In the last 10 years, I’ve travelled to over 35 countries. That’s a lot of travel in a short space of time, and as I’m getting older (ahem…) I find I’m starting to forget the finer details of my trips.
So, in the last year or so, I’ve started journaling my travel days! Sometimes it’s just a short sprawl, messy and inconsistent, but I do think there’s something lovely about keeping these records.
If you’re not sure what to write, these travelling journal prompts should help. You don’t need to answer them all, and you definitely don’t need to do them in order. Pick a few that resonate with you and give them a shot.
You might also like: 90 Short Travel Quotes That Will Make You Want to Pack a Bag
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Why Keep a Travel Journal
Photos are brilliant, of course. I take way too many photos when I travel. But photos don’t always tell the whole story.
They don’t always capture everything. A travel journal helps you hold onto those details.
Because it’s not just the actual activities or places you want to remember. It’s the people you meet, the way you felt seeing a particular sunset after hiking up a mountain, the taste of pastel de nata when you finally found a gluten free café that sold them!
The point isn’t to document every single minute of your trip. It’s just to capture enough of the details that, months or years later, you can read them back and remember what the trip was actually like, not just what you saw, but what you noticed, tasted, laughed at, struggled with (also important btw) and loved.
I also found that keeping a travel journal makes me pay more attention while I’m actually travelling. When you know you might write something down later, you start noticing more.
And it’s not just about the lovely bits either. The picture perfect Instagram worthy trip.
Some of my best travel memories come from the things that didn’t go quite to plan – getting stranded on an island after missing the last flight of the season off the island…
At the time, these moments can be frustrating, but later they’re often the stories you remember most. Writing them down gives you a more honest record of the trip. Not just the postcard version, but the real version.
Different Ways to Keep a Travel Journal
A notebook is still my favourite option. I tend to write in my journal every evening of a trip (if not too tired – which is pretty often when I travel). This is the latest one I’ve been using.
During the day, I use my notes app to jot things down, especially small details I know I’ll forget later. Voice notes are useful too, particularly at the end of a long day when I want to remember what happened but can’t be bothered typing.
There are also travel journal apps if you prefer everything in one place.
- Day One is good for general journaling with photos and notes.
- Polarsteps is useful if you want to track your route, add photos and create a map of your trip.
- Journey is another option if you want a simple digital journal that works across different devices.
120 Travel Journaling Prompts
Before You Go
- What made you choose this destination?
- What are you most looking forward to?
- What do you hope this trip gives you?
- What do you already know about where you’re going?
- What do you want to learn while you’re there?
- What are you curious about before you arrive?
- What are you slightly nervous about?
- What do you want to make more time for on this trip?
- What do you want to avoid overplanning?
- What kind of memories are you hoping to make?
- What food, drink or local speciality are you excited to try?
- What would make this trip feel worthwhile?
- What do you want to notice more carefully than usual?
- What do you want to leave behind, mentally or emotionally, before you go?
- What are you packing that feels especially useful, comforting or unnecessary?
The Journey There
- What was your travel day actually like?
- What did you notice at the airport, train station, ferry terminal or roadside?
- What did you do to pass the time while travelling?
- What was the first moment when the trip started to feel real?
- What did you see from the window on the way there?
- What was easier than expected about the journey?
- What was more tiring, stressful or chaotic than expected?
- What tiny detail from the journey do you want to remember?
First Impressions
- What was the first thing you noticed when you arrived?
- What did the air smell like?
- What sounds stood out straight away?
- What did the streets, buildings or landscape look like?
- What was your first proper view of the destination?
- What did you notice about the weather?
- What did you notice about the pace of life?
- What felt familiar?
- What felt completely different?
- What surprised you within the first few hours?
- What did your accommodation seem like when you arrived?
- How did your first impression compare with what you expected?
Exploring and Everyday Details
- What was the best thing you saw today?
- What did you discover by accident?
- What street, square, neighbourhood or walking route stood out?
- What did you notice when you slowed down and looked around properly?
- What was the most beautiful view?
- What ordinary detail felt worth remembering?
- What place would you happily go back to?
- What place didn’t live up to the hype?
- What did you enjoy more than expected?
- What did you enjoy less than expected?
- What did you notice about the colours of the place?
- What did you notice about doors, windows, signs, balconies or shopfronts?
- What did you notice that most people might walk past?
- What was the best place for people-watching?
- What was the most peaceful moment while exploring?
- What was the busiest or most chaotic moment?
- What made you stop and take a photo?
- What would you tell someone not to miss?
Food and Drink
- What was the best thing you ate?
- What was the most surprising thing you tried?
- What local dish, snack or drink would you recommend?
- What did you eat that you probably wouldn’t order again?
- What café, restaurant, bakery, bar or market stood out?
- What did breakfast look like?
- What food smell reminds you of this place?
- What was the best budget-friendly food find?
- What meal felt especially tied to the place you were in?
- What did you notice about how people eat or drink here?
- What would you love to recreate at home?
- What food or drink would instantly take you back to this trip?
People, Culture and Local Life
- What interaction with a local person stood out?
- What did you notice about everyday life here?
- What local habit, custom or rule did you find interesting?
- What did you notice about how people spend their mornings?
- What did you notice about how people spend their evenings?
- What did you notice in shops, cafés, markets or public spaces?
- What did you notice about public transport?
- What did you notice about families, friends or couples?
- What word or phrase did you learn?
- What language moment made you smile, panic or feel proud?
- What did you learn about the history of this place?
- What tradition, celebration or local detail caught your attention?
- What made you feel welcome?
- What challenged your assumptions?
- What part of the local culture would you like to understand better?
Moments You Want to Remember
- What was the funniest moment of the trip?
- What was the calmest moment?
- What was the most unexpected moment?
- What moment made you feel lucky to be there?
- What small detail do you never want to forget?
- What conversation do you want to remember?
- What view stayed with you the longest?
- What sound will you associate with this trip?
- What smell will you associate with this trip?
- What photo best sums up the day?
- What did you see that made you pause?
- What moment felt beautifully ordinary?
- What moment felt like something you couldn’t have planned?
- What made you laugh more than it probably should have?
- What would you write down before it disappears from memory?
Challenges, Surprises and Honest Thoughts
- What was harder than you expected?
- What didn’t go to plan?
- What would you do differently next time?
- What did you overpack, underpack or not need at all?
- What did you wish you had known before arriving?
- What tourist attraction, restaurant or experience didn’t quite work for you?
- What was more expensive than expected?
- What was better value than expected?
- What did you learn from a mistake, delay or awkward moment?
- What honest advice would you give someone planning the same trip?
Personal Reflections
- How did this trip make you feel?
- What did you learn about yourself while travelling?
- What moment pushed you outside your comfort zone?
- What did you handle better than expected?
- What did you realise you don’t need when travelling?
- What did you realise you really do need?
- What did this trip remind you to appreciate?
- What did you miss from home?
- What did you not miss at all?
- What part of the trip felt most like you?
- What are you proud of doing, trying or figuring out?
- What travel lesson will you take with you?
- What memory do you want to hold onto most?
- How would you describe this trip in three words?
- What would you tell your future self about this adventure?
