The Ultimate Guide to Keeping a Travel Journal: What You Need to Know

There are certain things you should know and do when it comes to keeping a travel journal. You can check out our guide by clicking here.

Have you ever gone on an amazing trip of a lifetime that you thought you’d never forget…only to find yourself a few years later with blurry memories of it all?

Picture this: tour friends are asking you for restaurant recommendations in Tulum. You know you went to a killer seafood place while you were there, but now you can’t for the life of you remember the name of the place! 

All of this could be avoided with a handy little tool called a travel journal. 

What is a travel journal, you ask? Why would I need one of those? How do you write a travel journal? 

Keep reading to find out! 

What is a Travel Journal?

If a journal is the story of your life, then a travel journal is the story of your travels!

Think of travel journaling as keeping a log of anything important or memorable from your trips. It is a place to keep track of all the adventures, thrills, and mishaps that happen to you while traveling.

A travel journal can be an actual physical journal, or it can take an electronic format. For those who wish to keep a digital journal, online travel journal templates can be helpful. Others may prefer the act of physically writing in an actual journal. 

Whatever your style is, you can make a travel journal to match your own tastes and personality. 

Why Keep a Travel Journal?

No matter how unforgettable a trip may seem in the moment, the truth is that memories do fade over time. Starting a journal of your travels is a great way to remember all the details of your trip. When you read back over it, it will be like reliving all those fantastic memories!

In addition to saving your memories, here are a few more reasons to keep a trips journal:

*It’s a great way to keep track of the names of restaurants and specific spots you visited (so you can share recommendations later!)

*It will give you something to do on the plane (or the train… or whatever your preferred mode of transport is)

*Journaling helps you to be more mindful and observant of what you’re experiencing

*You’ll have a special treasure to pass on to your grandkids one day

For many people, the joy of journaling is its own reward. Even if no one else ever sees what you write, you’ll get the pleasure of writing down your own story.

How to Write a Travel Journal

The great thing about journaling is that you don’t have to be a great writer to keep a great travel journal! You’re not trying to write the next New York Times bestseller; you’re just trying to keep track of your travels.

If you’re not sure how to begin or what you should write about, here are a few travel journal ideas to get you started: 

*Write about the people you meet on your trips

*Describe the activities or tours you participated in

*Take photos or make drawings of the places you went to

*Paste small souvenirs into a hard copy (like plane tickets, maps, etc.) 

*Write down new things you learned while traveling

Think of this list as just a few ideas to get you started. It’s your travel journal, so you are only limited by your own imagination and creativity! 

Bon Voyage! 

Now that you’ve got a few ideas about how to keep a travel journal, you’re ready to start your own! 

For more travel tips like these (or if you need some ideas for your next great trip), check out the Savvy Travel section of our blog!