Travel
Fact-checked

At WiseGEEK, we're committed to delivering accurate, trustworthy information. Our expert-authored content is rigorously fact-checked and sourced from credible authorities. Discover how we uphold the highest standards in providing you with reliable knowledge.

Learn more...

What Are the Best Tips for Keeping a Travel Journal?

Dan Cavallari
Dan Cavallari

Many travelers keep a travel journal to help document important events, people, or occurrences that happen while on a trip. This is a great way to keep memories vivid, and the writer will be able to refer back to the journal for years. It is important to remember, however, that sometimes less is more: a smaller journal packs better and is lighter, and fewer details sometimes make for better reading. Be selective both about the type of journal chosen for writing and the items chosen to write about in the travel journal to ensure the content is interesting and accessible.

A travel-worthy travel journal will be small and packable, lightweight, and easy to write in. Some travelers choose to purchase the journal while on the trip so it holds special significance in itself. Others choose to buy a sturdy notebook at home so the trip to the destination can be chronicled as well. Whichever method is chosen, it is a good idea to choose a lightweight, hardcover journal that will stand up to the abuse of traveling. Choosing an appropriate pen to go with the travel journal is appropriate as well. Try to choose a sturdy pen that will not leak, and one that will pack easily. Some manufacturers make travel pens that collapse or fold in on themselves for easy storage.

A travel journal might detail one's impressions of the Sistine Chapel without discussing the line of people waiting to see it.
A travel journal might detail one's impressions of the Sistine Chapel without discussing the line of people waiting to see it.

The traveler should be selective about what he or she writes about in the travel journal. It will be tempting to chronicle every insignificant event that occurs on the trip, but the best journals will focus instead on major events and occurrences along the way. It helps to consider who will read the travel journal so the writer has an idea of what kind of audience he or she is writing for. If the journal is for personal review only, the writer should consider what stories and facts will be most interesting later on when he or she goes back to read it. The look, feel, and smell of the Sistine Chapel may be appropriate fodder for a journal, for example, but chronicling the endless time spent in line to get in or the minor annoyances along the way may not be worth remembering.

A travel journal should be small and lightweight so that it's convenient to take along on a journey.
A travel journal should be small and lightweight so that it's convenient to take along on a journey.

Numbering the pages in the journal will help the reader when referring back to a specific time or place. It may even be helpful to leave a few blank pages at the front of the journal for a table of contents or index once the journal is filled. This will help for quicker reference when the reader wants to find out more about a particular place or event.

Discussion Comments

truman12

One simple tip that a lot of people overlook is to keep your journal and a pen on you at all times. Don't leave them in the hotel or packed away in some suitcase. If you have them close at hand you will be more inclined to use them. You might jot some thoughts down on a bus ride or in a moment of contemplation. If you make it convenient to write in your journal you will fill it up faster.

jonrss

Many people these days will keep a travel blog rather than a travel journal. This has advantage and disadvantages. The advantage is that you can share your travel stories with family and friends around the world. You can include pictures and video that help others live vicariously through your adventures.

The disadvantage is that because a blog is public you might not include everything on it that you would include for a journal with an audience of one. Some of the best parts of a trip are very personal and not the kind of thing you want posted on the web for the rest of time.

ZsaZsa56

The best tip for keeping a travel journal is to be consistent about it. Take 15 or 20 minutes at the end of each day to write down some thoughts about what you have done that day. You might be surprised how much you forget by the next morning. Making a habit out of it will ensure that you record all the best details.

I keep a travel journal any time I take a trip, even if it is just for a few days in Chicago or something. I have been doing this for years and reading back through old journals is a great way to re-live past trips.

Post your comments
Login:
Forgot password?
Register:
    • A travel journal might detail one's impressions of the Sistine Chapel without discussing the line of people waiting to see it.
      By: Marco Desscouleurs
      A travel journal might detail one's impressions of the Sistine Chapel without discussing the line of people waiting to see it.
    • A travel journal should be small and lightweight so that it's convenient to take along on a journey.
      By: slast20
      A travel journal should be small and lightweight so that it's convenient to take along on a journey.
    • A netbook can help travelers because of its compact size.
      By: japolia
      A netbook can help travelers because of its compact size.
    • Foreign-bound travelers who are bringing a laptop to blog about their trip need to pack an adapter.
      By: HappyAlex
      Foreign-bound travelers who are bringing a laptop to blog about their trip need to pack an adapter.
    • A person should be selective about what they choose to write in their travel journal.
      By: Jane Doe
      A person should be selective about what they choose to write in their travel journal.