables made daily!

There are also lots of great travel-themed jokes you could use in your journal.

What travels around the world but stays in one corner? A stamp.

{Sorry, I couldn’t resist, I love punny bad jokes!} Speaking of stamps…

56. Postage Stamps: Send Yourself Some Mail Back Home

Postcards and foreign stamps can make for an excellent addition to any type of travel journal. You can mail yourself a letter or post card, or even pick up some post cards where you are visiting to add to your pages.

Shown above: A photo of some of the vintage postcards I have in my ephemera collection. If you have friends and family members who travel a lot, be sure to offer to pay for postage and ask them to mail you things!

57. Color Combos

Do you love color? Different places can be great inspiration for unique color combinations or even noticing things you may ordinarily ignore. Take a look at your surroundings and try to create a color palette based on what you see around you.

58. Rainbow Page

Another fun travel journal idea is to try to make a page that includes something of every color of the rainbow you see while you are on a trip. This could be done with ephemera or even just making notes and drawing in your sketchbook to add in photos later.

59. Inspiration is Everywhere

What do you see that inspires you to create while you are traveling? Maybe you notice an interesting pattern on textiles being sold at a shop or you like the way the vase on your table looks at a restaurant.

Take note of these little details that inspire you and sketch or jot them down. These can be great sources of inspiration for those days you need a little kickstart to create.

60. Bottle Caps, Drink Labels and Coasters

Many bottled beverages have labels and unique bottle caps that can make for great things to include in a journal. You may also notice several restaurants have coasters that are nice to save after your meal.

Bottle labels and coasters are two types of things that are normally thrown away but can make for great ephemera to include in your journal and help document the trip.

61. All the Different Shapes

Another idea for different places you visit is to create pages based on different shapes. For example, you could have a page for things that are round, such as wheels, windows, or stones.

You could also easily do this for things that are square, rectangles, triangles, etc.

62. Define Some Travel Words

What does adventure mean to you? What do you consider to be a journey?

There are lots of different travel-themed words and they often mean different things to different people. Write your own definition for words, or you could even find these words in a dictionary and cut them and paste them to the page in your book.

Here’s a couple more words you could use on the page or define:

63. Why do you love travel?

People travel for different reasons, and of course the reasons we enjoy it are also usually unique to us. What do you like the most? Is it meeting new people? Seeing something different? Learning new things?

Write or illustrate your favorite things and the reasons you enjoy discovering new places.

64. Stickers

Stickers can be found anywhere, whether it’s a price sticker on something you buy or even a marketing sticker they give away at a promotional event. Some places you visit may even have shops that sell unique stickers for the area.

65. Technology & Apps

There are many apps and websites that can make traveling a lot easier, and it can be something fun to document in your journal. These apps can help you find new places or even possibly read reviews and get special coupons and deals. 

Another thing to think about is how the place you are visiting uses technology. Do they seem advanced or are they behind compared to where you currently live?

66. Trip Stats

Another fun thing to record in your journal are trip stats. Your might record your odometer reading, number of miles you traveled, or if you have a fitbit you could make a note of how many steps you walked that day.

67. Try Zentangle

Zentangle is a super portable form of art and very relaxing so perfect if you’re going on vacation to unwind. All you need is some paper and your favorite Micron 01 pen.

You can start with basic shapes or just tangle freely on the pages of your journal. Who knows – some places you visit may even be home of certified Zentangle instructors and classes may be available during your trip!

68. Practice Creative Lettering

There are so many great ideas and ways to have fun with creative lettering in your journal. You can try different styles of letters, mix up big and small writing. 

Hate your handwriting? Our post on creative lettering ideas can give you lots of inspiration for ways to add unique text without necessarily mastering calligraphy.

69. Stencil It

Stencils are flat and portable – so very easy to bring with you along your travels and keep right inside your notebook. There are TONS of inexpensive stencil sets on Amazon or you could even try making your own journal stencil templates.

A couple of stencils can definitely can help you with making shapes, layouts, and different designs in  your journal – no fine art skills required!

70. Bodies of Water

Water is always a source for inspiration, relaxing, and feeling refreshed – and where there is life, you are sure to find water! As the author of How to Read Water points out, you can learn just as much about water from a puddle as you can from the sea. 

Create a page in your journal based on what you like to do in the water – whether you go fishing, swim laps in the pool on a cruise ship or just admire the sailboats out on the bay.

71. Make a List of Things to Research

While you are on your trip, you might find yourself curious to learn more about stuff you encounter. Make a list or note of this in your journal so you can read up on it when you come back home.

Before you go somewhere new it’s also a very good idea to research different laws, customs and practices. This to-research-list can be a great thing to add in your journal before you leave to remind you to actually learn about these things before you get there!

72. Visiting a Sports Town?

Sports teams around the world have some very loyal fans and this can be another thing worth documenting if you are in a place that takes their sports seriously. In some areas it’d be impossible not to take note of arenas and stadiums!

Even if you’re not a sports fan, you may notice where you are visiting what important sports games are happening and what teams people proudly wear on their t-shirts, jerseys and hats. If you do visit an event, don’t forget to save your ticket stubs and program with the team roster!

73. Stick to the Grid

Grid lined pages can be nice to have when you are writing or drawing, because they also make it super easy to try to draw things when you want to be mindful of things like ratio and perspective relationships.

You can also have fun just arranging different elements in a grid-like fashion – draw your own freehand grid and fill each box with different memories or images you cut and tear out of a local magazine or newspaper.

74. What Are You Really Good At When Traveling?

Do your planning skills shine as you come up with the perfect trip itinerary? Have you mastered the fine art of packing a suitcase with all the right things? Have a knack for strumming up conversation with the locals? Or, maybe you’re just really good at getting lost! 

Whatever your strengths and skills are when it comes to travel, these should be celebrated and certainly worthy of being documented in your travel journal! Draw yourself an award, make a list of your best strengths, and celebrate all the hard work that goes into exploring.

75. Gratitude

You can never go wrong keeping track of things you are thankful for. See our list of gratitude journal prompts for even more ideas of ways to incorporate thankfulness in your journal pages.

76. No Place Like Home

Sometimes distance makes us all the more appreciative of home. What things do you miss the most while you are away from home? Draw pictures, doodle, paint, or make a list! 

77. Wish You Were Here

Sometimes when we go someplace new we can’t help but think of family or friends back home. Is there anything specific where you are that reminds you of someone? Write about it or tuck those little pieces of ephemera you find on a page.

78. What Went Wrong

It’s tempting to only document the good parts of a trip but sometimes the mishaps of travel become great funny stories after a few years…like my husbands famous melt down over a lack of parking or that time we went camping and got flooded out. 

These sorts of things aren’t exactly fun in the midst of the trouble, but years later we can look back and at least say the trips were memorable!

79. What Did You Learn?

Every trip is an opportunity and discovery is synonymous for learning. What did you learn during your trip?

Maybe you learned something new about the cultures, customs and history of the place. Or, if staying local… maybe you learned to always bring sunscreen or bug spray or how to avoid rush hour traffic.

80. Document Digitally

While I will forever be a pen and paper kind of girl, I know I also enjoy the convenience of digital art journaling – especially when it’s not always easy to pack lots of supplies! This is especially true for trips that aren’t necessarily for fun or I know I’ll be spending a lot of time indoors.

You can edit and arrange photos in a photo editing app or software program, or you can even enjoy the creative fun of painting digitally. I love using my laptop and Wacom Intous tablet to paint with Photoshop. You can also have a lot of fun creating designs with an iPad and Apple pencil. 

81. Draw a Clock

Clocks are fun and easy enough to draw – all you need is a circle! It can be fun to compare clock times all around the world, especially if you have ventured to a different time zone.

Another idea is to doodle clocks for when you want to make note of times on your itinerary and schedule.

82. Make a Chart

Charts are a creative visual way to display information and a great idea for adding some art to your travel journal. You could create a table of train and bus times, a pie chart for how you spent your time on the trip, or a Venn Diagram comparing and contrasting your first trip somewhere to the second trip there.

For those who are particularly dorky like me, you might even consider making a histogram or scatter plot in your journal!

83. Healthy Matters

If you are into all things health, wellness and fitness in everyday life, it would only make sense for this to overflow into your journals while traveling.

Whether you note healthy foods you eat, exercise, changes in your mood, how much you sleep, number of glasses of water you drink each day, or have a list of medications to take daily, noting these things in your journal can help you stay on track with all the excitement and routine disruptions from traveling.

84. Design Your Own Travel Symbols & Icons

There are many common symbols and icons used for travel – an airplane, a map, a suitcase, a backpack, a compass, cars, directional arrows, trains, etc. 

All of these things are a great starting point to give you some ideas for things to doodle in a travel journal. You can make them flat, line-art style, or even make them 3-D complete with shading. 

85. Travel Role Models

Do you know someone who is a great inspiration for your travel aspirations? This could be a person who inspired you to be more courageous and explore new foreign places, or could just be someone you know who has real-world experience in traveling the globe and taught you a lot of things. 

86. Favorite Travel Blogs

Speaking of people who inspire us to travel – I know many of the places I find inspiration are various travel blogs I like to follow! Seeing their pictures is always great motivation and inspiration to go to new places I may not have considered on my own.

Whenever I am not sure of where I might like to go or what to do when visiting an area, I also love to read different blogger’s guides on attractions to visit and travel tips to make it a smooth trip.

87. The Road Not Taken – Add Some Poetry to Your Pages

There are lots of great travel inspired poems you can include in your journal, or you can even try your hand at writing your own poems.

Not a natural wordsmith? Prefer to stick to something more visual? Check out our post on found poetry in your journal pages.

88. Challenge Yourself 

Sometimes a little bit of a challenge can make even the most mundane of places a bit more exciting. You could challenge yourself to take a photo every day, or challenge yourself to visit a different neighborhood or part of town each day you are in the city.

You could also challenge yourself to commit to a certain type of art each day – a doodle a day, or a watercolor a day, or a pencil sketch a day.

Challenges should be fun – so if the idea of this sounds like a chore or one more thing to add to already a jam packed schedule, skip it or save it for the next adventure.

89. Paper Clips & Binder Clips Are Your Friends

Paper clips, binder clips and other page fasteners are wonderful and practical things to include in your journal. They are super handy when you are on the go to attach all sorts of papers and notes – no glue stick required!

Also, they make TONS of travel themed paper clips. I mean, I don’t know if you would really need 40 of them, but how adorable are these airplane shaped paper clips ? They also make ones that come in assorted animal shapes ! 

So many different styles of paper clips, I actually made an Amazon Idea List with some of my handpicked favorites – I couldn’t believe I found over 40! See all my favorites on my list: All the Pretty Paper Clips . 

90. Pins, Patches & Badges

I love collecting small novelty pins, patches and badges – but I don’t always have a great way to display or wear them. One way around this is to add them to your journal pages!

You can decide to either pin or sew the item directly onto the page, or you can attach it to a small piece of fabric that you attach into the page. You can often find these at gift shops or even while you are at different places that give them away for free as promotional materials.

91. Have a Stamping Good Time

There are LOTS of ways to use rubber stamps and ink pads in a journal. But… I also like to keep my supplies very minimal, especially when on the road. Something I like to do to prep my journal pages is stamp things in advance. 

You can use simple ink dabbers to create patterns or add a distressed effect to your empty pages – and of course if you already have travel themed stamps this is a great opportunity to put them to good use, whether before or after the trip!

In the page above I tried to use some of my rubber stamps and realized one of my very well-loved ink pads was finally starting to dry out after years of use.

I used the ink pad itself to stamp the page with the remaining ink on the edges to create journaling block areas. I also used the edge of the ink pad to make the lines – perfect for impromptu lists or quick daily notes.

92. Travel Tags

There are all sorts of tags that can be useful while traveling. Luggage and suitcase tags are also a great way to add some interesting stuff to your favorite journal pages. 

You can also opt to use paper tags – I love to start with small round tags like these ones and use them for doodles or quotes. Standard shipping tags like these are also like mini blank canvases waiting for your creative touch! 

93. Travel Bingo: Inspired by My Favorite Road Trip Game as a Kid

A long time ago, when dinosaurs roamed the earth without technology, we played a game called Auto Bingo in the car. If you drove past something like a railroad crossing or a cow, you would slide the little marker over the picture when you spotted it and try to get them all before the end of the trip. 

This gave me a great idea to make a list of different things to look for while I’m at a certain place and then check it off if I saw that thing. It’s a like a scavenger hunt game – can you find these things in your surroundings?

94. A Boost of Encouragement

We tend to glamorize travel a lot – but sometimes it can be hectic, chaotic, stressful and even a little bit scary.

As much as I love traveling, I don’t always like the packing & preparing, and I also admittedly have no sense of direction – I still get lost on roads less than 10 minutes away from my house!

If this sounds like you, adding some encouraging words and positive affirmations can be a wonderfully uplifting thing to see if you are in unfamiliar territory or stressed out.

95. Spiritual Sense

If you are a spiritual person, or maybe just someone curious to learning about the different spiritual practices of different cultures, there are many ways this can be reflected in your journal.

You could include prayers and blessings for travelers, visit spiritual places of interest, or even just spend a few moments in quiet meditation. It can also be interesting to explore and document the various practices and traditions in the culture you are visiting. 

96. Which Way Up? Arrows & Directional Signs

I love the treasure-map style dashed and dotted lines with arrows. They really grab a person’s attention when they look through your completed journal. It makes one ask: now where does this lead?

Arrows can be used in so many different ways for a lot of different travel journal page ideas. Call attention to a specific phrase or photo, or add them to continue a story on another page. In some ways, you could make your journal a sort of “Choose Your Own Adventure Book” where the reader {or even yourself} – can explore a place in a different kind of way.

97. Attention Please! Highlights

If you are the sort of person who might fill an entire page with a LOT of words while journaling your thoughts and experiences, highlights are a fun way to call attention to things that are important or most notable.

You can choose to highlight things like dates, or just pick words and phrases you like. If you don’t have or want to use highlighter markers, you could also accent different things by using colored pencils and pens or simply by circling and underlining different things. 

This can also be a very fun thing to do with newspapers or other printed ephemera style things you might find in your travels.

98. If You Had to Do It Again…

Would you go on this trip again? Do you want to go back? What would you want to do differently? What would you want to do the same? These are all great questions to think about while you reflect on the trip on the return back home.

99. Return to Reality

What did you have it do when you got back from your vacation? Sometimes remembering responsibilities and “real life” can make us all the more appreciative and nostalgic for the time spent away!

100. Actually Print Out Your Vacation Photos

I’m totally guilty of taking a bazillion pictures…and then never printing them. They go on my external hard drive/cloud storage to never be seen by another human being again…that’s not good!

One of the things I’m making a more concentrated effort to do is actually print out photos we take. You can choose to print them from home on your own home printer, or upload them to your favorite photo print website.

101. Where to Next?

Did this trip make you want to visit any other new places you hadn’t considered before? Where do you want to go next? Or, perhaps, after all these adventures, maybe you are content to stay-cation for awhile?

I know this is a super long list, and if you made it this far, I hope you found these ideas inspiring and encouraging! Travel journals are a ton of fun to make and I’d love to see what you create!!

And of course, if you have ideas for things to include that aren’t on this list – I’d love to hear your creative ideas in the comments below!

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AWESOME post!

Thanks Andi, glad you enjoyed it!

What an absolutely FANTASTIC list! I do a lot of journaling when I travel and already do several of the things on this list, but there are tons I’d never even thought of. I’m particularly in awe of the color palette idea. Brava!

Thank you Naomi, glad it inspired you!

This is the BEST post – thank you sooooo very much! Although it is overhwhelming how much there is because I am a newbie when it comes to this kind of art form, it has given me so many awesome ideas and inspiration and I will try to do some but not all LOL! Thank you again!

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• Our Mission

A Tool for Documenting Understanding

Travel journals—a mix of notebook and portfolio—allow students to chart and take ownership of their learning.

Travel journals are student-created “textbooks.” Normal Park calls them travel journals because they chart the journey of students’ learning. They are a great way for students to take ownership of their learning. Every student creates one, and every travel journal is unique to the student.

Travel journals are a collection of the work students do for their science or social studies module. Teachers use travel journals on a daily basis; students create work and then add it to their journal throughout the quarter. Journals include writing and reflection pieces, graphic organizers, timelines, charts, drawings, diagrams, vocabulary, maps, pictures, and anything else that reflects students’ learning and understanding of the module topic. Teachers also photocopy relevant articles and have students place those in their journals.

During the course of one year, a student will create four journals for four different modules. Students take the journals home at the end of each quarter—they love to show them off to their parents and keep them as a record of what they learned.

Creating Content to Deepen the Learning

Students create a variety of content types for their journals––from written reflections to maps and diagrams––in response to teacher prompts and open-ended questions. Each journal project has several essential elements.

Blank journal: At the beginning of each module, teachers hand out a blank journal to each student.

Table of contents: The table of contents is teacher-created and lists 25 to 28 lessons for that module. Students paste the table of contents into their journals on Day 1 of the module.

Essential questions: These three or four open-ended questions are the basis of every lesson taught in the module. Teachers develop the questions according to the standards students must meet in that particular module. For example, a typical question might be “How does where you live affect how you live?” or “How does structure influence behavior?”

Students write in their essential questions at the beginning of the module, placing them on the page opposite the table of contents. This gives them a sense that everything they are exploring in the module is connected to investigating these questions.

“I wonder” questions: On Day 1 of the module, a teacher will deliver a hook lesson introducing students to the module theme. Students are then asked to write their own “I wonder” questions about what they are wondering about the particular module. This is a quick and easy assessment that allows teachers to gauge how much students know about a particular topic.

Content: A travel journal has a variety of content, including graphic organizers, reflection pieces, timelines, charts, diagrams, vocabulary, pictures, maps, and all kinds of writing. Often teachers deliver a lesson and then offer some kind of prompt that students respond to. Each student writes a response, and the teacher helps the student edit it. The final version gets published in the travel journal as a record of the student’s work.

Rubric: A rubric is a simple way for students and teachers to judge the completion of assignments. The lower grades use a simple check minus, check, or check plus to assess learning. In the lower grades, the rubric is a reflection of the table of contents, with an added column for a grade the student gives himself or herself and a column for the grade the teacher gives the student. The rubric for the upper grades can be more specific and sophisticated to reflect what’s being learned.

Cover: Each student designs a cover for his or her journal at the end of the module that reflects an idea related to the topic. Students may have two or three options for themes for the cover they want to draw, paint, or design.

Display: At the end of the quarter, all the travel journals are put on display for the school’s quarterly Exhibit Night. Once the exhibits come down, students receive their journals back and take them home. 

• Normal Park Curriculum Map
• Rediscovering Earth Lesson Plans (5th-Grade Science Unit)
• From Civil War to Civil Rights Lesson Plans (5th-Grade Social Studies Unit)
• Understanding by Design Template

Normal Park Museum Magnet School

Per pupil expenditures, free / reduced lunch, demographics:.

4% English Language Learners

Kids Travel Journal Printable [Downloadable PDF Template]

Keeping a kids travel journal is not just a great way to remember the details of your trip, but it also captures those precious memories that may later be swept away in the fog of our memories.

Your kid’s journal will become an heirloom more precious than any other souvenirs you can bring back from your trip. Plus, a journal is an excellent way to keep the kiddos entertained during road trips, long plane rides, and other inevitable travel downtime!

While any old notebook or journal works, if you want to encourage kids to keep track of their experiences, you need to provide some travel journal ideas.

Kids Travel Journal Printables

One thing I’ve learned from my daughter’s teacher is that writing is easier for kids if they are given a writing prompt.  To design these travel journal pages, I talked to my girl about what things she likes to remember from her travels and what types of prompts might make journaling easier.

With her input I put together the following kid travel journal printable pages–including a cover and two inside pages. So if you are looking for a DIY travel journal for your kids, look no further! And if you prefer ready-made kid travel journals — keep reading because I have some options that I like down below.

With this free printable travel journal cover, your child can personalize their journal with their name, indicate where on the map they are going, and record the dates of the trip.

Just click here to download the free PDF of the   kid travel journal printable cover .

I’ve also put together two interior pages. Just print as many of these (double-sided if you can) for the number of days of your trip.

The first page lets your child record the date and location and choose how they felt about the day (loved it, liked it, meh, ugh, tired, or sick.) Kids can also write about what they saw, the best thing they ate, where they stayed, and their favorite part of the day.

There are also icons to select how they traveled (plane, train, car, taxi, subway, boat, bike or walking) and what the weather was like (hot, sunny, partly cloudy, cloudy, rainy, snowy or cold.)

Click here to download the interior page PDF of the  kid travel journal printable .

The second interior page gives plenty of room to draw a picture that represents their day, to help those that are more visual than verbal. It also provides space to write about something they learned to keep track of all the amazing education that comes through travel like facts about a place they visited, a new word in a new language, or something about the culture you are visiting.

Click to download the PDF of the  kid travel journal printable drawing page .

Before you leave just print out the number of pages you need and staple it, bind it, or put it in a pocket folder with room to save ticket stubs, programs, and more.

When on the road, don’t wait until the meltdown at bedtime to think about writing in journals. Stick it in your day bag along with some crayons and pencils and use it as a way to keep kids entertained while waiting to be served at restaurants or other downtime throughout the day.

By the way, if you really want to get your kids involved in the travel planning as well as the travel journaling, use these vacation planner worksheets for kids !

Other Kid Travel Journals

Note: This post may contain affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission. All opinions are my own.

Not looking for a travel journal template? Maybe a travel diary or travel journal is a better fit:

Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids

My friend Rob from 2TravelDads put together The Ultimate Travel Journal for Kids: Awesome Activities for your Adventures . Since he is always adventuring with his two boys, he has some great advice to share on keeping kids entertained and engaged.

My Travel Journal

I’m a big fan of Lonely Planet guidebooks and the Lonely Planet Kids book series, including the My Travel Journal for kids.

Looking for more printables? Check out my scavenger hunts for Universal Orlando and Rome . And don’t forget to sign up for my family travel newsletter to get your free family vacation planning kit!

PIN THIS FOR LATER

Tamara Gruber is the Founder and Publisher of We3Travel. A former marketing executive and travel advisor, Tamara is an award-winning travel writer and recognized expert in family travel. Tamara is a member of SATW and the Adventure Travel Trade Association, and serves on the Board of the Family Travel Association. She is also the publisher of YourTimetoFly.com and the co-host of the Vacation Mavens travel podcast.

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Publish Date: April 7, 2014

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Home » Gear » Best Travel Journals

The BEST Travel Journals of 2024! | Leather, Bullet Journals, Refillable Notebooks + More!

Looking for something special in which you jot down memories of your travel adventures? Then our list of the  best travel journals  out there is definitely going to help you out.

In our world of smartphones and social media, anything remotely physical – like writing down stuff on a page – feels super old fashioned. But just because you could type it or tap out your thoughts on a touch screen, it’s still good to connect with physical objects.

The main thing about having a travel journal is how one-of-a-kind it feels. Having memories of your year-long backpacking journey around the world actually physically written in a book would be amazing to read back in years to come; likewise, having somewhere to note down ideas whilst you’re on the go and use for inspiration later feels more organised than some character-less notes on your phone.

So whatever you are looking for – be it a smart journal that you can use for short city breaks, something cute to encourage your children to write about their travels, or a classic travel journal that’ll last you practically forever – our handy list has you covered.

Quick Answer: These are the Best Travel Journals of 2024

Best travel journals of 2024, #1 – best travel journal for bullet journaling, #2 – best travel journal for scrapbooking, #3 – best travel journal for painting, #4 – best travel journal with pockets, #5 – best midori-style travelers notebook, #6 – top choice for beautiful leather travel journal, #7 – best moleskine travel journal, #8 – best vacation diary, #9 – best travel diary for kids, more best travel journals of 2024, buyer guide – how to choose the best travel journal for you, faq about the best travel journals, final thoughts on the best travel journal, #1 leuchtturm1917 a5 notebook – great travel journal for bullet journaling, #2 siixu colorful blank notebook – best travel journal for scrapbooking, #3 conda hardcover spiral sketchpad – best travel journal for painting, #4 refillable leather journal traveller’s notebook  – best travel journal with pockets, #5 traveler’s notebook by traveler’s company  – best midori-style travelers notebook, #6 travel passion journal by moleskine – best moleskine travel journal, #7 travel journal by promptly journals – best vacation diary, #8 fofun leather travel journal  – top choice for beautiful leather travel journal, #9 kids’ travel journal  – best travel diary for kids.

Leather Journal by FOFUN

• > 100% Full-Grain Leather
• > Hand-made and durable

Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook

• > Great travel journal
• > Pages are gridded

Siixu Colorful Blank Notebook

• > Stitch-bound notebook
• > Pastel-coloured

Conda Hardcover Spiral Sketchpad

• > Hard cover
• > Spiral-bound

Refillable Leather Journal Traveller’s Notebook

• > With all sorts of compartments
• > Opening accordion-style

Traveler’s Notebook by Traveler’s Company

• > Minimal design exterior

Travel Passion Journal by Moleskine

• > Journal specifically for travel
• > 400 pages

Travel Journal by Promptly Journals

• > Four pretty high-end colours
• > Comes with a map

Mudpuppy Kids’ Travel Journal

• > Wire-bound book

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The Leuchtturm1917 A5 Notebook is a classic – and if you ask us, very cool – notebook that we think is ideal for bullet journaling.

With enough space to put all your organization and creativity into the 249 (numbered) pages, this great travel journal for bullet journaling is compact enough to fit into day packs and filled-to-the-brim backpacks alike; the pages are standard A5 size (obviously), but the notebook itself measures in at 5.57″ x 8.25″. It’s secured with elastic.

This classic, mid-century modern notebook comes in 17 punch colours for even the most discerning traveller. From muted navy blue and olive green to bright raspberry and popping yellow, you will definitely be able to find one for your personality.

Inside, the book itself has three blank tables of contents, which means you can organise your outpourings, scribblings and note-taking by creating your very own index – which is definitely what makes it the best travel journal for bullet journaling. The pages are also gridded: perfect for bullet points, even better for geometric doodlings.

Price: $19, Amazon

The Siixu Colorful Blank Notebook is a colorful canvas with lots of space for you to unleash your own creativity.

The 192 pages in this stitch-bound notebook come with pastel-coloured, watercolour-style backgrounds for vibrancy, which are the perfect base for pasting, sticking and doodling all of your travel memories.

Other than the watercolor pattern, the pages in this 5.3″ x 7.2″ are blank and sizable enough to fit all your used tickets, memories and doodles onto the pages, but compact enough for carrying around the world. It’s easily our top pick for the best travel journal for scrapbooking.

The notebook comes in two designs: one with added quotes on the pages for charming character, the other with simple washes of colour on each page. Another plus is how budget friendly this travel journal is!

Price: $11.59, Amazon

Coming in a classic spiral-bound sketchbook style, this journal from Conda is ideal for anybody looking to get crafty with their paints whilst they’re gallivanting around the world.

It’s a traditional hardcover sketchbook, with 120 blank pages of 90gsm paper – thick enough that it’ll take acrylics, oils and watercolors without bleeding through. The pages are also perforated, meaning you can tear ’em out and offer people your drawings and paintings as gifts, or to send back home.

This is a pretty sturdy book, so it should be able to withstand your travels, being shoved into a daypack, and general day-to-day wear and tear. The hard cover is also waterproof, which will help to protect your precious pieces of art. For the sturdiness alone, we’re saying this is the best travel journal for painting.

Though it may not come in different colours, it does come in different sizes, starting at 8.5″ x 11″ and with larger available for you to really get your Picasso on.

Price: $9.29, Amazon

Refillable Traveller’s Notebook by September Leather

The ultimate in travel journaling, this stylish notebook is a chic buy for you, or as a gift! It’s genuine leather, which is cool, but it’s all the stuff you get in addition to the journal itself that makes this easily one of our favourite travel journals out there.

You get a lot of bang for your buck when you opt for this notebook: a binder clip, a pen and penholder that attaches neatly to the book, lined, plain and grid inserts, a kraft folder and zipper pouch.

In addition to the storage space, this journal is refillable, so you can swap out the pages when you’ve run through them without having to buy a whole new book. You know we love to lessen our travel footprint however we can, so we’re really into that!

Traveler’s Notebook by Traveler’s Company

The best Midori-style travelers notebook out there simply has to be the aptly-named Traveler’s Notebook, created by the aptly-named Traveler’s Company (also a Japanese outfit).

This aesthetically minimal, mahogany leather notebook is handmade in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand. It comes as a package of goodies: a spare elastic band and a fine fabric bag to keep it safe from scuffing – if that’s your thing.

This is a pricer notebook, but, it’s refillable, so there’s no end to the travels you can take it on. Our favourite thing about the Traveler’s Notebook is how the leather ages and changes with daily use and general travel wear, becoming a real companion on your travels around the world. We love it.

Price: $49, Amazon

So you’re looking for a beautiful leather travel journal? Well, stop right here, because this is the one for you. Complete with wrap closing (also leather), it’s chic enough to not look like some scrappy backpacker’s scribbling pad, but rugged enough to last some pretty rough journeys in a long-term travel backpack.

Coming from the folks at FOFUN, who make a whole range of leather journals and notebooks, this one features 288 pages of top quality 100GSM lined kraft paper, all covered in full grain leather cowhide. It’s A6 size, which is 5″ by 7″.

The cool thing about this top leather travel journal is how leather ages over time, gaining personalised character as it gets scuffed and worn with use. We love that sort of thing.

When you think “notebooks,” you think “Moleskine,” so this stunning 5″ x 8.5″ journal made especially for travellers had to make our list.

Perfect for everything from weekend getaways to longer backpacking voyages, the inside of the book comes packed with an 8 (!) year calendar, a travel planning timeline, a wishlist, check-lists, lists of must-see travel destinations, and even space for that all-important travel budget .

Don’t worry, though: at 400 pages, there’s lots of free space for all of your travel memories – Moleskine estimates you can fit 6 long trips or 20 short ones into this notebook. Oh, and did we mention it comes with stickers?

Moleskine has created this journal specifically for travellers, so you can turn it into an archive of your trip once you’re back home – it even comes with a keepsake box for storage.

Price: $29.95

This elegant journal by Promptly clocks in at 88 pages, so you can fill it up in a single trip – and fill your bookshelf up with a whole series of your trips! You’ll want to display it, too – the fabric covers of this journal definitely make it the most attractive vacation diary going.

Inside the journal, there are handy thought-starters(true to the company name) to help you more easily note your favourite restaurants, hotels, sights and more. There is also space for you to keep your mementoes like train tickets, museum stubs, and photos, and a roomy back pocket for everything else.

Measuring at 9.2″ x 6.1″, the covering fabric of this top vacation diary also comes in four pretty high-end colours: grey tweed, solid grey, deep blue and dusty rose.

As a bonus, this Promptly journal also comes with a map, to help you plan your journeys, star wishlist destinations, or otherwise decorate or use as you see fit. Neat!

Price: $20, Amazon

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Kids’ Travel Journal

Wouldn’t you love to look back on your childhood travels as a grown-up? Give that gift to the kiddos in your life with this travel diary for kids by Mudpuppy.

This cool company is all about moving kids away from digital devices and into tactile creativity. This time around, they’ve created this travel journal designed specifically with kids in mind.

It’s sturdy (very important when it comes to children), and colourful (also important), spanning 128 pages so that your kids have plenty of room to channel their inner explorer. Inside the wire-bound book, there are various sections, illustrations and prompts to help children document their travels, whilst still including enough space for creativity.

One of our favourite parts are the prompts, in fact: the best and worst parts of a trip would be hilarious to read later on, as would “memorable quotes from mom and dad.”

Price: $9.99, Amazon

Soft Cover Notebook by Sloane Stationery

This offering from British brand Sloane Stationery is a very sleek and stylish notebook, perfect for the stylish travellers among us.

A softcover journal with gold-embossed pages and a vibrant orange crocodile cover, it’s definitely is one of the most high-end-looking travel journals we’ve seen – especially for $15!

Even though the exterior of the book is flashy, the pages are blank so you can get on with doodling, making diary entries, taking notes, or whatever! Size-wise, it’s 5.9″ x 8.3″, the perfect size for both a backpack and chic handbag.

Just think how stylish you’re going to look sat on a terrace cafe, coffee in hand, with this journal on the table, writing about your adventures in foreign lands. Add to cart!

You Are Here: A Mindful Travel Journal by Emma Clarke

The internet makes it easy to succumb to the pressure of being rushed from spot to spot, Instagramming the heck out of your trip – this can really take you out of the moment.

You Are Here: A Mindful Travel Journal by writer Emma Clarke, aims to put you back in the moment and helps you get the most out of your experiences while you’re experiencing them.

Clarke (fun fact: she’s also the voice of the Bakerloo and Central Lines of the London Underground) says: “No one has ever seen this place in the same way you’re seeing it right now, right here, in this moment.” Amen!

The book is a mixture of prompts to keep you grounded and mindful, as well as blanks to fill in and, of course, pages for you to fill with notes, all of it spread over 190 pages. Plus, a portion of the proceeds go to charity. Talk about a feel-good purchase!

Rite In The Rain Notebook

You go through a lot when you’re travelling. Downpours, heat, snow, skiing, hiking, swimming – there are all sorts of weather conditions and situations that you can get yourself into. Not to mention open water bottles knocking around in your backpack – an easy way to ruin months of journalling!

This bad boy from Rite In The Rain (which has been going since 1916) is the answer to all sorts of adverse conditions you might encounter. Plus, at 6″ x 8″, it can slot right into even small day packs.

The tough but flexible outer shell of this notebook is waterproof, and notebook’s 64 pages  will repel water, grease, sweat, mud, and all manner of other grossness. It will even go through the laundry without turning into mush!

Just use a pencil (water-based inks aren’t waterproof) and your notes will stay intact through it all. And unlike other synthetic papers, the Rite In The Rain Notebook can be recycled!

Price: $6.55, Amazon

Rifle Paper Co. Memoir Notebook

This floral notebook from the distinctly feminine Rifle Paper Co. is  the perfect choice for lovers of design, color and kitsch.

Printed on linen-based paper, the 8.5″ by 6.25″ Memoir Notebook comes in five beautifully illustrated covers – Juliet Rose, Tapestry, Sun Print, Terracotta and Jardin de Paris – you can choose which of the bold colours to suit you. The 130 inside pages feature beautiful illustrations as well.

Price: $15, Amazon

Marco Polo My Way Travel Journal

This notebook from Marco Polo is actually part of a whole series of travel products in their My Way line – but this journal has to be our favorite of the lot.

Marco Polo have made taking notes of your journeys easy by including fun emoji stickers, a pocket for mementoes, and fill-in-the-blank guides and travel tips. By the time you’ve filled this book, you’ll have created your very own IRL infographic of your trip. Cool!

At 160 pages and 4.8″ x 7.2″, this notebook is smaller and lighter than some notebooks – and, super affordable!

Price: $3.44, Amazon

I Was Here: A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded

Making waves in all sections of the journaling world, I Was Here designs journals for the curious, prompting travellers to take in the big picture and all the small and meaningful details of their trip.

Inside, the book has all sorts of spaces for notes, spaces for local tips, addresses, and wacky pages where you’re encouraged to do things like start a collection of random convenience store-bought items from the countries you visit.

In a word, I Was Here is fun! It may not be the most practical travel journal out there, but it is a cute way to collect memories and remind even jaded travellers that stopping to smell the roses (or stare at the bugs) shouldn’t be something you leave behind on the road.

Price: $10.86, Amazon

Now, you  could spend a fat chunk of $$$ on the WRONG present for someone. Wrong size hiking boots, wrong fit backpack, wrong shape sleeping bag… As any adventurer will tell you, gear is a personal choice.

So give the adventurer in your life the gift of convenience: buy them an REI Co-op gift card!  REI is The Broke Backpacker’s retailer of choice for ALL things outdoors, and an REI gift card is the perfect present you can buy from them. And then you won’t have to keep the receipt. 😉

So there you have it: those are our favorite travel journals for every kind of writer – but by no means the end of your options! Whether you’re buying for yourself or considering purchasing a travel journal as a gift, there’s lots to consider in the world of stationery.

From colourful covers and page prompts, to durability and simply whether or not pages are lined or blank, there are actually a surprising amount of factors that go into the decision making process.

Closure on journals is important, especially when they might be knocking around a suitcase or a backpack for longer stretches of time. If you don’t want your pages to get crumpled, and especially if you’re someone who likes to store mementos between the pages of your journal, a solid closure is a must.

Moleskine, for example, have that classic elastic band closre that keeps things safe and sound, whereas others come with a stylish leather or fabric bound tie that not only adds to the design detail but also means you’ll be able to slot things in between the pages.

The cover of a journal is pretty important. But first of all, what the cover of a travel journal is actually made out of will make a big difference as to what notebook you actually opt for.

Vegans will probably not want to go for a leather bound notebook, and may want to go for something like a fabric covered hardback book or more durable waterproof notebook instead.

If you’re open to leather, you’ll find it to be a durable option, and it will weather over the weeks, months and years to look worn and rustic.

You should also consider soft vs. hardcover – softcover is lighter, and easier to fit into a tightly-packed suitcase, but hardcover will give you a writing surface wherever you go. For something simple (and undoubtedly budget friendly), a card covered notebook or journal may be the best option for you.

What type of paper is used for the pages of a travel journal will also play a part in your decision making. It’s easy to think that paper is paper and that’s that, but in fact, there are many different types of paper for many different uses.

A thicker gsm of paper, for example, is something that’s more likely to be used in a sketchbook (90 gsm or higher), and is good if you don’t want permanent pens to bleed through, if you plan on painting, or sticking things in.

Then again, if you want something that’s a little more stylish and classic than bleached, white paper, then maybe more classy, cream-coloured pages will be what you want in your travel journal.

It’s also possible, as the Rite In The Rain brand shows, to have waterproof, weatherproof paper, in case you plan on writing in adverse weather conditions.

Essentially it comes down to what you will be doing on those pages: painting, sketching, doodling, making notes, or whatever. Consider the effect of your planned use will have on different sorts of paper and then make your choice.

4. What’s on the page?

Though in the past, travel journals were pretty simple affairs (either a spiral bound journalists’ notebook, a Midori-style travel journal or something similar), things are a little bit different now.

Even just a few years ago, pages only came either blank, ruled or squared. Nowadays, pages in travel journals sometimes come pre-decorated. This may be cool for some people, but for others it may feel like any pre-existing writing or illustration on the page takes away from your own memories.

Prompts in some books can be fun: they encourage you to make lists of things you otherwise wouldn’t have considered, like your favourite foods, favourite hotels, and even random convenience store items you find in the countries you visit. Other times, text on the page acts as a prompt to get you thinking, maybe even getting you to write something more in-depth than you were planning to.

All in all, the choice is whether you want a completely blank page to start with – which can be daunting for a lot of people – or if you want to be gently nudged into creating an awesome travel journal for yourself. Either way, though different, is totally legit.

It’s very simple and very basic, but this is going to be a pretty huge (no pun intended) deal when it comes to deciding exactly what travel journal you are going to purchase for yourself.

If you’re heading off on a year-long backpacking trip around the world and you feel like you’ve got your one bag travel down to a T, then you’re going to want something compact and light.

However, if you want to really get into creating a scrapbook-style travel journal full of memories, sketches and tickets, then you are going to want a big enough book to fit all of that in.

If your plan is to use your travel journal for things like city breaks and two week-long vacations – in which instance you may be using a suitcase – then you may not worry too much about the size, with room in a large suitcase for a larger travel journal, naturally.

Another thing to consider is what you’re going to look like if you feel like writing your travel journal in public. It may not be practical to be lugging around an A4 sized travel journal, or to get it out if you want to make note of the tiny cafe you’re in, or trying to write on a cramped seat on a train or bus. Compact in these cases may be a lot better!

6. Length of your trip

Next to size, when thinking about what sort of travel journal is going to be right for you, a lot of people often circle back to this factor: just how long is the trip?

The thing is, some travel journals are more geared up towards one single trip: a month in Thailand, two weeks exploring Italy, a six week long road trip through the USA. That sort of thing, in which case, you won’t be needing (or wanting) a zillion pages.

Other travel journals are for numerous trips, such as the lengthy options offered by Moleskine and Midori-style notebooks (the latter of which have no structure, and for which you can buy paper-only refills for the leather cover), mean that you can dip in and out, adding different details to your various adventures, referring back to past travels: a weekend in Berlin here, an epic hike in Nepal there.

Essentially, the fewer the pages, the more likely the travel journal in question will be good for a single, perhaps lengthy trip. For the serial travellers and backpackers out there, something longer and more permanent may be the travel journal for you.

7. Organization

No longer simple collections of pages between two hard (or soft) covers, the best travel journals of today sometimes boast a whole load of interior organization to help keep you and your trip on the right track.

From simply adding an interior pocket, where you can keep a few important tickets and pictures safe, to going all out and adding plenty of envelopes and places to slip in all manner of small, special physical memories from your travels, it can vary quite a bit.

But organization isn’t just about pockets. There are other things to think about, too. Some travel journals come complete with calendars, spaces for to-do lists, maps, itineraries and even packing tips. These kind of added extras mean that the journal turns into more of a planner all round scheduling.

Obviously. Money, money, money: it’s going to be a big factor in whether you choose to buy such and such a travel journal over another one. Let’s face it, you can’t buy what you can’t afford.

Even if you can afford it, $48 might just seem – to some people – like too much to ask for a travel journal. On the other hand, some people may not trust that a sub-$8 travel journal will be any good in terms of durability.

The fact of the matter is that cheap things can be surprisingly good, and expensive things can be surprisingly bad. When it comes to budget, it’s best to choose something mid-range that has good reviews and that meets the needs of what you’re looking for in a travel diary: don’t skimp out just because it’s $5 more than you wanted it to be. If it sounds like you, then treat yourself.

Still have some questions? No problem! We’ve listed and answered the most commonly asked questions below. Here’s what people usually want to know:

Why should I get a travel journal?

Journaling during travels, whether that’s just for a couple of days or for weeks, is a great way to remember travel stories, clear your head and add some routine and structure to your day. It’s always great to look back on it once you finished your travels.

Which is the best leather travel journal?

These are our favorite leather journals: – Refillable Traveller’s Notebook by September Leather – Traveler’s Notebook by Traveler’s Company – Leather Journal by FOFUN

Do waterproof journals exist?

Yes they do! And the Rite In The Rain Notebook is one of the best. Each page is water repellent while the cover is fully waterproof.

What is the most minimalistic notebook?

We love the Traveler’s Notebook by Traveler’s Company for it’s simplicity, yet stylish design. It’s a leather notebook that is handmade in Chiang Mai.

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There you have it, budding Jack Kerouacs: the very best travel journals out there right now! With our list, you’re all set to venture out into the wide world, then pop in your headphones and record all your thoughts, feelings and observations like the explorer you are.

For the best, all-round travel journal out there, the Leather Journal by FOFUN is a great choice. This is a stylish, timeless sort of journal that’s going to be a good choice for anybody.

Then again, if you’re thinking of something a little less traditional, I Was Here – with its kooky prompts and quirky way of working – may be more what you’re looking for.

And if there’s something we’re missing the travel journal world, let us know in the comments!

And for transparency’s sake, please know that some of the links in our content are affiliate links . That means that if you book your accommodation, buy your gear, or sort your insurance through our link, we earn a small commission (at no extra cost to you). That said, we only link to the gear we trust and never recommend services we don’t believe are up to scratch. Again, thank you!

Clair Cathryn

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Oh my gosh, I’m a sucker for a pretty journal! Can I document my travels in 3 or 4 of these?! ? Thanks so much for the killer suggestions.

100% you can use a number of these as travel journals, Deb!

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Travel journal examples and how to get the most out of a travel journal

A travel journal: your new best friend.

Travel journal examples can spark ideas for your own journal. This matters a great deal because a travel journal can be one of your most helpful travel — make that life — tools. It can serve myriad purposes from recording your thoughts, emotions (an important aspect many overlook) and experiences to being a repository of creative ideas and even artwork. You can use it as a scrapbook, planning tool, contact book, organizer, reference book (for vital information such as passport numbers, hotel addresses, places to visit, etc.) and even a place to hide certain valuables.

It’s simple enough to put information into your travel journal. The hard part is being able to find or extract that information easily later on. But don’t worry. I’ll show you travel journal examples, techniques, hacks and tips for that and more based on decades trying a wide variety of travel journals and approaches. You’ll find these useful whether you’re an old pro at journaling or even if you’ve never used a travel journal before. And be sure to read all the way through this article since the Additional Resources section at the end is loaded with inspiring and helpful travel journal examples and ideas.

Getting started

The first and most important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to set up your travel journal. In fact, I’ve found that the best approach is to just start with something and learn as you go. My first travel journal was basically a daily diary: “Today I did this, etc.” Now, however, I use it in a very different matter. But it all comes down to this: What is the purpose of your travel journal?

Two typical entries from my first travel journal on my first trip to Europe in high school. I have upped my travel journal game a bit since then, or so I hope.

This is such an important question because it will guide what kind of notebook/journal/sketchbook you use, how you organize it and how you interact with it. If you’re just starting out, you may not even know your purpose other than to record your experiences. That’s fine. Start there. Then refine over time.

For me, I see my travel journal as a collection tool for travel drawing and notes where I gather ideas, sketches, some to-do’s, trip details and anything else that interests me. But the main difference between this and most journals is that as a tool, I want to use my journal after I return. Not just for nostalgic reminisces on my trip, but to glean from it what I’ve learned, gained and become. I’ll explain this more momentarily.

Picking the right journal

Again, I’m not sure there is a universal “right” travel journal. Your goal is to find what works for you. You can start by determining if you want a blank notebook or a travel journal that comes with prompts, quotes, organizing categories, etc. Here’s a helpful list of 17 travel journals to give you a sense of travel journal examples and possibilities. Mostly, consider if you want to do travel drawing or even painting in your travel journal. If so, you’ll want thicker paper that won’t warp with the water or bleed through with ink. You likely will want blank pages, as opposed to lines, grids or dots.

Just as there’s no right or wrong size (just what works for you), so too is the orientation up to you. As you can see here, I sketched holding the journal in a portrait orientation (left page) but wrote (right page, partial) using a landscape orientation. Both work.

If you want to use it as a form of a scrapbook, get one with pockets or that is expandable enough for when you’ve doubled the thickness with all those tickets, stamps, samples of currency, bottle labels and other elements you’ve glued to the pages.

Buying a nice looking or feeling notebook or journal can be motivating. But getting too nice of a notebook to use can be intimidating: You’ll be afraid to do any travel drawing or mess it up. Thus, I suggest starting somewhere in the middle. Find a journal or notebook that will hold up well (hard covers help in this regard), but isn’t so expensive you’ll only want to use it on special occasions. 

Even fancy patterns on your pages can be fun. I tend to prefer blank pages, but sometimes I’ll try different patterns just to mix things up.

Your travel journal is more of a workhorse than a show pony (though sometimes a bit of that too later on). You’ll get far more out of one you use all the time, where you write, do travel drawing or urban sketching, doodle and record with the intent that only you will ever see it. If you choose to show it to others later, fine. But don’t make that your main goal, at least as a beginner, or you’ll never get the most out of your journal.

How will you use your travel journal?

Back to purpose, you can choose to have a general-use journal or one devoted only to your trips (or to a particular trip). I have done both, and there are pros and cons to each. A journal for all situations allows you to connect everything you do so that if a great work idea hits you on a trip, you can reference back to a meeting about that, etc. You can also find things easier in some ways since your whole life, trip or home/work, is laid out in a chronological fashion in one book.

Here’s a recent journal of mine that I use daily, as well as for trips. You can see the basic outline for this article here that I wrote on the plane on a business trip. How do I know it was on a trip? From the notation that the sketch was done from a photo in the airplane’s magazine somewhere between Baltimore (BWI) and Seattle (SEA)

A really popular approach these days to general journals is the Bullet Journal . Many people swear by this way of organizing their journal and their life. I love many of the ideas found in bullet journaling. But I choose not to follow that approach completely. Why? Bullet journaling is primarily intended as a productivity tool. I personally don’t find it helpful in that regard because, for example, tracking all my calendar events and moment-by-moment to-do’s in a journal slows me down.

Combine digital and analog

Instead, I use a combination of Outlook, Trello , Evernote and Scrivener (the latter two for organizing ideas and writing projects or content) on my phone and computer. The main reason for tracking tasks digitally is that they roll over automatically. I don’t have to constantly move them manually from one day, week or month to-do list to the next.

But the main reason I don’t use the bullet journal methodology for my travel journal is that when I travel, productivity is not my goal. Exploration and discovery are. I use my travel journal to capture what I learn as I explore the world around me and the world within me wherever I go.

On a trip, I’m less interested in productivity than in explaining why this sketch was hard to do well.

In the last few years, I’ve taken up sketching and even watercolors, so for me, I now maintain a separate travel journal for each major trip. I use one that has thicker watercolor paper, so on a three-week trip, I can pretty much fill up the whole book. But for shorter trips, I do use my day-to-day journal. And I’ve even done both: Used my day-to-day journal to record words and a smaller sketchbook for travel drawing or watercolors. Again, no right or wrong way to do this. Just start with an approach and build from there.

Organizing your travel journal

What follows is how I organize my travel journal. It’s the same way I do my day-to-day journal but with some additional pages in the end for travel-specific information. My purpose, remember, is to capture ideas, information and experiences and then to be able to use these later. For that reason, the most helpful part of my journal is the index. I’ll explain that in a moment along with travel journal examples, but here’s what else goes into my journal.

Starting with a brand new empty journal

The first thing I do with a new journal is to put my name, cell phone number and email address on the inside cover.

Next, if the journal doesn’t have a rear pocket, I make one or glue/tape in a small envelope that fits on the inside of the rear cover.

If you glue in your own, consider hiding a few large denomination bills, both dollars and the local currency, behind the envelope or anything else you tape or glue inside the covers. It’s a great place for hiding back-up money. It works because once you start using your travel journal regularly, you’ll find it is one of your most precious possessions. You’ll learn to guard it like your wallet, passport or phone.

These are just some of the many travel journals I’ve filled up over the years.

In addition to the pocket or envelope in your journal, consider bringing a quart or gallon-sized zip lock bag to hold all the small items you pick up along the way. I used to shove them into pockets in my carry-on bag, but having a single location now keeps them from getting lost or mangled. And it keeps my travel journal from looking like George Costanza’s wallet on Seinfeld . This same bag can hold a glue stick, paper clips or anything else you want for adding items to your journal.

Start in the front and work back

I track everything chronologically noting the date at the top of each day’s entry. If it spans multiple pages, I’ll write “(cont.)” after the date on later spreads so I know to keep looking for the start of that day when I review the entry later.

I work in this chronological fashion for recording most of my entries because I find it flows better to write the item down right away and then figure out how to classify it later. I set up indexes in the back for classifying and locating the entry. But that comes as a review step, not a creative or collecting function.

What to write

Starting at the front section of the travel journal, I may use the very first page as a title page if the journal is devoted to a single trip. Otherwise, I skip over that page and then start with the date of the start of the trip and then just keep going from there. Here are the types of content I write/draw along with some of my travel journal examples:

Sometimes, I’ll devote a whole page or spread to nothing but sketches.

• General thoughts . These make up the majority of my journal and are what you’d expect in any journal.
• Sketches . I’m still just a beginner, but I’ve committed to one sketch per day, at home or on a trip. Sometimes they are involved. Others (most of the time), are just a quick gesture. But the discipline helps improve my skill.
• A daily log . At the end of each day, I do a very quick list of summary activities, where I went, who I met, what I did. I actually note it like this: “(Log 11/27/19 – Wed.):” so that I can see at a glance what were log entries versus other ideas. For logs, the shorter the better. Here’s where bullet journal techniques can help: Record a few words as a bullet rather than full sentences. At the end of every daily log, I also record two specific items in addition log entries themselves, gratitude points and what I’ve read or watched.
• Gratitude points : I jot down what I call a Goodness Journal (abbreviated as GJ) entry. This is the highlight of my day for which I am most grateful. On trips, this can often end up being multiple points.
• Read/Watched : The second additional component is what I call Read/Watched (R/W) where I list any books I’ve read that day or any movies, programs, concerts, etc. that I watched. It can include podcasts and anything else you want to track. Before I started doing this, I’d get to the end of the year and couldn’t recall all the books I’d read. Now I can just by referring back to these entries.
• Insights and Ideas . Most of my journal at home is filled with these. On trips, these happen more on plane, train or bus rides than every single day. But they could happen any time which is why I keep a pocket-sized travel journal with me or at least a note card or my phone so I can write the idea down immediately.
• Quotes . These can be formal written ones I encounter or snippets of conversations I overhear. As a writer, I want to always be gathering dialog examples or clever turns of phrases.
• To-dos. Yes, I said I record these digitally for the daily tasks. But sometimes on trips, you have opportunities for dreaming and planning. I mark all to-do’s with a checkbox I can fill in later. I like the bullet journal way they do this as well (a dot instead of a box).

I had a gentleman in China demonstrate his woodblock stamps by stamping some examples in my journal. You can paste in stamps, tickets, receipts, postcards or any other artifacts from your trip onto your journal pages as you go (if you remember to bring some glue or paste).

• Descriptions . These are either quick notes on what I’m seeing, hearing, tasting or tasting, or longer ways to capture the details of a place. See Look Closely for details on how to do this as a way to learn to see details better or to write better based on your travels. I also make sure to write down the names of places, people, food, local expressions and anything else I want to write about later. Don’t assume you’ll remember it or can look it up later. Write it down.
• Miscellaneous . I’ve had artists draw in my journal, had people stamp it (see photo above), record different colors of beverages spilled or intentionally dripped on it and a wealth of other things added. Be open to how you can use your journal. Or for fun, try this exercise: Come up with as many ways as you can think of to use your travel journal on your next trip.

The back of the journal

The front of the journal is used for a chronological input of information each day (or whenever you choose). The goal there is to record the idea, insight, drawing or information just like in a diary. The back of the journal is where you’ll organize it all for later retrieval.

Working from the last page backwards, I set up a series of index or topic pages (see the list below) where I record anything related to that topic either verbatim (if I have the time and forethought to write it down there such as contact info or a quote I came across) or as a page number reference and summary line from the front of the journal (hence the reason these back-of-the-journal pages are called Index Pages).

For me, I find that most index sections only require one page (e.g. for Contacts or Travel Details) but I leave two pages for Ideas or Vocabulary since they tend to have more entries. I write small (some would say ridiculously small), so if you don’t, you may want to leave more room.

Review your entries and record them for easier retrieval

I don’t assign page numbers as I write in the front of the journal. Instead, I jot down a page number later, maybe daily, maybe weekly, as I review my journal. Writing down the page number during the review phase shows me which pages have been indexed. No page number indicates it still needs to be indexed. As I review each page, I also code the entries themselves on the journal pages by highlighting the topic or assigning a word or letter to let me know what it is. For example, if there’s a quote, I will write “Quote” and circle it right before the quote. For blog ideas, I’ll write “blog” and circle that, etc. If  an idea that has distinct merit, I’ll draw a star next to it. Particular project ideas get a corresponding code, e.g. if it’s about  my book on Hidden Travel,   I’ll write “HT” and circle that. The whole point is to make it easier to spot the entry when you’re reviewing the page later.

Here you can (hopefully) see how I’ve written and circled page numbers at the top and put a box around the word “Quote” on the left page and “Visual appeal article” on the right page. Then, on the Quotes index page, I’ll write “108” and circle it with a quick notation like, “E.B. White on saving/savoring the world.” On the Ideas index page, I’ll write “109” and circle it with the notation, “Visual Appeal article questions.”

In case you’re wondering why the index/topic pages go in the back and not in the front like a table of contents, it’s because I often add topics as I progress through the journal. Working from the back gives me room to add new pages whereas if I’d started from the front and I didn’t guess correctly, I’d be out of room before running into my journal entries.

Travel journal examples of Pre-Trip Items

Some of my index/topic pages get filled in (or at least started) before my trip either as planning or to load my travel journal with important information to have on my trip. Here are some travel journal examples of the key sections.

Here’s a travel journal example of a shot list from my China trip journal. I tend to write pretty small in the back section of a journal! The whited out area was my passport number in code. Writing key information on pages with other entries makes it even less obvious this is something valuable.

• Vocabulary. On trips to countries where I’m learning the language, I’ll add new vocabulary words here usually starting long before the trip. These are key words to practice, as well as new ones I pick up as I travel.
• Shot list . When planning my trip, as a photographer, I make a list of specific places, scenes, techniques I want to try or even times of day I want to shoot. Check out my Beginner’s Guide to Making Awesome Travel Photos for more on this and other travel photo techniques. In addition, as I review guidebooks or articles, I’ll add interesting places to this list. Even if you’re not a photographer, you can make a list of “must see” places or “must do” experiences or activities. Writing them down really helps because it makes it so easy to find all these in one place rather than hunting through a guidebook or other pages on your trip.
• Themes and Moments . This is yet another pre-trip fill-in page. I try to come up with a theme or quest for each trip. Writing down ideas about that or defining it really adds to the anticipation of the trip. On this page, I’ll also jot down ideas for creating magic or defining moments for others on the trip. This includes ideas for the activities or contact info for places or people that will be part of the activity.

Travel journal examples of elements to add as you travel

Here are some typical index/topic pages in the back of my travel journal that get filled in as I go:

• Contact information . I keep a separate page to record the names, email addresses, etc. of people I meet along the way. If, in a hurry, I just write down a name and email address in the front-of-the-book journaling section. I’ll later record the page number and contact name on the page here so all I can find all my contacts in one place later.
• Ideas . This becomes a catchall for any creative ideas I’ve had. I normally start with the page number(s) followed by a brief summary such as “27 – 29: Dining room chair design” or “73: Article on architecture styles in Morocco.”

Here’s a specific travel journal example, the Ideas Index Page from my China trip journal. I had started the page on the left as a vocabulary list but made room from more ideas when I ran out of space on the page on the right.

• Books and Movies . This too is a catchall for any form of entertainment I want to read. I constantly get book and movie (and even song or podcast) recommendations as I travel that I add here with an open check box. I also record books I’ve finished to this list noting those with a checked box.
• Quotes . As noted above, these may be written quotes I come across or snippets of dialog I pick up. I either write the quote here directly or reference the journal page where I wrote the quote with a reminder such as “53-quote from Leipzig waitress on timing.”

You can do a trip highlights page on the flight home, but sometimes it helps to record a summary of details in the midst of your trip of things that stand out to you.

• To-do’s. I said I like to keep my travel journal free from productivity and time management, but I always have big-picture to-do activities that arise on a trip. I’ll record these as I go in the journal section, but for longer-term ones I don’t want to lose track of, I sometimes add a to-do index as well in the back of the journal. This can also be a great place to record future planning ideas for things you want to accomplish after your trip.
• Trip highlights . I’ll normally note the big moments in the journal section as they occur. But often on the flight home, I like to review these and capture them all in one place with the page reference and a brief notation. I may also add in additional ones at this point because sometimes, you don’t realize how powerful or meaningful a moment was at the time.

When your journal is full

Eventually, you’ll fill up your journal with entries. You’ll then review and have every page numbered with key entries noted in your index pages. Then what?

I use Scrivener (for writing projects) and Evernote (for others) as software/apps to track ideas over time. Thus, when I finish a journal, I go copy the content from my index pages into one of these digital programs.

There are several reasons for this. First, it helps to have all your ideas over time in one place so you can view them easier. Second, with the online tools, I can tag content by subject making retrieval later much easier. Most of us focus our efforts on having ideas and maybe writing them down. But those ideas won’t serve you well if you can’t find them later. Finally, putting everything into one place helps me see patterns and related ideas which, in turn, sparks new ideas.

It all relates to the concept of Collect, Connect and Share. If all you’re doing is collecting, you’re missing out on the main value of your journal.

Make a copy

This may be overkill to some, but my journals are precious repositories of life. I would hate to lose them. I could dictate the contents and transcribe that, but I don’t have that kind of time. Instead, Evernote comes to the rescue.

The Evernote app has a photo function. I open the app and take pictures of every spread or page of my journal. I save the results as an Evernote file and can even tag it by date, country or other criteria. It then resides on the cloud (and I also do a back-up on a drive at home). That way, if the original gets lost, I know that all those memories are secure.

Let’s review

Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Know the purpose for your journal
• Choose the type of journal based on your intended purpose.
• Start with something that’s not too nice so that you’re not afraid to mark it up.
• Keep daily entries in the front and a list of index pages in the back of the journal.
• Periodically review your journal entries. As you do, number each page and record that page number and a brief reminder on the appropriate index page.
• At the end of each journal, photograph each page and save to a secure location. Then enter the index information into whatever tool you use for tracking all of your ideas over time.

Additional resources and travel journal examples

Here are other resources and travel journal examples to both inspire and help you get the most out of your travel journal:

• A helpful article with visuals of different travel journal examples
• Writer and artist Austin Kleon’s comments on notebooks 
• Travel journal examples (and notebooks) of author Robert MacFarlane 
• Some additional travel journal examples and notebook types
• The Sketchbook Projec t, one of my favorite places to visit in Brooklyn, NY and a great source of inspiration for sketchbooks. If you’re looking for a single place for travel journal examples, it is this one. Here are just a few screen shots of some random travel journal examples I looked up by Julia Yellow . There are thousands of such journals at this site.

• If you really enjoy the travel drawing aspect of a travel journal, you might want to connect with the whole Urban Sketchers movement and see travel journal examples that include urban sketching. Here’s an example of an urban sketch by Stephanie Bower . I took some of her architectural sketching courses online at Bluprint and they were excellent.

Parting thoughts

Finally, if you want even more travel journal examples and information, be sure to read Lavinia Spalding’s excellent book on the subject, Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler. Here’s one of many great quotes from the book:

“If we’re committed to honest investigation, the travel journal can be a cornerstone of growth and a catalyst for great work, providing a safe container for astonishing discoveries and the life lessons we take away from them. We write words in an empty book, and an inanimate object is transformed into a living, breathing memoir. In turn, as we write, the journal transforms us. It allows us to instantly process impressions, which leads to a more examined layer of consciousness in both the present and the future. It’s a relationship, and let me tell you, it’s no cheap one-night stand.”

You might want to consider writing that quote down in your travel journal. Either in the daily entries or on the quotes index page. Or however you want to do it. It’s your travel journal and the possibilities are endless.

Thanks Steve! Informative and creative. Your sketching is lovely, too! Merry Christmas to you and the fam

Thanks, Alan. I was just editing a section in my upcoming book, “Hidden Travel,” on the subject of sketching and the advice I was given by Gabriel Campinario, founder of Urban Sketchers. He told me to never apologize or say, “Oh, I’m just a beginner” when someone compliments your sketching because no matter how bad you think it is, it is still better than that of the 99% of the population who never attempts to draw. So I will leave it at, “Thank you!”

[…] I mainly get inspiration from a Reddit group called Journaling, and also I get a few ideas on making travel journals. Despite it being fun to do having a physical notebook, at times it can be difficult to finish them […]

You’ve inspired me to resume creating tiny travel journals, with scrapbook like additions. I use photo double sided stickies, not glue. Someone asked what do I do with these? As if creating isn’t pleasurable. I often use them as primary sources to create photobooks. Along with my Bird lists.🐦😁.

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Free Printable Travel Journal: Tips and Templates for Your Next Adventure

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Are you planning your next adventure and want to document your travels? A travel journal is a great way to keep track of your experiences, memories, and thoughts while on the road. Whether you prefer to write by hand or type on your device, our free printable travel journal can be a useful tool to organize your thoughts and record your journey.

With a printable travel journal, you can customize the pages to fit your needs and preferences. Some journals come with prompts to help you get started, while others offer blank pages for you to fill in as you go. You can choose to include photos, maps, and other mementos to make your journal even more personalized. Best of all, a printable travel journal is free and can be easily printed at home or at a local print shop.

Travel journals are not only a great way to document your travels, but they can also serve as a keepsake to look back on in the future. By recording your thoughts and experiences, you can relive your adventures and share them with others. So, whether you are embarking on a solo journey or traveling with friends and family, consider creating a printable travel journal to capture your memories and make your trip even more memorable.

The Importance of a Travel Journal

As travel enthusiasts, we know that every trip we take is a unique experience that we want to remember forever. That's why keeping a travel journal is so important. It's a way to capture all the memories, emotions, and experiences we had during our trips.

Writing in a travel journal is not only about documenting what we did or where we went. It's also about reflecting on our experiences, our personal growth, and the lessons we learned. By taking the time to write down our thoughts and feelings, we can gain a deeper understanding of ourselves and the world around us.

A travel journal is also a great way to keep track of the details of our trips. From flight numbers to hotel reservations, we can write down all the important information we need to remember. This can be especially helpful when planning future trips or when sharing our experiences with others.

Furthermore, a travel journal can be a source of inspiration for future trips. By reading through our past entries, we can relive our favorite moments and get excited about new adventures. We can also use our journal to brainstorm new travel ideas or to plan out the details of our next trip.

In summary, a travel journal is an essential tool for any traveler. It allows us to preserve our memories, reflect on our experiences, and plan for future adventures. So the next time you plan a trip, don't forget to pack a journal and a pen!

Choosing the Right Layout for Your Travel Journal

When it comes to creating a travel journal, choosing the right layout is essential to ensure that you capture all of your memories and experiences in a way that feels organized and visually appealing. There are many different types of layouts to choose from, so it's important to consider what works best for you.

One popular option is an art or doodle style visual travel journal. This type of layout allows you to draw and sketch your experiences, adding a personal touch to your journal. If you enjoy drawing or want to improve your artistic skills, this could be a great option for you.

Another option is a bullet journal layout specifically made for capturing the meaningful moments and experiences of traveling. This type of layout is designed to be simple and easy to use, without requiring a lot of time or energy. It's a great option if you want to focus on writing about your experiences without worrying about design.

If you want to include photos in your travel journal, consider a layout that incorporates space for them. A scrapbook-style layout is perfect for this, as it allows you to add photos, ticket stubs, and other mementos from your trip. Alternatively, you could choose a layout that includes a section for photos alongside your written entries.

Another important consideration is the structure and organization of your travel journal. Some layouts are more structured than others, with specific sections for different types of experiences or activities. Others are more free-form, allowing you to write about whatever you want in any order you choose. Think about how you want to organize your journal and choose a layout that fits your needs.

Ultimately, the right layout for your travel journal is the one that works best for you. Consider your personal preferences, the type of trip you're taking, and what you want to get out of your journal. With the right layout, you'll be able to capture all of your travel memories in a way that feels fun, creative, and organized.

Incorporating Printables into Your Journal

When it comes to travel journaling, incorporating printables can be a game-changer. Not only do they add a personal touch to your journal, but they also make it easy to organize your thoughts and memories.

Printables are templates that you can print out and use to create your journal pages. They come in a variety of designs and layouts, making it easy to find one that fits your style. Plus, they are usually free and easy to use.

One of the benefits of using printables is that they provide structure to your journal. Instead of staring at a blank page, you can use the template as a guide to help you jot down your thoughts and memories. This is especially helpful if you're new to journaling or if you're not sure where to start.

Another benefit of printables is that they offer a variety of templates to choose from. You can find templates for daily, weekly, or monthly journaling, as well as templates for specific types of travel, such as road trips or backpacking. This variety allows you to customize your journal to fit your needs and preferences.

When using printables, it's important to remember that they are just templates. You can add your own personal touch by including photos, ticket stubs, or other mementos from your trip. This will make your journal even more special and unique.

Overall, incorporating printables into your travel journal is an easy and fun way to add structure and personality to your pages. With a variety of templates to choose from, you're sure to find one that fits your style and needs.

-> Download and print our Free Printable Travel Journal here ! <-

Adding Personal Touches to Your Journal

When it comes to creating a travel journal, there are many ways to add a personal touch to your entries. Here are some ideas to help make your journal truly unique:

Draw and Sketch

If you're artistically inclined, consider adding drawings or sketches to your journal. You can draw pictures of the places you've visited, the food you've eaten, or the people you've met. Even if you're not a great artist, don't be afraid to give it a try. Your sketches don't have to be perfect, they just have to be a representation of your experiences.

Photos are a great way to add visual interest to your journal. You can print out photos and glue them into your journal, or use a Polaroid camera to take instant photos on the go. You can also add captions or notes to your photos to help you remember the details of your trip.

Show Your Personality

Your travel journal is a reflection of you, so don't be afraid to let your personality shine through. You can add stickers, washi tape, or other decorative elements to your journal to make it more colorful and fun. You can also write in your own unique voice, using slang or expressions that are meaningful to you.

Make a List of Things to Do

Before you leave for your trip, make a list of things you want to do or see. This can include museums, restaurants, or other attractions. As you complete each item on your list, make a note of it in your journal. This will help you remember all the fun things you did on your trip.

Use Markers

Markers are a great way to add color and texture to your journal. You can use different colors to highlight important details or create a visual hierarchy. You can also use markers to create callouts or other visual elements that draw attention to specific parts of your journal.

Use Your Imagination

Remember, your travel journal is a creative outlet, so don't be afraid to use your imagination. You can create collages, use different fonts, or experiment with different layouts. The goal is to create a journal that reflects your unique experiences and memories.

Keeping Track of Your Travels

When exploring new places, going on vacation, or attending events, it's always fun to keep track of our travel memories. One great way to do this is by using a free printable travel journal. These journals are designed to help us document our experiences and create lasting memories.

With a travel journal, we can keep track of our itinerary, record our thoughts and feelings about the places we visit, and even add pictures and maps to help us remember the details. Whether we're traveling solo or with friends and family, a travel journal is a great way to capture the essence of our trip.

One of the best things about using a printable travel journal is that we can customize it to our liking. We can choose from a variety of designs and layouts that suit our personality and needs. Some journals even come with prompts to help us get started and provide inspiration for our writing.

To make our travel journal even more special, we can add mementos from our trip such as ticket stubs, postcards, and other souvenirs. These items help us remember the details of our trip and bring back fond memories of our experiences.

Overall, a free printable travel journal is a fun and easy way to keep track of our travels and create lasting memories. With a little creativity and a willingness to document our experiences, we can create a journal that is both personal and meaningful.

Related Posts:

• Why Road Trips in California are the Best Trips: The Ultimate Adventure Experience
• Free Printable Road Trip Games for Kids: Keep Your Little Ones Entertained on Long Drives

Organizing Your Meals and Activities

When traveling, one of the most important things to plan is our meals and activities. We want to make sure we have enough time to try all the local cuisine and experience all the fun activities the destination has to offer. Here are some tips for organizing your meals and activities while on the go.

Breakfast and Lunch

We like to start our day with a hearty breakfast to fuel us for the adventures ahead. We always research the best local breakfast spots ahead of time, so we don't miss out on any must-try dishes. We also make sure to pack some snacks for the day, such as fruit, granola bars, or trail mix, to keep us energized.

For lunch, we usually opt for something quick and easy, like a sandwich or salad. We try to find a local spot to grab a bite, but if we're short on time, we'll grab something from a convenience store or market.

Things to Do

We always make a bucket list of things we want to do and see before we arrive at our destination. This helps us prioritize our time and make sure we don't miss out on anything. We also research any events or festivals that may be happening during our stay and add those to our list.

Once we arrive, we like to book any activities or tours we're interested in right away. This helps us avoid disappointment if they sell out or if we run out of time. We also leave some flexibility in our schedule in case we discover something new we want to try.

Organizing our meals and activities ahead of time helps us make the most of our travels and ensures we don't miss out on any must-try experiences. By starting our day with a hearty breakfast, packing snacks for the day, and making a bucket list of things to do, we can make our travels unforgettable.

The Benefits of a Printable Travel Journal

When it comes to keeping track of our travels, a printable travel journal can be an excellent tool. Here are some of the benefits of using one:

Easy to Use

Printable travel journals are incredibly easy to use. You can print them out at home before your trip, and then fill them in as you go along. You don't need any special software or skills, just a printer and a pen.

There are many different printable travel journals available, so you're sure to find one that suits your needs. Some are designed for specific types of trips, like road trips or backpacking adventures, while others are more general. You can choose one with prompts to help you get started, or a blank one that gives you complete freedom to write whatever you like.

One of the best things about printable travel journals is that they provide structure for your writing. Many include prompts for things like the best meal you had, the most interesting person you met, or the most beautiful view you saw. These prompts can help you organize your thoughts and ensure that you don't forget any important details.

A printable travel journal is a great way to keep all of your travel memories in one place. You can look back on it years later and remember all of the amazing experiences you had. Plus, it's a physical keepsake that you can hold onto and pass down to future generations.

Overall, a printable travel journal is a fantastic tool for anyone who loves to travel. It's easy to use, provides structure, and helps you remember all of the amazing experiences you had on your trip.

Additional Features of a Travel Journal

Aside from the basic features of a travel journal, there are additional features that can make your journal more personalized and functional. Here are some features that you may want to consider when choosing or creating your own travel journal:

A hole punch is a simple tool that can be used to add holes to your journal pages. This feature is especially useful if you want to add your own pages or inserts to your journal. By punching holes in your pages, you can easily add them to your journal binder or ring.

The binding of your travel journal is an important feature to consider. There are different types of binding available, such as spiral binding, ring binding, and perfect binding. Each type of binding has its own advantages and disadvantages, so it's important to choose the one that suits your needs.

Pockets are a great feature to have in your travel journal. They can be used to store small items such as tickets, receipts, or postcards. Having pockets in your journal can help you keep all your travel memorabilia in one place, making it easier to organize and access.

Customizable Pages

Customizable pages are a great feature to have in a travel journal. They allow you to personalize your journal by adding your own photos, drawings, or notes. Some travel journals come with pre-designed pages that you can fill out, while others allow you to create your own pages from scratch.

Writing Prompts

Writing prompts are a great feature to have in a travel journal. They can help you overcome writer's block and inspire you to write about your travel experiences. Some travel journals come with pre-written prompts, while others allow you to create your own.

Overall, these additional features can make your travel journal more functional, personalized, and enjoyable to use. Consider which features are important to you and choose a travel journal that meets your needs.

Finding Inspiration for Your Travel Journal

When it comes to filling up your travel journal, it can be challenging to know where to start. Luckily, there are plenty of sources of inspiration out there to help get your creative juices flowing. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Pinterest

Pinterest is a great resource for finding inspiration for just about anything, and travel journaling is no exception. You can search for travel journaling prompts, creative layouts, and even printable pages to add to your journal. Plus, you can save your favorite ideas to boards for easy reference later.

2. Local Culture

One of the best ways to make your travel journal unique is to draw inspiration from the local culture. Take note of the colors, patterns, and motifs that you see in the architecture, clothing, and art around you. You can incorporate these elements into your journal by using them as inspiration for your layouts, doodles, and color schemes.

3. Your Own Experiences

Of course, the most important source of inspiration for your travel journal is your own experiences. Take note of the sights, sounds, and smells around you, and write down your thoughts and feelings about each new place you visit. You can also include ticket stubs, postcards, and other mementos to help bring your memories to life on the page.

4. Other Travel Journals

Finally, don't be afraid to look to other travel journals for inspiration. You can find plenty of examples online, on social media, or even in bookstores. Take note of the layouts, writing styles, and creative elements that you like, and consider incorporating them into your own journal in your own unique way.

With these sources of inspiration, you're sure to find plenty of ideas for filling up your travel journal. Happy journaling!

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative travel journal ideas.

When it comes to travel journaling, there are countless ways to get creative. You can incorporate sketches, photographs, ticket stubs, and other mementos to add visual interest to your journal. You can also experiment with different writing styles, such as poetry or stream-of-consciousness writing, to make your entries more engaging. Additionally, you can try using prompts or challenges to help guide your writing and keep things interesting.

How can I make a baby travel journal?

If you're traveling with a baby, creating a travel journal can be a great way to document your experiences and memories. You can start by choosing a journal or notebook that you like and customizing it with stickers, washi tape, or other decorations. Then, you can use the journal to record your baby's milestones, such as their first time on an airplane or their first taste of a new food. You can also include photos, drawings, or other mementos to make the journal more visually interesting.

Where can I find a free travel journal template in PDF format?

There are many websites that offer free travel journal templates in PDF format. Some popular options include Canva, Pinterest, and Etsy. You can also try searching for “free travel journal template PDF” on Google to find additional resources.

What are some websites that offer free printable travel journals?

There are a variety of websites that offer free printable travel journals, including Jessie on a Journey, Tourist Secrets, and Travel with Meraki. These journals typically include prompts, writing exercises, and other features designed to help you document your travels in a meaningful way.

How can I create a digital travel journal for free?

If you prefer to keep your travel journal online, there are several free options available. One popular choice is to use a blogging platform, such as WordPress or Blogger, to create a travel blog. You can also use social media platforms, such as Instagram or Facebook, to share your travel experiences with friends and family. Another option is to use a dedicated travel journal app, such as Journo or Day One, to keep track of your adventures.

Where can I find a free vacation journal for students?

If you're a student looking to document your summer travels, there are several free vacation journal templates available online. Some options include the Vacation Journal for Kids from My Frugal Adventures and the Summer Vacation Journal from Education.com. These journals typically include prompts and activities designed to help students reflect on their experiences and learn from their travels.

55 Travel Journal Prompts

55 travel journal prompts.

Lately, I’ve been getting back into travel journaling. I used to love to journal when I was younger, but at some point, Passport To Eden became my online travel journal and I scrapped traditional journaling.

There is nothing I love more than seeing words on a page. So for the past week, I’ve challenged myself to free write for thirty minutes each day ( first thing in the morning ) based on a series of travel journal prompts I created. And the process has been cathartic.

You don’t have to try all 55 of these travel journal prompts ( or any for that matter ). I created this list of prompts for rainy days when you feel stuck and aren’t sure what to write about.

I’ll also quickly list my journal supplies below.

P.S. You don’t need any supplies apart from a writing tool and a notebook but I’m a stationery nut so here we go .

Disclosure:   Heads up, this post contains affiliate links, which means Passport To Eden may get a commission (at no extra cost to you) if you make an online purchase. Don’t feel pressured to buy anything. We still love that you’re here, reading our content (side note: we suggest getting a coffee or tea first because our blog posts tend to be long). You can read our full affiliate disclosure here to find out more.

Best Travel Journal Supplies

En-Route Travel Journal

I’m obsessed with this travel journal! I picked up a copy from Gift Horse, a small boutique in Nashville , and love it (the journal’s interior has a mix of blank pages, dotted pages, grid pages, and lined pages). There are also cute travel illustrations (some full-page) throughout, which is a cute little touch. Unfortunately, the journal isn’t available on Gift Horse’s online store but you can find it here .

Travel Stickers

All hell went loose when I discovered Etsy ( stationery addicts, beware. This website is trouble ). I have lots of cute stickers from them ( like this orange-and-blue pastel travel sticker set by Audrey Okeya ). I also have a set of printable stickers ( cute graphics that I cut out for scrapbooking ), namely everything from Eva’s store, Tralala Stickers.

I use very minimal Washi Tape in my travel journal, but there is one roll I can’t get enough of – the Wayfarer Washi Tape by Nicole from PaperGamesCo . It’s absolutely stunning and brilliantly detailed . The design is adventure-focused and it goes perfectly with any travel notebook.

Table of Contents

Reflective Travel Journal Prompts

• Why do you travel? What motivates you to travel? ( Example )
• What is the biggest lesson travel has taught you?
• What is the biggest fear travel has helped you overcome? Do you still have fears that you wish you could overcome when traveling?
• How did your worst travel experience shape you? How did your best travel experience shape you?
• What is your mindset about travel expectations? Where do your destination expectations/perceptions stem from?
• What is your biggest regret when it comes to travel?
• What is your favorite childhood travel memory? ( Example )
• Do you have a “type” when it comes to traveling? Is there a certain style of travel that you regard as your comfort zone?
• If you had unlimited travel days, how often would you travel?
• Has travel changed your values?
• What are some travel experiences you’re grateful for?

Trip Planning Travel Journal Prompts

• How do you choose your next destination? Do you pick a place that’s always been on your bucket list? Do you pick a place you feel a personal connection to?
• To what extent does social media influence your itinerary?
• Make a packing list. Cross off anything you feel isn’t essential. ( Example )
• Packing introspection exercise: sketch out your thoughts on the 10×10 capsule wardrobe challenge .
• What are your favorite resources for trip planning?
• Your luggage got lost. You’re given $300 to buy the essentials. What do you buy?
• You’re challenged to spend one month in a cold-weather country with carry-on only. What do you bring?
• Plan a staycation.

Creative Travel Journal Prompts

• It’s open mic night at a local comedy club. You’re asked to share your funniest travel experience. What do you say?
• Write a song you’d love to hear on the radio during a road trip.
• What are the most beautiful words you learned while traveling?

Travel Journal Field Notes

• What was the weather like today? Did it affect your travel plans? ( Example )
• What foods did you eat? Did you try any local cuisine? What was your first reaction to the food? ( Example )
• Describe your accommodations for the night. Where are you staying? What does your room look like? ( Example )
• Did you buy any souvenirs? What inspired your purchases?
• What transportation did you use? How did you get from one area to another?
• Rate any attractions you visited. ( Example )
• What are some facts you learned? Did they change your perception of the destination? ( Example )

Travel Journal Prompts: Character Sketches

• Describe your travel partner.
• Describe the crowd at a local cafe. How are they dressed? How are they behaving? ( Example )
• Record a conversation. ( Example )
• Did you meet anyone while traveling? Sketch them.
• Is there anyone you met who stood out to you? Why? ( Example )
• People watch in a local spot. Write down what people are doing. ( I feel like character sketching occasionally borders on creepy but I promise it’s a great writing exercise ).

Travel Journal Prompts: Landscape Sketches

• What is the most beautiful place you’ve been to? What made it beautiful?
• Pick a place. What are the sounds you hear when you recall the location?
• Describe a dish from a restaurant you’ve visited. What did it smell like? What did it taste like?
• Describe your travel experience from the perspective of an inanimate object in the area ( like a Parisian coffee cup or even the Mona Lisa ).
• Imagine you stepped back in time and took a trip with a historical figure. What did the place look like then versus now? ( Example )

Travel Journal Prompts For Inspiration

• What books inspire you to travel? ( Example )
• What movies inspire you to travel?
• What are your favorite travel quotes? ( Example )
• What are your favorite travel podcasts?
• Who are your favorite fictional travelers?

Travel Journal Prompts For Dreamers

• Money is not an object. Where would you go right now?
• Make a bucket list. ( Example )
• What fictional world would you like to step into?
• What is your dream travel job?
• If you could wake up to any view right now, what would the scene outside look like?

Save Money For Travel Prompts

• What is the most amount of money you’ve spent on a trip? Is there any way you could have saved money without sacrificing trip quality?
• Plan a budget trip.
• What are some free attractions you’ve visited in the past that you’ve absolutely loved? ( Example )
• Come up with a list of ten ways to save money for travel. ( Example )
• What are your limiting beliefs on travel and money? Cross them off and flip the way they are worded. Words have power. ( Instead of I can’t afford to travel, think I CAN save money to travel ).

Editor-In-Chief

Anshula grew up with a love of stories and places. Thirty-five states and 100 bookstores later, she's made her hobbit home in Middle Tennessee. Her Tookish side still takes over and leaves her chasing window seats, literary destinations, adventure books, sunrise coffee, and indie bookshops. She's appeared as a travel source on HuffPost, Reader's Digest, and MSN.

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Very inspiring! I really had some struggles finding good content for my next post on my traveling blog. I mean, how should you tell your readers about your travel experiences if you don’t travel recently? Now, after reading your post I’ll definitely be able to surprise my readers with some very new and creative content. Thank you so much!

Thank you Sofie! I’m glad you found it useful! I never thought of the post as a blog post ideas list. What a creative way to use the prompts! xx – Anshula

I love this and is very inspiring to get back into journaling! I’m definitely pinning this as a reminder 🙂

Thank you Cathers! I’m glad you enjoyed the post. xx – Anshula

Thank you so much! xx – Anshula

You have some very interesting prompts here. I have a 5 year journal where I write a couple of sentences, thoughts or ideas, each day of the year, repeated for 5 years. It’s a really interesting way to journal as each day you see what you were doing at the same time over previous years. It’s great looking back on the different places I was visiting and how I was feeling about things. I have gotten a bit out of the habit since Covid but your post has inspired me to get back into it. Thanks!

Hi Andrea. Sorry for the late response. Thank you so much for your comment! I think it’s amazing that you have a five-year journal (I don’t think I could ever achieve that consistency with journaling so props to you for that). I’m so glad you found you a bit of inspiration from this post. xx – Anshula

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What are you looking for?

11 Creative Travel Journal Ideas

By Author Toni Broome

Posted on Published: November 2, 2020  - Last updated: January 15, 2023

Incorporate some of these tips into your next travel diary and you’ll create lasting memories of your trips for years to come. I’m always on the search for creative travel journal ideas and inspiration and these are some of my current favourites.

You can always journal when you return home but writing regularly and while in the environment provides inspiration that will help you move beyond how ‘great’ and ‘beautiful’ a place was and capture what it was that stirred your emotions and lock in those moments that made it truly special. I like to take a few minutes in a cafe, over a drink or unwinding back at our accommodation to jot things down. I also often opt for a reporters notebook that fits in my pocket or purse to scribble down my thoughts and use them to create pages in my journal later.

I like my travel journals to be colourful, creative and fun to flip through. Recording my memories is key but I don’t want to spend half my time while I’m travelling writing down facts and figures. When I open it months or years later I want to remember how a place or experience made me feel and not to have it read like Wikipedia.

Finding the balance between creative journaling and not carrying an excess of pens and materials is possible especially with a few innovative ideas and using the tools and decorative materials you naturally come across each day.

To help illustrate some of the ideas and different styles I’ve included images below not only from my own journals but links to travel journal pages on Instagram from others in the community. These links are added with their knowledge and permission so feel free to click through, see more of their great travel journal creations and follow any of them who inspire your own creativity.

Table of Contents

1. Incorporate tickets, brochures and maps

2. collect stickers and washi tape as you travel, 3. include food memories, 4. use journaling prompts, 5. include foreign words and phrases, 6. use feathers, leaves and flowers with care, 7. record your memories, write your stories, 8. include your own art, 9. create a messages page, 10. include a few photographs, 11. look out for tourist stamps as you go, ideas to include in your travel bullet journal.

When I’m travelling I seem to end each day with a treasure trove of ephemera in my day bag. Whether that’s ticket stubs, brochures or paper maps they all add both character and information to your journaling.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Jolene Ung (@jolenegoes) on Apr 12, 2019 at 7:26am PDT

I sort through it before we move on to our next stop and don’t carry everything I collect back home with me but I do always keep a couple of plastic envelopes in my suitcase specifically for items that might be added to the journal later.

Something I’ve noticed on recent trips, especially travelling in Asia, is that many tourist attractions, souvenir shops and small local shops sell unique stickers, washi tape and sticky notes showing the destination or something related to the destination.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by nifty (@nifty.theshop) on Jul 25, 2018 at 3:21am PDT

At Fushimi Inari, a shrine in Kyoto famous for its thousands of orange tori gates the washi tape featured those shrine gates and inari zushi, a popular snack served in the area. In Nara where deer wander wild in the park and throughout the temple grounds there were stickers showing deer amongst the cherry blossom trees.

The strongest memories are those that are triggered by the senses. Taste and smell are some of the strongest so don’t forget to record those great meals, the sights, sounds and smells of the markets. Note down a recipe, sketch an unusual ingredient or dish that keeps cropping up or describe a new food you try from the perspective of each of your senses.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Vân avec un V comme Valérie (@asiancloud) on Oct 6, 2020 at 8:36am PDT

I also collect related items, a wrapper from a sweet I really enjoyed, a cute cardboard coaster from a winebar or the paper chopsticks cover showing the logo and name of a restaurant we would want to go back to one day.

Whether it’s a list of prompts you’ve compiled yourself in advance, something you come up with based on the inspiration of the day or if you borrow from a published list it can help you get the creative flow started.

Some travel journal prompts to try

• The things I am most looking forward to about …
• A dish I tried for the first time today
• An interaction I had with a local
• A new phrase I learned today
• Something that surprised me
• The highlight of today
• The most useful item I packed
• The weather today
• A local custom I’ve noticed
• The 5 things I liked most about …
• How much I spent today and on what
• The funniest thing that happened was
• My first impressions
• What people were wearing

I’ve mentioned it as a journal prompt but there are many ways to include foreign words and phrases in your journal. Even in a country where you can easily get by in your native language, it adds to the experience and generally is appreciated by the locals if you try to use a few words of the local language. Even just being about to say hello, please, thank you and express your appreciation of something you saw or experienced it’s going to enrich your experience.

Other times you will notice a word being used alot or some one might teach you a new word that you could use as a heading, decorate on the page or write the story about. You might also want to include a page of useful phrases in your journal when you are preparing for your trip.

Pressed flowers, a dropped feather or colourful autumn leaves make an interesting tactile embellishment. I know I was would have loved to include maple and ginkgo leaves during the autumn in Tokyo but if you plan to carry those items or your complete journal across international borders you need to be aware of biosecurity restrictions. In Australia and New Zealand, that’s a NO!

My travel journal is a creative outlet just for me, I get pleasure from both creating it and having it to remember our trips and special days. It’s writing just for me not for an audience so I feel I can be completely true to my experience, raw and I can write as little or much as I feel like.

While I like it to be pretty and a home for photos and other mementos I pick up along the way what matter most to me is capturing the memories and experiences in my words. Sometimes it’s an extended stream of consciousness, other times it’s just a caption but capturing the stories as they happen or through my personal filter of life is part of the process.

You don’t need to be a great artist to make a travel journal. As I mentioned above in point 7, capturing the stories in my own words is essential but the colour, design, mementos, pictures and sketches that I add are also part of that story. They make the journal visually appealing and draw me back to flip through them again and again.

I’m no artist but I love the creative process and as my journal is principally for me it doesn’t matter if it looks like a child drew in my diary. Sometimes even the simplest doodles can be powerful memory triggers. We have seen these orange tori gates from Hokkaido to Kyushu but even without the words on this page the simple image makes me think of Miyajima and smile.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by Following Foxes ? (@following_foxes) on Mar 23, 2020 at 5:05am PDT

Holly over at Following Foxes has some great inspiration on her instagram account not only for travel journalling but bullet journal layouts too.

If you are travelling with a group of people, staying in share accommodation or meeting a lot of people in the course of your trip, consider creating a messages page similar to what you would have in a high school yearbook for people to leave a note you can look back on. They might leave a message reminding you of where you met, record their social media handles or add a simple sketch to remember your time together.

If you are travelling with a group or family you could create a page around a particular place or event, including images or mementos from the day and have everyone add a sentence or two about something that was particularly memorable for them.

I don’t use my journal as a photo album, I keep most of my photos digitally and occasionally I’ll produce a photobook but sometimes a picture really can convey 1000 words and in that case, I’ll print and include it.

View this post on Instagram A post shared by angie?bobo?wanderlust goods (@bobodesignstudio) on Nov 18, 2019 at 8:30pm PST

There are a few ways to do this. Polaroid cameras have made a bit of a comeback but I had one the first time around and while the new versions are pretty cute I find them too bulky to carry when I already have my phone and my main camera with me most of the time. There is a whole range of tiny portable printers that are ideal for journaling or you can go into many stores around the world and get photo prints done while you wait, it generally quite inexpensive. You could also leave adding the images until you get home if you have a printer there.

If you will be adding the photos later I suggest having a standard size you use. A 2-inch by 3-inch rectangle is common for the mini printers and fits with all sizes of journals. You can also create collages of photos and print them on standard 4″ x 6″ or 6″ x 8″ photo paper at home or in-store then trim them to size. I keep a cardboard template in the back pocket of my journal that I trace around to mark out the spot where the photo will be added when I have it ready and then write a reminder of what photo I intend to include there. The note will be hidden by the photo later.

Some tourist attractions have unique stamps that you can stamp onto scrap paper or into your notebook as you go. I’ve seen them for a variety of places including the National Parks in the USA and in Japan, many train stations or tourist attractions have a stamp that is representative of the local area. You’ll find them near the main info desk at the train stations or near ticket offices at attractions.

Just a note that in Japan these are different to the pilgrimage stamps or GoShuin that are available at many temples and shrines. Those include a stamp and calligraphy that is generally prepared by a monk at the temple. They are only added to a dedicated concertina-style book and you should not write in or decorate that book.

Some temples do have normal stamps that can be used too, I know Hongan-ji in Tokyo near the Tsukiji market had these and Todai-ji in Nara has both options.

Stamp it into your book or onto the paper stock provided and build your journal page around it later. This one was at the Ropeway station on Miyajima Island, Hiroshima. It shows the famous tori gate, the maple leaves the area is known for, a costume from a performance at the shrine that we watched and the ropeway car.

If you found this article useful please consider saving it to Pinterest. It makes it easy for you to find it again, it helps us, and it helps other travellers to find the information they are looking for.

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Wednesday 10th of May 2023

This has helped a lot for writing a travel journal even as a beginner

6 Free Travel Journal Apps to Create a Beautiful Trip Diary

Use these free travel journal apps to note your thoughts, add photos, map your locations, and share your travel diary with friends.

They say that the trick to remembering anything you learn, think, or feel, is to write it down. Travelling is all about learning, thinking, and feeling, and these free travel journal apps make it easy for you to maintain a trip diary, which you can embellish with photos and share with friends.

1. Find Penguins (Android, iOS): Auto Track Your Travels and Post Updates for Friends

Find Penguins is a smart app that automatically tracks your movements during your trip, while your phone is in your pocket. It also updates the weather, temperature, and altitude, providing a quick snapshot of what the conditions were like that day.

All the data that the app gathers is presented in cool statistics and interactive maps. It's fun to see how you traveled represented on a map as a trail and posts about the noteworthy events. Find Penguins also updates your profile along the way, noting how many countries you went to, how many trips, and so on.

Each post in Find Penguins is called a footprint, which can include text, images, videos, or a combination of these. The app is a bit like using social media, and you can control who sees your posts. If you discover something you want to do while browsing a friend's feed, you can add it to your "bucket list" and save it for later. If you're traveling with someone else, you can add them to your trip to get joint updates on your statistics.

Download: Find Penguins for Android | iOS (Free)

2. Travel Facets (Web, Android, iOS): Turn Your Camera Roll Into an Automatic Album

Travel Facets turns all the photos you take on a trip into an organized album of your travels. The app reads the geotagging location data in each picture you've taken with your phone, matches the date and time with weather records, and maps out the trail. You won't have to lift a finger throughout this process.

Once the album is ready, you can edit it to add captions or additional data. These are called waypoints, and you can even add non-image waypoints manually to note something worthwhile.

You can also skip the entire automatic album maker and make a trip manually. You get more control over each waypoint and how it represents your trip. You'll want to use this mode if you want a robust travel diary, adding your thoughts to create a memorable journal.

Share albums with other Travel Facets users or privately so that only those with the link can see your trip.

Download: Travel Facets for Android | iOS (Free)

3. TravelMap (Web): Simplest Way to Create a Map of Your Travel Blog

Sometimes, you don't want the complexities of an app, social news feeds, auto-tagging, and all that jazz. Instead, all you want is to create a map where you add places of interest to plot your trail, along with photos and journal entries. TravelMap is that simple, free solution.

The simplicity of this web app is its best part. Sign up, create your mini-site with a unique address, and start creating your map. The map is your homepage, where you add places by searching or clicking placemarkers. You can always reorder these too.

Then, add images to your map or write posts and link them to the placemarkers you've already mapped. The result for a viewer is a neatly ordered map showing your journey, with a sidebar that displays images or posts to reveal more about your adventures.

The free version of TravelMap should be enough for most people, as its restrictions are still pretty high (like a maximum of 100 images). However, the premium version removes all such limitations if you need it. You can also check out a cool demo of TravelMap to see its full possibilities.

4. Jauntlet (Web, Android, iOS): Journal That Looks Like a Travel Blog Timeline

The Jauntlet web and mobile app look a bit dated compared to others in this list, but the final output looks so good that it deserves a recommendation. It's a mix of a travel journal and a travel blog, presenting your trip in a neat timeline.

When you sign up, Jauntlet asks you to also connect your Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram accounts. This lets the app import photos from your different profiles. When you make any new post of a city you've been to, add the location to plot it on a map, write a journal entry of what you saw and felt, and select photos to add to the entry.

The final result looks fantastic, as seen in the image above. It's a timeline of where you've been, showing a map on the left, the city and date at the top, and your thoughts and photos on the right. Viewers can also comment under the entry. The whole thing can be played as an automatic slideshow, taking readers through your entire journey.

Download: Jauntlet for Android | iOS (Free)

5. Travel Diaries (Web, Android,iOS): Create an Actual Diary and Optionally Print It

Travel Diaries is a free app to design what a travel journal of your trip will look like and optionally print it too. The app is a virtual open book where you can write beautifully formatted entries.

For each page, you can apply one out of 38 custom layouts, choosing how text and images will appear on the page. Based on the layout, select and upload images from your camera roll, and write text in the simple text editor.

Travel Diaries isn't the best app for on-the-fly travel journaling while you're on the trip. It's more a place to reflect on your journey and compose a good-looking travel diary that you would be proud to show to friends. If you like what you've created, you can pay to download a PDF of the journal or ask the app makers to print and ship the travel journal to you directly.

Download: Travel Diaries for Android | iOS (Free)

6. Traveldays (Web): Travelogue of Photos With Location, Time, and Captions

Traveldays is one of the best online photo album creators to show off your trips and vacations. It's shockingly easy to use, as it takes your photos and automatically turns them into a picture journey of your travels, almost like showing postcards or polaroids to friends.

Upload your pictures in the order you want, and Traveldays will seek their geotagging information to pin it to a Google Map. You can also write small captions on each image. Share the link with your friends, and you're done.

Try a Physical Travel Diary

So which travel journal app should you go for? There's no one-size-fits-all app here. As a rule of thumb, Find Penguins, Travel Facets, and Jauntlet can better log your thoughts while on the trip. TravelMap, Travel Diaries, and Traveldays are better to create a travel diary after you're back from the trip.

But as much as we love these apps, there is a case to be made to use a physical travel diary instead. Not only do many travelers swear by the little diary they carry with them, but How Life Unfolds offers a detailed guide on how to use a travel journal while you're on a trip to make it more memorable than ever before.

Exploring zonal heterogeneities of primary school students’ commute-mode choices through a geographically weighted regression model

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Commuting is an important part of primary school students’ travel behavior, which has been concerned for a long time. We found that the commute-mode choice behavior of primary school students in the context of regional segmentation shows strong characteristics in space, but has not yet been considered in traditional research. To fill this gap, this study summarizes the commute-mode choices of primary school students with different characteristics based on the Beijing School Commute Survey. And the geographically weighted regression (GWR) model is built to analyze the zonal heterogeneity of the impact of personal characteristics, family factors and school factors on the primary school students’ commute-mode choices from a low-carbon perspective. The results demonstrate that the possibility of primary school students choosing low-carbon commuting modes is positively correlated with the grade, commuting time, commuting escort type and housing category, but is inversely related with the commuting distance and the distance from the school to the city center. The coefficient estimates of explanatory variables vary across regions. Finally, we put forward policy suggestions regarding promoting the low-carbon commuting structure, such as developing the urban slow traffic system, which serve as a reference for policymakers.

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Dawei Wu, Lu Ma & Xuedong Yan

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Author: Wu Dawei (1999–), PhD Candidate, specialized in transport geography and travel behaviour.

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Wu, D., Ma, L. & Yan, X. Exploring zonal heterogeneities of primary school students’ commute-mode choices through a geographically weighted regression model. J. Geogr. Sci. 34 , 804–833 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11442-024-2228-9

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Far fewer young Americans now want to study in China. Both countries are trying to fix that

David Moser, an American and associate professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, poses for a photo at the university, Friday, March 22, 2024 in Beijing, China. Only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students are at U.S. schools. Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

David Moser, an American and associate professor at Capital Normal University in Beijing, poses for a photo at a restaurant in Beijing, China, Friday, March 22, 2024. Only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students are at U.S. schools. Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University. (AP Photo/Dake Kang)

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Stephen Garrett, a 27-year-old graduate student, always thought he would study in China, but the country’s restrictive COVID-19 policies made it nearly impossible and now he sees interest among fellow scholars wane even after China reopened.

Common concerns, he said, include restrictions on academic freedom and the risk of being stranded in China.

These days, only about 700 American students are studying at Chinese universities, down from a peak of close to 25,000 a decade ago, while there are nearly 300,000 Chinese students at U.S. schools.

Some young Americans are discouraged from investing their time in China by what they see as diminishing economic opportunities and strained relations between Washington and Beijing.

Whatever the reason for the imbalance, U.S. officials and scholars bemoan the lost opportunities for young people to experience life in China and gain insight into a formidable American adversary.

And officials from both countries agree that more should be done to encourage the student exchanges, at a time when Beijing and Washington can hardly agree on anything else.

“I do not believe the environment is as hospitable for educational exchange as it was in the past, and I think both sides are going to need to take steps,” said Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell.

The U.S. has advised its. citizens to “reconsider travel” to China over concerns of arbitrary detentions and widened use of exit bans to bar Americans from leaving the country. Campbell said this has hindered the rebuilding of the exchanges and easing the advisory is now under “active consideration.”

For its part, Beijing is rebuilding programs for international students that were shuttered during the pandemic, and Chinese President Xi Jinping has invited tens of thousands of U.S. high school students to visit.

The situation was far different after President Barack Obama started the 100,000 Strong initiative in 2009 to drastically increase the number of U.S. students studying in China.

By 2012, there were as many as 24,583 U.S. students in China, according to data by the Chinese education ministry. The Open Doors reports by the Institute of International Education, which only track students enrolled in U.S. schools and studying in China for credit, show the number peaked at 14,887 in the 2011-12 school year. But 10 years later, the number was down to only 211.

In late 2023, the number of American students stood at 700, according to Nicholas Burns, the U.S. ambassador to China, who said this was far too few in a country of such importance to the United States.

“We need young Americans to learn Mandarin. We need young Americans to have an experience of China,” Burns said.

Without these U.S. students, “in the next decade, we won’t be able to exercise savvy, knowledgeable diplomacy in China,” warned David Moser, an American linguist who went to China in the 1980s and is now tasked with establishing a new master’s program for international students at Beijing Capital Normal University.

Moser recalled the years when American students found China fascinating and thought an education there could lead to an interesting career. But he said the days of bustling trade and money deals are gone, while American students and their parents are watching China and the United States move away from each other. “So people think investment in China as a career is a dumb idea,” Moser said.

After 2012, the number of American students in China dipped but held steady at more than 11,000 for several years, according to Open Doors, until the pandemic hit, when China closed its borders and kept most foreigners out. Programs for overseas students that took years to build were shuttered, and staff were let go, Moser said.

Amy Gadsden, executive director of China Initiatives at the University of Pennsylvania, also attributed some of the declining interest to foreign businesses closing their offices in China. Beijing’s draconian governing style, laid bare by its response to the pandemic, also has given American students a pause, she said.

Garrett, who is on track to graduate this summer from Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies, said he is ambivalent about working in China, citing the lack of access to information, restrictions on discussions of politically sensitive issues and China’s sweeping anti-spying law. He had lived in Hong Kong as a teenager and interned in mainland China, and said he is still interested in traveling to China, but not anytime soon.

Some American students remain committed to studying in China, said Andrew Mertha, director of the China Global Research Center at SAIS. “There are people who are interested in China for China’s sake,” he said. “I don’t think those numbers are affected at all.”

About 40 U.S. students are now studying at the Hopkins-Nanjing center in the eastern Chinese city, and the number is expected to go up in the fall to approach the pre-pandemic level of 50-60 students, said Adam Webb, the center’s American co-director.

Among them is Chris Hankin, 28, who said he believed time in China was irreplaceable because he could interact with ordinary people and travel to places outside the radar of international media. “As the relationship becomes more intense, it’s important to have that color, to have that granularity,” said Hankin, a master’s student of international relations with a focus on energy and the environment.

Jonathan Zhang, a Chinese American studying at the prestigious Schwarzman Scholars program at Tsinghua University in Beijing, said it was more important than ever to be in China at a time of tense relations. “It’s really hard to talk about China without being in China,” he said. “I think it’s truly a shame that so many people have never stepped foot in China.”

Zhang was met with concerns when he deferred an offer at a consulting firm to go Beijing. “They’re like, ‘oh, be safe,’ or like, ‘what do you mean, you’re going back to China?’” Zhang said. “I feel like the (Chinese) government is trying with an earnest effort, but I feel like a lot of this trust has been broken.”

Gadsden said U.S. universities need to do more to nudge students to consider China. “We need to be more intentional about creating the opportunities and about encouraging students to do this deeper work on China, because it’s going to be interesting for them, and it’s going to be valuable for the U.S.-China relationship and for the world,” she said.

In China, Jia Qingguo, a professor of international relations and a national political adviser, has suggested Beijing clarify its laws involving foreign nationals, introduce a separate system for political reviews of foreign students’ dissertations, and make it easier for foreign graduates to find internships and jobs in Chinese companies.

Meanwhile, China is hosting American high school students under a plan Xi unveiled in November to welcome 50,000 in the next five years.

In January, a group of 24 students from Iowa’s Muscatine High School became the first to travel to China. The all-expenses-paid, nine-day trip took them to the Beijing Zoo, Great Wall, Palace Museum, the Yu Garden and Shanghai Museum.

Sienna Stonking, one of the Muscatine students, now wants to return to China to study.

“If I had the opportunity, I would love to go to college in China,” she told China’s state broadcaster CGTN. “Honestly, I love it there.”

Kang reported from Beijing.

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Professor Nicole Kellett, UMF Anthropology, presents with her Virtual Global Experiences collaborator, Professor Jefrey Gamarra Carrillo from the Universidad Nacional de San Cristóbal de Huamanga in Peru. Photo Credit: UMF Image

FARMINGTON — Having an international experience is a valuable tool in a student’s career readiness – and with the University of Maine at Farmington Virtual Global Experience program, students can travel globally without leaving home.

UMF recently hosted an international conference of scholars with more than 30 participants hailing from nine countries and five continents, including Africa, Asia, Europe, South America, and North America. The scholars, associated with UMF’s Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) initiative, gathered to discuss their participation in UMF’s Virtual Global Experiences program, designed to enhance undergraduate students” global experiences and competencies across all disciplines.

“The purpose of UMF’s Global Classrooms initiative is to expand the number of UMF students to have access to a global experience during their undergraduate career at UMF,” according to Dr. Linda Beck, the Associate Dean of Experiential & Global Education and principal investigator for the grant.

“With approximately 50% of our student body receiving Pell Grants, many of them are unable or cannot even imagine studying abroad. The Virtual Global Experience program ensures that all UMF students have the opportunity for sustained interactions and friendships, even with students in other countries. Based on these experiences, many of these students decide to participate in our travel courses, study abroad, or take other international studies courses while at UMF,” said Beck.

In 2020, just as the COVID-19 pandemic began to shut down opportunities for study abroad, UMF received an Undergraduate International Studies & Foreign Language grant from the United States Department of Education. Under its Global Classrooms project, UMF began training faculty and staff to develop COIL modules that could be incorporated into existing courses, permitting faculty and students to collaborate with counterparts worldwide. Advertisement

In Spring 2021, Professor Matt McCourt offered his geography students a virtual experience with students in Le Mans, France, while Professor Nicole Kellett had her anthropology students work on a comparative analysis of the impact of COVID-19 on our daily lives with students in Peru. A third VGE pilot was conducted by Professor Carole Lee, whose students created science lesson plans with students at the Education University of Hong Kong.

Since this initial pilot, UMF professors and students have conducted VGE modules in 17 courses within nine different disciplines alongside 12 international partners in Cyprus, France, Hong Kong, Italy, Japan, Peru, Senegal, Spain, and the United Kingdom, as well as a Tribal College in Montana.

This semester, UMF has begun a new program combining virtual modules with student mobility. Professor Steve Pane of the UMF Music program has collaborated with colleagues from two music conservatories in Pescara and Venice, Italy. The three professors had their first VGE exchange in Fall 2022, and this spring culminated their virtual exchange with seven conservancy students who performed collaboratively with UMF students on March 22. Professors Cecilia Franchini and Stefania Franchini, who have been at residence at UMF as Libra scholars, opened the VGE conference with a faculty performance on March 28.

Another group of UMF students is participating in a global seminar that includes a VGE with Le Mans students and will culminate with fieldwork in France. A group of Le Mans students will then travel to Maine. UMF plans to hold similar global seminars that combine virtual exchanges with actual student travel to China and Senegal next academic year.

Last week”s conference included 10 presentations by 19 faculty members, all but three of whom could travel to UMF for the event. The others joined via Zoom in the true spirit of virtual exchanges. In addition, Professor Erin Fernandez Mommer of Greenville River College in Washington State gave a keynote address on the COIL Network set up in the Pacific Northwest that can serve as a model for expanding virtual exchanges to include other universities and community colleges in Maine.

In their presentations, professors shared the type of projects their students worked on collaboratively with their international classmates, the challenges they had to overcome, and the impact these experiences had on their students.

One UMF student who participated in the exchange with UMF’s partner in Alicante, Spain, noted, “I feel more confident in interacting with people from a different culture. I have not had much opportunity to talk to people outside of Maine, so I was nervous. But now I am far less nervous and interested in seeking out more opportunities.”

Another UMF student who went on to do her student teaching at UMF’s partner in Daegu, South Korea, observed that having their peers in Hong Kong share their experience with teaching methods, “helped me truly understand what it will be like when I begin teaching in South Korea. It even made me realize that I have to adjust my own ideas of how I can embrace their cultural learning norms while still incorporating aspects of U.S. teaching.”

As a recipient of a second UISFL grant from the U.S. Department of Education in 2023, UMF will be able to continue to grow its Global Classrooms program with increased emphasis on students in natural science and education majors who are less likely to fit study abroad into their curriculum.

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CAUSAL ANALYSIS ON THE RIGHTS TO ETHICAL ABORTIONS

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Main Article Content

Ethical abortions are essential in order preserve laws, health, careers, as well as human rights. Any individual can receive an abortion, no matter their age, ethnicity, gender, career, political stance, or financial stability. However, not every abortion is performed ethically, as

with the recent restrictions and bans on abortion rights, individuals may have to travel to a certain part of the world in order to receive an abortion, or individuals may have to resort to using unsafe and unethical abortion methods. Abortion restrictions and bans can increase the chances for unneeded pregnancies to be carried out, or for unethical abortions to be performed, both increasing the chances

of fatal complications, physical and mental dysfunction, hospitalization, financial insecurity, withdrawal of careers or future plans, as well

as potential unneeded travel time. Restrictions on safe, ethical and accessible abortion practice prevent individuals from receiving needed medical care, prevent doctors from performing their jobs ethically, as well as restrict human rights.

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Authors who publish with this journal agree to the following terms:

• Authors retain copyright and grant the journal right of first publication with the work simultaneously licensed under a  Creative Commons Attribution License  that allows others to share the work with an acknowledgement of the work's authorship and initial publication in this journal.  
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Isabel Payne, Indiana University East Student

Isabel Payne is from Sheridan, Indiana, and is currently a student pursuing a Bachelor of Arts in English through Indiana University East.

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News Today. https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/reasons-for-abortions .

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