travel diary scrapbook

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How to Make a Simple Travel Journal and Travel Scrapbook

Get excited travel buddy because I’m going to help you learn how to make a simple travel journal and travel scrapbook so you can memorialize all of your travel experiences! 

The post “How to Make a Simple Travel Journal and Travel Scrapbook” may contain affiliate links. That means if you click and buy, I may receive a small commission (at no cost to you). All opinions are my own and no products were received in exchange for my opinions. Click here  to see details of my full disclosure privacy policy.

What's the difference between a travel journal and a travel scrapbook?

What is a travel journal.

A travel journal is a place to capture your ideas, personal feelings , and details from your trip. It is typically in the format of a lined book. Think of a travel journal as a travel diary.   

The main focus of creating your own journal is to capture and save your travel memories by writing out journal entries.  

The major benefit of learning how to create a simple travel journal is it will help you remember more and reflect more on your experiences.   

PRO TIP: If you're not sure what to write about at first, just go with the basic who, what, when, where, why, and how questions. 

What is a travel scrapbook.

A travel scrapbook is a place to capture your travel experience visually . It is typically a book of blank pages filled with keepsakes like ticket stubs, photos, and other tangible memorabilia from your trip.  

The main focus of a travel scrapbook is to creatively capture your travel memories using pictures and mementos . 

The major benefit of learning how to create a simple travel scrapbook is it will help you dynamically tell the story of your travels . 

What do I need to make a simple DIY travel journal and a travel scrapbook?

Travel notebook.

The first thing you need to start with is a notebook . Pick either a blank notebook , a lined notebook , or a 3-ring binder and paper. A blank notebook is best for a bullet journal or photo album format, a lined notebook is best for a diary format, and a 3-ring binder is great for a combination of the two.

There really are all different styles of notebooks out there so this is just a matter of personal preference.  

First, decide on how you want to layout your travel notebook, then you will know which format works best for your situation. 

Next, you will need a few craft supplies for creative ways to illustrate all the great things you saw and did on your trip. 

Travel Journal Supplies

Colorful Gel Pens , Pencils, and/or Markers

Travel Photos

Washi Tape or Glue (to affix photos)

Travel Scrapbook Supplies

You can find scrapbook supplies at most stationery stores or online at Amazon . It’s your creative outlet so you decide how many items you need to tell your travel stories. 

Travel Scrapbook Stickers

Scrapbook Paper

Pocket Pages (for memorabilia)

Any other creative tools you have!

PRO TIP: Look for supplies like washi tape and stickers while you are traveling to make your supplies even more special.

Digital travel journal and travel scrapbook.

Unlike paper journals, if you’re creating a digital journal, or you’re ready for digital scrapbooking, then you don’t need any physical supplies . All you need is some great inspiration, and you can usually find that by searching on sites like Pinterest .

Digital Scrapbook Pros:

Some of the pros of creating digital travel journals are:

• There’s no extra cost for materials.
• You can easily add to and modify your digital travel journal.
• There’s an option to create it as a collaborative project with your traveling partners. 

Digital Scrapbook Cons:

Some of the cons to creating a digital journal are:

• It might not be as easy to share large files with people who aren’t technologically savvy.
• The document might accidentally get deleted.
• There might not be the same personal touch as a book created in real life.

PRO TIP: I use Canva for ALL of my digital projects. They have lots of ready-made templates to get you started.

What should be included in a travel journal, before you travel:.

It’s a good idea to start working on your travel journal BEFORE you even leave for your trip. Use it to help you with your trip planning.

You can include your to-do list, budget, packing list, trip-planned itinerary, and new places you want to try on your travel bucket list.

If you’re traveling abroad, write down some common phrases in the local language so you can start to practice them.

It’s also a good idea to write down important information. Things like your flight info and the name, address, and phone number of your accommodations are good to have just in case your phone dies before you reach your destination. 

Travel Journal Prompts:

If you’re worried about not knowing what to write in your travel journal then make a list of some travel journal prompts ahead of time .

Travel Writing Prompts

• The best part of my day was…
• Something funny that happened was when…
• Next time I think I should…
• I would definitely recommend…
• Something I want to remember is…
• Here’s what people were wearing…
• The weather was…
• I wish I was more prepared for…
• I had so much fun when…
• My favorite things about this place…
• My first time here is…
• The local culture is…
• I really love today because…

During your travels:

During your trip, you should write a description of the places you visit and all the cool things you see. You can quickly write a recap of each day of your trip either at night or early in the morning… especially if you wake up or go to bed at different times from your traveling partners. 

As a travel blogger, I like to write about the restaurants I visit, funny things that happened during the trip, and different places I stay so I can recommend them or revisit them on my next trip. 

A travel journal usually has a lot of writing in it, but feel free to also include sketches and doodles from your trip!

Don’t forget to leave plenty of space in between your journal writing so you can go back and add pictures after you return from your trip. 

PRO TIP: If you don't have time to write in your journal do a voice recording so you can transcribe it later.

After you travel:.

I like to spend time on the flight or ride back home writing more little details from my trip while my travel memories are still fresh in my mind.

It’s also a great idea to tell yourself what you would do differently on your next trip, or make a note of something you don’t want to forget, for future trips. 

Do you want more valuable travel tips? CLICK HERE to read about How to Pack a Suitcase That Saves You Money! 

What should be included in a travel scrapbook?

A travel scrapbook can include memorabilia like brochures, flight tickets, business cards, paper menus, a travel map, postcards, and of course pictures.

Hey! Maybe you’re thinking, “Dang Andrea, you know ALL THE GOOD TRAVEL TIPS! ” GREAT NEWS… you can  SUBSCRIBE with your email to get notified of new posts so you never miss a thing!

Did you know that National Parks in the USA have stamps ? There are other tourist destinations that offer stamps at the ticket counters so make sure you bring your scrapbook or some paper and ask for a stamp !

It’s a good idea to pack a gallon-sized plastic bag to keep all your little keepsakes so they don’t get lost. 

PRO TIP: Be careful of taking items of agriculture like leaves and flowers. You can't bring them across borders.

I always say that an excellent way to make memories when you travel is to take a fun tour . Make sure you save your tour tickets, concert tickets, or museum ticket stubs to add to your scrapbook!  

Do you want to know how to make fun memories when you travel? CLICK HERE to read about some great ideas for making core memories! 

Creating Your Travel Journal and Travel Scrapbook

How do i make a travel journal and travel scrapbook.

Now that you have an idea of what you want to create, and you have all of your supplies, it’s time to put your travel adventures together into an amazing travel diary that tells a story worth sharing.  

Your travel journal and scrapbook pages can be as simple as a photo album layout or more detailed with little things like added mementos and embellishments . 

PRO TIP: Pinterest is a great option for researching suggestions on scrapbook layouts if you need some inspiration. 

You are telling the story of your trip so like any great story there will be a beginning, a middle, and an end.  

Beginning: This will be your intro with details of who is going on the trip, in general terms where you are traveling to, and when you are taking the trip.

Try to think about your story while you are experiencing it so you make space for adding more details later when you have more time. 

Middle: The middle is where you share details of things you did and what you saw. Share all the interesting details about historic sites, unique experiences, your favorite destinations, the food you ate, and the people you met.  

End: At the end of your trip you can give a brief overview of any takeaways you want to remember. Share what you learned and what your favorite things were about the trip.

Add pictures and all of your keepsakes alongside your written story to help illustrate your experiences. For example, if you wrote about the most amazing restaurant you visited, then leave some space to add keepsakes like photos, the paper menu, or the monogrammed napkin you saved for later.

Great travel journals have personal details in them. There’s no wrong way to do it. Just be real!

For help finding the perfect accommodations read  Top 5 Things You Need to Know When Finding a Hotel!  

The Best Travel Journal and Travel Scrapbook

I’ve got great news… if you don’t have the time to make your own DIY travel journal or travel scrapbook from scratch, then I have the best travel journal scrapbook for YOU!

I created a simple way to document your trip with a series of travel activity journals. They are great for a solo traveler, a friend group, or a family vacation. 

Let’s face it, the best travel journals are the ones that actually get filled in, and not all of us have time to create something from scratch. That’s why I created different fun-themed DIY travel journals that work great for different destinations like Europe , the beach , and the USA . 

Most of the work is already set up for you ahead of time. You just need to have a great time on your trip and fill in the blanks .

Here’s what you can expect to find in my ultimate travel journal activity books:

Journal Pages:

Every travel activity journal has lined pages set aside for journaling. Not sure about your writing skills? No problem because there are also lots of pages with journaling prompts to help get you thinking!

Complete the travel journal writing prompts together for a fun way to learn more about your travel partners.

Scrapbook Pages:

Your travel activity journal includes plenty of pages, specifically designed around each theme , to draw and/or attach photos and keepsakes like ticket stubs, and other mementos. All you need is some washi tape or glue!

Activity Pages:

Every travel activity journal is full of so many fun activities. Challenge your mind with brain-teasing travel games, a crossword puzzle , word search , adult coloring pages , and quizzes that are scattered throughout the travel journal pages.

There are lots of fun and interesting facts specific to the themed location. The activity pages are a great way to help pass the time if you have long drives or flights, a fun road trip, or a train ride.

Do you want to take a peek inside? Check out this video to see what the inside of the beach themed Travel Activity Journal looks like… 

I’ve given you a bunch of creative travel journal ideas to choose from. Ultimately, it doesn’t matter how you decide to take on travel journaling or scrapbooking.

The most important thing is to make the most of your experience by documenting your lasting memories for your travel legacy! Your travel journal scrapbook will be a treasured keepsake.

I truly hope all my tips on how to make a simple travel journal and travel scrapbook have helped inspire you to create something special! Make sure you’re following along on social media so you never miss a travel tip.   

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October 16, 2023

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As someone who loves to travel, I am always looking for ways to preserve my memories and experiences. One of my favorite ways to do this is through creating a travel scrapbook. A travel scrapbook is a creative and personalized way to document your adventures, and it allows you to relive your favorite moments for years to come.

Table of Contents

Understanding Travel Scrapbooks

A travel scrapbook is a collection of photos, mementos, and other memorabilia that you have gathered during your travels. These items are then arranged and decorated in a scrapbook, along with captions, journal entries, and other personal touches. The end result is a unique and meaningful keepsake that captures the essence of your trip.

Essential Supplies for a Travel Scrapbook

To create a travel scrapbook, you will need some basic supplies, such as a scrapbook album, adhesive, and scissors. You may also want to invest in some travel-themed stickers, washi tape , and other embellishments to add some personality to your pages. Additionally, it’s a good idea to bring along a small bag or envelope to collect mementos during your trip, such as ticket stubs, postcards, and brochures.

Key Takeaways

• A travel scrapbook is a personalized way to document your travels and preserve your memories.
• To create a travel scrapbook, you will need basic supplies such as an album, adhesive, and scissors, as well as travel-themed stickers and embellishments.
• Collecting mementos and organizing your scrapbook are important steps in creating a meaningful and unique travel scrapbook.

MCS Expandable Scrapbook Album with 12 x 12 Inch Pages

Giiffu Travel Scrapbook Album

Nook Theory Travel Journal

DUNCAN & STONE PAPER CO. Travel Journal

JUNEBRUSHS Vintage Scrapbook Sticker Paper Supplies

BBwill Travel Scrapbook

ZEEYUAN Leather Scrapbook Album

ZEEYUAN Travel Scrapbook Album

Colemoly Adventure Scrapbook

Vintage Junk Journal Notebook

As someone who loves to travel, I find that creating a travel scrapbook is a unique and creative way to preserve my memories. A travel scrapbook is a personalized collection of photos, tickets, brochures, and other memorabilia from your trips. It’s a way to showcase your adventures and share them with others.

When it comes to creating a travel scrapbook, there are no hard and fast rules. Your scrapbook should be as unique as your travels. You can create a traditional scrapbook using paper, glue, and other craft supplies , or you can opt for a digital scrapbook using online software. The choice is yours.

One of the benefits of creating a travel scrapbook is that it allows you to relive your travels and share them with others. You can showcase your photos and memorabilia in a way that tells a story and captures the essence of your trip. It’s a great way to document your adventures and remember the details that might otherwise be forgotten.

As a pro tip, I recommend organizing your scrapbook by destination or theme. This will make it easier to find specific memories and create a cohesive narrative. You can also include journal entries or captions to provide context for your photos and memorabilia.

In conclusion, creating a travel scrapbook is a fun and creative way to preserve your travel memories. Whether you opt for a traditional or digital scrapbook, the end result will be a unique and personalized collection of your adventures.

As a travel enthusiast, I have found that scrapbooking is an excellent way to preserve memories and relive the experiences I have had on my trips. While there are many ways to approach a travel scrapbook, having the right supplies is essential to creating a beautiful and meaningful keepsake. In this section, I will discuss the two main categories of essential supplies for a travel scrapbook: choosing your scrapbook and scrapbook supplies.

Choosing Your Scrapbook

The first step in creating a travel scrapbook is choosing the right scrapbook. There are many options available, from traditional bound books to ring-bound albums to digital scrapbooks. When selecting a scrapbook, consider the following factors:

• Size: Choose a size that is appropriate for the amount of content you plan to include. A smaller book may be suitable for a weekend trip, while a larger book may be necessary for a longer trip or multiple destinations.
• Style: Consider the style of the scrapbook and choose one that reflects your personal taste and the theme of your trip.
• Durability: Look for a scrapbook that is sturdy and well-made to ensure that it will hold up over time.
• Pages: Choose a scrapbook with enough pages to accommodate your content. Some scrapbooks have refillable pages, which can be a useful feature.

Scrapbook Supplies

Once you have chosen your scrapbook, it is time to gather your supplies. Here are some essential scrapbook supplies that you will need for your travel scrapbook:

• Scrapbook paper: Scrapbook paper is the foundation of your pages and is available in a variety of colors, patterns, and textures. Choose paper that complements your photos and the theme of your trip.
• Adhesive: You will need adhesive to attach your photos, paper, and other elements to your pages. Options include glue sticks, double-sided tape, and photo corners.
• Scissors: A good pair of scissors is essential for cutting paper, trimming photos, and creating custom shapes and designs.
• Stickers: Stickers are a fun way to add embellishments to your pages. Look for stickers that reflect the theme of your trip, such as travel icons or destination names.
• Embellishments: Embellishments such as ribbons, buttons, and brads can add texture and interest to your pages.
• Canva: Canva is a great tool for designing custom elements for your pages, such as titles, captions, and borders. You can use Canva to create unique designs that reflect your personal style and the theme of your trip.

In conclusion, creating a travel scrapbook is a fun and rewarding way to preserve your travel memories. By choosing the right scrapbook and gathering the essential supplies, you can create a beautiful and meaningful keepsake that you will treasure for years to come.

Elmer’s Craft Bond Scrapbook Glue Set

GNILLKO Vintage Scrapbook Paper Journaling Scrapbooking Supplies Kit

Vintage Scrapbook Supplies Pack

Vintage Scrapbooking Supplies Pack – Lace 1

Vintage Botanical Scrapbook Kit

Draupnir Aesthetic Scrapbook Kit

Firbon A4 Paper Cutter

Just My Style 1500+ Stickers

Mr. Pen Craft Scissors Decorative Edge, 6 Pack

PuTwo Set of 10 Metallic Marker Pens

Collecting Mementos

As a travel enthusiast, I always find myself collecting mementos from my trips. They are a great way to remember the places I have visited and the experiences I have had. In this section, I will share some tips on how to collect and store mementos for your travel scrapbook.

Types of Mementos

There are many types of mementos that you can collect during your travels. Here are some of the most popular ones:

• Postcards: Postcards are a classic souvenir that you can find almost anywhere. They are affordable, lightweight, and usually have a picture of the destination on the front.
• Ticket stubs: Whether it’s a plane ticket, train ticket, or museum ticket, keeping your ticket stubs is a great way to remember the places you have been.
• Maps: Maps are not only useful for navigating a new city, but they also make great mementos. You can mark the places you have visited or even use them to create a collage.
• Brochures and pamphlets: Many tourist attractions have brochures and pamphlets that provide information about the destination. Keeping them can be a great way to remember the details of your trip.
• Business cards: If you visit a restaurant or shop that you really enjoyed, ask for a business card. You can add it to your scrapbook as a reminder to visit again in the future.

Storing Your Mementos

Once you have collected your mementos, it’s important to store them properly so that they don’t get damaged. Here are some tips:

• Use acid-free paper: When adding mementos to your scrapbook, make sure to use acid-free paper to prevent them from deteriorating over time.
• Protect fragile items: If you have any fragile items, such as a seashell or a small statue, wrap them in tissue paper before adding them to your scrapbook.
• Use clear plastic sleeves: You can use clear plastic sleeves to protect your mementos from dust and other debris. They also make it easy to see your items without having to handle them.
• Label your items: Don’t forget to label your mementos with the date and location so that you can remember where they came from.

Overall, collecting mementos is a fun and easy way to remember your travels. With a little bit of planning and care, you can create a beautiful travel scrapbook that will be a cherished keepsake for years to come.

Organizing Your Travel Scrapbook

As someone who loves to travel and scrapbook, I know how important it is to organize your travel scrapbook in a way that makes sense and allows you to easily revisit your memories. Here are a few tips on how to organize your travel scrapbook:

Arranging by Destinations

One way to organize your travel scrapbook is by arranging it by destination. This means that you would create a section for each place you visited and include all the photos, tickets, and other memorabilia from that location in that section. This is a great way to keep everything organized and to make it easy to find a specific memory when you want to revisit it.

To make this even easier, you can create a table of contents at the beginning of your scrapbook that lists all the destinations you visited and the page numbers where you can find them. This will save you time flipping through pages trying to find a specific memory.

Creating a Timeline

Another way to organize your travel scrapbook is by creating a timeline. This means that you would arrange your memories in chronological order, starting with the first place you visited and ending with the last. This is a great way to see how your trip unfolded and to relive each moment in the order that it happened.

To make this even more interesting, you can include a map of your route and mark each destination as you go along. You can also include photos of the different modes of transportation you took, such as planes, trains, and automobiles.

Regardless of how you choose to organize your travel scrapbook, the most important thing is to make sure that it reflects your unique experiences and memories. Don’t be afraid to get creative and try new things, such as including sketches or handwritten notes. The more personal and unique your scrapbook is, the more meaningful it will be to you in the years to come.

Incorporating Media and Technology

As a travel scrapbooker, I love to incorporate media and technology into my scrapbooking process. Here are a few ways I use them to enhance my travel scrapbooks.

Using Social Media

Social media is a great way to gather inspiration and ideas for your travel scrapbook. I love to follow travel bloggers and photographers on Instagram to see their stunning travel photos and get ideas for how to document my own travels.

Another way to use social media is to create a hashtag for your trip and encourage your travel companions to use it when posting photos. This way, you can easily find all of the photos from your trip in one place and use them to create a collaborative scrapbook.

Scrapbooking Apps

There are many scrapbooking apps available that can make the process of creating a travel scrapbook easier and more efficient. Some of my favorite free apps include:

• Canva: This app has a variety of templates and design tools that make it easy to create beautiful pages for your scrapbook.
• PicCollage: This app allows you to create collages of your photos and add stickers and text to them.
• Google Photos: This app automatically backs up your photos and allows you to create albums and collages from them.

Using these apps can save you time and make it easier to create a cohesive and visually appealing travel scrapbook.

Overall, incorporating media and technology into your travel scrapbook can enhance the creative process and make it easier to document your travels.

Creative Ideas for Your Travel Scrapbook

As a travel enthusiast, I know how important it is to preserve memories from your trips. A travel scrapbook is a perfect way to keep those memories alive and relive those moments whenever you want. Here are a few creative ideas to make your travel scrapbook unique and memorable.

Creating a Collage

Collages are a great way to showcase multiple photos in one place. You can create a collage of photos from a particular location or event. You can use different shapes and sizes of photos to make them more interesting. You can also add stickers, washi tape, or other embellishments to make it more colorful.

Using a Map Background

Using a map background is a great way to add a unique touch to your travel scrapbook. You can use a map of the place you visited or a world map to mark the locations you have been to. You can also use a vintage map to give it a classic look. You can add photos, stickers, or other embellishments on top of the map to make it more personalized.

Overall, there are many creative ideas you can use to make your travel scrapbook unique and memorable. You can use a globe, vintage elements, or other unique touches to make it stand out. The most important thing is to have fun and let your creativity flow.

Preserving Memories and Experiences

As a traveler, one of the most important things for me is to preserve the memories and experiences of my trips. A great way to do this is by creating a travel scrapbook. It’s more than just a photo album; it’s a collection of stories, sights, and sounds that capture the essence of the journey.

When I’m creating a travel scrapbook, I like to start by gathering all the materials I need. This includes photos, postcards, ticket stubs, maps, and any other ephemera I’ve collected along the way. I also like to include journal entries or notes that I’ve written during the trip to add a personal touch to the scrapbook.

One of the benefits of creating a travel scrapbook is that it allows me to relive the memories and experiences of the trip. Each page tells a story, and flipping through the pages takes me back to that moment in time. It’s a great way to preserve memories and share them with others.

When it comes to organizing the scrapbook, I like to use a mix of layouts and designs. Some pages might be simple with just a photo and a caption, while others might be more elaborate with multiple photos and decorative elements. I also like to include quotes or lyrics that capture the mood or feeling of the trip.

Overall, creating a travel scrapbook is a fun and creative way to preserve the memories and experiences of a trip. It’s a great way to relive the sights, sounds, and emotions of the journey and share them with others.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are some creative cover ideas for a travel scrapbook.

When it comes to designing a cover for your travel scrapbook, the possibilities are endless. You can use maps, postcards, ticket stubs, or even create a collage of your favorite travel photos. Another option is to use a plain cover and decorate it with stickers, washi tape, or other embellishments that reflect your travel theme.

How can I make my travel scrapbook more personalized?

One of the best ways to personalize your travel scrapbook is to include items that are unique to your trip. This can be anything from a menu from a restaurant you visited to a seashell you found on the beach. You can also add personal touches like handwritten notes or drawings, or use a specific color scheme that reflects the mood of your trip.

What are some unique layouts for a travel scrapbook?

There are many different layout options for a travel scrapbook, but some unique ideas include using a timeline layout to document your trip day-by-day, using a map as a background for your pages, or creating a scrapbook that focuses on a specific theme, like food or architecture.

What are some essential items to include in a travel scrapbook?

Some essential items to include in your travel scrapbook are photos, ticket stubs, postcards, and maps. You can also add in journal entries, sketches, and other memorabilia that help tell the story of your trip. It’s important to choose items that are meaningful to you and reflect the highlights of your journey.

Are there any good travel scrapbook apps available?

Yes, there are several travel scrapbook apps available that make it easy to create digital scrapbooks on your phone or tablet. Some popular options include Project Life, PicCollage, and Canva.

Is scrapbooking still a popular hobby?

Yes, scrapbooking is still a popular hobby, especially among those who enjoy documenting their travels and creating personalized keepsakes. While digital options have become more popular in recent years, many people still prefer the hands-on experience of creating a physical scrapbook.

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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.

Related Articles

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

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

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

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

Why Keep a Travel Journal?

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

Preserving Memories

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Self-Reflection and Personal Growth

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Creative Outlet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

How to Start a Travel Journal?

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

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

Choose the Right Journal

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

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

Determine Your Journaling Style

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

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

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

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

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

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

Gather Essential Supplies

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

What to Include in Your Travel Journal?

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

Daily Itinerary and Activities

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Impressions and Emotions

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

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

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

Photos, Tickets, and Souvenirs

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

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

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

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

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

Tips for Effective Travel Journaling

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

Here are our top tips.

Write Regularly

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Be Descriptive and Detailed

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

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

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

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

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

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

Keeping Your Travel Journal Safe

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

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

Digital Backup

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

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

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

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

Protecting Physical Journals

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sharing Your Travel Journal

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Frequently Asked Questions

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

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

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

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

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

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

4. What are some different versions of travel journaling?

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

5. Can a travel journal be stored digitally?

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

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

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

Brooks Manley

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

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

Here’s my favorite journal for 2024: 

Gratitude Journal Prompts Mindfulness Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Anxiety Reflective Journal Prompts Healing Journal Prompts Cognitive Behavioral Therapy Journal Prompts Mental Health Journal Prompts ASMR Journal Prompts Manifestation Journal Prompts Self-Care Journal Prompts Morning Journal Prompts Evening Journal Prompts Self-Improvement Journal Prompts Creative Writing Journal Prompts Dream Journal Prompts Relationship Journal Prompts "What If" Journal Prompts New Year Journal Prompts Shadow Work Journal Prompts Journal Prompts for Overcoming Fear Journal Prompts for Dealing with Loss Journal Prompts for Discerning and Decision Making Travel Journal Prompts Fun Journal Prompts

How to Start a Bullet Journal + 25 Bullet Journal Ideas

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A Little Journal… These Digital Travel Diary Apps Are Worth Your Time

Last updated on January 4, 2024 by Shannon

As travel enthusiasts, we yearn to capture the essence of extraordinary travel moments and freeze them in time. We even want those mundane details preserved—what was the name of that hilarious taxi driver who shuttled you from the airport to your guesthouse?

If you’ve logged those details in a travel journal, you don’t have to remember—that’s where travel journaling apps come in, offering a digital travel scrapbook that easily documents even the craziest travel adventures.

I’ve been traveling the world for 15 years, writing, photographing, and sharing my travel stories from the first day. That means I have pretty high expectations when it comes to using digital travel diaries meant to preserve the memories of your expeditions. Here’s what you need to know about the best online travel journal apps available.

Table of Contents

What are Digital Travel Diaries?

While journaling about your travels via a paper notebook used to be called a travel log, the more modern equivalent is an online travel journaling app. That said, even diary app is just a new way to log the most important moments of your travels—and the mundane ones too.

Travel journals essential just document your experiences, capturing your memories as you travel the world. By logging your travel memories in real time via a journaling app, you ensure the smaller details are captured.

Was it a torrential downpour on the day you had booked an “any-weather” tour of the Norwegian fjords? Log that and then share how you felt at that very moment, otherwise the details fade with time.

That’s the real magic of keeping a travel log in any form, a beloved notebook, an app, or a blog. I’ve used all three over my 15+ years of travel. This travel blog was my primary travel log, but at times I’ve used these travel apps to capture moments more immediately.

And no matter my online travel journal app of choice, I always, always have a small physical journal. Even if you diligently record all of the best moments of your trip in your digital travel diary app, you should also carry a small travel journal that acts as your travel log—you use it to jot down funny off-the-cuff moments, or even just mundane details.

Perhaps you press between the pages ticket stubs, a pretty flower from your world wanders, and other small memorabilia that can’t be captured in a journaling app. It becomes a place to log currency conversions you can surreptitiously glance at when haggling at a market, or jot down lists and travel plans.

I never travel without a pocket Field Notes waterproof notebook and this Moleskine travel journal —its these two things that have allowed me to share such rich details on this blog, my personal travel log that’s been running 15 years and counting.

How to Choose an Online Travel Journal App

Travel journal apps are not one-size-fits-all. The best apps offer the exact range of features you need and at a price point you can afford—which can mean free! Many journaling apps offer a free version that may just meet your needs. Often its the more sophisticated features that require a paid upgrade.

Given that you’re probably snowed under travel planning, don’t waste your time downloading every travel diary app here. To pick the right app for your travels, consider these things before you download it:

When choosing an online travel diary app, there are several factors to consider that can help you find the one that best fits your needs. Here are some tips to help you make a decision:

• Features : Review what the journaling app actually does—what are the key features these app developers believe are the hallmarks of their app? That will tell you a lot about functionality. Standard features of most digital travel diaries include: text entry, photo and video uploading, geotagging, and weather data. Decide which features are important to you and ensure that the app provides them. Maybe you want an awesome map interface because you’re hopscotching around the world for a year ? Or you’re studying abroad you might want an app with more functionality around text and photo entries.
• Platform Compatibility : Check if the digital journaling app is available on your preferred platforms, such as iOS, Android, web-based, and desktop. If you’re bringing both a smartphone and laptop on your travels , you may wan a travel diary app that seamlessly switches between the two devices.
• Syncing and Backup : Consider whether the app offers syncing and backup options—and if those are free or paid features. You want access your travel diary across multiple devices, and you want it securely backed up to the cloud.
• Export and Sharing Options : If you plan to share your travel diary with others or would like to have a backup of your entries outside of the app, check if it offers export options, such as PDF or other file formats.
• Company Story : If the travel journaling app you’re considering using hasn’t been around for at least two-to-five years, run in the other direction. Companies, especially app makers, fold quickly. The last thing you want is an email saying you have a matter of days to download your cherished memories before they’re all deleted.

Best Travel Journaling Apps

Day One tops most of these lists because it’s actually that good—and it’s been around since 2011, so you know your travel memories are safe with this online diary app. The company has invested in a high-quality product, and updates over the years have responded to user reviews and feedback—which is enthusiastic across the board.

Its clean interface and seamless integration with iOS (both iPhones and Macs) and Android make it a joy to use. You can effortlessly capture each destination through text and photos, while popping in location data too.

Best app features : The “On This Day” functionality is neat because it doesn’t pull in the best of anything, but rather that exact moment years ago when you were on an incredible adventure out there in the world—or maybe you had logged a tasty hot chocolate at a hipster spot near that landmark you were visiting.

Either way, you’ll be transported back there in an instant and that app feature is maybe one of the strongest motivators to journal about all the big (and small) things that happen as you travel.

Cost : The free version is enough to see if you like it, but if you’re using this as your main digital travel journal then the one photo per entry restriction on free plans isn’t going to cut it. Premium is affordable though, at just under $3 per month, which buys you unlimited photos, videos, audio, drawings, and more.

If you go all in on Journey as your travel journal app, it will become your trusted companion. Rather than being a journaling app that’s great for travel, this travel-centric journaling app goes above and beyond with its extensive features.

Geotagging allows you to pinpoint the exact location of you experiences, while the inclusion of weather data and “mood” status adds depth to entries. You can import photos from your camera roll directly into journal entires, creating vivid visual narratives of your travels.

This robust app works on iOS devices and Android phones, Mac or Windows computers, and there’s even a web app! Basically, it’s an accessible and essential tool for any travel writer seeking to document their adventures with style and precision. Not only because of the features, but also because it allows multi-media exports in PDF or doc format.

It’s also a bit cheeky and has a handy guide to what Journey offers versus Day One or Daylio .

Best app features : Stand out for many will be the features that let you automatically sync and import social media content from Instagram and the like—what a time saver! And the full text editing screen is nice—you can bold, bullet, color, or link to anything you’d like right inside the text. Surprisingly, that’s not in every diary journaling app.

But one of the neater travel-focused elements are the three views for your journal—media (where you scroll by photos), map (which shows your entries pinpointed on a map of the world) and calendar (journals organized by date).

Cost : Unlike essentially all competitors, Journey offers a one time purchase license—currently $18. You can buy a membership for ~$4.20.

Daylio , billed as a “simple micro-diary app,” adds an interesting twist to a travel journaling routine. As a mood and activity tracker, it enables you to record daily experiences and emotions with ease—and without writing anything. It’s an interesting way to to reflect on how your travel adventures have impacted your overall well-being .

It’s not for the hardcore travel writer, but rather, Daylio captures the essence of the travel experiences in a uniquely personal way. It’s a good companion for those seeking to intertwine their emotional journey with their physical travels. And for those who want a more streamlined diary app with fewer features and just straight to the meat of what you want to do.

Best app features : This app is dead simple to use and can be updated in under a minute thanks to the tap interface. It’s certainly not going to be the only way you record you travels, but if you’re already planning to share extensively on a Facebook or Instagram page , then this ease of use may just ensure that you use it every day.

Cost : You could get pretty far with the free version, or upgrade for just $3 per month—only the premium version supports exporting to PDF.

4. Evernote

Real talk: The digital travel journal of your dreams may be something you’re already using. When it comes to versatile note-taking, Evernote reigns supreme. Its functionality goes beyond simple journaling, allowing the creation of multimedia-rich entries.

I’ve organized my entire life via Evernote—travel pans, stories, etc—and its robust features make a compelling case for this being one of the best journaling apps out there, period. Not just in travel, but in general.

As one of the best digital diary apps, you can update it seamlessly across iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.

Best app features : Well, you could use Evernote to basically plan and execute your trip, in addition to using it as a digital journal. You can also stay ruthlessly organized.

Cost : The free version offers 60 MB monthly uploads, which is constraining for travelers looking for an online app where they could add photos and videos to Evernote itself—this would like be better if you’re embedding YouTube videos, for example, versus storing them in Evernote.

The Personal version offers a more reasonable 10 GB in monthly uploads, but costs $11/month for that perk. If you’re already paying for Evernote for other reasons then this could be an excellent online travel journal, otherwise some of the other ones are likely better priced for a traveler.

5. Travel Diaries

For those seeking a dedicated travel journaling app, Travel Diaries hits the mark. It’s really a truly solid option. As a travel writer, I’m captivated by its interactive features. You can easily create immersive travelogues, complete with photos, maps, and annotations.

It’s also a captivating way to showcase your journey to fellow travelers (and your family and friends back home, of course!). The ability to share your travel stories and explore others’ adventures on the platform adds a sense of community not available in the other digital travel journaling apps.

It’s available as software for web, iOS and Android, but will only work with an internet connection (either cell data or wifi)—which means this might not be the best journaling app for those going far off-the-beaten path .

Best app features : A broad range of fonts and styles allow you to design your travel diary according to your own taste, and your travel log can include itineraries, travel photos, and a traveling map. The layout as an actual travel journal is a fun and personal touch that makes it feel like your digital diary is just as capable of creativity as a blank page in front of you.

Cost : There is no free version of Travel Diaries—it’ll be a subscription for as long as you want access to your travel journal. The basic plan costs $1 a month and includes unlimited storage and is really all most travelers will need for a robust travel journal. If you want to export your stories to PDF, you’ll have to upgrade to $3 per month.

Diaro App is a reliable companion for millions of people, not just globetrotters. This comprehensive diary app offers an array of features that elevate a travel journaling experience. Sometimes the best travel journal is, well, just a great online diary that you happen to use to document your travels.

The ability to add text, photos, tags, and organize entries into folders keeps this app well-organized—you can effortlessly find specific memories or delve into specific themes from your trips. It has a map of entry locations, which is especially important for those using this as a travel journal diary.

Diaro’s sleek interface and user-friendly design make the process of documenting adventures a true pleasure. Available on web, iOS or Android devices (with cross-device syncing via Dropbox) Diaro is a go-to app for travelers who want to capture the essence of their trip with elegance and efficiency.

Best app features : The multilingual UI (30+languages) may be a real boon for those for whom English is not their native language, but the shining standout features is just how easy it is to create a robust diary accounting for all of the key moments on your trip.

Cost : The free version has robust functionality. Upgrading to Diario Pro costs $10 per month and offers more customizability.

7. Polarsteps

Polarsteps is a great travel journal app that offers automatic tracking of your journey, making it effortless to document and share your trips. With its GPS technology, the app traces your route in real-time, creating a visually appealing map of your adventure without requiring any manual input.

This feature sets Polarsteps apart from other travel journal apps, as it eliminates the need for constant updates and allows you to focus on enjoying your trip while the app takes care of recording your route—and uses minimal data and power to do so.

What truly makes Polarsteps unique is its ability to create a beautifully presented travel log that showcases your journey. This app is made for the travel photographers out there also wanting a digital travel log of their journey.

Along with the automatic tracking, the app allows you to add photos, captions, and personal insights to your entries. These elements are then combined to create a visually stunning travel journal that can be shared with friends, family, and fellow travelers. I think this is one of the prettier apps—the maps alone are just a step up from the others.

Best app features : The GPS tracking is easily the standout here. You’ll know the precise spot you took a photo, and can then include a quick note—an inside joke you shared with a friend while there, a tidbit about the day, and more. This kind of precise location data is invaluable in the months and years after you travel.

Cost : It’s free! Polarsteps offers you a printed travel journal of your trip, which is how it’s monetized.

8. Waffle Journal

Waffle Journal stands out from the rest as a a collaborative journaling app that allows you to document and share your travel experiences with others—probably those on your same trip. Its unique approach fosters collaboration, allowing friends, family, or fellow travelers to contribute to your journal. With the ability to add stories, photos, and memories, everyone can create a collective travel diary that captures the essence of your adventures.

The app goes beyond traditional journaling by integrating multimedia elements. You can include photos, videos, and audio recordings. It’s not a travel journal specifically, so you’re not going to have any of those map features the travel apps have integrated into the experience, but it could be a great option for those travel in a group, or a group of friends who just love to share their travel adventures with each other. Social sharing features make it easy to showcase your travel adventures on social media platforms or via email.

BONUS: RIP: Bonjournal

Bonjournal captured my attention many years ago for its visually stunning approach to travel journaling. As you penned your travel stories, this app transformed them into beautifully presented narratives—and it made you choose just one photo to represent your day. Which was really quite neat.

This travel journal app is no longer available! Even though other websites are still recommending it as a travel diary app, the gorgeous app that debuted more than a decade ago is no longer up and running. Instead, a new app with the same name launched in 2021—it’s not a viable alternative. This new Bon Journal diary app is glitchy and poorly rated—storing your cherished travel memories there is not a good idea.

Don’t forget a paper journal as well.

This Moleskin travel journal is well made and worth the space it will take up in your bag. There will be times you just want to put pen to paper—you’ll be glad you have an analog record of your travels too.

How to Safely Store Travel Photos and Videos

These travel journaling apps are a terrific way to document your journey for personal memories, and to share with others. Although some long-term travelers create a travel blog to record their trips, using a travel diary instead is a great alternative.

You get amazing functionality and the ability to share your travel stories without the hassle of running a blog—which can get pricey and generally lacks the ability to share some stories privately with family, or keep other journal entries entirely private.

One thing all of these apps have are general constraints on how you upload, store, and present your travel photos and videos. Although some of these apps offer paid subscriptions with unlimited uploads, you’re likely safer if you store your actual travel photos elsewhere, too. Here’s a quick review of other places you can store travel photos, and the perks of using them in addition to, or instead of, a travel diary app.

• Facebook pages : Rather than use your personal profile, consider setting up a Facebook page for your trip—then you can share unlimited stories, photos, and videos. And you’re creating and sharing in a place where it’s likely your family and friends are already hanging out.
• Instagram : This is a great way to share photos, but videos and stories are a little more constrained on this platform. This might be a good option in addition to a digital travel diary.
• SmugMug : If you need a place to both store and display all of your travel photos, SmugMug is a great option. I’ve had an annual plan for more than a decade and it offers unlimited storage for all of my photos from all over the world for $88 per year. And it’s totally customizable—you can create gorgeous albums on a custom domain name if you own one.
• Google Drive : If you just need a backup solution without the need to share then Google Drive is a good option (I find Google Photos a chore to use). It’s just $2 a month for 100GB of cloud storage.

Ready for some travel inspiration? These are the best travel stories of travelers to follow now, inspiring books from historic travels, and short reads, too.

Essential Travel Planning Resources

❗ Yes, you need travel insurance . IMG Global is the travel insurance I’ve used for well over a decade of traveling solo, and with kids. Here’s why .

🧳 Smart packing can save your trip. Shop my favorite travel gear , including all of the packing essentials for world travel , gear to keep you safe on the road, my favorite travel books , and more.

🛏️ Find great accommodation . Booking.com is essentially the only hotel booking site that I use. It has a wide and affordable selection of traditional hotels, but also hostels and vacation rentals, too. Use these pro tips to find the best travel accommodation .

📍 Navigate more effectively. Rome2Rio is super handy to assess the full range of transport options between two cities—shows everything from flights to trains, buses, minibuses, and more. If you’re booking a rental car, I’ve always found the best deals on RentalCars.com .

✈️ Book affordable flights. Expedia is one of the first places I look for low-cost flights .

☕ Peruse all of my tips for round the world travel , or learn how to move and live abroad .

Over the holiday break, I took a few trips down memory lane, living vicariously through past journeys that I documented in old travel scrapbooks.  Remember photo albums? It’s how we used to share our adventures in the era before travel blogging. For me, these childhood albums are both reminders of treasured past memories, as well as keepsakes that inspire future wanderlust.  Don’t get me wrong — I love and appreciate the new world of online travel research and the tools we have at our fingertips; these forums save time and help connect us with other travelers.  However, travel scrapbooking was the creative precursor for people itching to document their adventures.

So, this got me thinking: in a COVID world where we currently can’t travel as we once did, why not use the time to dust off those old photos, and create an album of past trips?  Today is New Year’s Day — perhaps it’s a good time to set a scrapbooking goal for yourself for the year.  Pick one trip.  You have one year to get it done.  Here’s how to get started, and a little bit about my own travel scrapbooking journey.

My trip down memory lane

When I was 8 years old, my mom won an essay contest on NPR radio.  The prize was a trip for 4 people to Paris, France!  Little did I know this vacation of a lifetime would kick start my travel passions. I collected memorabilia all along the way and upon returning, carefully created my very first album.

I even made travel scrapbooking the focus of my senior project in high school — much to the dismay and hesitation of my senior advisor who mistakenly thought scrapbooking was not a worthy endeavor (Sorry, Mr. Kelly — I’m still not over that).  I convinced him to sign off on my idea, and then spent the last month of senior year attending scrapbooking workshops and learning more about the process from the “Pros.” I’d recently returned from Italy and wanted to chronicle my adventure in a creative and thoughtful manner. A month later, I showed up to my senior project presentation with my carefully curated travel memories in hand.  Even Mr. Kelly admitted it was pretty cool.

So, if you’re itching for travel, here’s a way to ride out the rest of COIVD, with a stay-at-home DIY project. Printing photos and taking the time to make an album may be old school (especially with the advent of digital scrapbook companies), but it’s the perfect activity to get the kids involved while everyone’s at home together, and it will inspire future travel journeys.   

STEP 1 DIY SCRAPBOOK: GATHER YOUR MATERIALS

• Printouts of your photos : Lots and lots of photos!  
• Travel memorabilia : coins, stamps, tickets stubs, maps, postcards
• Journal notes: If you wrote anything down, now’s the time to dig those notes out.  Sometimes I like to use the actual journal entry as a decorative element. Other times, I just rewrite a memory or two on each page.  
• Tools: album, scissors, double sided tape, glue, nicer quality construction paper, good markers/pens.
• Decorative elements: fancy paper, stickers
• Scrapbooking supply stores:  If you don’t have some of these materials at home, you can order online at Creative Memories , Scrapbook.com , Michael’s
• Digital options: If a digital scrapbook is more to your liking, check out the company Mixbook .

STEP 2 DIY SCRAPBOOK: CHOOSE WHICH MOMENTS TO HIGHLIGHT

There aren’t really any rules for this — it just comes down to what you’d like to highlight and how you want to tell the story.  

• Are you a linear thinker?  If so, you can start with Day 1 and map out your adventures each day at a time.
• Or, do you prefer to mix and match?  Do you think more thematically and wish to tell your story a bit differently?
• Don’t forget to highlight funny memories, action shots, and even travel “fails.”

STEP 3 DIY SCRAPBOOK: THINK ABOUT LAYOUT

This is where your creative juices can finally get flowing!  Here are some tips for creating a great layout. 

• Choose a color scheme for the page.
• Highlight 1-2 stories or moments. 
• Use your own handwriting to jot down memories, or have your kids help by writing a few notes in themselves.  You’ll love seeing their handwriting years later.
• Get creative with decorative elements and different textures — include coins, ticket stubs, stickers, old maps, or draw something freehand.
• Create borders around your pictures.
• Feel free to cut up your photos to create different design elements.

STEP 4 DIY SCRAPBOOK: GET GLUIN’

Once you have a layout idea, just go for it!  While writing this post, I found this “scrapbook in the making” photo in some old files – Me, age: 13. Decisions, decisions.

TIPS FOR FUTURE TRAVEL:

When you do treat yourself to another future excursion, you’ll want to keep the following tips in mind:

• Collect memorabilia in an organized fashion:   Bring a large manilla envelope to collect any travel tokens, papers, maps or supplies to use later on.
• Journal as you go:   Bring a small journal or notebook and write a few memories down each day. 
• Is your destination known for anything that you’d like to include?   For example, Florence is known for its beautiful Florentine paper, so I purchased some to use as a decorative element in my Italy scrapbook.

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Keep Roaming

gorgeous, artistic, and inspirational, jillian !

Loving the Canadian money!

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