When you travel, you create the most beautiful memories. You discover new places, meet special people, and experience moments you never want to forget. Of course, you take photos with your phone, but how nice is it to capture all those memories on paper too?
Are you going away for a weekend, taking a city trip, or planning a long journey? In this blog, you'll find plenty of travel journal inspiration, useful tips, and fun ideas to create your own travel diary. With a travel journal or diary, you not only collect photos but also stories, tickets, stickers, receipts, and small souvenirs. This way, you create a personal book full of memories that you'll enjoy flipping through for years to come.
Why create a travel journal?
In an age where almost everything is digital, paper still holds something special. A travel journal is much more than a simple notebook; it's a tangible reminder of your trip.
By writing, drawing, or keeping small souvenirs along the way, you experience your trip more consciously. And years later, you can still precisely recall how a place smelled, what special places or animals you saw, how delicious that one restaurant was, or what funny event you had almost forgotten.
Moreover, a travel journal doesn't have to be perfect at all. It's often the spontaneous pages that tell the most beautiful story.
The power of paper
Imagine: you have planned your trip down to the smallest detail. Your route is in Google Maps, places you want to visit, lists of good restaurants, or recommendations from friends are saved on your phone. You arrive at your destination and the improbable happens: your phone has no internet connection, is dead, or even worse; lost. In a world where we are always online and all information is available on our phones, we sometimes forget the power of paper. In this case, a travel journal offers a solution. If you write down in advance which villages, beaches, museums, nature reserves, or cities you want to visit, you will always be well-prepared. During the trip, you can make notes in your directions, stick in travel tips you've collected, and write down recommendations from locals. Keep your travel journal in your bag, and you'll always have your travel plan at hand without Wi-Fi.
By writing down important addresses, directions, sights, and travel tips in advance in your travel journal, you always have your plan at hand. During the trip, you can easily add extra tips from locals, note new restaurants, or write out a nice walk.
This way, your travel diary becomes not only a memory but also a practical travel companion.
Collecting souvenirs
One of the most enjoyable parts of a travel journal is collecting small mementos.
For example, save:
- flight tickets
- train or metro tickets
- museum tickets
- unique packaging from chocolates, coffee, or tea
- entrance tickets
- postcards
- stickers
- stamps
- restaurant receipts
- business cards
- brochures
- maps
- packaging of local delicacies
- dried flowers or leaves
There's really only one rule: if something reminds you of your trip, it belongs in your journal. With some washi tape, stickers, or fun journaling accessories, you can turn every page into a personal work of art and memory.
The best way to capture a memory is, of course, with a photo. Nowadays, we are used to taking photos with a smartphone, but this has a disadvantage. If you can take an infinite number of photos, you are less challenged to take a beautiful photo with, for example, a special composition. With a portable smartphone printer or pocket printer, you can print photos from your smartphone directly, wherever you are. When you keep a travel journal, it's ideal to incorporate photos into it at that moment. Unlike a Polaroid camera, it's also nice that you still have the original photo digitally so you can share it on Instagram, for example. You can incorporate these photos into your travel journal in a fun way, for example, by making a collage.
Enjoy the moment
Going on holiday can sometimes cause a lot of stress due to the arrangements, travel, and hustle and bustle. On some holidays, you have many things planned and want to do as much as possible in the days you have available. It can then be difficult to be in the present moment and you forget to enjoy it. A travel diary forces you to observe, listen, smell, and taste. This way, you can create a valuable page in your journal to capture this moment.
A travel journal also lends itself perfectly as a space for self-reflection. Write or illustrate about your feelings, personal growth, and all the life insights you gain during your travels. Keeping a diary can be a therapeutic way to process your experiences and emotions and to write or paint everything off your chest. Take a moment for yourself each day to write down what you are grateful for during your trip.
Make lists of things you have discovered. For example, write down what new music, restaurants, fashion, or cafes you discovered during your holiday. Note which books you discovered or read.
Which notebook is suitable for a perfect travel journal?
This is where the anticipation begins: choosing a travel diary. Start your search online. Get inspiration from Pinterest, YouTube, Instagram, and blogs. See how other creative people keep their journals and which notebook or sketchbook they have chosen.
The search for a new notebook might just be the most enjoyable part of preparing for your trip. You can choose a ready-made travel journal with pre-printed pages, but a blank notebook or sketchbook also works perfectly. This way, you can fully customize the layout to your own style.
Do you like to use watercolor, markers, or brush pens? Then choose paper with a higher grammage. Do you mainly write a lot? Then a compact notebook with lined or dotted pages is ideal.
Notebooks with an envelope at the back are also handy for safely storing tickets, stickers, and other small souvenirs.
A canvas for your creativity
If you enjoy drawing, sketching, or painting, use your travel diary as a canvas to unleash your creativity. Use different media such as watercolor, gouache, charcoal, fineliners, pencils, markers, or pastels and create illustrations of landscapes, buildings, food, animals, people, or other elements that inspire you during your journey.
Less creative or less time?
Keep it simple, don't put pressure on yourself. After all, you're on holiday. Take photos, save fun trinkets you find in cafes, libraries or museums and stick them in your travel diary. Add some nice notes or anecdotes and you'll quickly have a beautiful journal!
Full, now what?
Sit back and relax! Enjoy your (1st?) travel journal! After returning home, you can open it whenever you want and relive all your experiences. Share it with your family or friends, or keep it for yourself. Create a special spot for it on your bookshelf, where you can keep all your travel stories. You can also use it as an example for your next travel diary.
