The Travel Journal: A Fun Way to Chronical Your Trip!

A fun and practical way to record your itinerary and the memories you make. Also, The Solo Traveler recommendations for the journals I love.

One thing I do somewhat obsessively before a trip is to plan and record the details. I use several apps that are useful for planning and navigation, but since my adventures sometimes take me off the beaten path where Wi-Fi isn't readily available, I go full old-school and even print itineraries. The former Girl Scout in me is all about preparedness. Just wait until my post about my Mary Poppins travel bag!

A travel journal (or diary) is not only handy while planning your trip itinerary, budgeting expenses, and noting important information, but it's also fun to record details of your experiences along the way. It's amusing to reflect back later, especially years down the road.

I tend to try different types of journals according to the trip. There are so many options on the market from minimalist journals to leatherbound, keepsake varieties. I lean towards the minimalist style, but I have researched higher-end journals as gifts for others. They are a nice treat for folks preparing to travel as a celebration of a special occasion, like a milestone anniversary trip, a retirement trip, or even a graduation. Below I review a few of my favorites highlighting the characteristics I like best.

This post may contain affiliate links. If you use these links to buy something, I may earn a commission.

Journal #1: Minimalist Journal

This is the first travel journal I used, and it was perfect for me. It's inexpensive but elegant and has an inspiring design with the simple words, "Wander Always" on the front. That just makes me feel good! I love to wander...

The planner has space to plan for 6 trips and contains pages for checklists, packing lists, location research, budgets, accommodations transportation, and journaling. It's an easy-to-carry size (8.5" x 6.1").

Further research about this journal revealed that our purchases support a small business. To see more of her beautiful planners, visit The Lamare.

Journal #2: This Journal is Also a Game!

I first heard about The Adventure Challenge during a morning commute to work a couple of months ago. Callers were raving about the Couples Edition and Family Edition. They spoke so highly about their books, I looked up their website as soon as I arrived at work. I had to know what all the hoopla was about - men and women were genuinely excited about these books! I purchased the book on Amazon Prime Day

in preparation for my next trip.

I was delighted with the fun vibe in this book, complete with exciting, scratch-off adventures that keep the activities a secret until you're on the road! This takes the pressure off of you to come up with all of your own activities. According to their website, "Once it's scratched off, you HAVE to do it. It's time to discover something new about yourself. Simply choose a category together, then scratch off your adventure! Don't forget to take a picture and journal your experience! When you finish, you'll have a keepsake to look back on."

The Adventure Challenge has lots of options (challenges) to keep you entertained, whether your traveling or at home - solo or with friends and family.

Journal #3: The Keepsake

There are some truly beautiful, hefty, and keepsake-worthy journals on the market. While this isn't the type of journal I'd buy for myself, they are certainly gift-worthy. It's not that I wouldn't want to own one, it's just not something I would think to purchase for myself.

When I see leatherbound beauties, what comes to mind is a lovely graduation gift or a special sendoff for a couple celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary with a bucket list vacation. I see a person who has just retired from a long career, ready to kick off retirement with the trip of a lifetime.

Surprisingly, these upscale-looking journals are widely available at a wide range of prices. You can find very affordable options under $50, and another nice touch is to get it personalized. For personalized items, I like to shop at Etsy because I enjoy supporting small businesses. Here is a highly-rated example of the type of journal I am referencing in this blog post.

Final Journal Tips: Style is one thing, but the point is to plan, plan, plan!

As I mentioned at the beginning...planning is essential. The more you plan and have written confirmation of your plans, including addresses of hotels or campsites, booking confirmations, including excursion tour group contacts, airline information, etc., the easier it will be for you to navigate in unfamiliar places and alter plans on the fly. It reduces the stress that is caused by frantically searching for information on your phone, usually in times when Wi-Fi or cell service is not available. Isn't that always the way? Having this information handy makes it easier and less stressful to pivot and have Plan B options available. I am a big fan of Plan B options. See my blog about the Grand Canyon to hear about how my backup plans and printed itinerary information helped me to quickly change my original itinerary with no stress at all!

Safe travels...