6 ideas for creating your travel journal

There are so many ways to keep a travel journal. I always have images of writing in a beautiful notebook, adding in some drawings, using colourful pencils, maybe a little watercolour painting that I do of the landscape…man, the thought of this journal is so dreamy!! You know what though? I have yet to ever make this type of journal.

The journals I have kept, I ended up buying cute cheap plain lined notebooks from wherever I am, and I love them just the same, well almost.  Since I am not the type of person who will just write a few lines explaining the day, a full-on lined notebook works best because I write for 20-60 minutes laying it all out on those pages type of person. LOL 

To be successful in keeping a travel journal you need to know what works for you and how to make it the easiest thing to do. You want to set a time each day for when you write in it, this will keep you consistent. It doesn’t have to have a specific time, just a trigger. Something like “write at dinner” if you are a solo traveler (plus this helps break up the “solo” part of eating alone), or “when you get up in the morning”, or “when you get home from the explorations of the day”.

I want to give you ideas on different ways to keep a journal to spark that inspiration for the next trip you take. Be sure to write in it each day, even if it is only 2 lines for one day, to keep that consistency and brain working. Plus when new things happen all the time it is hard to remember the little things of what happened the day before.

Click on each heading to show you ideas of each type.

Plain notebook

This has been my go-to choice. Now just because it is a plain notebook, doesn’t mean it has to be an ugly notebook. Get one with a pretty cover, choose lined or unlined and write what is going on in your brain. If I buy it before I leave, I like to glue an envelope at the back of it so I can stick in ticket stubs and little things in there from the trip.  I do like to keep one with a soft cover just for the pure fact that it is lighter and easier to carry around, as hardcover notebooks are my go-to at home.

Art book journal

Obviously this is a much more artist type of journal. Drawing or painting images, you don’t need to write a lot of words if you don’t want to, you can express your feelings more through an artistic way.  You can also write stories to go along with your art, draw what you had for breakfast, use mixed media of ripping or using things along your travels into your art.  You don’t have to be artist to do this type of journal. You can use stickers, cut out maps, cut out part of colouring pages and glue them in.

Bullet journal

Bullet journals take time to create but once created become very quick to use. If you are not really artsy, you can find layouts you can print out and create the journal that way. Most premade bullet journals may not have the things you want to keep track of on your travels, so being able to create your own and tweaking layouts to fit your purpose are the most ideal.

Digital Journal

This has become another one of my favourite types. Sometimes I just need to make things really easy for me to stay consistent. I have not used this for my travels yet, but I have recently been using it for my daily journaling. I love the fact that you can put so many things into your journal. I use the audio function a lot so I don’t have to write/type anything. You can also type, video record, add photos or videos you take, add documents, and draw. It is extremely versatile. You can have multiple types of journals in one spot plus it keeps track of the dates and times for you.

Scrapbook journal

A scrapbook journal is wonderful for travel. You can have it as a combination of a number of journals on this list. You can include photos, postcards, have writing blocks, areas when you want to draw/paint, and also include all those ticket stubs and programs.  It is a really fun journal that will take on a life of its own.

Prompt Journal

This type of journal helps you get your brain flowing in what to start writing about, along with getting you to think about and remember things you may not have thought about to write. You can buy travel journals with prompts or you can make your own, or you can just have a blank notebook and have a list of travel prompts to choose from each day.

Some list questions ideas are:

• What was your favourite thing you did today?
• What was your least favourite thing you did today?
• Where was the best place you ate today?
• What was your favourite thing you ate today?

No matter what type of journal calls to you, use it. Look at even starting your journal prior to your trip and write about your planning and what you are excited about, then while you are on your trip and lastly once you get home how you felt about it all.

Even though mine never turns out to be the “pretty” kind, I use all the writing or just snippets of it and include it in the photo book I make of my trip. Having words and a narrative to go along with your photos makes them much more special.

Make sure you check out my other article on why you should be keeping a travel journal to also help you decide which one will be best for you.