travel diary travel journal template

Free printable travel journal template: One Question A Day Diary

Are you going on a trip soon and do you want to keep track of all your fun memories? Great news! In today’s post, I’m going to show you how to make a simple DIY travel journal. It’s really easy, low-key, and fun! Plus, if you’re not feeling crafty, you can even download my free printable travel journal template that I made just for you.

Like many travelers, I used to forget the small, fun details of my trips. So, I started keeping track of memories with this one-question-a-day journal.

The idea is simple.

You just answer one fun question every day for a week. And the week after, you’ll answer the same one. It’s not like those big, heavy journals that are hard to carry. And you won’t have to write a lot, just one interesting question each day. This way, you can remember all the neat things that even photos can’t show, without any effort.

So stick with me, and I’ll show you how this easy idea can make your trips even more memorable. Let’s start making your very own travel journal!

In This Post:

Save this free printable travel journal template

Don’t forget to save this template on Pinterest so you’ll know where to find your downloads for your next trip!

Why you should keep a travel journal

Alright, I know you are dying to get started with this DIY travel journal, but just before you grab your crafts and head off, allow me to share a few more reasons why journaling is a game-changer for your travels.  Trust me, after reading these reasons, “forgetting” to journal will be a thing of the past!

• Document memories: Revisiting your adventures through a journal is super fun. Those quirky anecdotes and hidden gems you discovered? They will all be in your journal waiting to be re-lived.
• Record thoughts and ideas that you might otherwise forget: Ever had a brilliant idea or a profound realization while traveling, only to forget it later? A travel journal ensures those thoughts are captured forever.
• Reflect and learn: Journaling allows you to ponder over your experiences, offering insights and learnings that can be transformative.
• Unleash creativity: It’s not just about writing; it’s about expressing your creativity. Doodle, paste ticket stubs, or write a poem – your journal, your rules!
• Enhance your journey : A journal adds depth to your travels. It encourages mindfulness and helps you appreciate the journey on a deeper level.

Ready to make your travels more memorable and meaningful? Let’s get started and make your own travel journal!

A question-a-day: How does it work?

If you’re unfamiliar with the one-question-a-day format, let me give you a quick rundown, so you can make the most out of our free template.

Traditionally, these journals are used for an entire year, containing 365 unique questions – one for each day. The idea is to keep the journal for five years, answering the same question on the same date each year. This way, you end up with a fascinating record of how your thoughts and experiences evolve over time.

What I love about this format is the ease and simplicity. Answering just one question a day is a breeze, making it effortless to maintain a consistent journaling habit – often the biggest challenge for many travelers who want to keep a travel journal.

I adapted this concept for travel. Instead of spanning years, it covers your trip’s duration, with the same set of questions repeated each week. This approach is perfect for travelers who start journaling with enthusiasm but find the task daunting as their journey progresses. With just a short question to answer daily, it’s easy, fun, and incredibly rewarding.

So now that you understand the concept, let’s find out how to make your own travel journal.

I will share two options below; A DIY version and a free printable one . Neither one is better, just pick whichever one suits you best!

Option1: DIY travel journal

The first option I’ll share is a true DIY travel journal. You start with an empty paper or notebook and craft your own.

If you are looking for the free printable, scroll down to the free printable travel journal template section.

Materials needed

• Paper (A4 that you fold in two to make a booklet or any type of notebook)
• Crafting materials (if you want to make it look nice, but this is not necessary)

How to make your own travel journal

Step 1: find a notebook.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter if you just fold A4 paper in half and use a stapling machine to bind it. If you buy a simple notebook, or if you go all the way and buy a beautifully designed travel notebook.

I’m a big bullet journal fan, so I just make a collection and dedicate a few pages of my daily bullet journal to this Question-a-day journal. That way it’s integrated with all my other work and travel notes.

But feel free to do whatever fits you. All that matters is that you actually start and that you enjoy working on it. If you need a beautiful design to feel inspired, then by all means go for it. But the design should not be a reason to not get started.

The size of the notebook doesn’t matter either. I usually prefer an A5 format, because it’s small and easily fits in my backpack. But really, anything works. Lined, dotted, squared, or blank paper, all is fine.

Step 2: Make the pages

At the top of each page write one of the questions below, followed by a prompt for the right date. So weeks 1, 2, 3, etc (depending on how long you’ll be traveling)

• What did you eat today?
• Who or what made you smile today?
• What did you do today?
• Did you learn something new today? What was it?
• What is the most beautiful thing you saw today?
• Did you come across any challenges today? What was it? How did you overcome it?
• What was your favorite moment of the past week?

Of course, there are many different variations of questions you could ask. I found these seven the most interesting ones. But check the section about other prompts below for more question ideas.

I usually don’t add the answer sections for each week yet (I only showed it in the example above to give you an idea), because I don’t know how much space I’ll be needing for my answers. But you could add those if you want to make sure everything fits on one page.

Step 3: Decorate your travel journal

Now, I’ll admit. I am not the most creative person out here.

I can’t draw and I have the handwriting of an 8-year-old. So when I get crafty with my journal without any template, stickers, stamps, or premade anything, it will look like a mess. And that’s why I go for simplicity,

But if you are nothing like me, this is where you can get crazy. Get out your markers, crayons, glitter, and whatnot to make this travel journal feel like you. You could even add more blank pages so you have more options for photos, doodles, and other fun keepsakes from your trip.

Step 4: Start answering the questions every day

Now that your journal is finished, all you need to do is answer one simple question a day. No endless essays, writer’s block, or not feeling inspired. You’ll know exactly what to write and it will only take a few seconds.

What I like even more, is that even if I forgot to journal one day. I can easily trace back and still answer that one question from yesterday.

Option 2: Free printable travel journal template

Alright, if you’re looking for a printable travel journal, then I’ve got you covered too. Find out how to make your own travel journal from my free printable PDF below!

• Paper (white A4 that you fold in two to make a booklet)
• Printer (that can print in a booklet, though most printers nowadays have this setting)
• A free printable cover
• Free printable questions

How to use the free printable travel journal pdf

Step 1: choose and download your cover.

For you to use this journal every day and make the most out of it, you need to be super enthusiastic about it. And one way to get you excited is to help you find a design that matches your personality. And that’s why I came up with five different covers so that you can pick one that matches your spirit best.

Choose your favorite down below, or head over to Canva and make your design, as long as you print it on the right side of the paper in landscape shape, it will work too.

Step 2: Print the cover

Print it on an A4 paper and fold it in two. I deliberately put it on landscape and on the right side of the paper, so you can fold it in two and use it as the cover.

Step 3: Print the questions

Now that we have your cover, it’s time for the questions, which you can download here .

They are in A4 PDF format, but you can easily print them as a booklet by using the right printer settings, I explained below.

Print instructions

• Click print once you’ve downloaded and opened the PDF on your computer
• Go to printer settings and select booklet
• Print double-sided

With these settings, your printer will automatically put them in the right order, so that when you fold it in two, you will have a book from question 1-7, and extra notes in the back.

The settings might look slightly different on your computer, but it works the same for every printer.

Feel free to add more blank paper so you’ll have more notes. Or simply print more of the last “notes” page.

DIY travel journal tips

There are a few things that can help you to make the most out of this travel journal.

• Make this journal your own: the more it feels like your own project, the more enthusiastic you will be to write every day
• Set a specific time or moment when you will answer the question
• Start each answer with your current location followed by “:” and the answer. As travelers we visit so many different places that sometimes just seeing the name of a city you were at helps you set the mood and remember the content when you’re reading your travel journal years from now

DIY travel journal variations

As you probably already noticed, there are about 1000 different ways in which you can style your travel journal.

I just shared five printable travel journal templates with you, as well as my super simple but effective handwritten method. But remember. This journal is about you. It should be a design that invites you to write every day and create a beautiful travel memoir for your future self.

So go wild and use which ever design you want.

Besides differences in designs, you can also add different questions that are important to you, or that you want to remember from your trip. I’ll share a few of my other questions below.

I use these when I make my monthly travel journal for longer trips (more about this monthly journal below).

• Who did you meet today?
• Did you travel with someone today? Who is it?
• What was the weather like today?
• When was the last time you did something kind for someone else?
• What surprised you today?
• When was the last time someone did something kind for you?
• Did you fall for any tourist traps this week?
• What was your favorite accommodation up until now?
• Did you do something that scared you this week?

The printable travel journal prompts I shared with you today are for a five-week trip, but of course, you can also use them for a two-week vacation or any other duration.

If you’re traveling longer than 8 weeks, I would advise you to make a journal with a question for each day of the month. That way you’ll have more variation in the types of questions asked and the things you will remember from your trip.

Just check out my list of questions above for more inspiration. And if you want more help, or if you’re not feeling creative, Shoot me a message and I will send the full list of monthly questions as well as a free monthly printable that I use as well!

More DIY travel ideas

Did this project release your inner Martha Stewart?

Then you’re in good luck! We’ve got more super DIY travel projects for you to try.

• The 45 best DIY travel projects
• 25 Epic travel journals
• Homemade voucher book for your loved ones staying behind

Save these free templates

Did you save these free printable travel journal templates on Pinterest yet?

Final notes about this simple DIY journal

Whether you’re a seasoned traveler or a first-time explorer, I hope that this free printable travel journal template will make your adventures more memorable.

So, grab your pen and start capturing those precious travel moments, one question at a time!

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Free Printable Travel Journal Templates

Design travel journal printable pages using the finest editable templates, easily customizable with just a few clicks..

Design personalized travel journal sheets using customizable online templates. Capture the memories of your trip with beautiful designs suitable for both kids and adults, ensuring you remember your journey forever.

Design printable Travel Journal pages online

At Edit.org, we've refreshed our incredible template library with a stunning collection of editable Travel Diaries for you to record your adventures and craft unforgettable memories .

They are perfect for children to enjoy filling out and for adults to document their experiences. Additionally, we've considered businesses and tourism companies. If you run a travel agency , you can personalize these diaries with your logo, address, and contact information . They can be offered as complimentary gifts to your clients, shared on social networks, or attached to emails.

Travel is one of the most enriching experiences in life . Each destination brings us new cultures, breathtaking landscapes and fascinating experiences. What better way to immortalize these adventures than with a Travel Diary? They are a treasure trove of memories. Remember what Cesare Pavese used to say?

"Travel is a brutality. It forces you to trust strangers and to lose sight of all that is familiar and comfortable about your friends and home. You are at all times out of balance. Nothing is yours except the most essential: the air, the hours of rest, the dreams, the sea, the sky; all those things that tend toward the eternal or what we imagine as such."

With our enjoyable and user-friendly online editor, you can create your own personalized journal right away. It's also a handy tool for organizing your itinerary and planning future trips.

How to create free printable Travel Journal sheets on Edit.org?

See how easy it is to quickly create a travel journal as a school activity or for people who love to write by hand:

• Click on an image in this article or enter the editor to get started.
• Select the layout you like best.
• Edit the template with the text, photos, stickers and colors you want.
• Save the changes online in the personal cloud we created, automatically.
• Download the final result in JPG, HD PNG or PDF to print in high resolution.

You're done!

Download custom digital Travel Journal templates

Writing a travel journal is more than just a creative endeavor. Here are a few compelling reasons why you should utilize our templates to create a travel journal, even if you have no design experience or computer skills :

• A travel journal lets you relive precious moments over and over again . It allows you to recall details that might fade in your memory over time - how magical it is to read again, in your own handwriting, what you experienced on that beach or in that mountain!
• You can express your experiences creatively through your own drawings, collages, photos and artistic expressions.
• It becomes a family legacy . It's a wonderful way to share your adventures and discoveries with future generations - your great-grandchildren will know who you were and how much fun you had!
• It gives you a chance to reflect on your emotions and thoughts . It can be a therapeutic form of personal growth and self-knowledge.

On the other hand, encouraging your students to keep a travel journal is a wonderful way to foster their creativity, writing skills and cultural awareness. It's a great idea as an after-school activity for the summer or Christmas break.

Embark on your journey today! Log in to our free editor and design fantastic travel journal page layouts using our professional templates right away.

Customizable Travel Journal layout ideas

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Sweet, sweet journey! But how to keep all beautiful sights in mind?

One way to do that is to start journaling! A travel journal is a written account of one's trips that serves as both a personal record and a way of sharing experiences with others. It is a medium for capturing the essence of a journey, both in words and in images. A travel journal can be as simple as a notebook filled with scattered thoughts and observations, or as complex as a professionally designed scrapbook. Regardless of format, a travel journal is a timeless way of documenting a journey and preserving memories for posterity.

The key advantage of a travel journal is that it gives travelers the opportunity to record their experiences in real time. This allows them to capture the essence of a place before time and memory cause it to blur and fade. It also allows travelers to observe and reflect on their world travel experience, to recall moments that may have escaped them, and to look more deeply into their short, but precious adventure.

However, creating a travel journal can be a time-consuming task that requires creativity, patience, and a good eye for design. That's where premade travel journal templates come in.

Start a Journaling Habit with Premade Templates!

If you are searching for a nice method of starting a journal, you are almost there! Using premade templates for travel journals can have lots of benefits that can make your travel experience more enjoyable and efficient. So let’s take a look!

Firstly, journal templates can save you time. Rather than starting from scratch and designing your journal layout from the ground up, you can simply choose a template that suits your needs.

Secondly, premade templates can help you save money. Here, on TheGoodocs, one may find only free resources without the necessity of a subscription and email confirmation. You are free to choose whatever template you need and save it quickly.

Another benefit is that our free travel journal templates can provide inspiration and structure. Sometimes when we're overwhelmed with the sheer amount of things to document from our travels, it can be hard to know where to start. A template can provide you with a starting point that can help you organize your thoughts and memories. Apart from that, templates are editable documents that can be changed multiple times and even provide access to previous versions. Thus, it is convenient to work on Google Docs, Slides, or Sheets.

Saving a Template

Here, on TheGoodocs, it is easy to find all kinds of templates, including different designs of free travel journal templates in Google Docs: bright, elegant, watercolor-themed, abstract, and illustrated.

Of course, when it comes to traveling experience, it is better to choose printable travel journal templates with nature and sightseeing elements.

To save a template, simply click the Edit Template button and follow simple instructions.

Let’s Customize the Journal!

And now it’s time to be creative (if you need that)!

Premade templates are customizable to fit your specific needs. Many templates come in formats that can be edited, meaning you can change the colors, fonts, and even the layout of the template to make it unique to your travel journal. This allows you to create a design that reflects your personal style and preferences.

If you are working with a travel journal template in Google Docs, it is easy to use the upper menu and the toolbar to insert images or add additional blocks to write. If you are a big fan of writing, simply copy the page and you will have the same formatted page to continue with!

Live, love, and travel! And don’t forget to use a free printable travel journal template to make lasting memories :)

• Travel Planner Templates

Travel Journal Template - Original Style

Description:

Mark the dates for which events you are interested in are planned, leave pleasant memories of the places you have visited, write down useful tips with information for planning your next tour. Make your travel eventful and enjoy your vacation to the fullest by taking full advantage of this handy Printable Trip Journal.

Sections available in this template:

• Undated monthly calendar;
• Places to visit;
• Things to do.

Customize and download this printable template:

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Create your own travel diary online

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Don't let beautiful memories fade. Create your own travel journal in our software for web, iOS and Android. Create an account and start today!

Tell your story

Easily add stories to your diary in our online editor or app, which have been designed to look like an actual book. Choose from numerous fonts and styles to design your travel diary according to your own taste.

Change the layouts

After adding a text (or several texts), you can continue formatting the diary by choosing different layouts. Place a layout on the desired page and fill the grey areas with photos, maps or other features.

Add photos and maps

A travel journal is not complete without photos and maps! Click on a grey area and add an image, picture or map. You can place pins on the map to indicate certain locations or specify an entire travel route.

Share your diary

You choose which – if any – of your chapters you’d like to share with friends and family. Once you share them, they are automatically converted into an online travel blog that you can share with the world.

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Thirty Handmade Days

30 Days Blog

Printable Travel Journal

Created On: July 17, 2017   |   Updated: August 21, 2019   |  

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy  here .

With summer comes a whole lot travel and this printable travel journal is the perfect thing to use for all of your trips!

Hello Thirty Handmade Days readers! It’s Emma again from Crafting{E}  Thanks for clicking over today! I am SO excited to share this fun printable with you today. If you follow my blog or have seen my posts over here, you know of my love for printables. Seriously, I LOVE to see what I can do with paper. Well, if you are a fellow printable addict, or if you even just like cute and practical things (who doesn’t?), you are going to love this adorable Printable Travel Journal I have for you today! Another thing I love is traveling. Although I don’t get to travel nearly as much as I would like to, I still have this deep passion and desire for exploring the world. There are so many beautiful and unique places in this world, it’s amazing. And while we are talking about things I love, I am also very passionate about preserving and creating memories.

I am going on a big trip with my family in October and I thought this travel journal would be the perfect thing to help document our adventures. Although I mostly choose to “journal” through taking pictures of pretty much everything that goes on in my life, I do find real value in actually writing down the special moments in life. I already have a specific travel journal, but I designed this one anyways. It is aimed specifically toward younger kids and the journal pages walk you through what to write down. Super cute and useful, right?

Also, I designed the cover to look like a passport. I love how the design turned out! The size of this printable travel journal is 4×6. You can either staple the pages like I did, or you could put the pages in a 4×6 photo album or get them bound together at an office supply store.

In case you didn’t realize, this printable travel journal is available completely free for personal use. If you want to download the travel journal you can find a link to download this at the end of this post. Thanks again for reading, seriously, you guys are awesome. If you want to see more of my printables, check out my blog Crafting{E} and my other posts here on Thirty Handmade Days.

Download the travel journal HERE!

Reader interactions.

August 4, 2017 at 2:15 am

i like this a lot. it provides for us to have fun in summer and also a nice way to organize ourselfs when we go on trips. in aditioto that we get to keep this projects to remember our good times in trips, family visits, and everything fun we do over the summer and then tell all our friends what a good summer we had

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The Graphics Fairy

Vintage Images, DIY Tutorials & Craft Projects

Make a Printable Travel Journal!

Written by Heather Tracy

This post may contain affiliate links which won’t change your price but will share some commission, you can find our privacy policy here.

A Travel Journal…everybody needs one!

Hello my Graphics Fairy Friends! Heather from Thicketworks here with a fun and easy Printable Travel Journal Cover. 

After all, even if we can’t fly to Paris or Istanbul tomorrow, we need a place to dream about the day we set sail!

I’ve prepared a set of Four Printables for you.

Each image is sized to print on an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of plain white cardstock.

Note: Laserjet prints were used in this demonstration. If you choose to use Inkjet prints, be aware that they may smear when Distress Inks are applied.

To get your copy of the image files, click HERE , or on the image below:

{this post contains affiliate links}

Graphics Fairy Source Images used for this project:

• Antique Pen
• Dandy with Moustache
• Fancy French Chair
• Fancy Wooden Staircase
• Fireplace Mantel
• Fancy Banner
• French Garden Structure
• Hair Stylist
• Steampunk Receipt
• Old Fashioned Light Bulb
• Vintage World Map
• Windmill Propellers
• Stock Envelopes
• Classic Garden Urn
• Vintage Dirigible
• Vintage Gothic Chandelier
• Vintage Luggage
• Vintage Metal Frame

Here’s a list of the items used to create this Travel Journal…

• 4 Sheets of midweight white cardstock, printed with the provided image files
• 2 sheets of midweight chipboard
• 3 One Inch Book Rings 
• A Hole Punch
• A Corner Rounder
• Dresden Trim
• Spray Mount
• A Metal Ruler
• A Craft Blade + cutting surface
• A Sanding Sponge
• A small container
• A paint brush
• Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel
• A Heat Tool
• Distress Inks: Black Soot , Salty Ocean , Mowed Lawn , Wild Honey , Ripe Persimmon
• Ink Blending Tool
• A Spray Bottle of Water
• Black Acrylic Craft Paint
• Aleene’s Quick Dry Tacky Glue
• A pencil or pen
• Standard 3-Ring Notebook Paper
• VersaMark Pigment Inkpad
• Your favorite Script Stamp
• Gold Embossing Powder

How to create this Travel Journal:

Begin by printing each of the Free Printable Travel Collage Sheets – one each on an 8.5″ x 11″ sheet of white cardstock.

Use a good quality Spray Mount to carefully adhere each sheet of printed cardstock to either side of a midweight chipboard sheet , aligning the edges as accurately as possible.

When finished, you should have two sturdy covers with printed images on each side – one for the front, one for the back.

If necessary, trim the cardstock to fit the chipboard:

Use a sanding sponge to neaten the edges:

If you like, round the corners: 

For a slightly distressed glossy finish on the “Travel Journal” & “Home Again” labels, try embossing with Glycerin!

Pour a small amount into a container, and paint it onto the surface of the label area:

Moving quickly (to prevent the Glycerin from drying) – cover the area with Ultra Thick Embossing Enamel: 

Tap off the excess , and use your Heat Tool to melt the UTEE , creating a glossy, yet slightly distressed protective surface over the text:

Next, apply Black Soot Distress Ink to the edges of all four pages using a Blending Tool.

Be sure to work in a swirling motion:

Now add intense areas of Salty Ocean Distress Ink!

I decided to use this gorgeous blue for the Oceans on the map…

Color in the Land Masses with Mowed Lawn Distress Ink:

Add touches of variety with Wild Honey Distress Ink:

Continue this process on the other side of the Travel Journal Covers , this time adding Ripe Persimmon Distress Ink to warm up the imagery…

If you like a bit of blotchiness (I do!) – sprinkle or spray large drops of water onto the surface of the blended Distress Inks.

Allow the water to ‘bleach’ the inks for a minute or two, then dry with a Heat Tool. 

Once the surface has dried completely, draw a bead of adhesive along the outer edges of the Travel Journal, and adhere strips of Dresden Trim:

Using the 3-hole notebook paper as a guide , determine where to add holes for the book rings:

Align the paper exactly where you want it to lie in the completed book, then trace the holes: 

Punch the holes , and then use the first cover to determine the placement of the holes in the other cover:

Add splatters of watery Black Acrylic Craft Paint to create more depth:

Tone down the Dresden Trim , and reinforce the darkened edges with the same mixture:

For the final touch, add a layer of wispy gold embossed script in random areas on all four sides:

The 3 Book Rings secure a generous amount of notebook paper inside…and this Travel Journal is now ready to use!

Time to start dreaming….

The splattered and blotched Distress Inks create a glowing backdrop for the delicate gold embossing:

I love the way that the water droplets create organically shaped blotches , adding  subtle complexity on the surface of the rich pigments:

While we may not be venturing to London or Paris anytime soon, we can now record all of the wonders that we dream of visiting one day…

From the depths of the Oceans to the bright shining shores of Africa, the world awaits your exploration!

Thank you for spending this time at The Graphics Fairy today!

I hope that you feel the sweet tug of wanderlust as you ponder all the places you will visit on your travels…

Please visit Thicketworks as you Tour the World, and drop a line of greeting!

Until next time,

It’s finally here! Our first online crafting eCourse! If you’ve always wanted to try the art of Mixed Media , be sure and check out this amazing course by Heather Tracy!

Click HERE to learn more about it.

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Helen Edwards says

January 27, 2017 at 6:03 pm

So beautiful,Heather.Thank-you very much for these amazingly clear instructions AND also such fantastic creativity.

I have been making some journals for a couple of years and I never get tired of watching other’s ideas.

Thank-you so much again for your generosity.

Heather Tracy says

January 28, 2017 at 6:13 pm

Hi Helen! Making journals of all kinds is bit addictive, isn’t it? So glad that you enjoyed this one, my friend. Thank you for your kindness!

eileen says

January 27, 2017 at 9:47 am

Fabulous project! Thank you.

January 27, 2017 at 10:28 am

I’m so happy you like it, Eileen! It was a joy to create. xox

Sherlene Mats says

January 26, 2017 at 11:38 pm

Just so fabulous! Clever idea to add the light bulb to the hair-do girl! I’m going to steal it.

graphicsfairy says

January 27, 2017 at 9:34 am

Thanks so much Charlene, go for it 🙂

Linda Knox says

January 26, 2017 at 10:12 pm

Thanks big time for the downloadable cover pages; they are wonderful. I will be making this and using as a technique journal….no samples, just written “how to’s”

January 27, 2017 at 9:36 am

You are very welcome Linda, good luck on your journal!

mare williams says

January 26, 2017 at 4:47 pm

Heather, I LOVE your creativity in all your projects!!! It’s the “artist-wannabe” in me, I guess! LOVE the travel journal cover!!!!! Thanks for sharing!!

January 26, 2017 at 6:12 pm

Thanks so much Mare!!!

Paula Mullins says

January 26, 2017 at 4:46 pm

You must have read my mind? We are taking a trip to Alaska his summer for our 50th wedding anniversary and my daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren will join us. I have been mulling over in my mind how I was going to make a travel journal for each of the three grandchildren so they will remember the trip. Thanks to you I have the tools to get the job done! Thank you Heather!!

January 26, 2017 at 8:59 pm

Yay! I’m so glad this will be useful to your family, Paula! I hope you have the most wonderful trip EVER! xox

January 26, 2017 at 2:00 pm

Oh Heather!! My heart is beating really fast again and it’s all because of your GORGEOUS journal! I have a real weakness for pretty journals. I love, love, love traveling but since I have to earn a living too, I travel in my imagination all the time. This journal embodies all that I dream of. I have seen people create such beauties but given my very limited PS skills, I could only drool. I even bought a printable journal set on etsy last year to satiate my journal obsession. Now, thanks to you, I can create multiple ones with different stamps/color schemes etc. I have scored some pretty paper packs in letter size that could be the insides of my journal. I think….I could even use the designs you shared in your Printable mini-book project without folding them…..wheels are churning fast and smoke is coming out of my ears:) As usual, you just know what your readers love and you know that we love EVERYTHING you create! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this and everything you share!! PS: If I may suggest….if one doesn’t have the 3 rings, you could take the whole journal (incl. inside papers) to a local office supplies store and they will do ring binding for under $3 in most cases. You can also substitute sketch paper/water color paper etc. inside this journal if you wanna doodle during travels.

January 27, 2017 at 11:56 am

Yay! I’m so happy that this will be of use to you, Rupa! It’s SO exciting to witness your creative excitement! I have such a wonderful time designing with Graphics Fairy Images…it’s as though the entire creative Universe is available to work with…

I love all the suggestions that you have made, from binding, to using WHATEVER papers you choose! I selected Notebook Paper only as a way to make this super-accessible for all. Bless you for your enthusiasm, your support and your Creativity! xoxo

January 28, 2017 at 9:21 pm

The three ring binding though makes it easier to add papers when needed. You are inspiring all of us to try new things, techniques and push our creativity. Most of all, it is giving us confidence and joy everyday. What a journey you are taking us along!

January 29, 2017 at 8:02 am

What a lovely message, Rupa! I like the versatility and simplicity of the Book Rings, but I love your suggestions, too. If you feel inspiration and are growing in creative confidence, then I’m THRILLED! So blessed to be taking this journey with you. xox

January 26, 2017 at 1:58 pm

Heather, I have decided I need a Crop-A-Dile…yes I do! There are several diff hole size punches that come in Crop-A-Dile. Which is the most common size or most versatile if you are able to make a recommendation please? I wish I could get multiple Crop-A-Dile punches but it ain’t happenin’ 🙂 Thank you in advance.

January 26, 2017 at 4:18 pm

Hi Rupa! I’m thrilled you will be giving yourself this gift…I waited for years before investing in one, and I wish I hadn’t waited…I find that I get the most use from the Standard Crop-A-Dile – 1/8 inch and 3/16 inch holes are a breeze to cut through paper, cardboard, plastic, even thin wood and metal. It can set eyelets in these same sizes as well. For my needs, this is perfect.

January 28, 2017 at 12:44 am

Thank you for your recommendation.

January 28, 2017 at 10:00 am

My pleasure Rupa 🙂

June 8, 2017 at 9:03 am

Heather, I finally finished this journal with some Dresden trim directly from dresden ? My sister in law was visiting there in Feb and I got some trim, it is really pretty. I missed using corner punch and had missed gold stamping too but the latter is now taken care of. It adds a gorgeous touch. I should follow instructions every step of the way instead of looking at finished photos at times and doing my own thing. I once again concluded that you are a genius, even in the placement of stamps that makes all layers so cohesive. My stamp had a border and some of that boundary is showing, not desirable. Anyway. Thanks so much for this simple yet gorgeous, useful project, will be making more. I had previously just covered a note book with pretty travel themed paper but this is now ready for travels,

June 9, 2017 at 8:23 am

Wow! Oh, Rupa – I want to see your journal! It sounds divine…and Dresden from DRESDEN?!?! How glorious. I love it that you ‘do your own thing’…that’s always my goal, darling. And yes, the added layers of gold embossed stamping really make it all come together, don’t they? It’s always a joy to hear from you, and I wish you deliriously happy travels – whether Imaginal or REAL! xox

How to Start and Keep a Travel Journal: A Guide to Travel Diaries

When you capture your memories, you’ll never lose them.

Traveling is a transformative and enriching experience – and one of the best ways to capture and preserve those memories is by keeping a travel journal. A travel journal serves as a personal record of your adventures, reflections, and emotions throughout your journey.

A travel journal offers numerous benefits and can become a cherished keepsake for years to come. Here is a comprehensive guide on how to start and keep a travel journal – and how to make the most of your journaling experience.

Why Keep a Travel Journal?

Keeping a travel journal is a gateway to a treasure trove of memories , self-reflection , and creative expression . From preserving the details of your journeys to unlocking personal growth, a travel journal is definitely worthwhile. Let’s uncover the magic of travel journaling together.

Preserving Memories

Preserving memories is crucial when it comes to maintaining a travel journal. It is essential to capture the moments and experiences during your trips. Here are some techniques to effectively preserve your memories:

– Write comprehensive descriptions of the places, individuals, and activities you encounter. It is important to be vivid and use expressive language in your writing.

– Capture photographs of the landscapes, landmarks, and memorable moments you come across.

– Keep tickets, receipts, and other mementos from your travels as keepsakes.

– Maintain a daily log of your activities, thoughts, and emotions throughout the journey.

– Consider recording voice memos to encompass ambient sounds and conversations, which will add depth to your memories.

– Document the people you meet on your journey, including their names and stories .

Incorporating these practices into your travel journal will allow you to effectively preserve your memories for the years to come.

Self-Reflection and Personal Growth

Self-reflection and personal growth are essential aspects of travel journaling. When you take the time to introspect and process your experiences and emotions, you not only gain a deeper understanding of yourself but also foster personal growth .

Here are five effective ways to enhance self-reflection and personal growth through your travel journal:

1. Embracing emotions : Use your journal to describe your feelings and emotions during your travels. This practice can help you process and comprehend your emotional responses.

2. Contemplating experiences : Take the opportunity to write about the impactful moments, challenges, and lessons you encounter. By doing so, you can gain valuable insights, learn, and grow.

3. Recognizing strengths and weaknesses : Assess your reactions to various situations and identify areas where you excel as well as struggle. This self-awareness will optimize your personal growth.

4. Establishing personal goals : Utilize your journal to set realistic development goals for yourself. For instance, if you tend to be shy, challenge yourself to interact with locals. Regularly reflect on these goals and track your progress.

5. Documenting achievements : Take the time to celebrate your accomplishments in your journal. Whether it’s conquering fears, trying new activities, or pushing yourself out of your comfort zone, recognizing these achievements will boost your self-confidence and inspire further growth.

By actively engaging in self-reflection and personal growth through your travel journal, you can maximize your travel experiences and create positive changes that spill over into various aspects of your life.

Creative Outlet

Travel journaling provides you with a valuable creative outlet that allows you to express yourself and document your experiences in unique ways.

There are several methods through which travel journaling serves as a creative outlet:

1. Writing: You can vividly describe your adventures, including the places you visit, the people you meet, and the emotions you experience. By skillfully using descriptive language, you can bring your experiences to life on the pages of your journal.

2. Drawing and Sketching: If you possess artistic abilities, you can visually represent your travels through sketches and drawings. You have the opportunity to capture breathtaking landscapes or intricate architectural wonders.

3. Collages and Scrapbooking: Incorporating various mementos such as pictures, tickets, and postcards can elevate your travel journaling experience. By artfully arranging these items, you can create visually appealing collages that effectively capture your journey.

4. Mapping and Planning: You may enjoy incorporating maps and itineraries into your journals. By using different colors, markers, and symbols, you can highlight your routes, points of interest, and even plan future adventures.

5. Poetry and Prose: Travel journals offer a platform for you to explore your emotions and experiences through poetry, short stories, and song lyrics. This allows you to express your thoughts and reflections in a profound and meaningful way.

Incorporating a creative outlet into travel journaling enhances the overall experience, enabling you to express yourself artistically. It adds a personal and unique touch to your journals, reflecting your unique personality and perspective.

Editor’s Note : You don’t have to be a famed artist to enjoy adding artistic touches to your journal – even a postcard can help you capture a moment or memory, it’s art!

How to Start a Travel Journal?

You might be wondering, “Where do I start?”

You’ll need to start with a journal and a journey. Consider the following guidelines as you choose and prepare to record an adventure you’ll never forget. Are you ready to dive into the world of travel journaling and embark on an adventure of self-expression and reflection?

Choose the Right Journal

When selecting a journal, it’s important to choose one that suits your needs and preferences. Consider the following factors:

Consider these factors to choose the right journal that meets your needs and enhances your travel journaling experience.

Determine Your Journaling Style

When it comes to travel journaling, determine your style. This helps capture your travel experiences authentically and true to your voice. Consider these factors when determining your style:

1. Writing or Visual: Decide if you prefer writing or capturing your thoughts and experiences through drawings, sketches, or collages. Some may prefer a combination.

2. Length and Detail: Consider how much detail you want in your journal entries. Do you enjoy writing long and descriptive passages or shorter, more concise entries? This determines entry length and depth.

3. Structure: Think about if you prefer a structured journal with a specific format like a daily log or reflection on specific trip aspects. Alternatively, you may prefer a free-flowing and spontaneous approach.

4. Multimedia Elements: Decide if you want to include additional elements like travel photos, tickets, or souvenirs. These bring memories to life and add a visual dimension.

Remember, your journaling style can evolve and change over time. The important thing is to find a resonating style that effectively captures your travel experiences. Experiment with different approaches and embrace the freedom to authentically express yourself. Happy journaling!

Gather Essential Supplies

To gather essential supplies for your travel journal, follow these steps:

1. Choose a journal: Select a journal that fits your style and preferences. Consider factors like page count, paper thickness, and lay-flat design for easy writing.

2. Pens and markers: Bring a variety of writing tools , including pens, markers, and highlighters, to add color and creativity to your journal.

3. Sticky notes and adhesive: Pack sticky notes or adhesive to incorporate extra elements like tickets, postcards, or photos into your journal. This will make your journal visually appealing.

4. Travel accessories: Consider including travel-specific items such as a small pouch for souvenirs, a ruler for straight lines or measurements, or a pocket-sized travel guide for reference.

5. Accessories for organization: Keep your journal organized with accessories like paper clips, binder clips, or page flags. These can be useful for marking important pages or sections.

6. Glue or tape: If you plan to add larger or heavier items to your journal, such as brochures or maps, bring glue or tape to securely attach them.

7. Travel-friendly storage: Make sure you have a sturdy and compact bag or case to store all your journaling supplies in one place. This will make it easier to access them while traveling.

Remember, the purpose of gathering essential supplies is to enhance your journaling experience and creativity. Consider which items will be most useful and enjoyable for you personally.

What to Include in Your Travel Journal?

Keeping a travel journal is the perfect way to capture the essence of your adventures. You have a lot of options when it comes to what to include – especially if you’re detailed oriented. Here are some of the major players.

Daily Itinerary and Activities

When traveling and keeping a journal, you may want to document your daily itinerary and activities. Here are some key points to consider:

– Record your daily activities: Write down the places you visit, the attractions you see, and the activities you engage in each day. This helps you remember the details and experiences.

– Date and timestamp your entries: Include the date and time of each activity in your journal. This creates a chronological account of your journey.

– Include details and descriptions: Be descriptive in your writing, capturing the sights, sounds, and smells of each activity. Use vivid language to paint a picture of your experiences.

– Add personal reflections: Alongside your itinerary, include your thoughts and feelings about each activity. Reflect on how the experience impacted you and what you learned from it.

– Document any challenges or surprises: Note any unexpected obstacles or pleasant surprises you encountered during your activities. This adds depth and authenticity to your travel narrative.

– Attach mementos: Include tickets, brochures, or other physical items related to your daily activities. These mementos bring back memories and enhance your journal entries.

Remember, the goal of documenting your daily itinerary and activities is to create a comprehensive record of your trip. By capturing the details and emotions of each day, you’ll be able to relive your travel experiences in the future. Happy journaling!

Impressions and Emotions

Impressions and emotions are crucial aspects when capturing the essence of travel experiences. By actively describing and reflecting on them, you have the ability to construct a vibrant and meaningful travel journal.

• To start, describe your impressions by taking note of the sights, sounds, smells, and tastes that stand out to you when visiting a new place. Utilize descriptive language to effectively convey the atmosphere and essence of the location. For instance, instead of simply stating “the beach was beautiful,” vividly describe the vibrant colors of the sunset reflecting off the water, the delightful scent of the salty breeze, and the comforting sensation of warm sand between your toes.
• Describe the enticing taste of local delicacies, the texture of cobblestone streets beneath your feet, or the vibrant array of colors at a bustling market. Engaging multiple senses not only makes your journal entry more immersive but also evokes a more vivid recollection .
• It is important to reflect on your emotions while traveling. Travel often evokes a range of emotions, such as excitement, awe, nostalgia, and introspection . Write about how certain moments or experiences made you feel. Did you experience a surge of adrenaline while embarking on a chalenging hiking trail? Were you filled with a sense of wonder and reverence when visiting a historic site? By capturing your emotions in words, you are able to evoke and relive those unforgettable moments while comprehending their impact.
• Express your personal connections in your journal. Share how you connected with the individuals you encountered during your journey. Write about the meaningful conversations you had, the friendships you formed, or the cultural exchanges that touched your heart. These personal connections and interactions leave a lasting impression and add depth to your travel journal.
• Reflect on your personal growth as a result of your travels. Travel provides unique opportunities for self-discovery and personal development. Contemplate how your experiences challenged you, pushed you out of your comfort zone, or broadened your perspectives. Write about the valuable lessons you learned and how you have grown as an individual. Reflecting on personal growth helps to further enrich your travel journal.

By prioritizing and focusing on impressions and emotions in your travel journal, you can create a comprehensive and meaningful record of your adventures. This record will effectively transport you back to those treasured moments whenever you revisit your journal.

Photos, Tickets, and Souvenirs

Photos, tickets, and souvenirs are important for travel journals to capture and preserve trip memories. Here are reasons why these items are valuable:

– Photos: Capture landscapes, views, and moments of travel. They serve as visual reminders of places and experiences.

– Tickets: Save tickets from attractions, museums, shows, or events attended during the trip. These tickets transport you back to the exact date and time of something new and exciting.

– Souvenirs: Physical mementos that evoke powerful memories of travel. They can be notes, postcards, shop receipts, or even food wrappers. Souvenirs remind you of the culture, traditions, and unique aspects of the destination.

By including photos, tickets, and souvenirs, you create a comprehensive record of your experiences. These items add depth and richness to your written descriptions , allowing you to relive your adventures more tangibly. Photos serve as visual aids to jog your memory and bring back specific details of each location visited. Similarly, tickets and souvenirs help recall specific events or attractions interacted with during the trip.

Tips for Effective Travel Journaling

Looking to up your travel journal game? Say goodbye to mundane travel entries and hello to captivating narratives that will transport you and your readers back to your adventures in a heartbeat. Ready to unleash your inner storyteller and create a travel journal that will truly stand the test of time?

Here are our top tips.

Write Regularly

To maximize your travel journal’s effectiveness, it is crucial to write regularly. By consistently recording your experiences, thoughts, and feelings, you can capture the essence of your travels and create a vibrant and meaningful record.

1. Set a schedule : Establish a routine for journaling, whether in the evening before bed or during breakfast each morning. By incorporating journaling into your daily routine, you ensure that you don’t forget to record important moments and details.

2. Make it a habit : Treat journaling as a regular practice, like brushing your teeth or exercising. By prioritizing journaling and making it a non-negotiable part of your day, you are more likely to write regularly and consistently – at home or away.

3. Write in the moment : Don’t wait too long before jotting down your experiences. Memories fade quickly, and by writing while the details are still fresh in your mind, you can capture the nuances and emotions of each adventure.

4. Keep it simple : You don’t need to write a lengthy essay every time you journal. Sometimes, a few sentences or bullet points can be enough to jog your memory and capture the essence of the moment. Focus on the key highlights and impressions that stand out to you.

5. Use prompts and writing techniques : If you’re feeling stuck, use prompts or writing techniques to stimulate your creativity. Try freewriting, list-making, or describing a specific sensory experience. This can help generate ideas and deepen your journal entries.

By writing regularly, you will cultivate a substantial collection of travel memories for future reflection. So, make it a habit, be consistent, and enjoy the process of documenting your adventures. Happy journaling!

Be Descriptive and Detailed

Keeping a travel journal requires being descriptive and detailed. This allows you to capture the essence of your travel experiences and create vivid memories. Besides sharing sensory descriptions and your emotions and responses , here are some tips to help you be descriptive and detailed in your travel journal:

1. Include colorful anecdotes : Share interesting stories, encounters, or observations that stood out to you during your travels. These anecdotes add depth and personality to your journal entries.

2. Add context : Provide background information about the places you visit. This can include historical facts, cultural traditions, or local customs. It helps create a richer understanding of the destinations you explore.

3. Use quotes and dialogue : Incorporate conversations you had with locals or fellow travelers, as well as any memorable quotes or phrases that resonated with you. This adds authenticity and liveliness to your journal.

Being descriptive and detailed in your travel journal creates a personal time capsule of your adventures . So, grab your journal, embrace your inner storyteller, and let your words transport you back to those incredible moments you experienced while traveling.

It can also enhance memory retention – writing about experiences in detail helps solidify memories and improve recall.

Keeping Your Travel Journal Safe

When it comes to keeping your travel journal safe, there are a couple of important considerations to keep in mind. With the increasing use of technology, finding the right methods for digital backup is crucial. Safeguarding your physical journals from loss or damage is also a key aspect of preserving your travel experiences.

Let’s explore the best practices for keeping your travel journal safe and secure!

Digital Backup

When it comes to keeping your travel journal safe and secure, digital backup is essential. Here are some options to protect your travel journal:

• Cloud Storage: Use Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud to upload digital copies of your travel journal. This way, even if you lose or damage your physical journal, you can always access your entries from any device with an internet connection.
• External Hard Drive: Backup your travel journal regularly with an external hard drive. These devices have large storage capacities, allowing you to store written entries, photos, and videos.
• USB Flash Drive: Keep a USB flash drive specifically for your travel journal backups. These portable devices are compact and easy to carry, ensuring you always have a backup copy of your journal.
• Email Yourself: Send digital copies of your journal entries to your email address. This serves as a quick and convenient backup method accessible from anywhere.

In addition to these options, it is advisable to password-protect your digital backups for added security. Remember to regularly update your backups and store them separately from your physical journal to minimize the risk of losing all your travel memories.

By implementing one or more of these digital backup methods, you can have peace of mind knowing that your travel journal is safeguarded, and your cherished memories are securely preserved. So go ahead and embark on your next adventure, knowing that your travel journal is backed up and ready to capture every moment.

Protecting Physical Journals

Protecting physical journals is crucial to ensure the safety and longevity of travel memories. To safeguard your travel journal, consider the following tips:

– Use a sturdy cover : Opt for a durable journal , like a hardcover or leather-bound notebook , to prevent tearing or damage.

– Waterproof protection : Invest in a waterproof journal cover or use a plastic sleeve to shield your journal from spills or rain, preserving your writing – especially if you’re hiking or camping with it.

– Keep it separate : Avoid storing your journal with sharp objects or liquids. Use a dedicated pouch or compartment in your bag to minimize accidents.

– Store in a safe place : When not in use, store your journal in a secure and dry location , away from sunlight and extreme temperatures to prevent fading or warping.

– Back it up : Make digital copies or scans of your journal pages to mitigate the risk of loss or damage. Store them securely on your computer, external hard drive, or cloud storage.

– Handle with care : Use clean hands and gentle handling to preserve the binding and keep the pages intact.

By following these precautions, you can protect your travel journal and ensure it remains a treasure of memorable experiences for years to come.

Interesting fact : The oldest surviving travel diary dates back to the 2nd century AD. It was written by a Roman soldier named Aulus Plautius , who documented his exploration of Britain !

Sharing Your Travel Journal

When sharing your travel journal, follow these steps to effectively communicate your experiences to others so they can experience your adventure with you all over again.

– Organize your entries : Arrange your journal entries in a logical order, either chronologically or by location. This helps readers follow your journey and understand its progression.

– Include visuals : Alongside your written entries, add photographs, postcards, or sketches that capture the essence of your travels. Visuals enhance readers’ understanding and create a more immersive experience.

– Be descriptive : Use vivid and detailed language to describe the places, people, and experiences you encountered. Paint a picture with your words so that readers can feel like they are there with you.

– Share personal insights : Include your thoughts, reflections, and emotions in your journal entries. This adds a personal touch and allows readers to connect with your experiences on a deeper level.

– Consider your audience : Think about who you want to share your journal with. If it’s a close group of family and friends, you can be more intimate and less formal in your writing. If you plan to publish or share your journal with a wider audience, make sure your tone and content are appropriate.

– Set boundaries : While sharing your travel experiences can be exciting, respect the privacy of others. Be mindful of what you include in your journal and obtain consent before sharing personal stories or photographs involving other individuals.

Sharing your travel journal allows you to relive your adventures and inspire others to explore the world. So grab your pen, gather your memories, and let your words transport you and your readers to the incredible places you’ve visited.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. how can a travel journal be beneficial for business purposes.

By keeping a travel journal, you can jot down ideas and inspiration for business ventures during your trips. It allows you to document potential collaborations, networking opportunities, and innovative concepts that can be implemented in your work.

2. What are some pre-departure ideas to spark travel journal ideas?

Before leaving for your trip, consider researching the history and culture of your destination. This can help spark ideas for what to include in your travel journal, such as unique landmarks, local customs, or traditional cuisine.

3. How can a travel journal help with post-holiday ideas?

After your trip, reviewing your travel journal can jog your memory and inspire ideas for future vacations. You can reflect on your favorite experiences, places you want to revisit, or even new destinations you discovered during your previous trip.

4. What are some different versions of travel journaling?

There are various ways to approach travel journaling, including “just the facts,” storytelling, envelope-style, scrapbook style, and sketchbook. Each version offers a unique way to document and remember your trips, allowing you to choose the style that suits you best.

5. Can a travel journal be stored digitally?

Absolutely! In modern life, digital travel journal options are available. You can use diary software or dedicated travel journal apps to create a solid collection of your travel memories. Just make sure to backup your digital journal to keep it safe.

6. Is it essential to keep a separate notebook for each trip?

It is not necessary to have a separate notebook for each trip. You can use a single travel journal and section it off for various travels. This way, you can maintain one comprehensive journal that includes all your travel adventures.

Brooks Manley

Creative Primer  is a resource on all things journaling, creativity, and productivity. We’ll help you produce better ideas, get more done, and live a more effective life.

My name is Brooks. I do a ton of journaling, like to think I’m a creative (jury’s out), and spend a lot of time thinking about productivity. I hope these resources and product recommendations serve you well. Reach out if you ever want to chat or let me know about a journal I need to check out!

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

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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.

Find this useful? Share it!

Publish Date: April 7, 2014

51 thoughts on “Kids Travel Journal Printable [Downloadable PDF Template]”

Many thanks! Sincerely appreciate the free downloads. Your time & talent is appreciated.

These look fab, I’ve pinned to print off in the pre-holiday panic

Thank you for creating theses pages We3Travel, they are beautiful! I’m just seeing this while on a trip in Spain without printing facilities, but will be using thes on our next trips!

I’m so glad you like them! Have a great trip. We loved visiting Spain a few years ago.

My Daughters School (Palm Valley Elem) shared this for as a summer activity! I am so glad they did!! this is exactly what I was looking for for my 8 year old! she needs the writing prompts! I am going to add them to a journal and add a few “pockets” for her to add ticket stubs etc

That’s great!! I made this a few years ago and I feel like I should update it but glad it still works for others!

Love your travel pages, but they would not print for me. Am taking my 10 yr old grand and parents to the Jersey Shore in July and making a list of crafty and fun activities to do with her. Since your pages won’t print, they have still given me an idea of making a simple journal with her and use your ideas as prompts for her to write and sketch. Thanks for the cool ideas.

I’m so sorry to hear they wouldn’t print for you. Were you able to download them or did you have trouble accessing them?

Comments are closed.

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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.

Travel Journaling Guide: How to Write the Ultimate Travel Diary

Travel journaling allows you to preserve your travel memories for life. It’s a fact of life that memories fade over time. Some may disappear within seconds, while others can stay clear for hours, days or weeks. Travel memories that are written down, however, are there for life.

If you’ve been tracking down waterfalls in the Cuban jungle, it’s only a matter of time until you forget the blood-red feathers of the Cuban trogon you stumbled upon. What about the name of that man you met on the Paris Metro? The ins and outs of your journey on a night bus in Vietnam? The accidental shortcut you found in Switzerland?

As a travel writer, I’ve been travel journaling in one shape or form for my whole life. However, you don’t have to be a writer to start a travel journal. It can be as simple, as short or as complex as you like, with the following travel journaling guide.

Whether you bullet-point everything or smash out several pages of prose per day, your travel journal doesn’t just preserve precious travel memories. It’s a place to self-reflect on your journey, record facts and quotes, and creatively display your travels so far. The best part? All you need to start travel journaling is a notebook, a pen and a travel plan.

Table of Contents

What is travel journaling?

Travel journaling is the act of keeping a written record of your travels. While this typically refers to keeping a chronological (hour-by-hour and day-by-day) travel diary, some travel journalers might also sketch, create collages or draw infographics to tell a story.

Travel journaling is unique to each storyteller, but at its core, it’s about relaying your experiences for an imaginary or real reader and recording your adventures for your future self to look back on.

The only piece of equipment you need to begin travel journaling is a notebook. This could be as simple as a basic lined or unlined notebook. However, some notebooks are designed specifically as travel diaries and aim to prompt the author, such as the  Travel Listography Diary  and the  You Are Here Mindful Travel Journal .

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Book your hotel or hostel on Booking.com or Hostelworld .

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Find a tour or experience on Get Your Guide .

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Travel Journaling: Should I keep a travel journal?

Anyone can keep a travel journal, whether you’re creating a travel journal to share memories with family and friends when you return home, or just for yourself. It’s a souvenir of sorts, but one that has a personal meaning to you and captures your exact thoughts and feelings at a specific time and place in your journey.

You might want to keep a travel journal if…

1. You want your memories to become sharper and more meaningful.

At school, teachers often advise students to write down facts to remember them. The same goes for memories. Writing about a memory stimulates your brain to recall and remember specific details from that moment.

When you revisit a memory like that, it sends your brain a signal that that particular memory is important. It is prioritised above other, more insignificant memories from the day, the week or the year. As a result, you’re more likely to be able to recall it in the future.

At the same time, revisiting a memory allows you to add meaning to your experience. By exploring the thoughts and feelings that came along with the physical sensations, you’re able to bring a unique, personal meaning to what happened.

2. You’d like to relive a memory a second time.

When I urged a friend I met on my travels to try recording his memories on paper, one of the most significant things he said was, “It’s like I get to experience it all over a second time.”

That’s one of the best parts about travel journaling. In your own, unique way, you get to experience something in detail for a second time. You might feel the same rush of adrenaline, the same apprehension or the same ‘lightbulb moment’.

3. You want to jot down contact details of new friends.

Sometimes you meet people on the road and they have a huge impact on you in some way or another: a blasé comment that stuck with you, a new perspective on a topic you thought you’d already figured out, or an unexpected friend in a moment where you really needed it. Just as often, you forget to ask for their contact information or you lose it in the mayhem.

Anything can happen to your phone when you’re travelling: loss, theft, damage, or unexpected memory wipes. Jotting down important contact details in your travel journal creates a second, permanent copy of their details. You never know, you might want to share some of the entries they starred in as a way to reflect on your fleeting time together.

4. You want to work through complex thoughts and feelings.

There’s a reason why many therapists and life coaches suggest writing down how you’re feeling. It’s a very effective way of processing complex or difficult emotions.

You might have had a travel experience that has shook you up slightly – an illness or a missed flight, perhaps – and want to get your immediate frustrations out on paper. Maybe you’ve come to a big realisation about the way you handle stress or adversity. Either way, your travel journal is a great way to work through the feelings.

Bottling up emotions isn’t good for anyone, so this is a particularly handy use for a travel diary if you’re a solo traveller who doesn’t have anyone to vent to immediately. This can all boost your self awareness, protect yourself from future mishaps, and generate a greater understanding of yourself.

5. You want to reflect on your travels so far and what you’d like out of the rest of your trip.

Travel can be a whirlwind. However, by reflecting on your travels so far, you can assess what have been the most meaningful experiences in your trip so far, and seek out similar experiences in the future.

Similarly, it can help you to realise if you’ve been focusing on one particular experience so far – for example, hiking or visiting historical sites. It might influence you to try something new, like attending a cultural festival, going on a village walk or engaging in some  offbeat travel  experiences.

6. You want to save ideas for an online travel diary or social media posts.

Whether you’re a content creator, a digital nomad, or simply someone who likes to share your travels with friends and family, travel journaling can be a great way to fine-tune ideas for future stories, whether written or visual.

You might be planning to create your own blog or post photos on Instagram with in-depth captions. Setting up your own website is relatively inexpensive to do nowadays with websites such as  Bluehost  offering cheap, affordable domains and hosting plans – this is the site I used to set up my own blog.

Draft ideas for stories and captions in your travel journal, and use a highlighter to pick out your best ideas.

7. You want to improve your writing skills

Whether you’re a seasoned writer or a complete beginner, the simple act of travel journaling every day (or every other day) will give you more practice in the art of the written word.

This will carry over into your studies, essay-writing, creative writing, email-writing, or general communication skills. It also boosts your confidence as a writer.

8. You want something tangible to share with family or friends.

Unless you’re planning on keeping your travel journal to yourself, a travel diary is a great hand-me-down that will give your ancestors a taste of your travels and personality. It’s also an excellent way to connect with friends and families back home, and give them the run-down on what you got up to. If you travelled with a partner or a friend, it’s also an excellent shared keepsake.

Travel Journaling: What should a travel journal include?

When it comes to the question of ‘what should a travel journal include?’, I use the word ‘should’ lightly. Your travel journal is uniquely yours. It doesn’t  have  to include anything you don’t want it to.

However, there are many things that you might want to include in your travel journal, so the following list should provide some inspiration.

Pick and choose the ideas you like and  experiment  to see what works for you. What works for you will be different than what works for other travel journalers.

1. Brainstorming

You don’t need to wait until your departure date to begin travel journaling. It can also be used to plan your trip. Before anything else, you might want to dedicate a page (or a few) to brainstorming.

Do you want a budget or a luxury trip? Do you want to see the beaches, mountains, jungle, lakes, rivers, or deserts? Which countries match your non-negotiables? Who might you invite, or who can you connect with out there? This sort of brainstorming can streamline the planning process and help you to get the most out of your trip.

2. Trip research

After brainstorming comes the more nitty-gritty trip research. Your travel notebook is ideal for this too. It’s easy to open up a dozen or more tabs on your laptop or mobile device, so you can use the physical notebook to jot down key destinations and activities that have captured your attention. This will help you to narrow down your itinerary once and for all.

3. A trip plan

You can take this a step further and write a complete plan for your trip. If you don’t want your notebook to get too messy, you can simply add your finalised itinerary. This will be very helpful when you’re actually travelling, because you can store all of your booking information and your travel timeline in one place.

This is what I do, and it keeps my mind clear and my travel plan organised. I also include back-up ideas for activities and alternative transport options should anything go awry.

4. A travel diary

When you start to gather first-hand travel experiences, you can begin to record a diary of the events. You might want to write in prose, which is the best way to let your thoughts flow freely onto the page.

An alternative option is to take bullet points, which help you to get down information quickly before you forget it. You might also want to alternate between the two, writing in bullet points when you’re short on time and writing in prose when you feel particularly inspired.

5. Other travel memorabilia

Your travel journal doesn’t just have to be a written diary. You can collect – and glue down – other travel memorabilia such as ticket stubs, receipts or dried flowers.

Just remember to pack a small glue stick or double-sided tape and scissors (in your checked bag, not your carry-on bag).

Some travel memorabilia that you might want to stick into your travel diary include:

• Ticket stubs.
• Foreign bank notes.
• Newspaper clippings.
• Dried flowers.
• Food wrappers.
• Luggage tag labels.

6. Sketches

If you’re particularly artistic, sketching the scenery, wildlife, or people you see on your journey is a great way to bring your diary to life. If you’re not artistically inclined, a small caricature might be more accessible and just as fun.

Others might prefer to paint in watercolour; there are a number of  watercolour travel journals  available.

Travel journaling: How do you write a travel journal entry?

When you start recording your first travel journal entry, my first piece of advice is simply to start writing.

It doesn’t have to be perfect. It doesn’t even have to make sense to anyone but you. If you work better with an outline, the following prompts should get you started.

1. Write down the date.

The most important thing to do, and perhaps the only rule of travel journaling, is that you should start by writing down the date of your entry. If you can, include the day of the week too, as this can often give extra context – for example, if it’s the weekend, it might explain why the crowds in your destination were so lively or the public transport delayed.

I recommend using the format: Thursday, 21st July, 2022. You want to be able to look back on the date of the entry and see how much time has passed since it took place.

2. Write down your location.

The second most important thing to write down is your location. It’s a good idea to be as specific as possible. Include the town, the village or even the hotel or hostel you’re staying at.

This makes it easier to re-imagine the scenario when you’re reading your diary back. It also makes the entry more accurate and places the event somewhere tangible.

3. Decide whether you’re going to write in prose or use bullet points.

As a rule of thumb, it’s best to get your memories down on paper when they are still fresh. If you’re pressed on time, you might want to take bullet points rather than write in prose. If more than a couple of days have passed, you’ll start losing some of the sharper details.

4. Start writing chronologically.

It might be tempting to jump right into the drama that happened in your evening. However, writing your travel diary chronologically is the easiest way to keep it understandable.

The version of events can get confusing if the narrator is constantly skipping from 7pm to 10am, then to 3pm and back to 10am again.

Begin by writing about your morning. What time did you wake up? What did you eat for breakfast? Who did you talk to? Where did you go from there? It’s also easier to recall memories this way and follow a clear train of thought.

5. Be specific.

As a rule of thumb, the more specific your writing is, the better. This is because the smaller details such as street names or direct quotes are some of the first things that will fade from your memory.

If you really want to bring the memory back to life, focus on the details:  location, names, times, dates, quotes, and specific thoughts.

The following prompts might come in handy:

• What did you eat? Where did you dine? How did it taste? What was the texture of the food?
• Who did you speak to? What were their names?
• Did you discover anything new today? Are there any facts you can recall? Did your destination meet your expectations?
• What was your favourite part of the day?
• What was your least favourite part of the day?
• Did you have any realisations throughout the day? What did you learn about yourself?
• How did you feel mentally? Were you energised, homesick, nervous, excited, or content?
• How did you feel physically? Were you in full health, hungry, full, sore, sleepy, or hormonal?

6. Be truthful.

Not every day is all roses and butterflies. At the same time, not every day is packed with drama and turbulence. It can be tempting to over-exaggerate your version of events, for a number of reasons.

You might want to make your trip sound more positive, add drama to your diary, or impress your real (or imagined) readers.

Remember, journaling isn’t just about creating a story. It’s about gaining self-awareness, improving your understanding of the world and working through the feelings that arise as a result of your travels. You can’t do that if you’re trying to paint your journey in a specific light the entire time.

Travel insurance is essential for any trip abroad. If you’re in an accident or experience an emergency, you need adequate cover. I recommend  Staysure  for single or multiple trips per year and SafetyWing for digital nomads.

Travel journaling tips

1. decide whether you want to use a dated diary or a general notebook..

There are pros and cons to purchasing a dated diary over a general notebook. The problem with a notebook is that it’s just a notebook.

A general notebook:

+ There are no restrictions on how long your entries are.

+ It’s more space-efficient for those travelling long-term, as you don’t have to start a new entry at the top of a page.

+ More freedom to doodle.

– Less incentive to make an entry.

– It can get scruffy quickly.

Purchasing a dated diary can make you feel more motivated to write your entries on a regular basis. They often include prompts, which can help you to get started. Many tailored travel journals also have additional pages dedicated for jotting down thoughts and notes, whereas a general notebook can quickly get messy.

A dated diary:

+ Looks more aesthetic.

+ Acts as a reminder not to miss a day.

+ Looks like a traditional diary.

+ May motivate you to write more often.

+ Often includes helpful prompts to spark your creativity.

– Can waste line space.

– May limit the space you have to write about each day.

At the same time, a general notebook might be the best option for long-term travellers who are short on space, because you don’t need to start a new entry at the top of a page. Starting a new entry mid-page saves precious line space. Unless your dated diary has blank spaces where you can insert the exact date, you’re also limited on the amount of space you have to write about each day.

2. Put aside 15 minutes every day to journal.

If one thing is for sure, it’s that travel can get hectic. As a result, it’s easy to get out of the routine of travel journaling every day. Since you want your memories to be as fresh as possible when you’re writing an entry, one of the best ways of keeping on track is by putting aside a specific time slot every day to journal.

You might decide to journal for 15 minutes each morning while you wait for breakfast to be served or for the 15 minutes before you go to bed.

If you have a daily commute – to the beach, to your temporary job, or to your friend’s hotel, for example – take your journal with you and utilise the spare time.

3. Journal while you’re in transit.

If you’re constantly travelling, it’s probably not going to be long until you have a lengthy train, bus or flight ahead of you. As long as the road (or airspace) isn’t too bumpy and you’re not prone to motion sickness, I’ve found that this is the perfect time to get some travel journaling done.

Having a good chunk of time to dedicate to writing is excellent. Plus, if you do get preoccupied on your travels and go off track with your journaling, the plane ride or boat ride back home is a good stretch of time to pick up where you left off and get down everything you can remember in chronological order.

4. Try to write within at least two days of the events.

The sooner you write about a memory, the better chance you have at remembering the niche details. The ideal situation would be to write about your day at the end of the day before you sleep, but that’s not always realistic.

Instead, try to set yourself a goal of writing about a day or an event 48 hours after it happens. If you still fall off track, write about your travels within a week of the date they happened.

5. Don’t feel the pressure to be perfect.

The pressure to get something perfect is often the first obstacle in getting started. Life is messy – and so is writing a travel journal. It’s not going to be perfect the first try. Besides, what is perfect anyway?

Your travel journal is for you. It doesn’t matter how many spelling or grammar mistakes there are, as long as it’s legible. It doesn’t matter if you don’t have the motivation to write.

Bullet points or a few short paragraphs are better than a blank page. Otherwise, you won’t have anything to look back on at all.

6. Get creative with it.

Harnessing your creativity goes hand-in-hand with letting go of the need for perfection. You could draw caricatures of the interesting people you meet on the road. You could sketch a bird you spotted this morning. You could even make a chart or a diagram of your spendings so far.

Here are some ideas:

• Dedicate a few pages to creating caricatures of people you meet along the road.
• Create a ‘quotes’ section and jot down the most meaningful things people have said to you.
• Make a chart or a diagram of your spendings.
• Put together a recipes section where you write down your favourite meals and their key ingredients (don’t be shy about asking).
• A ‘rant’ section dedicated to unedited writing.
• Glue ticket stubs to the relevant pages.
• Make a collage out of ticket stubs, photographs and other memorabilia.

7. Keep your travel journal safe.

While a journal might not look that attractive to potential thieves, it’s probably invaluable to you. Therefore, it’s very important to take measures to stop it from getting stolen, lost or damaged.

Prevent water damage

Whether it causes smudged ink or crinkled pages, water damage can have a catastrophic effect on your journal. It’s also one of the most common ways that travel journals get damaged, as they’re prone to rainwater and liquid leakages in your luggage.

Some travel journals have waterproof covers, which add some extra protection, but this isn’t a foolproof solution.

Storing your travel journal in a waterproof pouch or pocket is the most effective way to prevent water damage.

A plastic bag is effective too. However, it’s more prone to getting punctured by sharp objects and it’s less durable (and less eco-friendly) than a permanent waterproof pouch.

The following waterproof bags and pouches will protect your travel journal:

• Syncwire Waterproof Pouch Bag
• Eono Waterproof Waist Bag
• Waterproof Dry Bag Set

Keep it in a safe or a locked locker

If you’re not planning on travel journaling while you’re on the go, it’s probably best to leave it locked securely in your accommodation. Many hotels provide safes; it will usually be listed on the list of features on booking websites such as  Booking.com  or  Hostelworld.com .

Some hostels and homestays may provide a locker instead. For this, you will often need to bring your own padlock. I’d recommend bringing a set of  TSA-approved combination padlocks .

Carry an anti-theft backpack

It’s unlikely your travel journal will get swiped from your backpack. Thieves are far more likely to target a mobile phone.

Still, you should carry your valuables (journal included) in an anti-theft backpack. They come with features such as secret pockets, durable zippers, and designs that make it hard for thieves to gain access.

Anti-theft backpacks:

• Della Gao Anti-Theft Laptop
• TcIFE Ladies Backpack
• Oscaurt Theft Proof Travel Backpack
• Waterfly Anti-Theft Backpack

8. Don’t forget a pen (and back-ups).

A pen is one of the easiest things to forget on your trip. While they should be easy to get a hold of, there are some locations where you might find it tricker (Cuba, the middle of the jungle, or a small town, for example).

I’d recommend using a clickable pen, because this is less prone to leaking ink than a regular ballpoint. Bring spares if you can, because the ink might run out mid-journey or just when inspiration strikes.

Travel journaling examples

As someone who preaches about travel journaling, I’ve decided to share a few entries from my own travel diary so that you can get an idea for the sheer variety of what you can write about and how you can record the details.

Entry 1: Havana, Cuba (Saturday 22nd January, 2022)

Anisah and I arrived in Cuba late, around 7pm. It was already dark outside and thunder-storming – lightning, heavy rain that soaked through my papers.

The airport was very basic and very stringent with Covid (masks, stalls and many checks) but we cleared security swiftly and had only our backpacks as a carry-on.

Outside, there were taxi drivers holding names, and, surprisingly, they weren’t at all pushy. Our hostel was supposed to arrange a driver to take us directly there, but upon ringing twice (and spending a daunting £3 per minute on the calls), it appeared the driver was stuck in his house due to the storm.

We ended up in a yellow, licensed cab (which cost 25 euros – but down to 20 when the lady hosting us paid on our behalf).

I felt a little unnerved in the taxi, probably because I was exhausted, and because without maps, the driver relied on memory and locals in Havana for directions – and there weren’t many outside due to the torrential rain.

Entry 2: Ubud, Bali (Thursday 20th June, 2019)

Woke at 1am for the Mount Batur sunrise trek.

• Mount Agun nearby “coughed” up lava three weeks ago, according to our guide.
• 1,700-metre climb – our time was 1h35 but it felt way longer.
• Very steep, gravelly, and one of the toughest climbs I’ve done in my life. At one point, I told Jess, “Go on without me”.
• I ate a boiled egg and a banana at the top. I was still starving.
• Monkeys and dogs were fighting on the mountaintop.
• Monkeys almost stole my bag. They successfully stole a purse from another lady.
• We lost Pablo (Goncalo’s cousin) at the top of the mountain. The guide (jeans and sandals) was going to leave him behind, but we refused.

Entry 3: Havana, Cuba (Monday 31st January, 2022)

Our host gave us the cheque. We were short by 700 pesos. We went to hunt down an ATM. The ATM declined my card, as did the second ATM… and then the third ATM.

We started to panic, so we went to the Kempinski Hotel in Plaza Mayor to use their WiFi to contact my bank. It quickly emerged that the WiFi had completely cut out city-wide. At this point, we really started to panic. We had to leave for the airport in one hour.

We’d used up all of our options, so I told Anisah we’d have to ask someone for money. She was very dubious. We were walking down my favourite street when I spotted an older man and a younger woman, both blonde, looking lost and carrying cameras and bags.

I took off my mask and asked ‘Ingles?’. Nope, they spoke Spanish. In broken Spanish/English, I started to explain ‘plane’ (hand motion), ‘Londres’ (London), ‘desperate’, ‘taxi to airport’, and ‘short by 700’.

They replied, ‘No, a taxi should be 20’. They thought I meant euros! I said, ‘No, no. 700 pesos’. He nodded, ‘Oh, good price!’. To my disbelief, he pulled out a fat wallet filled with US dollars and pesos, and handed me a 500 and a 200. I nearly cried, but settled for tapping the lady’s arms and doing a prayer hand motion. People are truly good at heart.

Travel journaling: How do you make a memorable trip?

There are two halves to creating a travel journal. The first half is the part where you  explore, observe and investigate .

The second half is the part where you  write or create .

If one half of the formula is missing, you won’t have a travel journal at all.

Similarly, a travel notebook that documents seven days spent beside a swimming pool, tanning and reading a book, is unlikely to be as riveting as a travel journal that documents a journey into Dubrovnik’s old town, a bus ride through central  Vietnam , wild swimming through waterfalls in  Cuba  or a cruise over the backwaters in  Kerala , for example.

• Guide to the Parque Guanayara Waterfalls in Cuba
• Things to do at Alleppey and its backwaters

1. Research your trip.

A great motto, and one I live by, is ‘plan to travel without a plan’. If you want to make your trip memorable, it’s just as important not to over-plan as it is to dive in headfirst without a scooby of what you are doing.

Research enough so that you have a huge backlist of itinerary and destination ideas. Make a list of local accommodations that you like the sound of. Book essential, long-distance travel only.

You don’t know what will happen on the trip: delays, unexpected new acquaintances, weather events, romances, and so on.

Sometimes, the most interesting stories form from following your heart or your intuition, so if you’ve planned every single detail, you’ll end up boxed in.

Here are some ideas for your research:

• Research blogs to get practical advice from those who have visited a destination or attraction previously.
• Confirm the main modes of transport, currencies, and WiFi accessibility in your chosen destination. Practical details matter.
• Create a list of destinations and activities you’d like to engage in.
• Highlight your non-negotiable activities, desirable itineraries, and nice-to-have experiences. That way, you know which activities are the most important to you.
• Try to avoid tourist traps and opt for more authentic, local or offbeat travel experiences. These are often the most interesting experiences to write about.

2. Book your flights.

After your research is complete, the first thing you need to do is to book your flights.  Skyscanner  should be your go-to tool to search for flights. It scans the internet for the cheapest deals, routes and even the most eco-friendly transport options.  Google Flights  is another useful tool, which you can use to confirm that you’ve found the best deal.

3. Book interesting accommodation.

The accommodation you book has a direct impact on your travel journal entries. It can create drama, it can spice things up a little, or it can act as a relaxing backdrop.

Unique accommodation might liven up your entries: search for things like treehouses, camping tents, shepherd’s huts, and themed resorts.

The following sites are my go-to websites for booking accommodation that will jazz up my travel journal entries:

Booking.com : Booking.com has a wide selection of accommodation, including eclectic stays. I also find that it generally has the best price, compared to other booking websites advertising the same hotel or accommodation.

Hostelworld : Staying in a hostel is one of the best ways to introduce new, wise and quirky characters into your diary. As most hostels have communal spaces, it’s very easy to delve into a deep conversation with a stranger, which is often one of the most interesting parts of travel journeys.

The act of staying in a dorm room or shared accommodation is eventful in itself; you don’t know what sorts of stories you might get out of one night spent in a dorm room. Was there a fight for a particular bed? A sleep talker? Late-night card games and conversations?

Homestay :  Homestay specialises in accommodation where you stay in the home of a local. This is a brilliant option for those who are writing a travel diary, because it enables you to connect with the community, learn about local customs and have a more authentic travel experience.

4. Engage in more offbeat travel experiences.

Generally speaking, you won’t get as much of a story out of a tourist trap as you will out of a more unusual or hands-on travel experience. After six years of travelling, this is the biggest lesson I have learnt, and exactly why my blog specialises in offbeat travel experiences.

So, how do you find offbeat travel experiences for your travel journal?

• Ask at your hotel or hostel for local-led activities. Questions such as ‘where do you eat?’ or ‘where do you go to party?’ are also great ways to find local spots over tourist traps.
• Search for unique travel experiences on  GetYourGuide . They list local-led travel experiences, which are a great way to meet fellow interesting travellers and get an insight into the offbeat sides of a destination.
• Use tour organisations that label themselves as ‘local-led’, ‘experiential’, ‘offbeat’ and ‘immersive’. These are tailored towards giving travellers unique, hands-on experiences, and not taking you on the usual tourist trails.

Travel journaling: How do you write a travel journal that is worth reading?

Not everyone wants to share their travel journal. However, if you do want to write your travel diary for an audience – whether that’s family, friends, an online following or a potential future publisher – it’s going to need to be worth reading.

1. Make your first draft in a physical travel journal.

Writing in chronological order and as soon as possible after the events happen, make your first draft in a physical travel journal.

Remember, that you’re going to edit your travel journal when you’re back home, so the most important thing isn’t writing perfectly. It’s about being consistent with your writing schedule and getting the details down on paper.

2. Be as specific as possible.

Specificity is even more important if you’re going to share your travel journal in one form or another.

Use exact times, exact dates, full names, ages, and detailed physical descriptions. This will bring your story to life, especially for those who weren’t there to watch it unfold in person.

3. Feature specific characters.

Just as a novel would be incomplete without a series of in-depth and interesting characters, your travel diary should also feature characters.

It doesn’t matter if they’re fleeting and disappear after an entry or two. The important thing is that your reader can envision and relate to your character.

That might mean describing them physically, disclosing their name (or pseudonym) and age, as well as describing their little quirks and mannerisms.

You should try to quote them directly when possible, and explore their mindset and their backstory.

4. Write up your travel journal.

When you arrive back home, write up your travel journal into a digital format, correcting spelling and grammar mistakes as you go. This will create a second copy of your journal, just in case anything happens to the physical copy.

5. Edit your travel journal.

If you’re going to be sharing your travel journal, the most important part is the editing process. Your journal may only need a light edit, which corrects any spelling or grammar mistakes and makes it more legible.

However, it may need a deeper edit if you’re truly going to post it online or send it to a publisher. The execution, plot, and characters will be more important in this case.

Traveling journaling: Types of travel journals

There are several types of travel notebooks, and they all have their specific advantages and disadvantages.

There are also some clear criteria you should be looking for out of a high-quality travel notebook:

Number of pages:  The number of pages you’ll need will depend upon the length of your trip. If you’re travelling long-term, it’s better to have a notebook with a large number of pages rather than several, smaller notebooks which will take up more space overall.

Paperback or hardback:  While a hardback notebook is more durable, a paperback journal is more lightweight. If you’re limited by space or weight limits, opt for a paperback. Size:  Notebooks come in a variety of sizes, such as A4, A5, or A6. In general, an A5 notebook is ideal for a travel diary because it’s compact enough to carry in your packed or day luggage, but not so small that you’ll run out of space quickly.

Line size:  Unless you have large handwriting, a journal with fairly narrow line sizes is ideal, because you can fit more writing onto one page, and therefore into one notebook. You could also choose a notebook without lines at all, which gives you more freedom over the size of your handwriting, but can end up with messy, undulating lines.

Paper thickness:  Thinner paper is usually ideal, unless you are planning on painting, colouring-in or using heavy ink. Still, bear in mind that ink can bleed through the paper if it’s too thin, ruining other pages in your diary.

Binding:  The binding of your notebook is important too. Ideally, you want a notebook that can spread out flat while you write and one where you don’t need to hold the edges of the pages down. A spiral-bound notebook is ideal over a smaller, tightly-bound notebook, in this case.

Traveling journaling: A6 travel diaries

Best for: weekend trips.

• Sovereign-Gear Antique Brown Refillable Travellers Notebook : This A6 notebook has a leather case and a refillable design, which includes three packs of paper (one unlined, one lined and one made from kraft paper). Even better, it has a PVC water-resistant zipper pocket for your valuables.
• Avocado and Spice Hardback A6 Notebook : With a hardback cover and 200 pages, this A6 notebook is an aesthetic travel diary that comes with its own protective velvet bag. It comes with the option of dotted, lined or blank pages, and has a built-in pen holder and a bookmark.
• Antony Olivier Leather Journal : With unlined paper and vintage brown leather, the Antony Olivier Leather Journal is a premium A6 notebook. There are 200 pages, all unlined.
• Newestor Pocket Notebook : The Newestor Pocket Notebook is small enough that you can tuck it into your back pocket. It’s probably not ideal for those who are going to be writing in long prose, but those who are planning on documenting their travels with bullet points or short paragraphs will have 144 pages at their disposal.

Travel journaling: A5 travel dairies

Best for: longer trips.

• EMSHOI A5 Notebook : With the option of lined, dotted or squared pages, the spiral-bound EMSHOI notebook has 640 A5-sized pages. It also has a water-resistant PVC cover.
• Antony Olivier Leather A5 Notebook : This is an A5-sized version of the high-quality, leather Antony Olivier notebook. It includes unlined 200 pages and a journal enamel pen.
• Silvine A5 Executive Soft Feel Notebook : The Silvine 15 Executive Notebook has 160 pages with a sewn case, inside pocket and ivory paper.

Travel journaling: Watercolour travel journals

Best for: artists.

• Seawhite A5 Travel Journal : This notebook has 60 pages and a back pocket. It’s also completely vegan.
• Hahnemuhle Watercolour Book A5 : This sturdy hardback book has 30 sheets of natural white fine-grain paper, ideal for panoramic paintings.
• Tumuarta Watercolour Journal : Designed as a travel watercolour notebook, this journal has 48 pages, made of 25% cotton. The pages can tolerate light washes and they’re micro-perforated, so you can tear out a page if you need to.

A travel journal is a great place to jot down travel affirmations if you experience anxiety or nerves before or during a trip or to write down packing lists and other plans. See where I’ve been to start planning your next trip.

Katie Treharne

I’m Katie, the owner of Escape Artist Katie. I have been travel writing since 2018, including writing for luxury travel magazines and publications such as Wanderlust.

As well as being a digital nomad who works and lives abroad permanently, I’m a big advocate for  offbeat travel  and pushing yourself out of your comfort zone.

I hope you found my article useful – find out more  about  me here or keep up with my travels on  Instagram .

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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

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:.

Hi, I’m Jessie on a journey!

I'm a conscious solo traveler on a mission to take you beyond the guidebook to inspire you to live your best life through travel. Come join me!

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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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