is travel diary

Travel Journal: 100+ Prompts, Ideas, and Tips

• March 30, 2023

Home » Day One Blog » Travel Journal: 100+ Prompts, Ideas, and Tips

Keeping a travel journal can be an incredibly rewarding and transformative experience, whether you’re an avid traveler or someone who’s embarking on a new adventure. From documenting unforgettable memories to fostering personal growth and reflection, a travel journal can be a window into the unique journeys you take in life.

In this guide, we’ve put together an extensive list of 100 travel journal prompts, tips, and ideas to help you create a travel journal that truly captures the essence of your adventures. Get ready to explore new cultures, savor the beauty of the world around you, and create a one-of-a-kind keepsake that will forever be a reminder of your incredible experiences.

What is a Travel Journal?

A travel journal is simply a personal record of your experiences, thoughts, and feelings during your travels. Travel journaling is a wonderful way to document and reflect on your travel experiences, capturing memories of the places you visit, the people you meet, and the adventures you have.

Travel journaling can take various forms, depending on your preferences and needs. You can choose to write in a traditional notebook or sketchbook, or create a digital journal or blog. Some people use their travel journals not only to record their experiences but also to plan their trip, track expenses, and organize important information such as flight details, reservations, and contact information for locals they meet along the way.

Keeping a travel journal can be a valuable tool for reflecting on your travels, preserving memories, and sharing your experiences with others.

10 Convincing Reasons to Keep a Travel Journal

Keeping a travel journal or travel diary offers several benefits, both during the trip and long after your travels have ended. Some of the key reasons to keep a travel journal include:

1. Preserve your memories.

A travel journal helps preserve memories of your experiences, sights, and encounters that might otherwise fade with time. You can look back and reminisce about your adventures, learning from and enjoying them all over again.

2. Be more present.

When you write about your travel experiences in real-time, you tend to be more focused on the present moment. This can help you to be more present and mindful during your travels, and can also improve your memory of the trip.

3. Sharpen your observational skills.

Journaling pushes you to pay closer attention to your surroundings, which can improve your observational and descriptive abilities. This heightened awareness can lead to a more enriching travel experience.

4. Organize your thoughts and experiences.

A travel journal serves as a central location to record important information, such as trip itineraries, contact details, and to-do lists. This can help you stay organized and focused during your travels.

5. Enhance your creativity.

Writing about your experiences encourages creativity and storytelling skills. You can experiment with different writing styles, descriptions, or even drawings to capture the essence of your trip. Since traveling has links to creativity , keeping a travel journal allows you to expand these benefits in both ways.

6. Encourage self-reflection.

Traveling can be a transformative experience, and a travel journal can serve as a tool for self-reflection . Writing about your experiences can help you process your emotions, thoughts, and feelings, and gain insights into yourself and your place in the world.

7. Boost your personal growth.

Recording your thoughts, feelings, and reactions to new experiences can provide insight into your own personal growth and development. You can track how your perspectives and attitudes have evolved over time and learn more about yourself.

8. Reduce stress.

Studies have shown that even short vacations can improve stress levels , and writing in a travel journal can be therapeutic, allowing you to process your emotions and experiences in a healthy way. Travel journaling can also help you work through challenges and setbacks that may arise during your trip.

9. Create a unique keepsake.

A travel journal is a personalized souvenir that tells the story of your adventures. What you write can become a special item to share with friends and family or pass down to future generations.

10. Encourage deeper gratitude and appreciation.

Writing about your experiences while traveling can foster a deeper sense of gratitude for the opportunities and experiences you’ve had, helping you appreciate the journey and the people you’ve met along the way.

What to Write About In A Travel Journal

There are many things you can write about in a travel journal. A travel journal usually involves writing a personal record of your thoughts, feelings, and observations throughout your journey. You can also include details about the food you try, the sights you see, the cultures you encounter, and the emotions you experience.

Here are a few things to write about in a travel journal:

• Daily activities: Write about what you did each day, including any sights you saw, people you met, and activities you participated in.
• Observations: Record your observations of the places you visit, including the landscapes, architecture, and culture.
• Food and drink: Describe the local cuisine and drinks you try, and note any favorites or new discoveries.
• Thoughts and feelings: Reflect on your thoughts and feelings about your experiences, including any challenges, surprises, or moments of joy.
• Cultural insights: Document your learnings about the local culture, customs, and traditions.
• Travel tips: Share any travel tips or advice that may be useful for others planning to visit the same places.
• Accommodations: Write about your accommodations, including any interesting details or experiences you had there.
• Write about the people you meet: Describe the locals, fellow travelers, and any interesting characters you come across. Note any conversations or interactions you have with them.
• Reflect on your growth: Traveling can be a transformative experience, and writing about the ways in which you’ve grown and changed can be a powerful exercise in self-reflection.
• Budget and expenses: Keep track of your expenses and budget, including any unexpected costs or money-saving tips.
• Memorable moments: Jot down any particularly memorable moments from your trip, including those that took you by surprise or left a lasting impression on you.
• Challenges and triumphs: Write about any challenges you faced during your trip, and how you overcame them. Celebrate your triumphs, big and small, and the sense of accomplishment they brought.
• Sights, sounds, and smells: Use all your senses to describe the places you visit. Write about the sights, sounds, smells, and textures that make each destination unique
• Overall impressions: Sum up your overall impressions of each place you visit, including what you liked, what you didn’t like, and what surprised you the most.

13 Tips for Keeping a Travel Journal

Keeping a travel journal can be a great way to document your experiences and memories from your travels. Here are some tips to help you get started:

1. Find a travel journal that suits your needs.

When choosing a travel journal, consider not only the size and weight but also the durability of the journal. If you plan to carry it with you all the time, it’s best to choose one that can withstand wear and tear. Additionally, think about whether you want a plain notebook or one with prompts and questions to guide your writing. Some journals may have pre-designed sections for you to fill in with information about the places you visit, what you did there, and what you learned.

2. Consider a journal app with travel journal features.

Using a travel journal app like Day One is an excellent way to capture your travel experiences conveniently. You can quickly jot down notes, take pictures, and record your thoughts and feelings, even if you don’t have your physical journal with you. The app’s Map View is especially useful, as it allows you to see where you’ve been and what you’ve done in each location. Plus, if you’re traveling internationally and plan to limit your data usage, Day One will store your entries and uploads locally on your device until you connect to WiFi.

3. Decide on your travel journaling style.

When deciding on your travel journaling style, consider what you want to focus on. Do you want to describe the places you visit in detail, or do you want to focus more on your thoughts and emotions during your travels? Writing daily entries can be a great way to capture everything that happens, but if you prefer to write less frequently, consider making notes of significant events or experiences.

4. Set a journaling goal.

Setting a goal for your travel journal can give you a sense of direction and purpose while writing. Your goal could be as simple as writing in your journal every day during your trip, or more specific, such as recording a unique experience or learning something new about the culture of the places you visit. Create a list of goals before you begin your travels so you have a clear idea of what you want to achieve with your journal.

5. Slow down.

When traveling, it’s easy to get caught up in the excitement of new sights and experiences. However, taking the time to slow down and observe your surroundings can help you appreciate the small things that you might otherwise miss. Take a moment to sit down and watch the world go by, or go for a leisurely stroll to take in your surroundings.

6. Include as many details as possible.

Include details such as the names of the places you visit, the foods you eat, and the people you meet. The more specific and detailed your writing is, the more vividly you’ll be able to recall your experiences later.

7. Use your senses.

Using your senses is a powerful way to immerse yourself in your surroundings. Try to pay attention to the smells, sounds, textures, and tastes of the places you visit. Describe the scent of a local market, the sound of a street musician, or the texture of a historic building’s walls. Using your senses to describe your experiences can help bring your travel journal to life.

8. Ask questions.

Asking questions can be an excellent way to learn more about the places you visit. Locals and tour guides can provide valuable insights into the history, culture, and traditions of the places you’re exploring. Don’t be afraid to ask for recommendations on things to see and do, or for tips on where to find the best local cuisine.

9. Stay in the present moment.

When you travel, it’s easy to get caught up in planning, taking photos, and checking items off your bucket list. However, it’s important to take the time to slow down and appreciate the present moment. Take a few deep breaths and focus on your senses, noticing the sights, smells, sounds, textures, and tastes around you. Take time to observe the people you meet and the interactions you have with them. Engage with the local culture and try to understand their way of life.

10. Take photos and videos.

Taking photos and videos can be a great way to capture details that you may not be able to describe in words. Use your camera or phone to snap pictures of interesting sights, people, and places. These photos and videos can provide valuable inspiration when you’re writing in your travel journal later.

11. Stay curious.

Staying curious while traveling means keeping an open mind and embracing the unknown. Try new things, explore new places, and take risks. Step outside your comfort zone and embrace the unfamiliar, whether that’s trying new foods or engaging in new activities. Keeping a sense of curiosity can inspire your writing and help you capture unique experiences that you may have otherwise missed.

12. Keep your journal safe.

Your travel journal is a precious record of your travels and experiences, whether it’s in a physical or digital format. Consider investing in a sturdy, waterproof journal or storing your journal in a plastic bag or waterproof cover to protect it from moisture. It’s also a good idea to keep your journal in a safe place when you’re not using it, such as a backpack or hotel safe. Consider making a backup copy of your digital travel journal, whether it’s on your phone, tablet, or laptop. For example, the Day One app offers secure cloud-based backups and file exports. Additionally, you can encrypt your digital journal to protect it from unauthorized access. This way, you can ensure that your journal is safe and secure, and you can enjoy peace of mind knowing that your memories are protected.

13. Make it fun.

Remember that travel journaling should be an enjoyable and fulfilling experience. Use your journal as a creative outlet to express yourself and capture your unique perspective on the world. Experiment with different writing styles and formats, such as poetry, short stories, or essays. You could also include sketches, paintings, or other visual art to enhance your journal entries. And most importantly, don’t worry too much about making your writing perfect or adhering to a strict structure. The most important thing is to have fun and enjoy the process of documenting your travels in a way that is meaningful and fulfilling to you.

20+ Travel Journaling Ideas

A travel journal is a fantastic way to capture memories, thoughts, and experiences from your trips. To get started, here are some creative travel journal ideas to help you get started with travel journaling:

1. Record your itinerary and travel plan.

Record your trip itinerary, including transportation details, accommodations, and planned activities.

2. Organize your packing list.

Create a packing list for your trip and reflect on what items were useful and which ones you could have left behind.

3. Create a bucket list.

Create a bucket list of activities or experiences you want to have during your trip, and check them off as you complete them.

4. Recap each day.

Write about your daily experiences, such as the places you visit, the people you meet, and the local cuisine you try.

5. Use journal prompts.

Using journal prompts can be a helpful way to spark creativity and reflection in your travel journal. Choose a travel journal prompt below that resonates with you and write freely without worrying too much about structure or perfection.

6. Sketch and doodle.

Illustrate your memories with drawings of the landscapes, architecture, and other interesting sights.

7. Capture quotes and phrases.

Jot down memorable quotes from locals or interesting phrases you learn in the local language.

8. Include your favorite travel photos.

Include photographs of your favorite moments, places, and experiences from your trip.

9. Collect ticket stubs and mementos.

Attach ticket stubs, maps, postcards, brochures, or other small mementos to help you remember your trip. If you prefer to go the digital route, scan items or take a photo of these items.

10. Write about your feelings.

Traveling can be an emotional experience, and writing about your feelings can be a cathartic and introspective exercise. Reflect on how the trip is making you feel and what emotions are arising.

12. Go deeper by reflecting.

Write about your personal growth and what you’ve learned during your travels. Reflect on how your travels have impacted you, whether it’s a new perspective on a cultural issue, a realization about yourself, or an enhanced sense of empathy and understanding. Think about the ways in which your travels have shaped your worldview and how you can apply these lessons to your life back home.

13. Express your gratitude.

Express gratitude for the experiences you’ve had and the people you’ve met along the way.

14. Keep a food diary.

Record the local dishes you’ve tried, including their names, ingredients, and your thoughts about them during your trip.

15. Add notes on culture and customs.

Describe the local culture, traditions, and customs that you encountered and found fascinating.

16. Write about your travel challenges.

Write about any challenges you faced during your trip and how you overcame them.

17. Include maps and routes.

Trace your travel route on a map, or draw your own maps to remember the places you’ve visited.

18. Write about the people you meet.

Traveling provides opportunities to meet new people and learn about their lives. Use your journal to document these interactions and what you’ve learned from them.

19. Use poetry and creative writing.

Use your travel experiences as inspiration for poems, short stories, or other creative writing exercises.

20. Keep track of your budget and expenses.

Document your travel expenses to help you plan better for future trips, or to help stay on track with your budget.

20. Include ratings and reviews.

Rate and review accommodations, restaurants, attractions, and other experiences to help you remember the highlights of your trip.

21. Make a travel wishlist.

Write a list of destinations you’d like to visit and why they appeal to you.

22. Plan for a post-trip recap.

After returning home, reflect on your trip as a whole, including your favorite moments, any personal growth, and what you’ll take away from your journey.

23. Print your digital travel journal.

Having a physical copy of your travel journal can provide a tangible reminder of your travels and serve as a cherished keepsake for years to come. By printing your travel journal, you can create a physical record of your adventures that you can hold in your hands and share with others. It can be a meaningful way to preserve your memories and reflect on your journey, long after your travels have ended.

50 Travel Journal Prompts to Try

Still not sure what to write about in your travel journal? Journal prompts are a great way to spark your creativity and dive deeper into your travel experiences.

These travel journal prompts are designed help you capture the essence of your trip, and encourage introspection before, during, and after your adventure. So, whether you’re exploring new cultures, savoring local cuisine, or simply taking in breathtaking landscapes, let journal prompts guide your writing, enrich your narrative, and ultimately, help you create a captivating and memorable travel journal.

Journal Prompts For Before You Leave

Preparing for a trip can be just as exciting as the trip itself. Before you head out, consider using journal prompts to help you focus your thoughts and prepare for the adventures ahead. The following travel journal prompts can help you dig deeper into your travel expectations, identify potential challenges, and set meaningful goals for your journey. By reflecting on these prompts, you can better prepare yourself mentally and emotionally for the exciting journey that lies ahead.

• What are my expectations for this trip? What do I hope to gain from it?
• What are the places I want to visit and why are they important to me?
• What am I most looking forward to experiencing on this trip?
• How do I think this trip will change me?
• What are my travel goals, both short-term and long-term?
• Can I describe my travel companions (if any) and why I chose to travel with them?
• How am I preparing for my trip (mentally, physically, logistically)?
• What are my top three fears or concerns about the trip?
• How will I react if the trip takes an unexpected turn?
• What am I most looking forward to about this trip?
• How do I plan to challenge myself during this trip?
• What role do I hope this trip will play in my personal growth and development?
• What specific moments or experiences do I hope to capture in my travel journal or through photography?
• How do I plan to stay open-minded and present during my trip? What steps can I take to cultivate this mindset?

Journal Prompts For While You’re Traveling

While traveling, it can be easy to get caught up in the excitement of the moment and forget to take time to reflect on your experiences. By using travel journal prompts to capture your thoughts and observations during your trip, you can deepen your connection to the places you visit and the people you meet. The following prompts are designed to help you stay present and engaged during your travels, and to encourage you to take a closer look at the world around you. Reflect on these travel journal prompts to create a meaningful record of your journey.

• How did I feel when I arrived at my destination? What were my first impressions?
• What was the most memorable moment of my day?
• What beautiful or interesting sight did I encounter today?
• What new foods did I try and how did they taste?
• How would I describe the atmosphere of a specific location I visited today (e.g. café, beach, market)?
• How have the locals treated me and what are my experiences interacting with them?
• What was a conversation I had with a local or fellow traveler?
• What cultural differences or similarities have I noticed during my trip?
• Can I describe a piece of art, architecture, or natural wonder that left an impression on me?
• What local tradition, festival, or event have I witnessed or participated in?
• How is my trip living up to my expectations so far?
• What were some unexpected challenges I have faced during my trip so far?
• Can I share an act of kindness I’ve experienced or observed during my trip?
• What was a moment when I felt outside my comfort zone and what did I learn from it?
• What’s a funny or embarrassing moment that has happened during my trip?
• What has been my favorite and least favorite aspects of the destination(s) so far?
• How has my perception of the world changed during my trip?
• Who is an inspiring person I’ve met on this trip and what is their story?
• What new skills or knowledge have I gained on this trip?
• If I could give advice to someone visiting the same destination(s), what would it be?

Journal Prompts For After You Arrive Home

Returning home after a journey can be bittersweet. While you may be happy to be back in familiar surroundings, it’s also common to experience a sense of loss or nostalgia for the experiences you had while traveling. These travel journal prompts can help you reflect on your journey after you’re home, so you can continue to process your experiences and keep the memories alive. The following prompts are designed to help you unpack your thoughts and feelings about your trip, to identify the ways in which it has changed you, and to set goals for future travel. By reflecting on these prompts, you can continue to grow and learn from your travel experiences long after the journey has ended.

• What will I remember most about my trip experience?
• What was the biggest highlight of the trip?
• What is a food or drink that I tried during my trip that I still think about?
• What moment from my trip challenged me in a significant way?
• What did I learn about myself during this trip?
• How has my trip influenced my perspective on life and my priorities?
• What souvenirs or momentos did I collect on this trip? What were their significance?
• What was my favorite photo of the trip? What is the story behind it?
• What was my favorite destination on my trip? Why?
• What was the most valuable lesson I learned from this trip?
• How have my travel goals changed after this trip?
• What aspects of the local culture would I like to incorporate into my daily life?
• What places would I I want to visit in the future?
• What was a place or experience that I wish I had more time to explore?
• How has my trip influenced my outlook on the world and my place in it?
• How did my trip impact my sense of identity? Did I discover anything new about myself?

Wrapping Up: Your Travel Journal Awaits Your Next Adventure

Travel journaling is a fun way to preserve your memories, foster personal growth, and enhance your travel experiences. With the travel journal tips, prompts, and ideas we’ve shared in this post, we hope you now feel well-equipped to embark on your own travel journaling journey. Remember, there’s no right or wrong way to capture your adventures—the most important aspect is to embrace the process, stay curious, and allow your unique voice to shine through. So, grab your journal, explore the world, and let your creative spirit soar as you document the unforgettable moments, the hidden gems, and the personal discoveries that make each journey truly yours. Happy travels and happy journaling!

About the Author

Kristen Webb Wright is the author of three books on journaling. With a passion for writing and self-reflection, Kristen uses her experience with journaling to help others discover the benefits of documenting their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. In her role at Day One, she helps to promote the power of journaling so people from all walks of life can experience the transformative power of journaling.

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The Best Digital Tools for Travel Journaling

When it comes to logging your travel memories, the modern era poses a unique set of problems. You don’t want to upload a hundred vacation photos to Facebook (newsflash: no one’s looking), and you know you won't get around to printing all those snapshots—but one or two Instagram posts just aren't enough to do your trip justice. Enter the digital travel journal: an elevated way to share photos, jot down memories, geo-tag restaurants, and track your itinerary in real time.

Kristen Dold is a Chicago-based freelance writer and content strategist who focuses on health, travel, and lifestyle topics. Her work has appeared in Women’s Health, Travel + Leisure, Runner’s World, Marie Claire, GQ, Vogue, and New York magazine.

Best For: Building stunning photo-centric narratives

Exposure’s clean, minimalist aesthetic has made it a fast favorite among the professional photog set, but it’s easy enough to use for amateurs. The concept is simple: drag and drop your snapshots into grids, add some brief titles and descriptors, then let your followers bask in full-bleed photos that have the highbrow feel of a digital magazine. (Take a look at some of their featured stories to see what we mean.)

Price: Free for the first three stories, $5+ a month after that

Best for: sharing real-time updates with close friends.

No more overposting anxiety— Tripcast is like a private Instagram feed for the folks who really do care about your every move. (Hi, Mom.) Friends at home and fellow explorers can get notifications on your whereabouts and comment on trip photos that automatically upload to a travel map. Another perk: travel pals can build albums together so everyone’s memories are in one spot.

Price: Free

Best for: keeping a quick chronicle while on the move.

The newly revamped version of the Day One app (called ‘Day One 2’) makes journaling as easy as posting to Twitter. Jot down some highlights, attach a photo, and the app will stamp your location, the date, time, weather, and even your step count, if you want it. Plus you can tag posts, so it's easy to keep past excursions organized for future reference. (If you like microjournaling, the app can keep separate journals for things like work, health or sleep.) Features like audio recording and tagging your friends are coming soon.

Cost: $4.99

Best for: getting wordy without wifi.

Words and images get equal real estate on Bonjournal , a Tumblr-like platform ( here’s what it looks like) which allows you to add tags like ‘food & drink’ or ‘nightlife’ to entries, share them on social media (a privacy lock is available for any posts you want to keep to yourself) and even give your experiences a grade. The best feature: you can create posts offline and upload them later, ideal for long flights home without wifi.

Travel journaling: 10 tips to create a gorgeous travel journal to treasure for a lifetime

By: Author Monica

Categories Blog

Do you write a travel journal? 

I know, it’s the 21st century and we all take a billion photos a day and share everything online. That’s like a modern form of journaling travel, right? Well…no. Today I’d like to make a case to bring back the lost art of travel journaling.

This post about travel journaling was created in collaboration with Snappy Snaps and I’d like to share some tips to help you create a beautiful and thoughtful travel journal. I’ve got some tips to get started and also tips to keep travel journaling, even on the days you aren’t in the mood!

For me, writing a travel journal or a travel diary is one of my favourite times of the day while I’m travelling.

In my opinion, not enough people write travel journals! Travel journaling is honestly the most therapeutic and creative way to store and reflect on your travel memories. A journal brings back memories in a way a photo never could, and the act of writing helps solidify memories so you’re less likely to forget them.

I’ll usually write in my travel journal before going out for dinner, at that gorgeous time of day when the sun is setting and everything is peaceful and calm. I love to reflect on the day, write about everything I’ve done and jot down notes about things I want to remember. I’ll have a cold beer or a glass of wine and spend half an hour quietly jotting down my thoughts from the day.

Even on the days where I don’t have a lot to say, I’ll just bullet point some thoughts and stick in a few tickets or notes or whatever I’ve collected that day.

I love writing my travel diary but I love reading it back even more. 

I’ve got travel journals from my first backpacking trip in 2009. I’ll admit that many of the pages make me cringe, but it’s a joy to read and it brings memories flooding back in a way that photos never could. It’s interesting to see what felt important at the time and there’s always so much I’d forgotten about until I see the words on the page written in my own familiar scrawl. I’ve written pages and pages about people I no longer remember and destinations that are just a vague blur in my mind.

Here are some tips to help you create travel journals you’ll treasure for a lifetime

#1. Why should you create a travel journal?

• To preserve your memories
• As a fun, creative outlet
• To ensure you have a moment of calm during a busy trip
• As a form of self-care to help organise your thoughts and talk about your feelings
• To give yourself a wonderful thing to read back in years to come
• To help with writing travel blogs and Instagram captions
• To help remember key facts that could help people plan their future trips

#2. What should you put in your travel journal?

The lovely thing about journaling travel is that there is no right or wrong answer here. You can write about whatever you want. You don’t need to be a good writer or be artistic or creative. You just need a notepad and a pen and some thoughts in your head.

I like to play around with different formats in my travel journals such as:

• Brain dump – Just sit and write anything that comes into your head. Don’t overthink it, just write.
• What I did today – A traditional journal style, chronologically following everything you did that day
• All photos – Some days I don’t want to write so I just stick a load of photos in
• Bullet points – No time to write sentences? Just get your thoughts down quickly with bullet points
• Scrapbook style – Stick tickets or other notes into your journal that will remind you of your day

#3. What do you need for your travel journal?

You could keep it simple with nothing more than a notepad and a pen, or you could go all out!

Take a look at craft supply stores like Hobby Craft, Etsy or even bargain shops like Poundland for crafting supplies. You can get things like travel themed washi tape, cute accessories to stick in, stamps, stencils, frames and fancy pens.

Notepad – Personally, I like a notepad where I can tear pages out if I need to. I like knowing that if I make a mistake I can just rip the page out.

A nice pen – Stationary geeks will understand the joy of finding the right pen!

Two coloured pens – I try to stick with a particular colour scheme so I’ll rarely use more than two colours

Photos – More on photos below

Scissors – Remember that you can’t take scissors in your hand luggage!

Pritt Stick – Vital for sticking in tickets and notes

Travel wallet – I also travel with some kind of travel document wallet. I’ll use this to store any of the tickets or notes I want to add into the journal as I often do this once I get home.

#4. Printing photos for your travel journal

I wait until I’m home to print out my photos and stick them into my journal. When I’m writing I’ll leave pages blank to allow space for photos.

For me, photos in a travel journal are SO important. This is mostly because they encourage me to look back and read old journals as it’s more enticing when the pages are broken up with pictures.

For my latest travel journal I used the online photo printing service with Snappy Snaps. I was so impressed with this service. I ordered them at about 2.30pm on Tuesday and they arrived with my postman by midday on Wednesday. I couldn’t believe they came so quickly!

The quality is brilliant and I love the matte effect in my journal.

Travel Hack Tip: When selecting the photos you’d like to print, always choose the best quality ones you have. Avoid filters or heavily edited photos and, if you can, use photos taken on a camera rather than a phone. You often don’t notice the difference in quality when it’s on the screen of your photo but you really do notice the difference once they’re printed. Filters look great on your phone but they don’t look great in print.

#5. Digital travel journals vs paper travel journals

I’m sure you’re aware that there are countless travel journal apps available. Personally, I prefer a good old fashioned paper journal. I find the words flow easily when written with a pen and it’s a more rewarding and creative process. I’m also more likely to read it back in years to come when it’s a paper journal.

If you’re the kind of person who prefers to keep things digital then I’d highly recommend using an iPad along with an Apple Pencil and the app Day One Journal. It’s a lovely, intuitive app and you can add photos into each journal entry. It also gives you daily journal prompts if you’re struggling for ideas!

#6. Travel journal prompts

If you’re struggling for ideas for what to write in your journal then here are some travel journal prompts to get you started:

• What was the highlight of your day?
• Who was the most interesting person you spoke to today?
• Write about an interesting conversation you had.
• Describe the best meal you had today.
• What was the worst thing you did today?
• What surprised you today?
• Did you learn anything new today?
• Did anything scare you today?
• Describe your accommodation.
• What are you missing from home?
• What happened today that you never want to forget.

How travel journaling led to my career as a travel blogger

I’m just going to interrupt these travel journal tips to share how my travel journal led to my career as a travel blogger!

Read more: How I turned my passion for travel into a career as a travel blogger

Passive income and making money as a blogger in 2022

I’ve always been a journaller. Yes, even back in the days when writing a journal wasn’t ‘cool’ and it wasn’t part of every millennial’s self-care routine. I wrote journals about my best friends and my latest crush, my days at school and my hopes and dreams for the future. Yes, it was just as embarrassing as it sounds! It was my way of processing all the confusing thoughts that jumbled around my brain and journaling helped me feel calm and relaxed after a hectic day.

It felt natural to begin a travel journal when I left to go backpacking for two years in 2009.

I wrote a daily journal and eventually typed these handwritten notes up and posted them on the internet in the form of a blog.

I did this for years without anyone really noticing what I was going…until one day people did notice. And quite quickly, lots of people noticed! And, to cut a very long story short, I’m now lucky enough to do this full time! If I hadn’t written that journal all those years ago then I never would have ended up doing this and I just feel so pleased with myself for taking the time to write those journals!

#7. Travel journals + self care

Let’s not forget that writing a journal, even if it isn’t a travel journal, is an invaluable form of self care. Whenever I’m feeling stressed or overwhelmed or like I have too many thoughts in my head, I always find journaling will help. 

Travelling can often be stressful and we often travel when we need to escape things at home. While you’re writing your journal, don’t confine yourself to just writing facts and figures and descriptions from your trip, write about everything. Write about how you’re feeling, what you’re thinking and how the overall trip is affecting you. Observing your feelings and how the world around you is making you feel. No one else needs to read your journal so don’t worry about getting personal because this is only for you.

#8. Should you use an Instant camera for your travel journal?

Polaroids look gorgeous in scrapbook-style travel journals and it is nice to instantly print your photos and add them to your journal as you write. Aesthetically I think they look amazing but realistically I’ve always found it cumbersome.

Polaroid cameras are bulky and annoying to carry. You’ll probably be taking the majority of your photos on your main camera or phone so it’s a big thing to lug around for just a couple of snaps each day. Not only that but the reels are expensive and you’ll have to make sure you’ve got enough for your whole trip.

#9. What if I’m not artistic, creative or good at drawing? How can I make my travel journal look amazing?

That’s OK, I’m not either!

If you’re no good at drawing but would like something extra in your journal then use brochures, maps and tickets to create gorgeous pages.

#10. Travel journal inspiration

I’ve left this tip until the end because it can be a double edged sword. Looking at other people’s travel journals for inspiration can give you so many ideas and inspire you to create your own, but it can be overwhelming and put a lot of pressure on you to create ‘the perfect journal’.

The best places to find inspiration are:

Search for the terms:

#TravelJournal

#ScrapbookingIdeas

#BulletJournal

Tuesday 19th of October 2021

Oh I'd love to try this out when I go on holiday next!

Definitely give it a go! It's a lot of fun and such a nice way to keep a record of your holiday.

Ambica Gulati

That was a very interesting read. I used to keep a diary as a kid, now everything is online. But would love to write again.

That's how I feel too. I love writing blog posts and sharing photos online but it isn't the same or as creative as sitting and writing a journal. It's so theraputic!

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Our mission is to serve the 50+ traveler who's ready to cross a few items off their bucket list.

9 Tips For Keeping A Memorable Travel Journal

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My sister gave me my first travel diary the year I turned 14, when my family took a trip to Italy. A small, yellow-lined notebook — I still have it in my box of childhood journals. I kept lists like “Souvenirs I Bought,” “Hotels We Stayed At,” “People I Met,” “Languages I Heard,” “Menus,” “Places Of Interest,” and “Anecdotes” (foreshadowing my future writer self!).

My 14-year-old self was onto something: Creating lists is a great way to capture the essence of a trip in your diary. Whether you’re going 10 miles away or to the other side of the world, a travel diary can enhance the journey and be a valuable keepsake. Here are suggestions for keeping a memorable one.

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1. Pick Your Pen And Paper

Although I recognize in the digital age that many people “write” on an iPad or phone, I’m a big believer in the benefit of noting thoughts down the old-fashioned way, on paper, because the mind-body connection is more immediate. First, be sure you like the pen you select! Black felt-tip PaperMates have been my pen of choice for decades, and I’m very territorial. I don’t even like lending them to my husband!

I’m equally particular about my notebook. The wrong size or shape will never do. My requirements are that it’s 5” by 7”, its pages lie flat, it’s lined and hardback. If you’re traveling abroad, you might find it fun to shop for a journal wherever you’re visiting, because you’ll find a different selection of notebooks than you find in your home country.

My husband is British, so whenever we’re visiting my in-laws, I love picking up A5 notebooks in stationery shops. An evocative article in The New York Times by novelist Mary Gordon describes her pleasure in buying notebooks in France, Ireland, and Italy.

2. Choose When And Where To Write

You can start your diary before you even begin the trip, describing your plans and hopes, and continue it when you’re back home. When you’re embarking on a trip, you can describe your hopes, intentions, and fears; as you’re returning home, your memories, feelings, and next steps.

Different times offer different benefits: I’m a fan of Julia Cameron’s “Morning Pages” concept from her bestselling classic The Artist’s Way, where you scribble your wayward thoughts just after waking up. But you could also write late in the day, reflecting on your day’s explorations. And it always helps to record your impressions soon after you experience them, while they’re fresh.

As for where, certainly in your hotel room or rental apartment works. But it’s also fun sitting in a cafe, watching people while jotting notes down in your journal. One of my favorite memories is writing in a Seattle restaurant, where I spent several hours waiting for a late-night bus, eavesdropping on conversations I heard at the next table and scribbling snippets into my journal, making up stories about the other diners.

I love writing on airplanes, where sitting at 35,000 feet and looking at the clouds and the changing landscape below gives me a big-picture, expansive feeling.

What about trains? On a train in India, a man sitting to my right peered over my shoulder, started reading my journal, and proceeded to tell his friends what I had written — which luckily was not about them! Rather than offended, I burst out laughing. It made me realize how radically different boundaries are in different cultures. I couldn’t imagine someone openly reading my journal in the U.S.

3. Include The Day, Date, And Location

Your future self will thank you! In my early journals, I thought it looked hip thinking I was transcending time by skipping the date. Now, it’s a pain trying to find an entry back in the annals of my history.

4. Develop Your Observation Skills

A journal offers the opportunity to notice everything from architecture to wildlife. Focus on all your senses, then describe what you experience. Hearing, for example: When I’ve visited Muslim countries, I’ve been deeply moved by the haunting tones of the call to worship. Texture? The feeling of cobblestones under my shoes. Or taste — whether you’re describing a gumbo in New Orleans or a risotto in Sicily, putting down your impressions of a dish you savored will help to keep the memory alive.

Twinsterphoto / Shutterstock

5. Write About The People You Meet And See

Did you learn something new from a stranger? Were the local people welcoming? In my 1976 travel journal, I describe Ellen, the young woman from Michigan who I met in an Amsterdam hostel. She always wore a pink sweater and told me hair-raising stories about hitchhiking across Europe. A few years later, on the island of Crete, I met Ty from Alberta, and my travel journal from that era describes our walks to monasteries on dirt tracks lined with olive trees, and how she listened to me as I poured out my grief about the loss of my mother a year earlier.

6. Track What You Want To Change

While travel is often seen as a way to indulge, I’ve often found it easier and more natural to let go of unwanted habits when I’m away from home. I’ve quit smoking and stopped eating Doritos (the mainstay of my daily diet before I taught myself to cook!), both when on the road. One strategy that helps is to keep track of what you want to change, whether it’s exercising more, eating differently, handling conflict more productively, or spending less. As the management consultant Peter Drucker said, “You can’t improve what you don’t measure.”

7. Describe Your Moods

Emotions for most of us are more intense when away from home because we can’t depend on our usual anchors. This can be great — and not so great. Describe your highs and lows. Journals are a safe place to rant — better there than with your travel companions.

Louisa Rogers

8. Use Your Journal To Boost Your Creativity

On trips away from home, I’m often inspired to try different writing forms, like rhymed verse, haiku, and limericks. Many people sketch. If you don’t want to draw, you can still collect ticket stubs, museum passes, bus tickets, currency, and other local memorabilia and then create collages in your journal. All you need is a small pair of scissors and a glue stick. I’m not great at watercolor, but I often paint a streak down the side of a journal page for a burst of color.

9. Brainstorm On The Written Page

Being in a different environment often brings a fresh perspective on our lives back home. On a trip to Britain in 1976, I described in my journal the many charms I observed in the British way of life. Towards the end of our visit, while writing in my journal one day, I had an epiphany: I’d try to write an article for American readers who were unfamiliar with the public footpath system or (then low-cost) bed and breakfasts. On the flight home, I highlighted relevant passages from my journal. And indeed, a few months later, I sold the article to an airline magazine — and thus was a writing career born.

I’m not alone! Elizabeth Gilbert became the author of the best-selling 2007 memoir Eat, Pray, Love after her year traveling abroad following a traumatic divorce. Jeff Bezos, founder of Amazon, wrote a business plan on spare napkins while traveling across the U.S. And Howard Schultz, former chairman and CEO of Starbucks, hatched the idea of creating a coffee company while visiting Italy.

Travel diaries are just not about travel, they’re about life. As the classic American travel writer Paul Theroux said, “Travel is a state of mind. It has nothing to do with existence or the exotic. It is almost always an inner experience.”

No better way exists to discover and express that “inner experience” than through a travel diary. If you’re planning a trip, grab the moment and get started! Go find yourself the perfect notebook and pen for your taste, and start your journey.

Further Reading:

• How Writing About Travel Changed My Life And Can Change Yours
• 18 Great Summer Reads For Travel Lovers

Louisa writes articles and essays about travel, expat life, physical and psychological health, spirituality, and food. In 2022, four of her articles were among Travel Awaits' 25 most-read pieces.

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6 Top Digital Travel Journals & Travel Log Apps

If you’re hitting the road you’ll want to document every moment. these are the best digital travel apps that just might replace your journal..

Asked your boss for well-deserved time off? Good! Depending on the reason for your break (and how long you'll be away from work), you might not want to spend every second documenting your travels ... and every travel photo you post might not be Insta-worthy. Even though there’s something to be said for packing your daypack with a pen and a paper journal and writing about your trip, it’s a lot easier to keep friends and family in the loop while you’re on the road if you do it digitally.

How to Choose an Online Travel Diary App

Every trip is different, and so is every traveler. If you're headed out for a short two-week trip, you may choose a travel diary app that offers features to integrate into your life as well—more of an online journal. But if you're traveling around the world on a one-year trip, perhaps a dedicated app that could transition into a blog is more your speed. Either way these are a few considerations before you sign up and start journaling.

• Ease of use : If the travel journaling platform is online but offers no app, that might be a deal breaker if you're only traveling with a smartphone! Look for apps that allow you to quickly open it up, upload photos, and jot quick notes.
• Company history : How long has this company been offering digital journaling services? The last thing you want to do is invest time and effort into journaling only to discover the app has shut down, and you need to export all of that hard work.
• Social features : Do you want an app that excels first and foremost at getting you right to the journaling, or are you interested in digital travel communities with a social element? If you love one of the travel diary apps on this list, but it doesn't feature a built-in community, consider how you could use Instagram or a Facebook page to fulfill that need.
• Cost : Some of these are free, while others offer limited services on the free platform and require paid upgrades to make it fully featured.

Best Digital Travel Journal Apps

Here are the best digital travel diary apps that will help you document your next journey.

Day One Journal

The best part about Day One journals? You don’t necessarily need to be taking a cross-country or international trip to use it; you can just make a habit of capturing things that inspire you. Journaling novices will likely be content with the free version, which allows you to write diary entries by hand, with Apple Pencil, or your finger. You can look back through entries via calendar, timeline, or photos, while also being reminded of specifics of that day, like temperature, weather, moon phase, and altitude. Upgrading to the premium version of this digital travel diary gives you even more incentive to make journaling a habit: It allows unlimited photo storage and journal entries, cloud-based storage, audio recording, and a 25 percent off book printing discount … perfect if you’d prefer to page through your memories in paper form after collecting all of your epic travel stories.

Travel Diaries

The free Travel Diaries app has everything a traveler could want in a digital diary: Customizable layouts that allow you to enhance your text with photos and maps marking all of the places you visited, with the option to keep entries private or share them with family and friends. Inspired to turn your diary into a travel blog? No problem: The app can convert your entries from diary to blog automatically, which you can share via social media or email. Need to see your entries in print? That’s an option, too. Choose to print all (or a portion of) your trip; books are available for printing in as few as 40 pages (or as many as 320), in hard or soft cover formats.

Tripcast markets itself as the place you "share your travel photos with the people who want to see everything, not just the highlights." It's designed as a social network for those who love to spend time on the road. The app supports photos and videos and encourages your friends and family to comment, like, and interact with your updates—perfect for solo travelers who will love knowing their loved ones back home are along for the ride. The iPhone app is highly rated, and users generally rave about the variety of features to journal through the website or on iPhone or Android. You'll love the feature where it uploads all your travel photos to a map, so you can see the world populated with your best memories.

Even though it’s currently only available for iPhone users, Bonjournal is ideal for travelers who want a simple interface for documenting their activities, whether that means road-tripping up the West Coast or chilling on a deserted island. Not sure if you want to share every moment of your trip? Its privacy settings allow you to keep some entries to yourself. Need inspiration for your next trip? Follow friends (or fellow travelers), curl up in your travel blanket, and be inspired by their entries.

Are you not traveling but want to live vicariously through someone who is? Polarsteps is a photo-lovers dream. It provides the capability to track your travel route automatically when on the road (and uses minimal battery power while doing so) and transforms each travel journal into a visually stunning coffee table book. The coffee table books are complete with modern-looking layouts of the countries visited, miles and/or kilometers covered, and the number of photos taken.

Even if you don’t have any life-changing trips planned, Momento is worth downloading either way. Momento can organize your social network activity from up to 11 different platforms (such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Swarm, Flickr, and YouTube) into one neat, cohesive package. You can make it private, which is great if you’re using its pregnancy feature that allows you to journal your experience of nine months of pregnancy and beyond. You can also explore people who have tagged themselves enjoying similar experiences. No vacations (or pregnancies) in your future? This travel diary also doubles as a work/project journal, allowing you to track project notes, milestones, and meetings so you’re always prepared, whether working in-office or in another time zone.

When you use a digital travel journal you need only slip your smartphone into your waistpack and let the travel adventures get under way.

Travel Diary Apps: FAQs

What is a travel diary app.

You have all your essential tech for travel , like your smartphone to share photos with friends and family, but are you using it to document your experiences? Now, you can use app-based travel diaries to track and capture your experiences. Travel diaries allow you to document every fun and exciting thing you do while traveling the world. However, thanks to the many travel log apps available, you no longer have to carry a journal. Instead, you can create a travel journal on your smartphone to capture your best memories and create your own personalized travel book.

These apps also allow you to share your travel scrapbook with the touch of a button. You can share them either as a blog or on social media. Common features of travel diary apps include:

• Photo and video sharing
• Journal entries
• Snapshots of temperature, weather, altitude, and more

Are there any free travel diary apps?

Yes, there are tons of free travel diary apps you can use, including some mentioned on this list, such as Day One Journal and Travel Diaries. Additionally, many paid travel journals come with free versions with limited features. However, if you love traveling and sharing your experience with others, we recommend using paid versions to track your travels, upload photos, and share entries with your followers.

Can I use a travel diary app offline?

Some travel journal apps allow you to create entities offline in case you lose service, while others let you share pictures without the internet by selecting photos and creating private posts offline. However, whether you can use a particular travel diary app offline depends on the app, so you should research which apps you can continue to use when you don’t have any service.

That said, if your app doesn’t allow you to create new entries without service, you can continue to take photos on your smartphone and update your entry later.

Can I add photos and videos to my travel diary entries?

Yes! Most travel journal apps allow you to add photos and videos to document and remember your experience. Additional features may include turning your diary entries into social media posts and blogs, taking a snapshot of the time and weather, customizing layouts, and more. However, some apps are more photo-based than others, so consider what you want your travel diary to be. For example, if you prefer to create a scrapbook with photos and captions, you might choose Polarsteps, which allows you to create a coffee table book-style photo journal.

By Alison Kotch

Alison Kotch is a freelance writer, managing editor and runner living in Brooklyn, New York. You can read more of her writing at alisonkotch.com.

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10 best travel journals for your 2022 journeys

We love travelling! Besides getting to know new places and interacting with different cultures, we also treasure the memories of each trip.

No matter how many photos and videos we take, some of us still like a travel notebook to document our experiences and feelings on our journey. Travel journals are perfect for this purpose and are, perhaps, the most valuable treasure a traveller has.

As the world is starting to reopen for tourism and we are preparing to hit the road again, we take a look at why they are essential to pack and the best travel journals out there to document your trip.

READ MORE : Want a hot coffee wherever you travel? Here are the best travel kettles for you to choose from.

What are travel journals, and who uses them?

A travel journal is a special notebook that can be used to document experiences, make plans, and can also serve as a diary of your adventures. Many are packed with tools, tips, bucket lists and maps too.

Whether you are an occasional holidaymaker or a nomad constantly on the move, taking note of your adventures can help remind you of the fun or difficulties of your trip and serve as guides if we revisit those same places.

What should it contain?

The content may depend on what you want to portray and your style. However, some essential points will serve as a guide for your trip.

• Countries and places to visit
• Itineraries and daily trips
• Where to stay and addresses of hotels/hostels/homestays etc.
• People we meet and their contact cards if they provide us with one
• Activities to do and enjoy in each city/country
• Curious stops and other interests in each city/country
• Things we liked and our impressions of the places we visited
• Pictures and other imagery references

You can also accessorise your travel journal

For those with an artistic side or if you just want to customise your travel notebook, then you might consider using custom stickers . You can create your own unique designs that make your notebook your own.

It is something to consider if you want to bring a bit of spark and personalisation to the travel journals that you buy.

What to look for when purchasing a travel journal

When purchasing one, you should make sure it is of high quality and has a theme that reflects your personality and style. It must also be easy to carry wherever you go.

Among the features of a good travel notebook are:

• Type of paper quality and style. Decide if you prefer them to be blank pages, lined or dotted, according to your convenience and liking
• Spiral or bound; maybe refillable, too. Choose whichever you find easier and more comfortable for your writing
• Size of the journal. Generally, light and pocket-size travel notebooks are more portable and convenient. A mid-size of 5” x 7”—120 x 170mm—is more than enough for most travellers
• Type of cover. Pick one with a hardcover, leather, waterproof or just a classic notebook

Best travel journals for 2022

• Page-A-Day Artisan Travel Journal
• Passion Journal – Moleskine Travel Journal
• Moleskine National Geographic Traveller’s Journal
• Indestructible Field Travel Journal
• Journey Journal by Cracked Design
• Voyager Refillable Notebook
• DIY Travel Journal
• Old World Journal
• Promptly Journal – Compact Travel Journal
• Travel Journal Apps

1. Page-A-Day Artisan Travel Journal (vegan leather notebook)

If you like to write in a traditional-style leather travel journal, but you love animals more, this is the perfect one for you. With round corners, smooth-finish pages and dotted lines, it fits easily in your backpack or bag.

You can purchase it on Amazon for $5.40 USD.

2. Passion Journal – Moleskine Travel Journal

Moleskine brings us this 400-page journal to record our trips. It has a neat hardcover, rounded corners and intro pages filled with tips and an eight-year travel planner calendar. Protected in a rigid box, it is the treasure you were waiting for.

You can purchase it on Moleskine’s website for $29.95 USD or on Amazon .

3. Moleskine National Geographic Traveller’s Journal

Another gem from Moleskin, it is packed as the previous one in a hard box. This journal is 5” x 8.25” in size, and the National Geographic element shares journey tips for all kinds of explorers.

You can buy it for $34.95 USD on the Moleskine website .

4. Indestructible Field Travel Journal, All-Weather

A waterproof journal with 192 pages in total, this one is built to last. What makes it extra convenient is its pocket size and paper type that works with a ball-point pen or pencil to capture the details of your journeys.

You can acquire it on eBay for $20.89 USD.

5. Journey Journal by Cracked Design

These journals are not conventional at all, as they come with different maps. You can pick the edition that best suits your next trip by choosing where you want to go. It is conveniently light, designed for a 30-day-trip, and you can find map editions with maps for the US, Asia, Australia, Europe and Canada.

Purchase it for $18.00 USD on the Cracked Designs website .

6. Voyager Refillable Notebook

This flexible-faux-leather-cover journal is ideal for those who long for a vintage feeling while recording their trips and travel memories through words. It is refillable with attractive every-60-pages separators, so it can be reused over and over.

Purchase it on Amazon for  $6.17 USD.

7. DIY Travel Journal

Many travellers love to create their own travel notebooks. A do-it-yourself journal feels more intimate and can be personalised with the information any intrepid explorer wants .

Build it using easily accessible materials and enjoy your handiwork as you update it.

8. Old World Journal

This exclusive notebook is trimmed with shimmering gold maps, navigation lines and lightly lined cream-coloured pages. Its interior art makes it the perfect present for vintage lovers.

Purchase it on Amazon for $33.41 USD in hardcover and $12.15 USD in diary format.

9. Promptly Journal – Compact Travel Journal with Minimalist Design

This unique journal has a content table and meaningful prompts to guide your writing along the journey. It has 88 pages and includes travel-inspired artwork by illustrator Kelli Murray.

Buy it now on Amazon .

10. Travel Journal Apps

Though underrated, travel journal apps are a great start for journaling your globetrotting experiences. They provide you with guidelines to help lead your trips while recording your interests and memories quickly in an online travel journal. Some of them are free to download, while others can be purchased for more features. Among the most useful are: Diarium for Windows and Android users, Day One for Mac and IOS users, Penzu , Five-minute Journal for beginners, Daylio for non-writers, etc.

These are some of the most used and popular travel journals, but it’s important to find one that suits your needs. Whether it is a physical, classic one you handwrite or an app with lots of whistles and bells, choose one that allows you to easily portray every journey experience giving you a lifetime of travel memories to re-enjoy any time.

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Create & write a travel diary - tips, tricks & apps for perfect holiday memories

by Sascha Tegtmeyer

Writing a travel diary is always fun for me, promotes my creativity and helps me to reflect on the experiences of my vacation. The practical notebooks are available in every color and shape imaginable - and of course now also as electronic app versions. You can let your imagination run wild when creating holiday memories. What should you keep in mind when writing a travel diary? And why is writing while traveling so incredibly useful? I'll give you valuable tips, tricks and inspiration for designing a very individual notebook for your next trip.

The great explorer Alexander von Humboldt kept a diary on his travels in the 18th century. The detailed ones Travel journals like his American travel diaries are still read today. Nowadays, however, many world explorers are rather lazy about writing. Opinions differ even when it comes to an ordinary diary - some love it, others could never bring themselves to do it. On a well-deserved two-week vacation or even on a longer one Travel Picking up a pen and writing in a notebook again and again is out of the question for many vacationers. After all, you want to recover.

Video – This is how you can design your travel diary

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Practical advantages of writing a travel diary

But writing a travel diary offers a whole range of practical advantages and is actually recommended for every holidaymaker. The notebooks are available in every color and shape imaginable. When designing, you can let your imagination run wild and design your memories however you want.

Of course, there are now also digital versions that you can install as an app on your smartphone or tablet, for example. Whether you prefer the printed or digital version is purely a matter of taste. Why should you write a diary, what should be in the travel diary and what variants are there?

Buy travel diary

• TRAVEL DIARY TO FILL IN: Our travel diary offers both…
• VARIETY THROUGH EXTRA PAGES: Travel hacks, packing lists, quotes,…
• INSPIRING & MOTIVATION: In our travel diary you will always find…

• YOUR TRAVEL EXPERIENCES: Record 50 travel days – for world trips,…
• REFLECTION & MINDFULNESS: Numerous exercises and tips let you…
• DESIGN CREATIVELY: Let your creativity run wild, decorate and...

Why should you design and write a travel diary?

Once you've arrived on your well-deserved vacation, you often want to relax and unwind - or, on the contrary, be active and have adventures. Sitting down with pen and paper and writing an essay is usually not one of the vacationers' favorite pastimes. But the travel diary has a whole range of practical advantages and not only provides nice memories after the trip. You can let off steam creatively on the trip, stimulate your brain and review your experiences of the day once you're there.

In the travel diary you can record very individual experiences and information that cannot be found in any holiday travel guide and are based entirely on your experiences. A sketch of the route from your hotel to the dream beach through the forest, the promising business idea that you want to put into action after your vacation, the phone number for the cheap rental car rental company or the insider tip restaurant that can't even be found on the Internet yet – maybe in a few years your travel diary will become your very personal travel guide.

You stimulate your imagination

With a travel diary you stimulate the imagination and review the day's experiences directly on site. This will do two things: First, you will be even more open to having great experiences on the trip and even more open to discovering the next adventure. Because the travel diary shows you the beautiful things you have already experienced - that makes you want more.

You remember what you experienced again

On the other hand, you recapitulate what you experienced during the day. This will make the experience seem even more intense to you later at home than it already was. Because of the repetition, the great experience of the day is burned even deeper into your brain and will be even easier to recall as a great memory at home. And every time you look at your travel diary at home, the memory will flare up again. The bottom line is that you will experience the experiences on your great trip much more intensely and sustainably than if you don't keep a travel diary. I feel the same way when I write travel reports for Just Wanderlust.

Apple Use iPad with keyboard and pen for a travel diary

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What belongs in your travel journal?

Some vacationers and travelers decide to keep a travel diary and then sit in front of the blank sheets of paper with a ballpoint pen on vacation. They are already ashamed of the words that they have not yet written. So what should be in the travel diary and how do you start writing? Open a cold beer or a good bottle of red wine and make yourself comfortable.

Basically, you can write anything that comes to mind in the travel diary. There are no limits to creativity and imagination here. You can also paste photos, make sketches and write important dates and information about the travel destination. The names and contact details of friendly people you met along the way can also be noted in the travel diary.

I use a Moleskine travel diary with a Lamy ballpoint pen

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Starting a travel diary – How do I start writing successfully?

Now you know what you can include in the travel diary - but you don't know how to start writing it yet. You sit with the pen in front of the blank pages and can't bring yourself to write the first word. That's why it makes sense to do a little brainstorming in your head and imagine the day's experiences again. Go into great detail and recapitulate as precisely as possible what good things happened to you during the day.

Translate experiences into words

And then try again to put these experiences into words. You can try a purely factual description such as “Today I visited a wonderful dream beach with crystal clear, turquoise water and white sand.” This is just an example – you can of course go into much more detail. Or you start with a description of your emotional world: “Today I had a totally relaxing day on the dream beach. For the first time, I was able to really let go of the stressful work and feel comfortable in my own skin again.”

Take yourself back to the past day

Once you've settled into the past day, it should be easy to start writing. You don't need to write a very long essay now. If in doubt, even a single sentence in which you include all the important information will do. An entry in your travel diary must be exactly as long as it needs to be - and that's up to you to decide. If you feel the need to write ten pages about one day of your trip, that's of course fine.

Travel diary or noble notebook - what is the best choice?

Many people wonder whether they should use a special travel diary to record their vacation or whether they would prefer to use a high-quality notebook. To be precise, there are about a million different variations you can choose from. There are countless versions of special travel diaries, which are often visually designed with travel motifs or have a special division.

Depending on your point of view, the advantage or disadvantage of these travel diaries is that a lot of things are already pre-printed in them and you often just need to fill them out. Some find them practical – others find them rather kitschy. In contrast, there is the option of using a very simple notebook. This is certainly the stylish version with more understatement. Anyone who chooses a high-quality copy with a leather binding and lined and checked sheets usually has the freedom to design their notes. All you need is a suitable pen that writes well and you're ready to go.

Travel diary apps – digital memories on your smartphone or tablet

If you don't feel like dealing with all the paperwork and are more of a minimalist, you can now rely on a whole range of practical travel diary apps in which you can record your travel experiences. Whether you would rather have a printed book or a digital diary is largely a matter of taste. A handwritten book is of course more stylish. The travel diary app is more practical - and probably better for the environment too.

You can enter a lot of useful data into most programs, while other data such as the date, temperature, location, fitness data and much additional information are automatically added by the program. You can also be very creative here, insert photos and videos, incorporate quotes and voice memos and use many practical features. The app is usually saved on the smartphone or tablet - I always have my iPhone and iPad with me for this purpose. I've been using the Day One app as a travel diary for years - it's proven itself. I have listed other recommended and promising diary apps (for iOS and Android) below:

• Journalist: This easy-to-use app offers a variety of features, like adding photos, maps, and even sharing trips with friends and family.
• Polar Steps: An app that automatically tracks your route, adds photos and allows you to share your travel experiences with others.
• Itinerary: An intuitive app that enriches journaling with multimedia elements such as photos, videos and audio recordings.
• tripcast: This app not only offers diary features, but also the ability to share your travels with friends and family in real-time.
• Slide: A versatile app that can be used as both a travel journal and a personal journal, with features to organize, categorize and sync your entries.

Choosing the right travel journal app depends on your individual needs and preferences. Try different apps to see which one suits you and your travel style best, and enjoy the convenience and eco-friendliness of capturing your memories digitally.

1. Day One - the versatile and attractive travel journal app

Day One is an authentic diary app that can be used perfectly as a travel diary. The app impresses with its extensive functions and attractive design. It automatically records important information about your vacation destination, such as: B. Time, date, location, weather conditions and signs of life so you can concentrate on recording your personal impressions.

Download Day One for iOS

2. Ulysses - the concentrated companion for written travelogues

Ulysses is a classic, distraction-free writing app that's great for writing travel blogs or as a text-based travel journal. The app features a minimalist design and an intuitive user interface that allows you to focus on writing and capturing your travel experiences. The app offers a number of useful functions that make it easier to write travel reports. These include a clear outline feature, flexible formatting, and the ability to organize notes and ideas. With Ulysses you can export your texts in different file formats and easily integrate them into other apps or platforms.

Download Ulysses for iOS

3. Apple Pages – versatile writing program for creative travel reports

Apple Pages is the in-house writing app for Mac, ideal for creating travel journal entries on Mac, iPad and iPhone. The app is characterized by its user-friendliness and extensive range of functions, which offers you a variety of creative options. In Apple Pages, you can not only write attractive texts, but also access a variety of templates and formatting options to give your travel journal a personal and professional touch. You can also easily add photos, videos, charts, and interactive elements to bring your travel experiences to life.

Download Pages for iOS

4. GoodNotes – the ideal tool for handwritten travel diary notes on the tablet

GoodNotes is an excellent app for anyone who wants to create their travel diary on their tablet using the stylus. With the app you can write handwritten notes that you can enrich with a variety of creative design elements and additional materials. GoodNotes' intuitive interface lets you capture your travel experiences in a natural and authentic way. With the pen you can not only write texts, but also make sketches and drawings to make your travel memories even more vivid and vivid. The app also offers numerous tools such as different pen types, colors and shapes that you can use to customize your entries.

Download GoodNotes for iOS

List – More travel journal apps

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FAQs Writing a travel diary – the most important questions and answers

Write a travel diary or maybe you would rather create a travel blog and become a travel blogger: in? I have put together the most important questions and answers about travel blogs and travel diaries for you.

How often should I write in my journal?

Write in your diary as often as you want. Whether it's once a week or every day, it doesn't matter. The most important thing is that you enjoy writing and that it helps you. I write about one to five times a day. A post can be one word or a thousand – it doesn't matter either.

What should I write about in my diary?

Basically about anything you want! For me, journaling only became really valuable when I started to write down every idea that came to me immediately, later to describe it in detail and to link it to other ideas. Basically, write about what comes to your mind – and use it afterwards. Write about your day, your thoughts, your feelings, your plans, or anything else that's on your mind.

How long should my diary entries be?

It doesn't matter. From one word upwards, anything is possible. A post in your diary should be as long as it needs to be. As long or as short as you want. Some people like to write page by page, others just a few sentences. It depends on you.

Do I have to write my diary in full sentences?

You don't have to do anything to write a diary. You can also paint your diary. You don't have to write in full sentences. You can write in whatever way feels natural to you.

Can I use a pen or pencil instead of a computer?

Yes of course. Many people prefer to write by hand because it feels more personal. But if you prefer to write on a computer or smartphone, that's fine too. As I have explained, the cross-device use of smartphones, tablets and notebooks has the greatest advantages. Handwritten journaling is fun and stylish, but has many disadvantages compared to writing on a computer.

Can I use a diary app instead of a physical diary?

I would recommend using a diary app instead of a physical diary because you can use your entries later - add to them or even use them for blog posts or social media postings. And yes, there are many great journaling apps out there. Day One and Ulysses are two of the most popular options that I use on a daily basis. I also use the pre-installed notes app on my tablet to take handwritten notes with my stylus.

Should I keep my diary private or share it with others?

That is up to you and depends on what you write in your journal. I would not share my deepest, most private feelings. But when I gain insights that are also valuable to other people, I share them. Some people like to share their journals with friends or family, while others prefer to keep them private. It depends on you.

How do I start journaling?

Just start writing! When in doubt, a single word will suffice. You can also draw something. Familiarize yourself with your journal by simply starting without much thought. There's no right or wrong way to do it. Just start with whatever is on your mind and then start to elaborate on it.

I'm not a good writer. Can I still keep a diary?

Yes of course. Journaling is for everyone, no matter how good you are at writing. Just write in a way that feels natural to you and how you get the most value from your journal.

Do I need to buy a special diary?

No, you don't need that. You can use any notebook or paper you like. But if you want to treat yourself, there are many beautiful diaries. However, I recommend using a digital diary. I would recommend using a diary app instead of a physical diary because you can use your entries later - add to them or even use them for blog posts or social media postings. And yes, there are many great journaling apps out there. Day One and Ulysses are two of the most popular options that I use on a daily basis. I also use the pre-installed notes app on my tablet to take handwritten notes with my stylus.

Can I decorate my journal pages?

yes if you want that Some people like to add drawings, sketches, or photos to their journal pages. Lists, tables, diagrams and schematic representations are also conceivable. Others prefer to keep it simple and just write. That's up to you.

What are other benefits of journaling?

Not only is journaling fun and relaxing, but it can also improve your writing skills, boost your creativity, and provide clarity and focus. Diary is a particularly powerful tool for progression.

Create a travel diary – preserve unforgettable memories or become a travel blogger straight away?

My conclusion

A travel diary is a practical and creative way to experience your vacation even more intensively. This practical holiday gadget belongs on the packing list just as much as a travel wallet, the video drone and the high-quality photo camera. If you let off steam imaginatively on your trip and take lots of notes, you'll get more out of your vacation in the end.

Because after the trip only memories remain and they are much clearer and clearer if you wrote in a travel diary during your vacation. Which variant you choose for your recordings is up to each individual. Whether it's a specially designed travel diary, a simple notebook or an electronic app for your smartphone and tablet - it's crucial that you record your experiences.

Do you already write a travel diary regularly or are you thinking about starting in the future? Let me know in the comments.

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Solo Traveler

Solo travel tips, destinations, stories... the source for those who travel alone.

Tips for Those Who Struggle to Keep a Travel Journal

October 28, 2019 by Janice Waugh

A travel journal is the best travel souvenir ever.

I keep a travel journal

In my journal I ensure that I get the details down such as date, time, place, cost… When I have the time, I expand on these with my discoveries, feelings and learnings. And, of course, I expand further as I turn my journal entries into posts for Solo Traveler.

In your journal, you'll want the details of what you did and where, but at the end of a trip it's also nice to have a journal rich with the meaning of your travels.

There are many resources and ways to keep a travel journal. From the most traditional leather-bound journal using a fountain pen (that's my niece's preference). to going full-on technology with an app for your phone, here are your options.

More important than the technology you choose, below are also tips on how to write and get the most out of your journal.

Use your phone for your journal. I like the Diaro app. Take a picture, add it and others to your day's entry, a map will be added showing the location of the photos, enter a title and text and you're done. You can always go back and add more photos and text at a later time.

Table of Contents

Best App for Keeping a Travel Journal

I like Diaro. It's a free app (there's a pro version) you can get on Google Play and the App Store. You can have it accessible whenever your phone is unlocked or you can require a password specifically for your Diaro app.

Making an entry is easy.

• Upload a photo or many. A map will be automatically added to your entry based on the data in your photo.
• Add a title and text which can be a quick note or a long journal entry.
• Add a tag if you like.

If you want to go back in time to see the journal entries from a specific trip, you can search by date, tags, folder or even location. If you get the pro version you can sync your journal across all your devices including online using a Dropbox account. The pro version also let's you download your entries to a PDF document and gets rid of the tiny ad at the bottom of the app.

There are other apps as well. For comparison, check out Journo Travel Journal and Blog.

For more details on how to write a great travel journal, read the nine tips in the next section and the meaning of the  W.R.I.T.E. acronym in the last section.

With an old school journal, you're able to save anything that will lie flat in your book, from flight boarding passes to flowers.

Go Old School with Your Travel Journal

This is a fun and inspiring travel journal.

I like a notebook and pen as the information will never be lost with a technology change and the journals look great on your shelf.

• Choose a sturdy journal. It could be the classic  Moleskine Notebook or one that is a little more fun such as I Was Here .
• Document your itinerary. Rough out your itinerary in a few pages at the front of your journal. You can do this before you leave. Allow lots of space between points so you can keep track of how your itinerary changes as you travel.
• Every entry doesn't have to be brilliant . But every day should have an entry. Writing every day, even small details, will help you maintain your momentum. Miss a few days and sometimes the practice of writing a journal can be lost for the entire trip so try to make a notation daily, no matter how small.
• Aim for brilliance once in a while. When you can take the time to sit down and think back over the day, think about the places you went, the people you met, the food you ate, the scents you took notice of, your activities and the things you learned. As you do take note of what makes you smile. Your smile indicates an important moment. If you want you can even itemize these under a heading: What Made Me Smile Today.
• Find your theme: Consider all the things that made you smile. Is there a theme? As a whole, what did the day mean to you? What did you learn? How did you change? What surprised you? State one of these in one sentence or a series of three short sentences. This is the beginning of a great journal entry.
• Expand on the theme. Once you've completed your short introduction, expand. Explain what you learned. Provide details of the history or technology or your own potential – whatever it is that you learned. Describe what you thought before and after, why you changed your thinking, how it felt when it happened, what it means to you.

• Go multimedia. Don't be afraid to sketch what you saw. Have glue with you so that you can add theater tickets, postcards or part of a brochure to make you pages interesting.
• End with gratitude. You spent the day exploring a place other than home. We understand the world by contrasting one thing to another. Compare what you saw to what you live daily. Identify what you're grateful for in everyday life.

Journal doodling has become very popular. If you're not accustomed to doodling images, click here for lots of travel doodles that I'm sure you'll be able to draw.

The Basics for Writing a Good Journal Entry

• W – Share  what  actually happened. When, where and why it happened.
• R –   Reflect on how all those Ws make you feel. Close your eyes to go deep into it.
• I –   Now allow your writing of these events, feelings and thoughts to flow from your pen or keyboard. As you do, you'll  investigate  them more deeply. If you get stuck, close your eyes again or re-read what you’ve written. Then continue.
• T – Take the  time to enjoy your reflecting and writing process.
• E – Embellish what you've written with photographs, ticket stubs, and other souvenirs.

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How to Write a Travel Diary

Travel diaries and notebooks are a wonderful thing. When a person is asked what their hobbies and interests are, the chances are that one will be travel. The urge to explore new places and experience different cultures is something so many of us have in common.

Spring especially sparks a wish to go abroad and have these experiences as we are all getting ready for summer sunshine. Whether your next trip is imminent or in a matter of months, beginning a travel diary or journal is a fantastic way to prepare and get excited for your upcoming adventure… Furthermore, why not make it a luxury travel diary?

What is a travel journal?

A travel diary (or travel journal – whichever you prefer), is a book in which you can accumulate the beginnings of travel plans, from aspirations to the nitty gritty of budgets, as well as daily logs of good and bad memories once you make your trip. It provides an excellent space to reflect on your journey. In fact, a written reflection in your diary is a wonderful way to round it off prior to planning your next trip in another book. It is a way of remembering all the highs and lows of your trip, allowing you to cherish them forever and learn from them for your next adventure.  

How to write a travel diary?

All great trips begin with aspiration. My own travel journals begin with listing the places which I aspire to go to – usually either multiple countries or places within one country. From here I can use the diary to work out where is possible from a combination of holiday time available and budget… yes, the less exciting bit.

Once the selection process is complete it’s time for the exciting bit which is finding places to stay, sites to see, activities to do, and for the foodies out there, all the must-try restaurants in the area.

You can then use this information to create an itinerary. Next stop – your trip!

While on your trip is when the journal moves from being a notebook to your diary. That way you can record, when possible, your experiences, the feelings you had experiencing them (good or bad), people you’ve met and the conversations you had, and even include any memorabilia. Following your trip, the book should be used to go over the high moments and the low moments and find what you’ve learned from them to make the most of this knowledge for your next trip.

Why write a travel diary?

Regardless of the trip’s purpose, whether it be for business, an event, or a great adventure, writing a travel diary is a fantastic way to ensure you really stop and absorb your surroundings. It enables you to capture the moments so that you really remember them.

I have travel journals from years ago that bring a smile to my face each time I come across them and I often have a flick through because of the extraordinary and funny details I recorded. Both the act of writing your travel diary and in particular the moments you have looking back over them are hugely fulfilling.

By putting descriptions of your whereabouts and your thoughts and feelings on a page, you find you notice more about the cultures, food, and people you are experience – all incredible things to look back upon from a different perspective in the future.

Aside from documenting memories, these journals look fantastic lined up on a shelf. My preferred journal is the Noble Macmillan Calfskin Lined Journal  (pictured below). They come in an array of colours and the elastic strap is an invaluable extra to allow your book to hold all sorts of added memorabilia such as train tickets and post cards.  

A travel diary is an excellent reminder of why to travel. A look at why you’ve been saving that money and not buying the pair of shoes you don’t need or going on just another night out – things and moments that won’t stay with you forever like those you have travelling.

Although my favourite is indeed the Noble Macmillan Calfskin Lined Journal , we have plenty of options suitable for whatever your preferred size or colour. Simply check out the notebooks and journals collection of the stationery section of our website to explore your choices.

And if you are the type of person who just loves writing, check out our guide on the joys of writing handwritten letters.

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How to Make a Travel Journal

Last Updated: February 24, 2023 Approved

This article was co-authored by Archana Ramamoorthy, MS . Archana Ramamoorthy is the Chief Technology Officer, North America at Workday. In 2019, she went on a three-month sabbatical from her work and solo traveled throughout Southeast Asia. She is a product ninja, security advocate, and on a quest to enable more inclusion in the tech industry. Archana received her BS from SRM University and MS from Duke University and has been working in product management for over 8 years. There are 8 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. In this case, 83% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 138,343 times.

Travel is a time for growth, new experiences, and seeing more of the world. If you're taking a trip, you want to remember everything that you did for years to come. Keeping a travel journal will not only help preserve your memories of the experience, but can help enrich your trip in the moment as well. Check out this super useful list we’ve put together about travel journaling! We’ll start off with some tips on what to put in your travel journal, how to write entries, how to pick a journal type, and more.

Travel Journal Entry Template

Write about more than just activities to make entries interesting.

• For example, instead of just talking about a hike you went on, describe the meal you ate at the end of the day and how good it was after exerting yourself physically all day long.

Engage all senses to transport the reader to the time and place.

• For example, describe the scent of the flowers on the table in the cafe where you have lunch or the feel of the breeze when you're relaxing on the beach.

Find a theme for entries to help make them feel coherent.

• If you're having trouble identifying a theme for an entry, start by asking yourself a few basic questions, such as: “What made me smile today?”, “What surprised me today?”, or "What did I learn today?" Write down the answers, and you may see a theme start to emerge.

Write about people you meet to bring their characters to life.

• For example, you could describe how the old lady who sold you fresh produce at the market looked and acted to bring life into the story about your trip to the market that day. Or, you could talk about fellow travelers you’ve been hanging out with and what you like or admire about them.

Collect mementos to add visual interest to your journal.

• You don't necessarily have to glue or tape the mementos in your journal as you're traveling. Just set them aside in your folder, so you can add them when you return home. However, make sure to leave space among your written entries to add the materials that match up with them.
• If you’re making a digital journal, you can easily scan or take photos of mementos to add to it.

Take photos to bring your journal entries to life.

• If you’re journaling online, such as on a blog, upload a few relevant photos to go with each post and help bring your entry to life.
• You don’t have to print out photos on the road for a physical journal. Just save the ones you like and print and add them to your journal when you get home.

Add some sketches if you like to draw.

• It doesn't matter if you're not a great artist. You can sketch a simple map of the neighborhood that you're staying in or a pretty bunch of flowers that you saw. As long as the drawing helps you remember details of your trip later, it's worth it.
• You could even use watercolors or another type of paint to do some artwork on a separate piece of art paper, then put it in your journal once it’s dry.
• If you’re making a digital journal, you can use a drawing app on a tablet or smartphone to do sketches for it.

Make a physical journal if you’re a hands-on type person.

• A journal with acid-free paper is usually a good investment because it will ensure that your writing and sketches will hold up for years.
• If you want to get really decorative, purchase some additional art supplies like colored markers, gel pens, and pencils.
• Washi tape or a glue stick are handy for sticking postcards, pictures, and other mementos to pages.
• If you like to draw and sketch, take a set of drawing pencils with you to sketch sights you see along the way.
• A small pair of craft scissors can also be handy for cutting out images and things to stick in your journal. However, if you’re flying, make sure you can put them in a checked bag or you won’t be able to bring them with you.

Create a digital journal if you want to easily share it.

• Another advantage of digital journals is that you don’t have to bring much with you. You can use a laptop, a tablet, or even just a smartphone!
• If you want to find different apps for journaling, search wherever you get your apps from with a term like “travel diary” or “journal app.”
• Remember that there’s no right or wrong way to create a journal. Whatever gets your creative juices flowing and helps you cherish those memories forever is perfect!

Get a clear, expandable folder to collect journaling materials in.

• A folder is especially important if you don't want to compile your whole journal while you're actually traveling. You can just write in the journal as you go, and add the mementos after you've returned home because the folder will keep them all organized.

Use a map to track your travels if you’re going many places.

• If you want to find apps to track your travels on a map, just type “travel map app” into the search bar of wherever you get your apps.
• You don’t have to be travelling internationally to track your route on a map. For example, if you’re doing a cross-state road trip, you could print out a map of each state and mark your stops along your route in each state.
• You can also use a large world map to track multiple trips over the months and years to come.

Decide who you're writing for to help guide your journaling.

• If you plan to share your journal with others, consider the details that you plan to include. You may not think it's necessary to write down the address of a restaurant that you enjoyed to preserve the memory, but a friend may find the information helpful. On the other hand, there may be personal details of your trip that you don't want to share with family and friends, so it's best to omit them.

Start journaling before your trip to help plan and get excited.

• You could write about what you imagine certain places to be like, then go back and compare notes after you actually visit them for a fun comparison!
• You can put practical details in the beginning of your journal too, such as contact info for tour operators or directions to get to certain places.

Make entries as often as possible to fill your journal as you travel.

• It helps to set aside a specific time to write in your journal. For example, you might do your entries at breakfast or just before bed. If you're taking a plane, train, bus, or car to another location, the ride is a great time to work on journal entries.
• Remember to date each entry, so you can remember the timeline of your trip. You may want to include the time that you wrote each as well.
• If you're in a hurry, jot down notes about your day on a scrap of paper that you can copy into the journal when you have more time. You may forget some details if you don't write things down as you go, so a rough draft can come in handy.

Expert Q&A

You Might Also Like

• ↑ https://www.nathab.com/blog/create-a-travel-journal-that-youll-read-again-and-again/
• ↑ http://www.wanderlust.co.uk/magazine/articles/advice/how-to-write-the-perfect-travel-journal
• ↑ http://solotravelerblog.com/9-tips-for-those-who-struggle-to-keep-a-travel-journal/
• ↑ http://www.globejotting.com/create-a-more-vivid-travel-journal/
• ↑ http://www.fodors.com/travel-photography/article-creating-a-travel-journal-84/
• ↑ http://www.gonomad.com/2288-tips-on-keeping-a-travel-journal
• ↑ https://www.windstarcruises.com/blog/how-to-make-a-travel-journal/
• ↑ https://penzu.com/travel-journal-guide

About This Article

To make a travel journal, write entries in a journal as you're traveling so you don't forget any important details. Try to engage all of your senses as you're writing by describing how your destination smells, sounds, looks, feels, and tastes, which will make your journal entries more vivid and interesting. Remember to take photos and collect mementos throughout your trip so you can glue them into your travel journal later on. You can also draw or paint different sights you see and include your own artwork in your journal. To learn how to get all the necessary supplies for a travel journal, keep reading! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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What Is Travel Journal And How To Make It

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Traveling is something we prepare for, save for, and daydream about. Plus, it can grant you remarkable experiences and many things to learn.

At these exciting times, our memory can be unpredictable and sensitive. Due to that, it can be hard to recall your memories, feelings, things you learned, new people you met, and even where you went.

Therefore, I highly suggest you have a travel journal with you.

What is a travel journal?

A travel journal helps you keep track of your large to small physical and emotional experiences, people you met along the way and things you learned.

Besides that, you can use the travel journal to plan your trip.

To sum up, a travel journal is a collection of memories, adventures, discoveries, and stories of yours. 

What do you write in a travel journal?

Remember that you don’t have to be a ‘writer’ to write a travel journal. Grab yourself a notebook that is only for travel journaling.

You can start by writing small impressions in short sentences. It doesn’t necessarily have to be you describe yourself in your own words. You can express yourself with anything that inspires you at the moment.

It could be a sketch, a receipt, a postcard, a new phrase you learned, doodles, pressed leaves/flowers, labels, photos, tickets, seashells, candy wrap, flyers, songs, texts, money, you name it.

The things you write in your travel journal should not be an endless record of facts and truths.

When you write, think about the places you saw and what lasted as a memory of that particular place.

Here are a few things that you can start with.

• Bucket list of destinations

You can start writing your travel journal by writing down a list of your favorite destinations that you would love to visit. Writing these locations and why you like to go to them adds a fine introduction to your tour journal.

When you finally go to these destinations, you can simply recall and add more to your travel journal. Was it as great as you expected? Did you get to see everything in that location? Documenting how your expectations are in contrast to your travels is an extraordinary way to reminisce.

• Travel Research

Once you write down all your destinations, you can do research and jot down the findings of your desired destination.

• Schedules of your trip

This is another thing that you can write in your travel journal. You can add prior planning of your trip like, what activities you can do at your destination and when you plan to do them.

If you find things to see in a specific destination, take notes on information like open hours, reservations, and costs.

Years later, when you look back at your travel journal, you will be able to recall the things you did and what made you happy at the time.

• Buying list

When you start planning your trip, you may realize that you need to buy things before the trip. Take note of those too.

• Things to pack

You can use your travel journal to list things that you need to pack for your trip. For example, chargers, medicine, hygiene products, and the things you may forget easily.

• Significant travel memories

To complete your travel journal, document your travels by writing down significant memories along with visuals such as photos or sketches. A photo can refresh your memory more than a thousand words.

• Post-trip reminiscences

The ending of your journal should be dedicated to reflecting on the things after the trip. There you will find a collection of your sentiments on your trip. You’ll have the privilege of recalling the exact feeling you had back in the day.

Here are 35 travel journal prompts for more inspiration on what to write in your travel journal.

Why should you keep a travel journal?

Journaling is a great way to keep you out of stress and release tension. It can also add a boost to your creativity, bring the vision to your life, and most importantly promote gratitude in yourself. You will learn to appreciate the adventures and the moments you have lived in your life. You’ll be able to find your voice. On top of that, you will become more aware and stay alert about the things happening around you.

Having a travel journal allows you to ponder, examine, and process the complex emotions and experiences you face as a traveler. Moreover, as you write down the names of special places you went to, new cuisines you discovered, names of bars, and other details, you will be able to recommend those to a friend who is visiting the same place. Your travel journal can be an excellent reference for your friends and family to get an insight into the places you have visited. You don’t necessarily have to share your travel journal with others. You can keep it to yourself if you wish. Anyway, years later, you will be fascinated when you read all your thoughts, experiences, and knowledge you grasped while traveling.

How do you make a travel journal?

Let me tell you how you can make a fun and creative DIY travel journal for yourself. First, you have to grab the tools and supplies you will need to make a travel journal. So, the obvious item you will need is a diary or a notebook. How you arrange your travel journal is up to your preference. You can decide if you want more visuals than writing or the other way around. To decorate your travel journal, you will need glue sticks, photos, stickers, washi tape, scissors, highlighters, colored pencils, pens, and a ruler.

I will share some ideas and layouts you can use in your journal. When you are writing a list, you can use a cute bullet-style format. You can draw or paste a map of your destination. You can attach Polaroid photos to your journal. They are really cute and can make your travel journal appealing to read. You can try drawing things you see. You can attach travel tickets where necessary.

Just don’t worry about it not being perfect. It doesn’t matter if you are bad at drawing or have bad handwriting. There are no RULES! Just write what pops into your head.

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10 Best Travel Journal Apps to Organize Your Travel Memories

As a digital nomad or frequent traveler, you likely want to keep a log of your travel activities. But what and how you record is a very personal experience.

You may want to write extensively about your experiences and feelings and keep them private. If so, you are probably better off with a paper journal and a pen.

Or maybe, you want to log the most important moments, photos, and travel routes and share them with your family and friends. In that case, a digital travel journal makes more sense.

Perhaps you’re an Instagram Influencer or blogger and want to keep copious notes for future posts/reels.

No matter your reason, if you’re looking for a travel journal app to maintain a digital log, this list of the 10 best travel journal apps will help you find the one that suits your needs.

Let’s start!

Table of Contents

10 Best Travel Journal Apps

1. day one journal.

With a Twitter-like interface, the Day One Journal is about capturing the important moments of your trip. The app can collect data such as location, weather, and music, for your travel photos and videos.

You can use this app as a digital diary and write using your finger or Apple Pencil and quickly comb through the entries using photos, timeline, or calendar. It even accepts voice commands.

This travel journal app can record fine details such as temperature, moon phase, weather, address, etc.

A free version is available, but upgrading to the premium version gives unlimited journal entries, photo storage, cloud sync, audio recording, and 25% off on book printing (if at some point you’d love to create a printed book of your adventures).

Platforms Supported:

• Apple Watch
• Safari and Chrome browser extensions

Cost: $2.92 per month billed annually.

Perfect for: Anyone looking for an online version of a standard journal that can also include images, voice recordings and track your locations

2. Find Penguins

One of the top digital travel journals, Find Penguins uses GPS tracking and AI to automatically track your journeys.

It also updates temperature, weather, altitude, etc., giving you a quick snapshot of the conditions on a particular day.

All the data that the app gathers is then displayed in a fun way on an interactive map as a trail and posts.

Find Penguins refers to those posts as footprints that are essentially blog posts where you can attach photos, videos, and texts as diary entries.

If you want, you can order a printed photo journal complete with maps, photos, and footprints.

Cost : Free with in-app purchases. You can buy a monthly or yearly subscription for $4.99 a month or $29.99 a year respectively.

Perfect for: Anyone who needs the best travel journal app for automatic journey tracking.

3. Polarsteps

If you need a completely free travel journal app that not only helps you to plan and track your journeys but also doubles up as a digital travel diary, Polarsteps is one of the top travel diary apps you can find.

It comes complete with an editable itinerary planner and transport planner. It even plots and automatically tracks your path on a digital world map.

You are free to add thoughts, videos, and photos. If you want, you can leave tips for the traveling community, or retrace your steps by scrolling through your travel stats, photos, and places.

The app also supports printing a hardcover travel book with just a touch of a button. The best part? It works offline and allows you to manually add journal entries that can later sync when the internet is available.

Perfect for: Anyone looking for a free travel tracker app that can track the travel route and keep the family informed!

Momento is more than just a travel journal app. It can double up as a project/work journal, pregnancy journal, or private journal.

This app can organize and streamline your social network activities from 11 social platforms. You can add photos & videos, tag your fellow travelers and places you visit , and even record your pregnancy journey!

Momento can also give daily, monthly, or yearly visual summaries, and allow you to explore past timelines.

Cost: Free with in-app purchases for paid upgrades.

Perfect for: People who need a multi-purpose digital journal that works not only as an online travel journal but also as a private and/or work journal.

5. Journi Blog

Journi Blog is a unique photo journaling app that you can use to record your travel experiences as timelines and maps or even have them printed as a photo book to show off to your friends and family members.

Whether you have a travel blog where you write about your vacations and travels, or whether you are maintaining personal travel diaries or recording your kids’ photo album, Journi Blog helps to capture all the moments and stories.

With this travel diary app, you can create a public travel journal or create a private journal entry.

Cost : Free with in-app premium membership purchase options. Membership costs €9.99 for one month, €43.99 for 6 months, and €53.99 for one year.

Perfect for: Those who want a photo journaling app.

Penzu isn’t particularly designed to be a travel journal app. In fact, it is more of a reflective journal meant for note-keeping and milestone tracking. However, it can be used as a pregnancy journal, a food diary, and even a travel diary.

It will give you the feel of maintaining an online travel blog with the ability to add images, add photos, and write your travel stories. You can use custom tags to categorize your travel logs.

Penzu has an incredibly simple interface where you can record beautiful memories of your entire trip.

Cost : Free, Pro for $19.99 a year, and Pro+ for $49.99 a year.

Perfect for : Anyone who needs a private online journal or a digital diary with syncing ability across the web and multiple mobile devices.

7. Tripcast

Tripcast is one of the favorite travel journal apps for many users worldwide. The app is perfect to keep your friends and family members updated about your journey.

With Tripcast, you can create shared photo albums where your fellow travelers can upload and share photos they click and store them in a single place.

The app uses photo geotagging to create a map of the places you visit.

Cost: Free!

Perfect for: Those who are on a group vacation, or participating in volunteer projects.

8. Journey: Diary, Journal

Journey was listed as the Google Editors’ choice in the best travel apps category. Just like other travel diaries, Journey will help you to maintain a travel journal complete with texts, audio files, images, and videos.

You can also use this dedicated app to add location and weather details to all your journal entries.

If you want, you can download and keep your entries private on your computer. Alternatively, you can export them as PDF or DOCX files for easy sharing.

Journey is not just a simple travel journal app. It is a multi-purpose app that allows users to record anything they want such as a stress management journey, sleep journey, better habits development journey, and so on.

Cost : Journey is a free app, but there is an in-app membership purchase option for $3.99 a month or $29.99 a year.

Perfect for: Those who need a multi-purpose journal app that can also be used as a digital travel diary.

Diarium is another great app that allows maintaining a travel journal using a calendar interface.

You can quickly attach texts, audio files, and images, and even tag multiple entries in a single day.

There is an option of adding a sitemap with location info. Plus, the app will display a wide range of data including your fitness data, weather info, and calendar events.

You can easily export entries in HTML or DOCX formats. Journal entry is possible using a laptop, PC, mobile, or tablet.

Cost: Diarium is free, but offers in-app purchases. You can purchase a lifetime pro version for $5.99.

Perfect for : Those who want a travel journal app without committing to a monthly or yearly subscription.

10. Worldee Trip Planner & Journal

Worldee is a popular digital travel diary that not only allows you to organize and store your travel memories.

You can mark the countries visited on an interactive world map, add timelines, photos, and maps, and even share your trips.

You can share your stories with other travelers or you can keep everything private. The app will also help you to plan your next trip using the integrated trip planner.

With the trip planner, you can set your itinerary and travel map on the same screen and then share your trip details with your travel partners.

Cost: The app is completely free to use.

Perfect for: Those who want a completely free digital travel journal.

More Journal Apps to Consider

1. trotter it.

Trotter It is a digital travel journal app that allows you to create and share travel stories with travelers across the world. It also doubles up as a social networking app for travelers. The app is available only through Google Play Store and is completely free to use.

2. Jauntlet

A mix of a travel journal and a free travel blog, Jauntlet allows you to present your trips in a neat timeline. The app connects with Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter, and imports photos from different profiles.

You can add the location to a post to add it to the map and write your story. Jauntlet is a web application that offers a platform-independent mobile site.

3. Esplorio

A beautiful and interactive travel journal app, Esplorio can record trips even without a data connection. You can choose what to share publicly and what to keep private.

It easily integrates with social platforms to retrieve previous journeys. The app is free but there is a pro plan available for $49.99 per year. It is available on iOS devices and through a web app.

4. Traverous

Traverous is an automated travel journal application that uses GPS data to track and record your trip. It also records media and location to create a personalized animated travel diary. The app is free to use but to unleash its full potential, you will need a premium account that costs $4.99 a month or $54.99 a year. The app is available for both iOS and Android devices.

How to Choose the Best Online Journal App

Choosing the best online journal app can be tricky. They’re all so good and you need to pick one that does everything you want it to.

Here are a few tips on choosing the best online journal app:

• Ease of use : The app you select should be straightforward and easy to use. An overly complex app will only make your life difficult.
• Mobile apps : Since you will mostly be traveling with your phone or ipad, the app must have versions for either iOS or Android or both. However, digital nomads traveling with laptops can always use web apps.
• Social features : The app you select must be able to integrate with social platforms. If the app has a built-in community feature, it is even better, especially for group tours and backpackers.
• History : The company developing the app must have a proven history of offering digital journaling services. You will not want to use it only to see that it is no longer under development.
• Cost : The app you select must be cheap. Expensive subscription plans can put budgetary pressure.
• Security: If you want your journal entries to be private you need to ensure the app has end to end encryption services.

Best Travel Journal Apps FAQs

Is there a free journaling app.

Yes, there are a few free travel journal apps available today. While some are dedicated digital travel diaries, others are all-purpose digital journals that can be used for keeping travel records.

Day One Journal has a free version, Polarsteps is completely free, Penzu has a free version and Tripcast is free. Try them out and see which one you like the best!

What’s the best app to track everywhere I’ve traveled?

Most of the digital travel diaries listed above can track every place you have traveled . Apps like Day One Journal and Find Penguins can not only track the places you visit but also add additional data like weather, temperature, altitude, address, and more.

Best Travel Journal Apps Summary

Digital travel diaries or journal apps are immensely beneficial (and fun) as they help to organize your travel experiences and keep your memories stored in a single place.

They will allow you to add written notes, images, videos, audio files, tags, etc., and help you to easily share your experiences with friends and family, or other users.

For digital nomads or influencers, some come with customizable layouts for enhanced personalization and some will even allow you to blog automatically and share moments of your trips with your readers.

Try a few out and select the one that is within your budget and meets your needs the best. Hopefully, this list of the best travel journal apps will assist you in finding an awesome journal for your travels! 🙂

Disclaimer: Please note this post may contain affiliate links, from which, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a small commission. Also as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I only recommend products and services I’ve used or would use myself. If you choose to purchase from any of my links, thanks so much for your support! 😊

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35+ hilarious road trip games for couples & digital nomads.

The Best Travel Journals of 2024

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I Was Here: A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded

Unique and fun

Easy to carry

Pocket for ephemera included

Not many blank pages

VALERY Vintage Writing Journal

Includes 96 sheets and 185 pages

Built-in pen holder

2 inside pockets

Leather feels a little cheap

Page-A-Day Artisan Travel Journal by Inc. Peter Pauper Press

Convenient back cover pocket

None that we could find

CoolLeathor Leather Journal Lined Notebook

Made of natural, high-quality leather

Leather color is lighter in person

Some customers received no pen

ThoughtSpace Journals Mandala Leather Journal

Soft to the touch

Includes 180 pages

Updated September 11, 2023

Traveling can be an unforgettable experience, but sometimes, it is difficult to remember the name and location of every place you venture to, as well as any other memorable moments worth noting. That is why having a travel journal handy during your travels is convenient.You can easily refer back to a travel journal if you choose to blog about your journey afterward. Or, keep it in your memory box for your grandchildren to read 50 years from now. In addition, some people just want a travel journal to keep in their desk at work or for college classes. If you are looking to buy a travel journal as a gift, you can check out the 25 perfect gifts for people who love traveling for even more ideas.

For every journaling type of person, we found some of the best travel journals online for your travel experiences. Based on our research, these are some of the best travel journals you can get on Amazon right now.

The recommendations in this guide are based on thorough product and market research by our team of expert product reviewers. The picks are based on examining user reviews, product specifications, and, in some limited cases, our experience with the specific products named.

Explore a unique, fun, and sometimes daring way to add to your travel adventures with I Was Here: A Travel Journal for the Curious Minded by Kate Pocrasshe. This out-of-your-comfort-zone travel journal includes vibrant drawings and specific instructions that encourage travelers to discover unique details about their surroundings.

You’ll also have some space to write down tips from locals, personal reviews of places you visit, itineraries and routes you traveled, and other discoveries. There is even a back pocket where you can keep any ephemera that you collect, such as unique stones, flower pedals, and tiny gifts from locals.

Whether you are traveling to the Swiss Alps or to a classroom to teach, this travel-friendly journal is made for all types of uses. You can jot down your to-do list, daily thoughts, or travel experiences on any of the 185 pages inside. It even comes with a refillable cover, built-in holder for your pen, and two additional inside pockets to help you organize any notes. Plus, you can keep this journal shut with the cord that comes with it. Many customers love to give this travel journal as a gift, especially since it has a pretty tree of life on the front. It is made of PU faux leather, which some reviewers do say feels cheap.

If you are looking for a simple and affordable travel notebook to place in your suitcase, then you may want to take a look at this leather journal that is made of vegan material. It has enough room for you to write down memories, travel tips, and reviews on the dotted lines. Plus, you can keep track of where you left off in your journal by utilizing the ribbon bookmark that comes with it. You can also store travel tickets, receipts, and other memorable items in the pocket that is located inside the back cover of the journal. Once you are done jotting down your thoughts, easily secure the journal with the elastic close feature.

This classy and high-quality looking travel journal would be a great gift for travel writers or diary lovers. It is made of real leather and comes with lined kraft paper pages that many customers say has premium quality. In addition, this travel journal is soft to the touch and can be used for multiple purposes, such as sketching down ideas or writing poems in the park. It even comes with a black ball pen, although a few customers claim to have never received some. Once you are done writing things down, you can close this journal with its leather strap.

This travel journal is made of super soft, top-grain leather and has a beautiful mandala printed on the front cover. It is stitched by hand and is the perfect size for carrying it in your purse while exploring different places all over the world. Each of the 180 pages are made of thick material that customers say has a lot of quality. It even includes two satin bookmarks for you to keep track of specific pages. Best of all, the price is pretty great for what you get.

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Prices were accurate at the time this article was published but may change over time.

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6 Best Travel Journal Apps for Your Next Trip

By Author Meg Frost

Posted on Last updated: October 20, 2023

Categories Travel Tech

Share the love!

I love to look back on past adventures via journals, photos, and videos – but it can be so time consuming!

One of my tricks to organizing all of my travel memories is to use travel journal apps.

Over the years, many of these apps have evolved to include so much more than a way to organize photos and videos.

Many also help you plan your travels, gather and report data, and a few even help you create printed photo books!

Check out this post for my absolute favorite travel journal apps to help you document your adventures through slide shows, photo collages, timelines, maps, photo books, and more.

1 Second Everyday

Turn your travel videos into a travel journal summary with 1 Second Everyday.

This app pieces together 1 second video clips to create a video, making it a super easy way to create travel video without the need for video editing skills.

1 Second Everyday is a great way to journal a day or an entire trip with ease. I love that it eliminates the analysis paralysis when it comes to journaling creatively or creating content for your social media.

In my opinion, 1SE is the best free journal app for iPhone and Android overall, not just for recording travel memories.

Pros : Super easy to use and create fun videos that can double as social media content. Cons : Sometimes 1 second just isn’t enough! Download : iOS / Android

Day One Journal

Day One Journal is an impressive digital travel journal app for iPhones, Android smartphones, Apple Watch, and Mac computers.

Its biggest strength is the collection of data for all photos and videos, such as weather, location, and music. It also includes a timeline view and a map view.

This is a great travel journal app for those that like to reflect about everything that happened on their trip.

Day One Journal will make it a bit easier to remember the finer details, like weather and addresses.

Pros : Not just an app – also has a Mac app and a Safari browser extension so you can work on your Mac laptop or desktop. Cons : No browser extension or software for non-Mac laptops and desktop computers. Download : iOS / Android / Mac / Browser Extensions

Grid Diary combines digital journal capabilities with a planner for one ultimate app.

Users can keep track of all they need to do, create journal entries with guided writing prompts, add stickers and tags, and gather statistics.

This app is more of a traditional text-based journal and planner, but sometimes that is really all folks want!

Pros : One app to keep you organized and record memories. Cons : Most of the valuable features are only available in the premium version (can’t blame ’em though!) Download : iOS / Android

Momento pulls in data from all of your social channels to piece together a journey’s story, such as Instagram, Facebook, Spotify, and Uber.

You can keep your stories private or share with friends to select social media channels, as well as via text message or email.

Momento is a great travel journal app for those that are heavy social media users. You’re already documenting your travels elsewhere, but this app will pull them together in a cohesive way.

Pros : Super easy to use and affordable premium subscription available with extra features. Cons : Only available on iOS. Last major update was in 2016. Download : iOS

PolarSteps is a fun app that helps you plan and track your travels.

However, the standout feature with this travel journal app is that you can transform your journal into a printed photo book!

The PolarSteps book includes summaries and stats pulled from app usage, such as maps, miles or kilometers traveled, number of countries visited, and so on.

In my opinion, this is not only the best free travel journal app for iPhone and Android, but one of the best traveling apps for iPhone and Android, too.

Pros : Top notch usability design makes it super easy to use. Cons : Some limitations with customizing the travel book, such as inability to choose size and limited number of color themes. Download : iOS / Android

Keep mom and dad updated on your travels without annoying your Facebook or Instagram friends with every single photo you take via Tripcast .

Or if you’d rather not share with everyone you can use Tripcast to share photos with just your travel group.

Tripcast is a great way to track longer journeys and still keep up with your friends and family back home.

Pros : Makes sharing photos from everyone on a group trip seamless. Cons : Limited social media capabilities despite being one of its focus features. Download : iOS / Android

What are your favorite travel journal apps?

Let me know in the comments below which travel journal apps you use when you travel.

Next up, check out more of my favorite travel & tech tips:

• 15 Best Travel Journals
• 8 Best Manifestation Journals
• 8 Photo Sharing Websites
• Best Photo Editing Apps
• Best Camera Apps

About the author

Meg Frost is a Boston-based travel blogger that helps people embrace technology to make vacation planning and traveling wicked easy, affordable, and fun.

She holds an M.A. in Journalism from Northeastern University and B.S. in Communication & American Studies from University of Miami.

Read more →

This post was originally published April 22, 2017. It was last updated December 1, 2022.

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Wednesday 14th of February 2024

I have been hunting and hunting for a travel journal that is easily updating- shareable with friends, with a push notification kind of thing. There are SO many and have read and read. I want to journal and add pictures. I don't want anything that does anything automatically or populates anything. I want to write and add photos or maps as I choose. Thank you SO much

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Start your own travel journal

August 09, 2021

What is a travel journal and how to start one

It is a fact that traveling can change our lives 100%. You are exposed to new cultures, magnificent places, and unique experiences that you will want to treasure for the rest of your life. However, it has happened that you want to remember every last detail, but many times memory betrays us. The question here is, what can we do to avoid that?  The answer is simple: start your own  travel journal , this element is perfect  to illustrate and write down all the memories of the incredible trips you live and will live soon.   

What is a travel journal? 

Long story short, it is  a diary where you capture the experiences and learnings of all your trips ; whether with friends, alone or with your family, you will want to remember every moment of them. It helps you reflect on the person you were and who you are now. It allows you to go back in time and relive the incredible adventures you had. 

What do I need to get started? 

What you need to start your own  travel journal  is:

Journal-type notebook

First of all, you’ll need a  notebook  that is easy to carry since you will be taking it with you on all your adventures. Also, it must have enough pages for you to write in throughout your trip. 

Camera 

Your  cell phone  is a great alternative to a camera because it is light, small and easy to carry. Besides, you can print the photos at home. However, if you want to get the photos faster, a good option is to take a  polaroid style  instant camera. 

Stickers 

Stickers  are a fun and easy way to decorate your  travel journal , especially if they are related to your trip. 

Something to write with 

To write down your experiences you will need the most essential thing: pens. There is a wide variety of pens that you can use in your  travel journal . You can even use markers for the titles! 

@notan.nomade #sketchbookchallenge en mi #traveljournal 😍 te gusta hacer cuadernos de viaje? #artaccount #artist #journaling #traveller ♬ Sketchbook challenge – TSA ROC

Memories 

The amazing thing about this  travel journal  is that you can customize it to your liking with any extra souvenirs from your trip such as airline tickets, museum tickets, unique candy wrappers, flowers you found, maps of your journey – a souvenir can be anything! You can keep the world in your notebook! Just remember to bring glue or tape, so it doesn’t escape. 

A destination 

The most important thing of all, is to have a destination in mind. Mexico has a large number of places that will take your breath away. Places that you would never have imagined in the country.  Just to give you an idea, take a look at our post on  20 fantastic natural sceneries in Mexico  or  Monuments in Mexico that you must see and where to find them . Still, the world is waiting for the adventure, you just need to join it. 

You can really add whatever you want in your  travel journal  because this is a space where you can exploit your creativity and let yourself go. These materials are only a few of the options you can since there are endless possibilities to try. You can use materials such as watercolors, canvases, post-its, book pages, lists, itineraries, the only limit is your imagination! 

@claumoraart SCRAPBOOK DE MI VIAJE A GINEBRA🤩 Like para parte 2! #scrapbook #scrapbooking #travel #trip #ginebra #journaling #scrapbookideas #fyp #viral #parati ♬ Toosie Slide – Drake

What can my travel notebook contain? 

Itineraries .

It is important to stay prepared during your trip, as you can miss too many experiences if you don’t organize beforehand. Therefore, you can use your  travel journal  as a  planner , for archaeological tours, emblematic monuments, restaurants, parks, basically all the activities you are going to do during your stay so you can enjoy your trip to the fullest. 

Time Capsule 

Describing the places, you visit, the cultures you discovered, the people you met or any new experience you have lived in a different place from where you normally are, is important so that in the future you can remember  the reason that   motivated you to make that trip . The  travel journal  stores all these memories for your future self to relive them. 

Reflections 

Examining the experiences of your travels helps improve personal development and capturing them in your  travel journal  is very useful because the notebook becomes a tool that you can use throughout your life, as you can improve future trips, see how you have grown as a person, how your environment has developed and magnify your traveling spirit. 

There comes a time in our lives when you are cleaning out a room or looking for something in your house and you’re suddenly faced with that ticket to the museum where you went in Mexico City, or a photo from when you went to eat  enchiladas mineras  in San Miguel de Allende with your partner, or even that necklace you bought in the port of Veracruz on a trip with your friends. All these kinds of tangible memories allow us to relive a happy time. Having this  travel journal  is a magical portal to the past where you can experience those feelings of happiness once again and reawaken that emotion within yourself. 

Start your own travel journal for your next adventure!  

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Adventure • 05/07/2023

What Are Travel Diaries? Learn 5 Benefits and Discover the Best Journals

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When you’re traveling around the world, you’re experiencing many tiny details that add up to a grand adventure. Pictures will capture some of your joy, but pictures can’t describe your trips like a journal entry. Read this guide to learn about travel diaries and find one that matches your personality.

What Are Travel Diaries?

Anyone can start a travel diary. As long as you’re having adventures, you’ll have a use for your journal. Each entry captures the sensory memories of your time away from home. People describe the tastes of their favorite meals, the heat on their afternoon hikes and how well they slept on their hotel’s mattress.

Your travel diary will be a detailed log of each vacation. It’s a source of inspiration, daydreaming and expert planning for your next adventure.

5 Benefits of Journaling Your Adventures

Check out the primary benefits of using a travel diary while you’re away from home. You could experience these joys even with short entries, so don’t worry about needing to be a professional writer to start a journal.

1. You’ll Save More Memories

It’s fun to flip through photo albums and remember where you’ve been. It’s easy to lose the visual memories of your past without pictures, but other memories are at stake with each passing day. Research shows there are three types of core memories :

• Iconic memories: visual memories consisting of quick, limited images
• Echoic memories: auditory memories triggered or enhanced by saved sounds
• Haptic memories: touch-based memories involving the sense of feeling things

Recording specific details like the music playing while you were dancing in Italy or the soft lining of your fleece ski jacket in the Alps could make your memories more present. While you’re reading through your entries, you’ll recall more information.

2. You’ll Stimulate Your Creativity

If you’ve been missing your creative flow, journaling can restart it. You’ll get all of your thoughts on paper without the pressure of perfectionism. The freedom will retrain your brain so it’s easier to access free-flowing creativity and get back to the hobbies you love.

This is an especially helpful benefit for anyone who travels with the purpose of being more creative. If you’ll set up an easel on a seaside balcony for your next painting or attend an international writing conference, kickstarting your creativity with continual travel journaling could make your trips more rewarding.

3. You’ll Relieve Travel Stress

Even the most passionate adventurers can deal with the occasional travel stress. You might deal with delays on your flight out of town or lose your way while navigating a new city. Write about your stressors in your travel diary to release them. You’ll feel more at peace when you put down your pen and return to enjoying every moment of your trip.

4. You’ll Hone Your Writing Skills

Anyone who loves writing knows that you only become better at it with practice. Although journaling might be different than the creative writing you’re used to, it flexes the same muscles. Record your stream of consciousness to practice listening to your inner voice. When you return to more creative pursuits, you’ll notice that it’s easier to engage with your imagination.

5. You’ll Plan Future Trips More Effectively

Writing about the good and bad parts of a vacation makes you think about it more analytically. When planning your next trip, you can reflect on your travel diary to remember what you did and didn’t enjoy last time.

It’s a much better way to plan a vacation than by guessing at recreating things you liked. You’ll create better vacations because you’ll remember what to avoid, what you love and what you haven’t experienced yet.

Best Travel Diaries for Beginners

Get started with your travel diary by checking out these options. They’re popular with beginners and anyone who’s been journaling for a while. See which styles and interior layouts strike your interests. Some even have prompts that might help you get started.

Clever Fox Travel Diary

You’ll have everything you need to get started with a travel diary if you try the latest model from Clever Fox. It contains a map for planning your flight routes, monthly calendars and space for your travel bucket lists. Don’t forget to use the budgeting section to avoid overspending on entertainment and souvenirs.

Price: $22.99 from Amazon

Promptly Travel Journal

The sleek travel journal from Promptly is the perfect accessory for any travel influencer. It comes in three gorgeous colors and fits in purses, backpacks and carry-on bags. Have fun answering the various prompts to make meaningful entries and pasting pictures on the dedicated photo album pages.

Price: 29.99 from Amazon

Duncan & Stone Paper Co. Adventure Diary

People also love the travel diary from Duncan & Stone Co. for its compact, beautiful design. Each page asks you about your trip like a friend would over coffee. Save every detail within the linen covers and you’ll get in touch with your inner travel writer.

Price: $30 from Amazon

Victoria’s Journals Leather Travel Diary

The colorful, intricate design of Victoria’s Journals makes them a staple for any traveler. Flip the gold-lined pages and record your adventures with any pen or pencil. The high-quality paper won’t let any ink bleed through. Use the blank, lined pages to save your memories, paste your pictures and sketch your adventures.

Price: $23.99 from Amazon

Compendium’s Guided Travel Journal

Adventurers on a budget can start their travel diary experience with the Compendium guided journal. It has sectioned prompts for quick entries and reflection points related to the date, time and location of each experience. You’ll approach traveling with a new perspective thanks to the creative prompts waiting for you on each page.

Price: $15.95 from Amazon

Consider Trying a Travel Diary

Travel diaries are useful tools for people who want to combine their adventures with continual self-growth. You’ll enjoy the benefits by picking a journal that matches your needs and bringing it on every future trip. Don’t forget a comfortable writing instrument. You’ll want to save every detail of the incredible experiences that await you.

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10 Best Travel Journals for Digital Nomads 

10 Best Travel Journals for Writing Lovers Digital Nomads 

Best customizable travel journal , 1. voyager notebook peter pauper press.

Travel notebook details overview: 

• Page Count : 180 (60 x insert)
• Page Format : Dotted, lined, and blank page inserts
• Dimensions : 4.8 x 0.9 x 7.9 inches
• Ideal for : note-taking, designing, bullet journaling, lettering, and creative planning on the go

Best Leather and Refillable Travel Journals

2. robrasim refillable vintage leather travel journal.

• Page Count : 96 (32 double-sided pages x insert)
• Page Format : Lined, blank, or kraft page inserts
• Dimensions : 5.2 x 4, 6.7 x 4, and 8.5 x 4.5 inches
• Ideal for : note-taking, travel planning, bullet journaling, lettering

3. Wanderings Leather Travelers Notebook

• Page Count : 90 double-sided fountain-pen-friendly pages
• Page Format : Lined or blank page inserts
• Dimensions : Multiple options
• Ideal for : note-taking, travel planning, drawing, bullet journaling, lettering

Best Travel Journals For Long Trips 

4. lemome classic travel notebook with pocket + page dividers.

• Page Count : 180 double-sided fountain-pen-friendly pages
• Page Format : Lined pages
• Dimensions : 8.4 x 5.7 x 0.9 inches 
• Ideal for : writing, note-taking, travel planning, bullet journaling, lettering

5. Siixu Colorful Blank Notebook 

• Page Count : 192 pages
• Page Format : Colorful blank pages
• Dimensions : 5.3 x 7.2 inches 
• Ideal for : scrapbooking, painting, bullet journaling, lettering

6. Conda Hardcover Spiral Sketchpad 

• Page Count : 80 pages
• Page Format : Blank pages
• Dimensions : 0.85 x 1.1 inches
• Ideal for : painting, bullet journaling, lettering, travel planning 

Best For Short Trips 

7. parks project x field notes three-pack.

• Page Count : 48 pages
• Page Format : Graph Paper 3-Pack
• Dimensions : 3.5 x 5.5 inches 
• Ideal for : field notes, drawing, travel planning, bullet journaling, lettering

8. Moleskine City notebook

• Page Count : 220 pages
• Page Format : Blank and lined pages 
• Dimensions : 3.54 x 5.51inches 

9. Moleskine Hard Cover Travel Journal

• Page Count : 400 pages
• Dimensions : 5 x 8.25 inches 

Best Waterproof 

10. best weather-resistant: rite in the rain weatherproof side-spiral notebook.

• Page Count : 64 pages
• Page Format : Lined pages 
• Dimensions : 3.94 x 6.69 inches 

Last Thoughts About Travel Journals

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Create your own travel journal with stories and photos

Capture your most beautiful travel memories in a travel journal with the easy-to-use Travel Diaries software. With just a few clicks you can start your own online travel diary where you can upload photos, stories and route maps. Share your travel stories online as a blog, and order your travel diary as a printed book once it's finished.

Why you should make an online travel diary

Have you always wanted to keep a travel blog to share your fantastic adventures with the rest of the world? This can be done easily by using our software. All you have to do is add text and choose a style, then add photos and maps in our numerous layouts. This is how you can make a digital travel diary to be proud of. Even if you don't have a laptop with you when traveling, you can continue working on your diaries at any time thanks to our user-friendly app for iOS and Android .

Unique to Travel Diaries is the ability to keep track of your route on a map, and the use of "empty boxes": empty spaces where you can later paste paper keepsakes in. At the end of your trip, you can have your travel diary printed into a beautifully designed book. On a drizzly winter day, curl up on the couch with a big cup of tea and your travel diary under a blanket, and relive your most beautiful, sunniest, and most adventurous travel moments.

Creative ideas for your travel diary

Make your travel diary extra special with the following tips:

• Collect tickets, receipts, maps, postcards, flyers, and other paper reminders along the way. Photograph them, or leave room in your travel journal to paste them in later. • Bring pencils and paper and draw special buildings or views along the way. • Draw or describe what you will take with you on your trip. • You might sometimes forget it, but remember to also take photos of the people with whom you experience special moments along the way. • (Legally) pick a plant and dry it between sheets of toilet paper in a book. Later, stick the dried plant in an "empty box" in your travel journal. • Ask people with whom you have a special time to write a short note to you and stick it in your printed travel diary. • Add recipes of your favourite dishes so that you can tickle your taste buds at home and relive your holiday moments. You can also make a combination of a photo diary and a recipe book from your travel diary.

Create your own (online) travel diary in four steps

On our website, you can create your own travel diary in four simple steps. Choose a style that you like and then you can go wild writing texts and uploading photos.

1. Create an account

Create an account with Travel Diaries and start your career as a travel blogger. You can work on your travel diary on any device. The online web editor works on every computer and tablet. Do you also find it useful to work on your diaries on your smartphone? Download the Travel Diaries app, which is available for both iOS and Android . Come up with a nice title for your travel diary and decide per chapter whether you want to share it. When you share your travel diary, we convert each chapter into a blog page, which you can share with friends and family. You can also choose to only put certain chapters online.

2. Add all the information about your trip

Add a map of your travel route, marking all the places you have visited along the way. Upload your best photos and write your experiences along the way per chapter. With the Travel Diaries app, for iOS and Android , you can easily add photos and stories on the go, so that you don't forget anything and don't have to spend hours at the computer to type everything out when you get home. For example, write down the best memories of that day every night before going to sleep, and share them with your friends and family if your diary is public. Add unlimited stories, photos, and different maps in this digital diary.

3. Style your travel diary according to your own taste

With a choice of 38 different layouts and many fonts, you can create your travel diary in your own style. Choose from one of our standard styles or create your own style by choosing from different fonts and font sizes for your texts. You can even choose a colour for your title, and determine where the location and date should be displayed. When you have finished setting your style, click "save" and the style will be applied to your entire journal. Then it is time to further fill in your travel diary with texts, photos, cards, and empty boxes. Is your diary finished? Choose the best photo of your trip for the cover, and your travel diary is complete.

4. Have your travel diary printed

After your trip, you probably can't wait until you can reminisce with your travel diary in your hands. That is why we suggest having your diary printed. Prices start at €23.40 for a soft-cover book from 24 pages. Add as many extra pages as you need to tell your travel story: Travel Diaries prints diaries up to 298 pages. Then, choose the format and type of cover for your travel diary. Did you travel with other people? Then you can order an extra copy of your book with a nice discount and give this photo album as a gift . Do you also want to keep your diary digitally? Order a PDF of your travel diary for only €5.95. This way you can forward it to anyone you would like to share your adventures with, and browse through your beautiful book on your phone, computer, or tablet.

Baby book, recipe book, or your life story on paper

Tip: Travel Diaries can also be used perfectly for other types of books. Record your life story in a diary, create a recipe book with your favourite family recipes, or what about a pregnancy diary from the beginning of your pregnancy to the birth of your baby with our new label Baby Diaries ? After that, you can continue working on a baby journal , in which you record all the special first moments of your child.

Start creating your own journal today

Travel Journal Ideas, Tips and 75 Brilliant Prompts

One of the best souvenirs from your travels may just be a travel journal of your experiences that YOU create: the people you encountered, the places you visited, the beaches you loved, and the mishaps you faced along the way.

Keep the memories alive long after the suntan fades and the jet lag has passed.

Discover why keeping a diary of your travels is a must for your next trip and get some inspiration with the best travel journal ideas, tips and prompts.

Bonus * 75 travel journal prompts to get your creative juices flowing!

Table of Contents

What is a Travel Journal?

As an affiliate, I earn from qualifying purchases. This page may contain affiliate links. I would love your support through clicking on the links. Read the full disclosure here.

A travel journal is more than simply writing down what you did on a trip. 

A travel journal is a place for reflection on the vacations you take and the adventures you experience; it may include the new foods you try, the people you meet along the way, and the memories you hope to keep alive.

Travel journal ideas may include:

• Your travel preparation and research
• Your day-to-day travel diary as you explore
• Keepsakes you collect along the way

I believe a travel journal is one the essentials of travel: before, during and after your trip. 

Why Keep a Journal?

I have been journaling my personal and family history diligently for well over 40 years and the information, memories, and experiences are a treasure. I am anticipating the future when my grandchildren read for the first time what their moms (my daughters) were like at their age.

This post shares reasons why you need to “just start” journaling —specifically your travels—with the hope that you’ll discover journaling is a hobby you love whether you are on the road or at home.

If you put a little time and effort into personalized journals—travel or otherwise—you will create something you can look back on and treasure long after your adventures have ended. 

The Wall Street Journal touts the benefits of journaling as: “One of the more effective acts of self-care is also, happily, one of the cheapest.” Whether you want to create a journal of your life or journal your travels, my best piece of advice is to JUST START .

To relate a wise Chinese Proverb , “The best time to plant a tree [or start a journal] was twenty years ago. The next best time is now.”  

In all of my efforts to journal life on my family blog for the past 20+ years, I have always kept notes as we traveled as a family.

These travel notes have become a superb reference for my website: simplyjolayne.com .

When I travel, I record details and destinations, mishaps and memories all along the way that I can then use to create travel posts with detailed supplemental information .

I always carry a travel journal with me.

How Can You Start Creating Your Own Travel Journal?

1. determine the medium: pen & paper or digital.

You have options here. If you choose to use pen and paper, find a notebook or travel journal . Some people just prefer the feel and creativity of pen and paper.

If you plan to keep a digital journal, find a note-taking app (ie., Evernote, OneNote, Noteshelf, Google Docs) that works best for you.

2. Make a Plan to Write the Same Time Everyday

You may find that if you don’t record the day-to-day happenings as you travel, you begin to mix up days and locations or forget insightful moments ( or maybe that is just me! )

So, whether you are exploring the dreamy villages outside of Florence , planning to paraglide from Mt. Pilatus in Switzerland , or snorkeling with black tip sharks in Tahiti , you won’t forget any amazing moments.

This is the easiest way to remember places you visit, people you meet, brilliant ideas, funny moments that happen along the way, mishaps, favorite destinations and day trips, and interesting tidbits of information.

Once you do begin to journal your travels, pulling the information together into a meaningful blog post, family letter, or digital travelogue once you return home is so much easier!

Make it a habit to write in your journal at the same time everyday.

3. Include the Day, Date and Location

Before I even leave on vacation, I start a page in my travel journal and number it with the number of days our family will be on vacation. I then add the day of the week, the date, and our location. For example:

• Day 1 Thursday, August 10 London
• Day 2 Friday, August 11 London
• Day 3 Saturday, August 12 Train to Paris
• Day 4 Sunday, August 13 Disneyland Paris
• Day 5 Monday, August 14 Normandy

You get the idea. It just makes a quick reference guide as I keep travel notes throughout our travels.

4. Develop Your Observational Skills

Learn to be observant and descriptive.

5. Send Yourself Quick Travel Notes or Messages

I often text myself quick travel notes as a reminder of funny things that happen during our travels, cool things we see, or places we visit. This just helps me to not forget something that I want to include in my travel journal.

6. Take Pictures as Reminders Too!

Snap a picture of a cafe where you have lunch (be sure to include the name of the restaurant in your photo), the spelling of the name of a town you visit, where you stay, a train you take, etc. so that you have it for your records.

I take these pictures to remember our stops throughout the day and then to make sure that I spell names correctly when I begin to journal. These pictures aren’t usually my best efforts, just a record.

Pictures also give you a day-to-day guide in chronological order of where you went and what you saw.

7.Keep Memorabilia

I often bring home pamphlets, tickets, maps, etc. to remind me of our adventures. My girls love to keep the tickets and other memorabilia for their shadow boxes.

What to Write in Your Travel Notes?

If you are at a loss for what to write and need travel journal ideas and prompts, these are some great points to get you started and maybe keep you motivated to continue writing.

Travel Journal Ideas: Planning Your Trip

• Packing list
• Travel bucket list
• Important things to remember
• Bookings for hotel, air travel, ground transportation
• Research on excursions, adventures and tours
• Foreign words and phrases to remember

Travel Journal Ideas: During Your Trip

• Actual costs
• Tickets, maps, brochures
• Quick sketches
• Daily itinerary of the places you visit, famous sites, food you eat, etc.

Travel Journal Ideas: After Your Trip

• Final budget
• Things you would do differently
• Ideas for your next trip
• Updates to your bucket list

Creative Travel Journal Ideas: How to Share and Display Your Travels

Discover reasons why you need to just start journaling as well as ideas on what to write in a travel journal.

Journaling is not only a great way to keep a record with corresponding and related photos, but it is also a fantastic medium to share your experiences and family pictures with grandparents, family members, and friends… many who may live far away.

I recognize that not everyone is a writer but I hope that you will be inspired to begin keeping your own personal travel record in a way that best reflects your talents and personality . 

So, how can YOU begin?

Start a Blog

If you dream of creating a website dedicated to travel (or parenting or recipes or whatever) these are the steps where you should begin:

• Step 1: The Best Way to Pick Your Niche and Choose a Domain
• Step 2: The Best Way to Choose a Hosting Plan and a Provider
• Step 3: The Best Way to Create Your Website

A blog is a fantastic medium for journaling travel (and life) experiences and beginning to share itineraries, tips, and practical advice with would-be travelers.

Others can learn from YOU as you share travel journal ideas.

If you only want to create a personal, diary-style blog to share with family and friends, you could do this at wordpress.com or blogger.com .

I started on Blogger for my personal blog and found it easy as a newbie to use and personalize.

Create Social Media Accounts to Share Your Travel Adventures, Tips, and Research

If you choose to create a website to journal your travels, be sure to claim your website name on social media accounts (even if you don’t know if you will use them yet).

• Instagram – Share your pictures with family and friends; begin to create a following to grow your brand. Learn some of the  Best Selfie Poses  for awesome shots.
• YouTube – Upload to your YouTube channel (set to private if you wish), and you have a virtual album of your trip you can watch on the big screen or send to Grandma.

Claim your name any social media account where you will also want to share about AND journal your travels.

Create a Travel # (Hashtag) to Document Your Travel

If you don’t plan to create a website and don’t really want to create a separate Instagram account where you can journal your travels, you can also create a #hashtag specific to your travel, ie., #simplyjolaynetravels

Use hashtags “#” on Instagram to make it easier for family, friends, followers, or potential customers to find your Instagram feed and “follow you”.

The hashtags on Instagram are usually a combination of words, numbers or emojis preceded by the # symbol (no spacing) to provide a category for content and make your photos easier to discover.

Do you ever wonder why people use so many hashtags on their posts (you can use up to 30 per post)? It is to try and get more people to see their posts. More people viewing your posts means more followers and hopefully more people visiting your website.

Collect Memorabilia or Souvenirs

Do you like to collect? For awhile, my girls were collecting sweatshirts when we traveled to foreign cities. They would say, “You can never have too many sweatshirts,” but hmmmm, I think you can.

How about stamps, Christmas ornaments , t-shirts, or postcards? Train stubs, airline tickets, museum entrance tickets, journal sketches, and coin rubbings all make a unique way to journal your travels throughout the world as well.

Create Scrapbooks

Are you an avid scrapbooker? I was always too busy blogging to add one more medium to my efforts to journal my travels with scrapbooks, but many of my friends love the scrapbooks they have created over the years.

You will want to collect and save memorabilia from your trip such as ticket stubs, vouchers, a napkin, postcards, and receipts. And the hardcopy scrapbooks will give you a great excuse to print your photos and then to look back through the pages.

Make a Photo Book

I love to create photo books online. I make one every year for my family as a reminder of all of the fun we had, to recap our momentous occasions, and to highlight the places we visited.

You could make books for each of your travel destinations as a way to journal your travels. If you have never made one, I think you would be surprised to find just how quick and easy they are to make.

75 Travel Journal Prompts

Need some ideas to help as you journal your travels or travel journal questions? Writer’s block is real.

You may just need to pick one of these ideas to get you started or keep the ideas at hand to help you recall events and moments from your day.

I even ask my family what their favorite moments are from the day. Your traveling companions can be great in helping you remember or in bouncing ideas off of them.

• What are your recommendations for your next trip?
• Why did you choose this particular destination?
• What are you looking forward to the most?
• What are your transportation and flight details?
• What are your accommodations with address and contact information?
• Did you plan tours (with contact information)?
• Are there food tours that you would like to try?
• What is your itinerary for this trip?
• How long will your flight be?
• Is there anything that worries you about this trip?
• Are there significant cultural customs to respect?
• Do you have any day trips planned ?
• Have you had any pre-trip setbacks?
• What are some of the basic words to know: thank you, please, hello, goodbye?
• What destinations are on your travel bucket list ?
• Do you have favorite childhood travel memories and places you want to visit?
• If money wasn’t an issue, where would you go?
• What advice and tips have you read about in your research?
• Did you create a playlist for this trip?
• Is this a relaxing trip or go go go with lots of sightseeing?

Be descriptive. While a picture often says a thousand words, adding your impressions of the sights, sounds, and smells offers an added dimension.

• What puts you out of your comfort zone while traveling?
• Describe the funniest travel moments you have had.
• What is the most beautiful beach you’ve ever been?
• What is your favorite European country to visit?
• Name the most picturesque city, town, or village that you have visited?
• Have you ever visited Christmas markets?
• Are there any places you just don’t want to visit?
• What are your favorite meals or treats to splurge on money-wise and calorie-wise?
• What are the best and worst accommodations you’ve stayed in while traveling?
• What was the weather like? Did it impact your day?
• What are the sights, sounds and smells that you will remember the most?
• Did you have gelato today?
• What was the first thing that caught your attention when you arrived at your destination?
• Describe where you are in right now using as many of your senses as you can.
• Sketch a famous landmark in your travel journal.

I recommend that you set aside some time at the end of the day to update your notes each day of your vacation. It makes it so much easier to journal your travels and remember what you did, where you went, and the funny or crazy things that happened.

Here are 20 questions to consider as you document your travels:

• What are your first impressions of your travel destination?
• Are you suffering from jet lag?
• What has surprised you so far?
• Did anything unfortunate, embarrassing, funny, or eventful happen today?
• What did you forget to pack?
• Do you like your accommodations?
• Did you get lost?
• What was your favorite meal today?
• How will you  prioritize your health  while you are traveling?
• What can you do for self-care while on the trip?
• Is there one thing that you never travel without ?
• What was the most amazing thing you did today?
• Did anything embarrassing happen today?
• What made you laugh today? Did anything make you cry?
• What is the biggest challenge about the city you are visiting?
• Did anything go wrong today? What happened?
• How is this place similar or different from home?
• Are there any current events that are impacting your trip?
• How are you feeling—relaxed, happy, tired and stressed?
• How many steps/miles did you walk today? 

As you arrive home and begin to journal your travels, what are some of your thoughts, ideas, and reflections about your trip?

• How did you hear about this destination?
• What advice would you share with others ?
• Is this a trip you would take again or was once enough?
• What would you do differently?
• What would you pack differently?
• What would you add to your packing list ?
• Did you have any travel mishaps?
• What were the humorous moments from your trip?
• How long did it take you to get over the jet lag?
• Did you buy any souvenirs?
• Are you excited by the pictures you took?
• Did you meet someone new?
• What would you recommend to others about this destination?
• Are you glad to be home? Are you ready to go again?
• What do you miss the most from home?
• Is there a tourist spot you wish you had visited?
• What is the best trip you have ever taken?
• Is there a local tradition that you would like to try once you get home?
• What are you favorite foods from this country?
• What did you love/not love about your accommodations?

Travel Journal Gear

As much as I love to travel I also LOVE to take pictures.

As a traveler AND a photographer, I can often be found with my  Canon 6d Mark II  around my neck and my iPhone in my hand as I hike, sightsee, and travel. I don’t want to miss a single picturesque moment!

Tip: Change the time stamp on your camera when you arrive at your destination so that it is the local time. Don’t forget to change it back when you return home.

I have been focusing a lot on how to journal your travels, but there are a myriad of ideas for creative ways to also journal your life:

• Keep a Gratitude Journal
• Record your Yearly Goals
• Create a Calendar of Your Family Photos
• Keep a Personal Journal in a Book
• Create an Instagram Account
• Print Your Photos and Hang Them in Your House
• Create an Online Private Journal
• Respond to Journal Prompts to Create a Personal History
• Use a Sketchbook
• Write Letters to Yourself, Your Children, Others
• Use a Daily Planner
• Create a Recipe Book of Your Family’s Favorite Recipes

It doesn’t have to be complicated to journal your way to a happier YOU !

• Make a Bullet Journal
• Record your Health Journey
• Design a Yearly Vision Board
• Create a Book or File of Your Favorite Quotes
• Write About Your Family Traditions
• Create a Book on the Advice You Would Give to Your Adult Children
• Write Down the Funny Things Your Children Say
• Make Note of the Books and Movies That You Love
• Create a Playlist of Songs
• Write a List of Fun Facts About You and Keep Adding to It
• Write Lists of Fun Facts About Your Family Members

Check out my Ultimate Travel Planner , Travel Journal , Gratitude Journal , and the Reflections Daily Journal . They are great for getting started.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a shadow box frame.

A shadow box frame is a display case (often hung on the wall) with an open space between the glass and photo. A shadow box adds a 3-dimensional frame that lets you showcase photos, mementos, keepsakes, and other cherished items from your travel adventures.

Can a travel journal be filled with pictures?

Definitely. Showcase your favorite photos and memories.

Why keep a journal (of any kind)?

I have kept a personal family journal since 1999. The blog , as we affectionately refer to it in our family, and the blog books which my husband has printed for me over the years, are a treasure. My youngest daughter, Kristen, pours over those books, often reading about the years before she joined our family. It is funny to us when she says, “Do you remember when…” and then references a time before she was even born. They are a treasure and are filled with memories and moments and mishaps.

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Final Thoughts on Travel Journal Ideas, Tips and 75 Brilliant Prompts

If these lists seem overwhelming, just pick one idea and start there. That’s what makes keeping a travel journal so ridiculously easy. Pick what works the best for you! The time you take to make a record of your travels or your life in a meaningful way will make an impact.

Just start. You’ll be glad you did.

You may also enjoy these articles…

• Coolest Gift Ideas for Travelers (That They Actually Want!)
• Inspiring Instagram Captions for Travel and Life
• 15+ FREE Gorgeous Photos: Wallpaper for Your iPhone to Inspire Travel
• Travel Photos: 12 Creative Ways to Actually Share and Display Them
• Tips to Take Better Travel Photos (and Look Good in Them Too!)

Share on Social Media

I’m a Colorado-based travel blogger with a passion for exploring the world, enjoying family time, and taking fantastic photographs. I am also a book writing, creative thinking, detail loving, frequent flying, comfort loving mom of three girls and wife to an amazing guy.

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72 comments.

An oldschool handwrittem journal is useful for every aspect of life, it is just not for the lazy people. And I absolutely agree that there is such a thing as too many souvenirs. In my case it’s magnets, but you have only so much metal surface. 1 fridge.

For some, it is simply easier to have a journal to pick up and take with them.

Photography was always my “thing.” But sometimes being behind the camera can mean missing out in the moment. I think travel journaling might be the perfect substitution. It helps create memories while keeping you in the moment.

I know what you mean. I have to jump into some photos just to prove I was there.

Thanks for sharing this! Actually, I always capture every moment and place it in a journal. Hayyy, missing traveling ..

I loved reading about having a travel journal. As time goes on, it is so easy to forget the names of places you have been. I’m so glad I have kept travel journals from as far back as college. Almost 20 years – how could I remember everything! hehe

I love your recommendations and I love how you create a digital photo album every year of your family’s activities and travels. Great idea. I often forget how much I do and how many places I visit and exhibitions I see. It is only when I look back at ALL the photos that I am quickly reminded of how abundant my life is.

All such great ideas on ways to keep track of travel through journaling! I love having a blog as it is detailed in reminding me of my travels plus lots of photos to bring back those memories. I also enjoy creating photo books of trips!

Lots of fantastic ideas about journaling and remembering our travels! So many great prompts too! One of the most thoughtful gifts I have ever received was from my younger sister. As an adult, she copied her journal entries about me that she had written while we were growing up. It was pretty incredible all of the sweet things she shared. Journals are priceless and you have written a really useful article about them. Thanks!

What an amazing gift to receive. Not only was it thoughtful but it took her time to put it all together.

Great advice! My first big travelling experience our professor required us to journal our experience, and now I always try to make an effort to do it! They’re so nice to have in hindsight

Someday you will appreciate them even more.

I love journaling (old school writing pen to paper) so I never really made the connection that my blog and social media accounts are also forms of journaling. Love the journaling prompts…great resource!

The good news if you are a journaler is that you already have a lot of information for writing posts.

I LOVE my travel journal. It always helps me remember fun trips from eons ago.

Exactly. I transfer a lot to my personal blog and my girls love going back and reading about our adventures together.

So many good ideas for journaling! I don’t have a travel journal, but I think I will start one!

Check out my travel journal on Amazon!

I am definitely going to look into these travel journals. So often I just go off of memory, but I know it would be better if I would write down my adventures as they happen.

I would forget so much if I didn’t write it down.

The prompts are great!

Great ideas here! I used to write a bit in my journal while I was travelling, but I decided it was easier for me to write a blog. It’s fun to record your travels in words!

I keep notes as I travel and then on the long flight home, I start creating blog posts.

This is such a comprehensive list of journaling ideas. I always forget things when I’m travelling like where I ate a great meal or those little discoveries I made by accident. Thanks so much for sharing!

Those are the details I try to remember. Comes in handy for travel blogging.

What a great idea! Outside of blogging, I had not considered journaling, but it seems like a great time to start. Thanks for the inspiration 🙂

Well, blogging is pretty much journaling.

These are such good ideas! I used to work for a photo processing company so have tons of photobook of my trips. I use to have a small notebook with me during my travels whenever since I was gifted with a Polaroid, I started journaling.

Photos and journals are great for keeping the memories alive.

Thanks for the inspiration. I have been doing this without realising I was doing it! But your post will help me refine my journal.

Makes for a great reference when blogging too.

I do journaling about my regular life as well as my travels. The latter it´s more like a diary! But I love your prompts and will keep them in mind for my next journey!

Good ideas! Despite a digital lifestyle, I still keep a travel notebook for quick prompts.

Me too. I jot quick notes as I travel each day so that I when I return home I can create a post of my travels.

I would never remember all the amazing experiences from our travels if I didn’t take daily notes and pictures.

Definitely helps when creating travel posts.

These are such great ideas. Love the prompts you gave!

I love the idea of writing down what you’d recommend to others. It’s a good way to discover what the highlights of the trips were for you.

These are some great tips for travel journaling! I’ve tried keeping a journey during my travels but I always end up to busy to write things down. It is funny though because I’d never really considered my blog as my travel journal but I guess it is! Thanks for sharing these tips!

I am so bad at journaling, and I need to change that! I use to journal anytime we did a trip or had a baby. It’s so fun to look back through. I definitely need to get a journal and start again!

In addition to my blog I’ve just started keeping a physical travel journal with photos, notes and little tickets from my trips. It’s been so fun so far and such a great thing to look back on to remember my trips!

Great post, full of ideas for your journal. I was journalling without knowing. I have always kept photos and written about my trips.

I journaled for all of my early travel life. It was really the inspiration that made me start my travel blog. I must admit that I still have separate written journals for my experiences as a private pilot and also for our scuba diving. The one thing I miss with blogging is the deeply personal things that really don’t make it into the blog but did into my journals. Some great tips for things to think about writing. 

All great suggestions. I never considered creating a photo book (I’ve been old school using photo albums), but I’d be willing to try it.

They are so nice to have and fit compactly on a shelf too.

I have been keeping travel journals for the past 12 years. It is a great way to remember details. I also find it to be a great creative outlet. I love your list of prompts.

Thanks. And if you are a travel writer, it helps so much in writing for your blog.

This post was so helpful! I cannot count the times I was writing about something happened years before and not being able to remember the details! I will make sure to always take notes while traveling to have reference!

Yay for creating a journaling believer!

I definitely need to be better about taking notes while traveling. Its definitely hard to remember all the details without taking some notes.

I keep a small notebook with me but am not the best at writing in it on trips. I’m usually driving or too tired at the end of the day to write much! LOL Would love to be more organized though!

I keep a notebook too. I find that if I don’t take the time, I just forget all of the amazing little things from when I had thought to myself, “Oh, I need to remember that.”

I’m a huge proponent of journaling travels and just your life in general, but I hadn’t really considered all of the ways to document your experiences without using a journal itself like using Instagram! Thanks for sharing

One thing that my family and I do is grab a keychain of the state/country we visited. We have a nice little collection.

I love writing about our travels and my husband loves taking photos to capture the moments. Either way I agree its a great idea to document and keep these. Thanks for sharing!

Perfect combination. I do both, but with phone cameras, everyone in the family can get into the picture taking moments.

I love journaling my travel journeys, and then going back years later to read what I wrote and it brings back happy memories for me.

Journaling and pictures keeps the memories alive (and maybe more accurate in the retelling).

Love this! I love revisiting my travel experiences and keeping a journal is a great way to allow myself to do that! Thanks for the great tips!

Great read!

I am another old-fashioned traveler, and use a physical journal during my travels (and stationary life, too). I love photography but I find it “steals away” from my writing (journal, poetry, narratives) — and also, I prefer to travel unencumbered by things that are too expensive to have break or get stolen.

I’m sure your journals are a treasure.

Love this! I’ve been journaling since I was around 11-12 and started documenting my travels on my blog a few years back. It’s been fun looking back on those memories. :]

Not to mention my journals have been an invaluable resource in starting a travel blog.

Never thought of journalling my travels but that’s such a good idea. I often forget names of places I’ve visited when I return home, think I’ll do this on my next trip!

I love the idea of journaling about your travels. I had never thought of it, but I love the idea. Thanks for opening my eyes!

This is fantastic! One of the most comprehensive posts on Journaling I have read.

Great ideas to journal in so many different ways! Very creative!

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How To Make A Travel Diary

With summer around the corner, today I show you how to make a travel diary.

So if you’re wondering:

• what a travel diary is
• how to make a travel diary
• what to write in a travel diary
• how to write a travel diary

If you’re looking for amazing but simple travel diary layout ideas, then keep reading.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. It means that I may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase a product that I have recommended. It won’t cost you any extra money.

What’s A Travel Diary

Basically, a travel diary is your travel daily log.

In general, there’re a couple of ways of keeping a travel diary.

It all depends on your goals, personality, creativity, artistic techniques, etc.

As a rule, you can choose to make your travel diary as:

• a journal, where you express your opinions, feelings, emotions
• an art journal with watercolor urban illustrations, everyday life sketches, simple travel doodles, drawings
• a travel scrapbook, where you include your travel props (for example, polaroids, flight tickets, receipts, postcards, menu, napkins, tea bags, postage stamps)
• a photo book (see some project life examples as an inspiration)
• a travel bullet journal with planning pages, bucket lists, trip overviews, etc

First and foremost, let’s talk about travel diary supplies.

As the matter of fact, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” answer.

With this in mind, below you can find a list of the best travel diary supplies, depending on the type of travel journal.

Travel Journal

• Blank Paper: No lined feature, you can draw mind maps, sketch ideas or write notes...
• Refillable Notebook: Take out pages that aren't important and swap in for blanks to...
• Leather Journal: Made of high quality PU leather,soft in hands,durable for travel or...

• Ballpoint Pen: Our black ballpoint pens combine the smooth, vivid writing of a gel...
• uni Super Ink: Water- and fade-resistant ink helps you compose long-lasting,...
• Quick-Drying Technology: Our quick-drying black pen ink resists smudging and...

Last update on 2024-04-04 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Let’s face it, you can easily start travel journaling with a simple school pen and notebook.

However, sometimes you may need a small boost of motivation to keep a travel diary daily.

Definitely, one of my favorite way to stay motivated is by getting a little bit fancier travel journal supplies.

For example, a leather travel journal with a notebook looks so cool.

Not only, do these notebooks have an amazing design, but also most of them are refillable.

Basically, you buy them once. When your notepad is full, you just refill a new one.

Additionally, don’t forget that travel journals should be small enough to fit in your backpack.

Also, in most cases, you can use travel notebooks as a wallet.

Some journals have a section designated for credit cards, tickets, etc.

By the way, this is a great gift idea – if you know any passionate traveler, now you know what to get.

Along with this, don’t forget about your favorite pen that allows you to write fast and cleanly.

Art Journal

• 95LB / 200 GSM WATERCOLOR PAPER JOURNAL - Start your journal creation with this...
• 30 SHEETS/60 PAGES - You'll love that both sides of the paper can be used which gives...
• BOUND IN DURABLE NATURAL LINEN -Each watercolor sketchbook is exceptionally well made...

• ???? Adopted High Quality Arabic Gum: The arabic gum can increase the gloss and...
• ???? High-pigmented: The set has great color selection, high pigment quality, mixes...
• ???? Well-designed Package: Comes with sturdy metal case with easy to open/close lid,...

Imagine sitting in a cute, local coffee shop in Paris.

You want to capture this magic moment in your art journal.

In this case, getting a blank sketchbook and a travel-size favorite medium is the best option.

Travel Scrapbook

• VARIETY OF DESIGNS - 14 piece washi tape set in simple beautiful grid patterns that...
• DIMENSIONS - A full set of 14 rolls with different colors. Each roll of washi tape is...
• HIGH QUALITY TAPE - Made from high quality washi paper with an adhesive that sticks...

• And many more letters, numbers etc
• Sayings are many, some are Let's Take a Vacation, Life is Short the World is Wide,
• Some icons are planes, cars, balloons as well as globes, Big Apple and cameras

• Sheet size: approx 23*14cm (9.0*5.5 inch)
• Made of silicone material,Reusable and durable friendly clear stamps
• Naturally able to cling to gross surface, especially acrylic block.

Definitely, it’s the most light-weighted way of keeping a travel diary during the trip.

Basically, all you need to do is to collect all kinds of tickets, menus, maps, receipts, napkins, and postcards, and take photos during your trip.

After coming home, you get a random notebook (alternatively the fancier one with craft paper) and include your favorite travel props in it.

As a decoration feel free to use vintage stamps, washi tapes, stickers, and other scrapbooking elements.

Also, you can write down your thoughts, and memories or include simple travel doodles .

In case you want to keep your travel memories in one place, but you don’t want to invest your time and energy in creating a DIY travel journal, this option will probably work the best for you.

Unquestionably, having a lot of travel photos may be so overwhelming.

However, turning them into a photo book is a great way to select the best ones and tell your summer story.

Travel Bullet Journal

• The A5 MEDIUM notebooks are the perfect size with a wide range of colors making them...
• Thread-bound to open flat which helps make reading the contents easy and adds...
• Features 80g/m² acid-free paper with high ink compatibility to help prevent bleed...

• Precise archival pens create fade resistant, waterproof, bleed free marks for...
• Includes 6 black ink Pigma Micron pens in point sizes 005 (0.20mm), 01 (0.25mm), 02...
• Pigma Micron ink is pH neutral, quick drying, and approved by ACMI toxicologists;...

• Versatile creative tool! With a broad chisel tip at one end and fine bullet point at...
• Bring your bullet journal or Bible study to life! Zebra Pen Mildliner Highlighters...
• Layer ink for extra creativity! Translucent, water-resistant ink in soft colors...

• Water-based pens ideal for coloring, fine art, illustrations, doodling, journaling,...
• Set of 10 Tombow Dual Brush Pens
• Flexible brush tip and fine tip in one marker.

• Washable & scented.
• Versatile art supplies

Personally, the simplest way to create a travel diary is to make it in an everyday bullet journal.

Basically, you can create travel spreads within your everyday bujo notebook , by using your favorite bullet journal supplies .

Travel Diary Examples

Aesthetic Travel Diary Inspiration

It's amazing how a simple, basic planner can be transformed into an aesthetic travel diary by using stamps, a map, and other scrapbooking elements.

Also, there's enough space to write your favorite travel memories, random thoughts, and inspiration.

Traveler's Notebook Inspiration

Another great example of a traveler's notebook is this minimalist blank notebook, where you can put plane tickets, polaroids.

Along with this, you have a lot of space for travel journaling.

Traveler's Notebook Memories Ideas

On the other hand, you may want to use a blank notebook as a kind of photo album aka project life inspired pages.

In this case, instead of using personal photos, you can collect postcards of tourist attractions.

Additionally, if you add some information, your travel notebook becomes a great source of knowledge.

Also, feel free to use decorative washi tape to keep all photos in one place.

Travel Diary Ideas

Similarly, here you can see postcards as well.

However, the travel journal page was completed by food photos.

In fact, sometimes you can't remember what did you see, but you always remember stunning taste of local meals.

DIY Travel Diary Ideas

As well as that, if you're into monochromatic looks, here's a great example of designing a DIY travel diary with a blue color palette.

You can easily incorporate a monochromatic look by using specific photos, washi tapes, stamps, and other decorative elements.

Travel Diary Inspiration

Besides, there's nothing wrong with combining two kinds of journals: a bullet journal with a traveler's notebook.

Indeed, creating a travel bucket list with photos, cute doodles, craft paper, and washi tapes gives this unique scrapbook bullet journal vibes.

Travel Bucket List Notebook Page

In the same way, these two notebook pages include the "favorite places I've been to" page, "a place I want to go one day" with the "places I'm going this year" page.

For me, it's a combo of travel memories, a vision board, and this year's travel planner.

City Information Travel Diary Page

Alternatively, keeping a travel diary as an art journaling allows you to unleash your creativity, practice doodling, and gather memories.

Indeed, get a pocket-size watercolor set, order coffee in a local coffee shop, and start painting.

Travel Scrapbook Ideas

Moreover, including top-rated tourist attractions, small sketches make your travel diary unique and personalized.

By the way, it doesn't have to be perfect. However, these London's main attractions sketches are amazing.

Travel Journaling

Last but not least, here's a vintage travel journal.

By adding polaroids, tickets, and stamps, you create a travel scrapbook for your summer adventures.

What To Write In A Travel Diary

So now when you get your dream travel diary supplies, you probably get stuck.

Undoubtedly, coming up with what to write in a travel diary can be a real struggle.

Not to mention, the fear of ruining the first page of your brand-new travel notebook.

With this in mind, I gathered travel journal prompts and page ideas you may want to include in your traveler’s notebook.

Trip Overview Page

Basically, it’s a space for all the important information about your travel and the destination you chose.

Firstly, note your flight, and accommodation.

Secondly, write down basic foreign phrases like good morning or thank you.

Definitely, it can be a real icebreaker to communicate with the locals.

Country Fact Spread

Before you start your travel adventure, you should research the destination.

Read more about culture, religion, weather, safety, top places to see, local experiences, and unique things to do, and write them down.

Also, check the currency and exchange rate.

Before You Go Checklist

As a rule, this stage of a trip is my least favorite part.

Do you know this awful feeling that you forget something to do?

That’s why the checklist is a real-life-saver for me.

During a hectic time, you want to make sure you don’t miss a thing.

Write down everything you need to do before you leave home.

Travel Outfit Planning

Is it only me or when you go on a trip you pack just about everything in your backpack?

Not only do you pay additional fees but also you have to carry a heavy bag.

For example, I decided to create a travel capsule wardrobe.

Basically, you plan your outfit ahead.

Therefore, you get rid of a “what-to-wear-today” everyday issue.

Also, you can take photos of each outfit (just like before every fashion show).

Packing List

Along with this, writing the travel packing list keeps you organized when you travel.

Just divide your things into categories like clothing, toiletries, beauty products, electronics, entertainment, and miscellaneous.

Trip Planning

In fact, I’m not a big fan of planning every single hour of a trip.

However, writing down what you want to do and see each day helps to stay on track and better manage your time.

Ok, maybe the term: time management combined with vacation sounds weird, but you want to explore new things as much as you can.

Budget Spreads

Speaking of planning, let’s talk about money.

You can find online many articles about how to travel on a budget.

For sure, creating budget layouts helps you afford to travel without going broke and organize your expenses.

Memories Page & Daily Logs

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Last but not least, it’s time for the most fun and creative part.

Here you may want to capture the most amazing moments in a travel diary.

Indeed, fill your travel bullet journal with memories by using tourist maps, flyers, stamps, and polaroids.

You can even get a polaroid zip mobile printer with proper photo paper and keep up with daily journaling.

How To Write a Travel Diary

• include travel journaling time in your morning or evening routine (yes, it’s possible even if you’re staying at the most random places)
• keep your travel diary in an easily accessible place – you never know when your craziest adventure begins
• use your train-bus-car traveling time to complete your travel notes
• manage your inner perfectionism and let all your misspellings, mistakes, etc go
• keep in mind that it’s your travel diary – you don’t have to share it online or show it to anybody so it’s your safe space
• work on your journal – life balance (basically, don’t feel pressure to capture absolutely everything)
• try to add some variety to your travel diary by combining storytelling, doodles, polaroids, packing list, travel maps, etc
• describe how local meals taste, how the air smells, how the streets look like, what people wear – it’s so interesting to get to know a foreign country more than the most popular tourist attractions
• there’s no right or wrong way to keep a travel journal

Download Free Travel Bullet Journal Printables

How To Make a Travel Diary – Final Thoughts

To sum up, now you know what a travel diary is, how to make one that works for you, what to write in it, and how to make a journaling habit stick.

Undoubtedly, keeping a travel journal is a great way to collect memories and save them.

No matter if you choose an art journal, travel bullet journal, or scrapbook, making a travel diary can be so much fun.

Sometimes all you want to do is to write down your thoughts, organize polaroid photos, or simply plan your next trip.

Or mix the different types of travel journaling in the ultimate travel diary you can start even before your travel begins.

And the best part is you can really personalize your notebook.

Just gather your favorite travel journal inspiration, write your moments down, collect props, and put your travel diary together.

I hope you like these few easy tips on how to make a travel journal I gathered in this blog post.

Enjoy your trip and good luck!

What’s Next? Check Out These Bullet Journal Page Ideas:

Bullet Journal Page Ideas Perfect for Your 2023 Bujo

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Budget Bullet Journal Layouts To Master Your Finances in 2023

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How to Write Travel Diary – Practice with Examples

What is a diary entry, and how can we benefit from it.

A diary is a place where you may be honest with yourself, note your observations, and express your feelings regarding events in your life. Additionally, it is a place where you can speak freely, think, and fantasize. Anything you want can easily be written down using words.

Activity Time

It was agreed by you and your sister to commemorate your parents’ 25th wedding anniversary. Your plans should be expressed in no more than 150 words as a diary entry.

Diary entry

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________.

What are Diary Entries and their Types?

A diary entry is a group of pages that make up the entry. The dates and times when the diary entries were written are typically used to organize them. Depending on the diary type, each entry may include thoughts, feelings, reflections, dreams, and more. Even in your diary, you can subcategorize the information in an entry.

• As an illustration, subcategories of a dream diary could include lucid dreams, nightmares, etc.
• Diary entries can be written, illustrated, recorded, or even a combination of several media.

Why Keep a Diary When You Travel?

There are numerous advantages to writing when traveling, but these are a few to get you started.

• Remember More

You won’t forget the reasons you wanted to go and will remember more of your visit if you list the activities you intend to undertake while traveling as well as the activities you have already completed.

You can learn a lot about a new place’s culture, traditions, and people when you visit there. You will notice more of your surroundings if you have a place to record your observations.

• Reflect More

A journal is a location where you can write down new things you’ve learned from exploring the many places you go. You will be able to look back and consider what you have learned and apply it to other areas of your life by having all these fresh discoveries in one location.

Here are a Few Pointers on How to Write a Travel Diary

You must travel and keep a travel diary. You can begin writing wherever you need to. All you need is a location to start your vacation diary.

• Plan Your Vacation Using Your Diary

Even before you go on your trip, you can start keeping a notebook. Start making plans for the things you wish to do in your journal. It could be anything, such as a hip restaurant to eat at, a trek you want to do, or other attractions you want to see. To ensure that you don’t forget anything from your trip checklist, write everything down.

Mention the location you’ve been to above the page

• Use a small diary that you can easily carry along with your travel
• Carry a craft kit, which includes little scissors, pens, plaster, a notepad, stamps, and other supplies.
• Write About How You See it to be

Describe your experiences there.

When you travel, your final location may be completely unanticipated. It’s possible that despite your expectations, the local cuisine surprised you by being excellent.

• Write While Traveling

When information is still fresh in your mind, it is always simpler to recall it. Therefore try to write as frequently every day as you can.

• Add Pictures to Your Diary

In order to have a nice memory of your travels for the rest of your life, you can gather photographs or photos from the places you visit.

You can then add your doodles or postcards to the entries in your journal.

• Write About Your Trip After Your Leave.

You should write about your vacation once you return, just like you do before you go.

• How did it feel?
• What did you discover?
• What caught you off guard?
• What made you unhappy?

To retain new knowledge and use it in future endeavors, it is crucial to reflect on your travels. This is also a fantastic method to discover more about who you are, your possible traveling companions, and your potential for development. Take a step back from what you accomplished and try to grasp the big picture. You might be surprised.

Let’s write the travel diary entry of the place we visited during the last vacation .

You’ve traveled to Miami and visited many places in the city and the city’s scenery and cuisine, and you plan to write about your travels there as well as its location and part of its history, culture, food, and attire. You must compose a minimum of 100 to 150 words.

Let’s practice with a few examples

Make a daily journal of your activities, a scientific notebook of your observations of plants and animals, an art journal of your sketches, a map of the places you visited, or a mix of all four.

Vacation Journal: Day

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• Solar Eclipse 2024

Helpful Tips for Planning Your Solar Eclipse Trip

T here are few natural phenomena that can evoke the same emotion of a solar eclipse . Around the world, myths and legends have developed to explain the rare event, which happens when the shadow of the moon blocks the light from the sun, causing a period of temporary darkness in the middle of the day. In ancient China, eclipses were said to signal that the sun was being devoured by a dragon, while in South America, subjects of the Inca Empire believed it signaled the sun god’s anger at the world.

On April 8, 2024, those in Canada, the U.S., and Mexico will have the opportunity to view a total solar eclipse for themselves. TIME spoke to veteran solar eclipse travelers for tips, so that anyone planning a solar eclipse trip can get the most out of the experience.

What to consider before you embark on a solar eclipse trip  

Travel to the path of totality.

Most places on the eclipse path will only be able to experience a partial solar eclipse, where the sun is not completely covered by the moon. Many people assume that might be enough, but to really experience what a solar eclipse feels like, you should travel to the path of totality, where the sun is 100% covered. “A partial eclipse is not an eclipse. It really does not come close. You need to be in the path of totality to really experience it,” Paul Bryans, a project scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research, tells TIME.

To check if a location is in the line of totality, you can use this map . Places within the line of totality are shaded in the darkest shade of red.

Read More: How Cities Around the U.S. Are Celebrating the Eclipse

Weather conditions

Another thing to think about when considering where to travel for a solar eclipse is the weather conditions in different places along the line of totality. You might not get the full experience if it is cloudy outside. When there are clouds blocking the sun and the moon, the eclipse effects are much less dramatic. 

One way to avoid this problem is to choose a place along the line of totality with a high chance of sunny weather. For the eclipse in 2024, many of the places with the highest expected chances of sunny weather are in Mexico. If you would rather stay in the U.S. for the duration of the eclipse, many places in Texas are also expected to have good weather conditions. As a general rule for the 2024 eclipse, the further south along the eclipse line you go, the better your chances of good weather. “When you get to the northern parts, you have a much higher possibility of being disappointed,” Brian McGee, founder of Astro Trails , a company that leads solar eclipse tours, tells TIME.

Book accommodations and tickets in advance

Every expert TIME spoke with warned about how quickly accommodations and travel tickets sell out in places where the eclipse will happen. You can expect Airbnbs and hotel prices to go up dramatically for dates close to or during the eclipse. Transportation may also take way longer than usual. Traffic jams caused by tourists flocking into cities to catch the solar eclipse might make your travel time significantly longer so you should plan accordingly. During the 2017 solar eclipse, major traffic jams were recorded in Wyoming and Kentucky . The streets did not return to normal until approximately nine hours after the eclipse ended.

Whatever you do, make sure to arrive at your destination several hours before the eclipse starts. “It's going to be crazy on the day of the eclipse. So my advice to people is if they're going to travel, either by car or by airplane, do it early. Don't leave it until Monday, April 8,” John Gianforte, director of the observatory at the University of New Hampshire, tells TIME.

Read More : How Animals and Nature React to an Eclipse

What to consider during your solar eclipse trip

Protect your eyes.

During the build up towards the solar eclipse, many people like to observe the sun to watch as the moon slowly covers more and more of it. However, if you want to view this period of partial eclipse, it is critical to use proper eye protection. “The fact that there is an eclipse doesn't make it any more dangerous to look at the sun, but it makes people want to look at the sun,” says Gianforte. 

Regular sunglasses do not provide enough protection for observing the eclipse, but the American Astronomical Society has a list of eclipse eye protection suppliers that meet the international safety standards. If you already wear eyeglasses, make sure the solar filter is placed on the outside of your glasses. Similarly, if you are viewing the partial eclipse through a camera, you need to make sure there is a certified solar filter on top of your camera lens. These filters are designed to protect your camera and your eyes from the dangerous portions of the sun's radiation. Whatever lens you view the eclipse through, “the closest thing to the sun has to be the filter,” says Gianforte.

During totality, remove eye protection

A common misconception about solar eclipses is that you must keep your solar protection glasses on at all times. However, if you are in the path of totality and the sun is 100% covered by the moon, you can look directly at the eclipse without eye protection. The eclipse veterans TIME spoke with strongly recommended removing solar protection from both your eyes and camera equipment during the period of totality to truly take in the experience. “Once there's totality then you should absolutely take your glasses off and look directly at the sun,” says Bryans. “If you don’t do that you’ll miss a lot of the most interesting parts of it.” 

However, it is important to remember that for the 2024 eclipse, the period of totality will last for a maximum of four and a half minutes according to NASA . Make sure to check the exact timing of totality in the place where you are viewing the eclipse from, and immediately resume using solar filters right before the period of totality ends.

Read More : These Are All the Different Types of Eclipses

Observe your surroundings

One of the most fascinating things to observe during an eclipse is not just the eclipse itself, but also the way the environment around you changes. During the period of totality, you’ll be able to feel the temperature drop by about 10°F. Animals such as birds, cats, and dogs, may start to act differently as they grapple with the confusion of the sun suddenly disappearing in the middle of the day. You may even be able to see some brighter stars and planets when you look at the sky once the sun is covered up. 

What to consider after your solar eclipse trip

Journal about your experience.

After the eclipse, you may want to journal about your thoughts and feelings to help remember the experience and take in the beauty of what you just witnessed. Seeing an eclipse can sometimes cause people to feel overwhelmed with emotion, and journaling can be a good way to process those feelings. “It’s one of the most emotion-evoking natural events that you can see,” says Gianforte. “It’s like if you go to the Grand Canyon or Mount Everest… it's just hard to explain it. Everyone should, at least once in their life, see a total solar eclipse.”

Wait until the next day to travel back, if possible

Just as you may anticipate traffic jams on the way there, you should also expect similar delays on the way back. It’s a good idea to hang around an extra day since it could help you avoid congestion on the roads. 

More Must-Reads From TIME

• Jane Fonda Champions Climate Action for Every Generation
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• Biden’s Campaign Is In Trouble. Will the Turnaround Plan Work?
• Essay: The Complicated Dread of Early Spring
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Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat Vs. Eden Roc: Which Is Best?

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Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel Vs. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc, which is best? We recently reviewed Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel as we like to stay in this hotel at least once (ideally twice) per year, it’s honestly that good and yes it is worth the hefty price tag too. But how do these two hotels compare?

1. Best Location: Four Seasons Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat Vs. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc

Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat is situated on the tip of the Cap Ferrat peninsula, on the very edge of Nice and between Nice and Monaco. This is one of the most prestigious places to own a property in the world. As you drive up to this Four Seasons, you pass many gated mansions which belong to or have belonged to the world’s super rich and greatest stars like David Niven.

The hotel is right on the end of the peninsula, and as you walk towards the sea through the pine trees and exotic vegetation in the gardens here, you reach Club Dauphin, reached by a glass lift. This beach club houses the Four Seasons pool, a lovely restaurant, and lots of loungers and cabanas.

While you are unlikely to want to leave the heaven that is Four Seasons Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, St Jean is only about a kilometer walk away, and this village has loads of restaurants, a marina, a big supermarket, coffee shops, and so forth. Also worth mentioning, Monaco is fun once for a visit and is much closer to the Four Seasons Cap Ferrat than Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc which is located on the far side of Nice.

Hotel Eden Roc is on the more lively peninsula of Cap d’Antibes on the other side of Nice, but like Four Seasons, it is in a secluded location. The nearest restaurants are a decent walk away, so you will probably eat in the hotel.

We prefer the exclusive location of Four Seasons Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, which is walkable to St Jean and set by the ocean.

2. Exclusivity

Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, has the edge on exclusivity. When we first went there, anyone could rock up and have a drink in the bar. This was a problem because the bar could become busy, and guests staying in the hotel had to wait for a seat. Now, you have to prebook your visit to the hotel, and your name is checked at the gate, which means there isn’t a problem getting a seat anymore. The gated nature of the hotel also makes it feel very exclusive.

Review: Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel

Recommended Post In "Reviews"

The best hotel on the French Riviera is the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat, a Four Seasons Hotel located near the small town of Saint Jean Cap Ferrat. Set in Belle Epoque splendor in a building that dates back to the 1800s, this ultra-luxury hotel offers everything you would expect of the very best Four Seasons hotel, but with a sprinkle of French chic. We most recently stayed at Four Seasons Hotel Cap-Ferrat, in April 2022.

3. Best Pool

The Four Seasons pool is amazing and has recently been refurbished. This infinity pool is excellent, and the area is bordered by the rocks that edge the peninsula and then the sea, so you have a front-row seat to watch the boats sailing between Nice and Monaco and the helicopters flying above from Nice airport.

The Eden Roc pool is also very good and situated on the rocks in front of the hotel, but we prefer the pool at Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel.

If you have the budget, you can book a room with its own private pool at Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel. These rooms are stunning, and the pool is large enough for a short swim.

4. Best Beach

There is no beach at either Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel or. Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has just a pool and access to the sea through the rocks. There are three small beaches on Cap Ferrat and some great walks on quiet footpaths around the edge of the peninsula with excellent views, but neither hotel has a beach in front of them.

5. Best Style

Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, had a major redesign by Pierre Yves Rochon and offers understated elegance. The rooms and communal areas are gorgeous, with loads of marble and chandeliers in the foyer and restaurant. You can see more in our review. The gardens are perfect, as is the pool. This place is as close to perfection as I have found in a hotel, and listening to live Jazz in the evening on the terrace in front of the hotel… well, I don’t believe life gets any better.

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has also been refurbished, but the decor errs towards chintz. While this hotel remains a wonderful hotel choice, and if you are choosing between these hotels, you are blessed to be able to afford either, I far prefer the decor at Four Seasons.

6. Best Service

If you have previously stayed at a Four Seasons hotel, you will know that their service is superb, and the service at Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, should surpass your expectations. In fact, my husband and I laugh that we should test the brilliance of the service here by dropping a glass and seeing if the team catches it before it hits the ground. You know, I think they would!

7. Best Restaurant

Four Seasons Le Cap restaurant is the setting for extraordinary, maritime-influenced cuisine from Michelin-starred Chef Yoric Tièche, who reinvents Provençal and Mediterranean dishes using the freshest of ingredients, some from the Hotel’s gardens. Accompany your dish of choice with a grand cru from the Grand Hotel’s list of 600 wines from France’s top vineyards. This is an excellent restaurant.

Louroc Restuarant at Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has One Michelin Star. Eric Frechon and Sébastien Broda have created a menu that expresses an authentic dialog between the Mediterranean and Provence for the hotel’s gastronomic restaurant. The two territories meld in a cuisine that is close to nature, drawn directly from the source. This is also an excellent restaurant, so there is no winner here.

10 Best Four Seasons Hotels & Resorts In The World

Recommended Post In "Tips"

The best Four Seasons hotels & resorts in the world include Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, Four Seasons Lanai and Four Seasons Resort Hualalai in Hawaii, Four Seasons Surf Club on Miami Beach, Four Seasons Costa Rica, Four Seasons Los Cabos At Costa Palmas, Four Seasons Palm Beach, and Four Seasons Hampshire. To be honest, we wanted to include several other properties in this article, but we would have to stray into the realms of the top 20 or 30 or even top 100 properties to include all our favorite Four Seasons hotels. There are just so many great ones!

8. Best Best Bar

I love the terrace in front of Grand Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel. This multilayered terrace houses the bar and two restaurants in the summer, and you can sit under magical trees looking out over the gardens and to the distant sea beyond. I love this terrace, and no bar anywhere else in the world matches up, in my opinion.

9. Best Rooms

Rooms at Grand-Hotel du Cap-Ferrat, A Four Seasons Hotel, are either in the main historic building with views out to sea or back inland towards the pine woods or in a newer building that must have been modeled on the Thunderbirds house. The latter, more modern rooms, offer marvelous large balconies but lack the history.

The historic rooms in the main building have wooden floors, white walls with pelmet detailing, and large marble bathrooms. Both rooms and suites have a similar crisp white finish with a touch of mint in the soft furnishings. They form the perfect backdrop to the immense views; the blue sky, the grounds, and the deep blue sea.

Balconies in the main building are mainly Romeo and Juliette except for the suites, which offer a terrace. As day turns to night, the sea view rooms are perfectly positioned to absorb the live band’s sound, which plays on the patio below. There is something very special about getting ready for a night out with the window swung open and jazz wafting in on the breeze.

Their more modern Thunderbirds building is a mix of crazy curves and glass lifts hidden beneath the pines. This is where you will find modern but equally stunning rooms with either a large balcony or their own private swimming pool. It is worth noting that these pools are large enough to swim in, and each pool is set among rocky outcrops with an infinity view at the end, looking out to the horizon. Inside, these rooms have a white marble finish, although the feel is definitely modern instead of historic.

Hotel du Cap-Eden-Roc has more traditional rooms with flowery bedspreads and curtains. I’m sorry, but these are not really to my taste and lack the stylish feel of the hotel rooms at Four Seasons. Plus, I love a Four Seasons bed. So comfortable. So Four Seasons wins.

10. Club Lounge

Neither hotel has a club lounge.

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The one thing you'll want to do is the only thing not to do while driving during solar eclipse

The 2024 solar eclipse will shroud much of the United States in darkness on Monday, leaving many people to wonder: Is it safe to drive during the celestial event?

We know Americans should wear certified eclipse glasses when looking directly at the eclipse. And millions of Americans are in the eclipse's path of totality , the moment that occurs when the moon completely blocks the sun's light from reaching us. During totality, the eclipse can be viewed with the naked eye.

The eclipse will begin in Texas at 1:27 p.m. CDT and end in Maine at 3:35 p.m. EDT, but the exact time of the eclipse varies by where you are in its path. If you plan to drive during this time, you may not only have to contend with traffic , but need to take steps to stay safe.

Here's what to know about driving during the eclipse.

Where to get free solar eclipse glasses: Libraries, Warby Parker and more giving glasses away

Is it safe to drive during an eclipse?

It's safe to drive during an eclipse as long as you don't look up at the sky. AAA is telling drivers to be focused on the road if they are operating a car during the total solar eclipse.

"Anyone operating a vehicle should not be attempting to look up at the sky during the eclipse – their eyes should be on the road," said Aixa Diaz, a spokeswoman from AAA.

The automobile insurance company is advising Americans who want to safely view the total eclipse to "find a safe place to park (not on the side of a road or highway) away from other traffic and then wear your eclipse glasses," Diaz said.

Do not wear eclipse glasses while driving

It should go without saying, but authorities are also reminding people to not drive while wearing eclipse glasses .

The Missouri and Texas departments of transportation are both advising drivers to not wear eclipse glasses during the natural phenomenon and to focus on the road.

"Do not wear eclipse glasses while driving," reads a list of safety tips from the Texas department. Thousands people are expected to drive to towns along the path of totality, including Dallas, ahead of the eclipse.

Several state transportation departments  released similar warnings  ahead of the 2017 total solar eclipse. Wyoming's, for example, warned people traveling to the state about how they wouldn't be able to see the road with solar eclipse glasses on.

"When the glasses are worn, a person shouldn’t be able to see anything except the solar eclipse, which is why it is unsafe for a person to wear them when driving," the warning reads.

"Eclipse glasses are for eclipse viewing, not driving. They shouldn’t be treated like normal sunglasses," Diaz said.

Kettle Moraine, South Milwaukee migrate south for early baseball games

As a blustery wintery mix continues to threaten playing fields across the Milwaukee area over the latter part of March and early April, some baseball programs are migrating south for more hospitable playing conditions.

Kettle Moraine and South Milwaukee found their way to Tennessee for games last week, starting their seasons with trips that fostered team bonds on and off the field.

It was the second trip for Kettle Moraine and head coach James Wolbert, who came across Riverdale High School in Murfreesboro prior to arranging the trip to compete in last season's Spring Classic. The tournament, hosted by Riverdale for 31 years, features programs from numerous states competing in three games each throughout a week-long tournament at the end of March.

The Lasers went 2-1 with a 14-0 win over Deerfield (Illinois), a 10-5 win over Beech (Tennessee) and a 5-2 loss to Riverdale. Beyond the games however, the trip was highlighted by activities such as hikes, swimming, pickleball, basketball and building campfires near the rental house where they stayed at. Phones are collected by the coaching staff while at the house, as players are encouraged to enjoy their present company.

"I do this not to punish them, but to spend quality time together," Wolbert said. "They spend enough time looking at those devices. It's nice to see them just be kids and enjoy the time together."

South Milwaukee coach Ben Parlier said his team's trip to Powell, just northwest of Knoxville, came about through an idea the coach had for a multifaceted journey for his program.

Class of 2022 graduate Nate Snead is a sophomore standout on the pitching staff of the Tennessee Volunteers, and their home schedule happened to line up with South Milwaukee's spring break. Parlier reached out to a few Knoxville area coaches to arrange exhibition games, creating a memorable week of watching, practicing and playing baseball outside for the first time this spring.

"It's clear the baseball fraternity is alive and well, as I had not known any of the coaches prior to this trip," Parlier said. "The coaches trusted that we would respect their facilities and offered to open them up whenever necessary. The coaches all went out of their way to ensure that we had every opportunity possible to make the trip a success."

Visits with Snead also left an impression on current student athletes for the Rockets. The sophomore is the ERA leader on a staff that leads the No. 4 ranked program in the nation as of the start of April.

"Nate went out of his way to spend time with our team, attended our games on Thursday and made sure we could get down to the field and take some pictures with him," Parlier said. "Our team was able to see that anyone, from anywhere, can accomplish their dreams through dedication, hard work and the help of others."

For both coaches, simply getting some warmer weather to practice in while fostering deeper bonds among teammates was well worth the challenges of arranging the trip.

"The biggest thing is creating a family atmosphere within the team," Wolbert said. "Baseball is a crazy game. In my experience, the most successful teams are not the most talented ones, they are the ones that are the closest and have the tightest bonds. Willing to sacrifice their own successes for the team's."

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Roman Women and Travel: The Journey of a Latin Textbook

Sappho’ fresco from Pompeii, via Wikimedia Commons.

At the age of fourteen, a mere few weeks into my high school introductory class, I fell headlong in love with the Latin language, the grammar, the puzzles it had in store. Before the end of the first semester, I knew I wanted to learn it and teach it for the rest of my life. However, it was not always easy to love. As a female student, I found it frustrating to go through the curriculum reading only of ancient Greek and Roman men, of heroes and their great deeds, passed down in the words of male author after male author like Vergil and Ovid. Where were the women, beyond the victims and villains? Where were their voices? The answer, as it turned out: not in the materials geared toward intermediate to advanced high school Latin students. From this struggle came a dream: I wanted to write a Latin textbook, and I wanted it to be about women. But I was not ready yet. Not until I came to the University of New Hampshire (UNH), where I would soon begin a project that would launch me into the world of undergraduate research.

Early in my freshman year at UNH, I approached Professor R. Scott Smith with this ambition of mine , and he helped me narrow my focus on something that had not been done before and would combine our research interests: Roman women and travel. While Latin readers focusing on women have popped up over the years, special focus has not yet been given to the topic of female mobility and the literary sources that document women’s movement around the Mediterranean. The seed of a textbook took root, and for the first time, I felt like I could achieve something real.

Setting Sail

Encouraged and mentored by Professor Smith, I applied for, received, and successfully completed an exploratory research project via the January Research Opportunity Program, offered by the Global Racial and Social Inequality Lab, which gave this little textbook a name: Roman Women on the Move . During that January, I learned, among other valuable research skills, the process of writing translation guides ( called commentaries) for Latin texts, which requires the making of a thorough Latin -to-English translation and notes to help others with translation. I first worked on a poem authored by Sulpicia (a female author of the first century BCE ) and a funerary inscription for a woman named Aureliana, both involving female movement through space. After that, I was hooked.

Feeling the momentum, I continued writing commentaries (i.e., translation guides) for the remaining five of Sulpicia’s poems, fascinated also by her status as one of the only female Roman authors with extant work, surviving through a body of poetry chiefly authored by the more well-known—and male—Tibullus. Along the way, I shared and reviewed my work with Professor Smith. The R esearch E xperience A pprenticeship P rogram (REAP) through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research was the perfect next step in the textbook’s journey, and it was during the application period that we developed a true plan. Over the course of the summer, I would translate and produce commentaries for texts suggested by Professor Smith about Roman women and travel. These Latin texts come from a variety of authors and sources, ranging from inscriptions found on headstones to letters sent between friends. To contextualize my research, I would consult the scholarship on not only Roman female mobility but ancient travel more broadly.

Through REAP, I set out to create what ended up being twenty-nine pages’ worth of Latin commentary, all to be included in, and indeed form the basis of, this textbook-in-the-making.

The Straits

Now, what exactly goes into such a commentary? Students of Latin and ancient Greek are probably all too familiar with them, but beyond that, people do not usually run into them. In an intermediate commentary to a Latin text, students typically receive a chunk of the Latin, then below that, a selected Latin-to-English vocabulary, as well as notes explaining challenging grammar and references to culture, mythology, or history embedded in the text. In more advanced commentaries, which range in helpfulness, vocabulary help fades away, along with all other help save for explanations of the trickiest syntax, and commentary is more concentrated in scholarly asides about words, phrases, and references. [To see an example commentary on Sulpicia II, included in the textbook, click here ]

The model of commentary I follow for this research project falls in the intermediate to early advanced range, which students normally reach in their third year of Latin study. Each c ommentary begins with an introduction to the text, a brief contextualizing summary incorporating and glossing lesser-known vocabulary found in the Latin to preemptively provide students with definitions. Then there is the block of Latin text, to which I add macrons (a mark over vowels indicating their length, which can provide clues about certain words’ syntactical function), which it is good practice to include in texts below the advanced level.

Below that, I provide grammar notes that highlight and assist with more advanced Latin grammatical concepts and constructions, as well as those that students simply tend to grow rusty on and forget, so that they can more easily translate the Latin into English.

This is both the hardest and most fun part of the commentary, because I must not only understand how to translate the text and know the function of every last word, but also anticipate points of difficulty for students at a different level from me, since I have been making an intensive study of the language for over five years. To make sure I am not leading students astray, I check my translations against others and go over my grammar notes with Professor Smith, sometimes needing help myself in uncovering the grammatical nuance of a sentence.

Below the grammar notes , I create a selected vocabulary by supplying and defining all the Latin words appearing in the text that do not occur in the Dickinson College Core Latin Vocabulary list, which essentially contains the first 500 or so most common Latin words that a student is likely to encounter in their study of the language, and therefore provides a good estimate of words intermediate-advanced students will already know. Farther below that , I include a literal translation for teachers and students to check their work against.

But writing commentaries was not all grammatical fun and translation; I also had to read. Writing commentaries surrounding a topic I knew little about, namely ancient travel, required me to consult some existing scholarship, such as a lengthy book aptly titled Travel in the Ancient World by Lionel Casson. R eadings such as this one gave me the context and confidence to consider the situations of the women featured in my commentaries more deeply. Occasionally, I even came across an unexpected inscription or passage to add to the project’s “ to-include ” list, the running and growing brainstorm of texts with potentially suitable content that I keep for future commentaries I wish to write beyond those I completed for the REAP.

The Journey Continues

At eighteen commentaries, I still have a long way to go before Roman Women on the Move is anywhere near complete; this textbook is still at the beginning of its own journey. With a growing list of texts to add and a potentially widening scope, I am excited to see how the project evolves, and I look forward to continuing my research on women and travel. Already, I have sent my commentaries for Sulpicia’s poems to my high school Latin teacher, who taught them with a positive response from the students.

As I delve deeper into my exploration of Roman women’s mobility, both physical and potentially social, I hope to pilot my work beyond Sulpicia and show those beginning in classics how the lives of women extended beyond the household through the publication of a complete textbook. In its digital form, this textbook would be freely accessible through Dickinson College Commentaries, the online home of a growing abundance of Latin resources . Moreover, such a conduit for my research aligns with the motivations lying at the heart of my work: to show that the ancient world, and by extension the classics, is for everyone, not just those with privilege of gender or class—and that there is a world beyond what is explicitly crafted for us by our ancient male authors that is well worth exploring.

I would like to thank the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research and particularly my donors, Mr. Dana Hamel and Mr. Gregory Flowers, for making this project possible through their generosity. I also thank the Global Racial and Social Inequality Lab for first granting me the opportunity to do research. Last, but certainly not least, I give maximās grātiās to my mentor, Professor R. Scott Smith, for his endless support and guidance.

Author and Mentor Bios

A classics: classical languages and literatures major from Derry, New Hampshire, Jillienne Robinson-Warren will graduate in spring 2026 with a bachelor of arts degree. She is a member of the University Honors Program and the Eta Sigma Phi Classical Honors Society. Her classics research was funded by the January Research Opportunity Program through the Global Racial and Social Inequality Lab at UNH and by the Research Experience and Apprenticeship Program through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research. Jillienne was drawn to this project by her love for Latin grammar and literature, as well as encouragement from her faculty mentor, Dr. R. Scott Smith. Through these experiences, she gained insight into the collaborative nature of classics research and developed analytical skills, such as how to approach translation, that will aid in her future academics and career. Her translations were recently piloted in her high school Latin program, and she is thrilled to have created a resource with concrete use for educators. Jillienne decided to submit her work to Inquiry in the hopes that it will inspire other undergraduates to follow their own independent research goals at UNH. After graduation, she plans to earn a doctorate in classical philology, then pursue her passion for sharing the language with others by becoming a high school or collegiate Latin teacher.  

Dr. R. Scott Smith is professor of classics and chair of the Department of Classics, Humanities, and Italian Studies at the University of New Hampshire, where he has taught since 2000. His major field of study is ancient myth and mythography, with special focus on the intersection of mythography, space, and geography. He is co-director of a digital database of Greek myth, MANTO, and produces the podcast The Greek Myth Files. He is also undertaking a related student-supported project to translate mythographical narratives in ancient texts. Hot off the presses is his publication of Mythographical Narratives (historiai ) in the D Scholia to Homer’s Iliad , which is a major translation of previously untranslated stories. In addition, Dr. Smith has been interested in Latin pedagogy and best practices in teaching the language. He has supervised more than ten undergraduate students with research opportunities through the Hamel Center for Undergraduate Research, and is proud of his students’ research, including the Latin textbook that is the subject of this article. Writing for Inquiry , Dr. Smith believes, is vitally important in helping students find ways to take their detailed and narrow work and translate it into forms accessible to the masses.

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Copyright 2024 © Jillienne Robinson-Warren

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