Now that travel restrictions have been lifted, and more people are traveling, some for the first time, travel journaling has become quite popular. Today I want to share with you some fun travel journal ideas and prompts so you will have lasting memories of your trip.
I remember back in 2015, when I went on my first solo trip, the lady I was staying with gifted me this beautiful travel journal. It was such a special gift for me as this journey was exciting and scary, it being my first one alone.
It never once crossed my mind to have a travel diary. What a fun way to keep track of everything you did, saw, ate, and the people you encountered along the way.
I loved it!
Sadly though, it was one of the things that got packed up and left behind when I moved down to Guatemala. Ah well.
It is definitely something I highly recommend getting and using, especially if this is your first solo trip. I think it’s a great way to store all your fun travel memories in one place so you’ll never forget them.
And don’t forget to check out other blogs on travel journal ideas, not just mine!
(this article contains affiliate links, so if you make a purchase, I may make a small commission-affiliate disclosure here)
Buying Your Own Travel Journal
If you didn’t get a travel journal as a going-away gift and you need to buy your own, there are many on Amazon that I think you might like.
I think buying your own travel journal makes it all that more special because you picked it out, and it has all the little details inside you want to record your journal entries, your trip planning, all the good times you had, and so much more!
Not only that, it’s a wonderful place to hold all your travel memories, so you don’t forget anything.
So without making this a long and boring article about solo female travel, let’s get to the 35 fun travel journal ideas.
Important note~ make sure you share your travel itinerary with a family member or friend back home in case something happens.
35 Travel Journal Ideas You’ll Love
These are some of the fun things I wrote in my travel journal and a few of the other travel journal prompts I got from other travelers. I hope you enjoy this list of travel journal ideas, and if you have a few of your own that aren’t listed here, please drop them down in the comments.
I also think leaving blank pages in your travel journal is a good idea so you can fill in some info when you return home.
1 Your destination
Of course, you have to jot down where in the world you’re going! The destination is the most important thing if this is your first trip.
2 What you liked the most
You’ll want to jot down everything you loved about this destination. Was it the weather, the people, the food, the water?
3 What you liked the least
I hate to break it to you, but not all trips are perfect. It’s a good idea to jot down things you didn’t like so you won’t forget them. This way, if you decide to return to this place, you’ll know what to expect.
4 Weather
So tell us, how was the weather? I like to note important things like ‘the rain was torrential, and there were many mudslides’ or ‘it was gorgeous every day.’
5 Amazing restaurants
Did you find a fabulous restaurant? Write that out so you’ll know for next time, or better yet, give them a shoutout on social media or Trip Advisor.
6 Foods you loved
What were some of the new foods you tried and loved? Were you able to get a recipe from the cook? Can you make that same dish back home?
7 Foods you hated
Yuck. Gross. Disgusting. Jot that down too. It’s always fun to look back and be reminded of that time you ate goat’s intestines (or whatever) and nearly threw up! Ha!
8 Adventures you went on
Did you go ziplining or scuba diving? Maybe there were some things you didn’t get a chance to do but want to next time you go. Jot those down too.
9 Fun means of transportation
Did you take a donkey, a camel, a rickety old boat, or a decked-out bus? Was transportation easy? Affordable or expensive? Safe or dangerous?
10 Contact information
If you got contact information from Airbnb hosts or taxi drivers, write them all out so you’ll have them in case you go back for a visit.
11 Did you try something new?
I’m sure you did! I hope you did anyway. Maybe you learned how to cook a new dish or beat a drum. Writing out these new skills is good for your self-confidence!
12 Did you fall in love?
Did you meet someone who made your heart flutter? I did on my first solo trip, and my heart was so sad when I had to leave. My travel diary had notes all about him.
13 Critter check
Chances are you’re going to come across critters you thought you’d only see on National Geographic. Name them and do some fun research on them.
14 New words you learned
Did you visit somewhere where English is not the first language? What are some of this country’s most common words and phrases?
15 An unforgettable day
Did one day really stick out as extra special? Maybe you went somewhere breathtaking or bought something amazing.
16 Flight details and transportation
Ok, oops, this should have been the first of the travel journal ideas. Ha! So the first page of your travel journal should include your flight and all the details of your travel to your destination. You might want to include if your travel was good or bad.
17 Places you missed out on
Sometimes we run out of time in our travels and miss things we really wanted to see. Jot them down in your travel diary so you can make time for them next time or at a different destination maybe.
18 Did you make new friends?
One thing about travel is you get to meet other travelers and cool people on your journey. Who did you meet? Did you get their contact info for future trips together?
19 Special events
Did you take in an amazing concert by a famous performer or maybe you saw a spectacular water fountains show? Write it down, and if you have the ticket stub, stick that in there too.
20 Learn new customs
Traveling to foreign countries is very educational and enriching, in my opinion. You learn new cultures and traditions. What did you learn in your travels?
21 Did you get sick?
I did quite a few times. That’s part of traveling, to be honest. Peru wiped me out, Mexico I got covid, Guatemala, and food poisoning. What about you?
22 One special thing you bought
There has to be one. At least one exceptional thing you bought and maybe one unique thing you couldn’t have purchased because you had no room to bring it back or did not have enough money for it. What caught your eye and made you want to buy it?
23 How did this trip make you feel?
Were you scared, happy, sad, lonely, nervous, or full of life and excitement? Were you apprehensive and didn’t fully enjoy the experience? Write out your feelings.
23 What are you grateful for today?
Do you also have a gratitude journal on your trip? If not, that’s ok. You can write down the things you are grateful for during your trip in your travel journal too.
24 What wore you out?
Traveling, while fun, can also be exhausting. What things did you do that wholly exhausted you to the point where you questioned whether you should have done that? For me, it was the climb to Machu Picchu.
25 The vibe of the town
What was the energy and vibe of the town like? Was it a sleepy little village or one that was full of life, colours, and energy? Jot down your favorite things. Regarding travel journal ideas, I love this one because it brings you back to that special place years down the road when you’re looking back through your travel memories.
26 Challenges you overcame
And trust me, there will be challenges. What challenge were you faced with, and how did you manage to overcome it? Was it super embarrassing or did you pull it off like a queen?
27 Going off the beaten path
Did you go somewhere most tourists typically don’t go? Were you super adventurous and went off the beaten path? Write about all that! How exciting.
28 Talk about the accommodations
How was your room/villa? Did you hate it/love it? Was it good value for your money? Was it clean, dirty, safe, etc.?
29 What’s the town famous for?
Does the town have something it’s famous for? Maybe an old legend or some odd history? This will give you something to Google and learn more about when you have time.
30 Journal your mood
Travel journal ideas don’t always have to be about travel only. Try to journal your mood of the day or how you’re feeling. You won’t feel 100% every day, and that’s ok.
31 Lessons learned
One great thing about life is that we learn as we go. We learn about other people, life and even ourselves. What did you learn on this trip?
32 Things you forgot to bring
It happens. Sometimes you can find those things where you are visiting, other times, no. So what did you forget to bring that was kind of important that you must remember next time?
33 What’s the culture like?
How did families interact? Did the children go to school or work? Were there many young moms? Do the women stay home to cook and clean all day while the men work? Are women treated equally? Are they religious? What have your observations been on these topics or others?
34 Would you go back?
Did you love it so much that you want to return, or have you seen enough the first time? Would you highly recommend it to your friends to visit?
35 Intriguing things to note about this destination
Every town is special and different. Was there anything about this place that really stood out to you as special, unique, amazing, or anything else?
Other travel journal ideas and journal prompts
Here are a few more travel journal ideas that might interest you. These actually were really handy for me when I went to Peru.
It’s important to know that transportation can sometimes be confusing and complicated. Keep track of these situations so you know for next time, or you can alert your friends if they are headed there.
More travel journal ideas:
- Cost of transportation and special notes for trains, buses, planes, etc.
- Level of safety at night, during the day, in crowds, etc.
- Important cultural things you should know for next time
- What the ideal budget for this trip should be
- Bad things that may have happened to you or in general
I hope you can jot down some travel journal ideas in the comment section. These are just the ones I can think of but maybe you’re into art journaling or bullet journaling or something totally different but you want to integrate with travel journaling!
Share your travel tips below with the others.
Your travel journal ideas make things special
As I mentioned earlier, if this is your first trip, keeping a travel diary will be special. It will hold all your beautiful memories.
Life has a funny way of throwing curveballs at us; sometimes, travel isn’t always on the agenda, or can’t be (remember that nasty virus?). This is why keeping a diary of all your travels is super important.
I hope you liked my list of travel journal ideas and that they help guide your journal entries and travels.
Happy trails to you!!
ox iva xo
