Travel journaling is a great way to capture all of those special moments and memories from your vacation. All while letting your creative side go wild!
So you want to start a travel journal. You bought a beautiful travel journal, got some great new pens, and a cute bag to hold it all in! You’re super excited to get started but soon start to think twice. What the heck do people write in travel journals?
Don’t worry, 98% of the rest of us are thinking the same thing.
I’ve been there!
- Your feeling stuck for ideas
- get home from an incredible vacation only to stare at blank pages
- you then convince yourself you’ll come back to it later.
And it never happens.
But don’t worry! With these seventy writing prompts you’ll never run out of ideas.
You might be interested in our post about getting started with travel journaling.
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One of the best things about creating travel journals is that there are no rules.
You can do whatever you want. Draw, paint, add stickers, washi tape, and of course, photographs. Write as much or little as you’d like.
Create a unique journal that tells your stories in any way you’d like.
And if you feel a bit stuck (like I have) writing prompts will help so much!
Tips For Travel Journal Writing Success
But before we get to the writing prompts, here are a few tips to help make your travel journal even better! They will be quick (I promise!)
1. Be Descriptive.
This is a great time to be funny, cheesy or let your inner best-selling author out. Don’t worry about sounding silly! It’s just for your eyes; make it fun!
Which of these sounds more memorable to you?
“I watched the most beautiful sunset tonight.”
Or
“We sat together on a tiny wooden bench overlooking the ocean. As the sun sank into the horizon, the sky was painted with shades of pinks, purples, and blues.”
Now combine this with a photo, and you have travel journal gold!
2. Don’t Forget The Small Stuff!
It’s so important to remember your first impression and how you felt seeing that famous landmark or checking something extraordinary off your bucket list. But don’t forget those small everyday moments.
I will never forget how I felt seeing Stonehenge in real life for the first time. It was mesmerizing. (Read my post here)
But it’s also the little things that made the trip so. much. fun!
Like how my husband and I giggled like schoolgirls while secretly woofing down sausage rolls on the “no food allowed” tour bus as it made its way to Bath. Oh, it was so much fun!
3. Don’t Just Look.
It’s so easy to write down what we see. But don’t forget to use your other senses as well.
What are you smelling? How did that fancy dinner taste? Do you hear unique music? How does the sun feel on your skin?
I’ll never forget the smell of our hotel in London. I have a whole page in my travel journal dedicated to trying to dissect what exactly the scent was. (In case you’re wondering, I narrowed it down to something herby… I think basil. 🌿)
4. Don’t Forget Before And After
Start your travel journal when you are planning and prepping your trip and after when you are unpacking everything (literally and figuratively)!
- Talk about your itinerary,
- what you want to pack,
- what you need to do before you leave,
- make yourself a to-do list. There are so many pre-travel pages you can create!
And after your amazing trip, talk about how you’re feeling since you’ve been home.
- Are you glad to be home?
- What do you miss about your holiday?
- What do you regret not doing?
- How do you feel physically and mentally?
5. Talk About Not-So-Great Stuff.
Not all holidays are perfect. Write down the crappy stuff too. Sometimes the worst experiences turn into the best stories and it’s so fun to laugh about them later.
I could go on and on about crappy stuff that’s happened to us when travelling, but I won’t bore you with my negative nelly stories. But I will say one thing… you won’t find any articles on ocean cruises on our site for a reason.
6. Take pictures, but step out from behind the lens.
I love taking pictures but sometimes it drives my family nuts. My husband says stuff to me like, “just remember.”
Seriously dude?
But there is some wisdom in his terrible advice.
Don’t get consumed with taking photos. Take in your surroundings and what’s going on around you.
Get out your little notebook, jot down a few notes, or if time (and your family has enough patience), do a sketch, collect flowers to press (if allowed) or talk to locals, shop keepers or other tourists.
Andrea Bartz has written an interesting article on Psychology Today, all about how we remember moments less when we focus on taking pictures. Weird huh! Read more here.
“Our lazy brains lean on technology to do the remembering for them; we figure the smartphone will capture the event, so we don’t need to really attend to it ourselves.”
ANDREA BARTZ
Travel Writing Prompts
Writing prompts can come in so handy when you feel a bit uninspired or maybe want some fresh ideas to spice up your pages.
So with no further ado. Here is a HUGE list of seventy writing prompts that will help inspire you to create a personalized memento of your travels!
Download your printable copy of our travel journal writing prompts checklist –> get yours here.
Before Your Trip
Ideas For “Pre-Travel” Writing
First Impressions
You’ve arrived! What Are Your First Thoughts?
During Your Trip
So Much To Remember! Write It All Down.
Toss a small notebook into your bag before you head out on your adventures. So when you are out and about, you can jot down all the little details you may forget later.
This is a great time to record your emotions and things your senses are picking up. Then when you get time to work on your journal later, you can reference your little notebook.
Keep It Up After Your Trip
Conclusion
Travel journals are such a fun and artistic way to record memories from your holidays. There is lots of freedom in what you can put inside of a travel journal. And it’s such a great way to get creative!
Whether you are just getting started or an avid journaler, sometimes you can feel a bit stuck. You’re not sure what to write, where to start or feel a bit stuck can be frustrating. Travel journal writing prompts will help you get unstuck and journaling your travels like a pro!
Want more information? Here is an excellent article on travel journaling by Bullet Journal.
Want a printable copy of this list of travel journal prompts?
Simply fill out the form below and receive a free printable pdf copy of the travel journal writing prompts checklist.
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