The 9 Most Incredible Travel Journals To Hold Your Priceless Memories

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Having a Travel Journal is crucial for saving your priceless memories! Usually, people revert to photos and videos to embrace memories, but they only tell us one part of that day. To experience the moment and ensure it stays fresh in your mind forever, you should jot down your memories in a travel journal. Then fill the pages with pictures, doodles, quotes, and your thoughts.

Carry this travel diary with you everywhere because you never know when you’ll want to preserve a memory in the perfect way. Then go back and look back at those memories you published, years down the road, to remember the sweet smell of fresh bread and crisp fall weather of Paris.

We never used to carry travel journals with us because we hate bringing extra stuff along when traveling but after realizing photos and videos were not enough. We decided to take up the hobby of doodling and collecting our thoughts in our travel notebooks. It’s incredibly calming and always brings us happiness when we go back and read them.

To help our fellow travelers out, we decided to write this post to help you in figuring out the reasons people carry and use travel journals and how they can help you. We also wanted to help you figure out what to look for when choosing a travel notebook and finally we chose the top 9 favorite travel journals that travelers love to use and other travel journals they may use when embarking on their journeys abroad.

travel journals pages filled with post cards, photos, stamps and writing. some photos show big ben tower, eiffel tower, florence.
Photo Credit:© @LiliGraphie via Depositphotos.com

Commonly Asked Questions For Best Travel Journals

What is a travel journal for and why should you use one?

A travel diary helps you write and record all of the experiences on the trip. You could include an outline of the place you visited, a list of your route, and the photos and audio recordings you recorded during the tour if you get a digital travel journal.

What is a travel diary is it the same thing as a travel journal or travel notebook?

They are the exact same thing and are used interchangeably when comparing different notebooks used for travel specifically.

What would be considered the best travel journal?

We love a good ole vintage leather travel diary, because of the rustic and worn-down look and feel of the notebook itself and its pages. However, if we’re considering longevity then a weatherproof travel diary is perfect for those who are outdoors a ton. If you’re in the city for a lot of your traveling then maybe consider a digital journal?

How do I make my own Travel Journal? What do I need for making my own Travel Journal?

Making your own travel journal can be a worthwhile craft and skill since you’ll be burning through them the more you travel. To make your own travel journal, you’ll want to get it at your local craft store or online work too, the following materials.

  • waxy string to bind the journal
  • Hole punched grainy paper-liner or unlined
  • high-quality craft glue for decorating the binding
  • Acrylic paint or spray paint
  • stencils or you can free style designs
  • vintage leather or vinyl or thick fabric rectangle pieces for a cover cut to the size you desire or match it to the paper but leave room for the paper to have space on all sides
  • ruler
  • needle embroidery of leather or fabric pieces
  • Thin plastic photo covers that can be glued into pages for photo holding or you can glue photos individually in the travel journal
  • Elastic band or waxy string: either can be wrapped around a journal around a glued or threaded through a button on the journal cover

What you should look for when picking out the best travel journals

What you’ll be using this travel journal for:

If you’ll be hiking regularly in the country or in the elements most of the time when you travel, then you’ll want to invest in a weatherproof travel diary to ensure your travel memories stay safe or at least have a chance of lasting longer compared to nonweather proof travel journals to repel water.

If you’ll be enjoying the city, and have a safe place to put your travel journals then you’ll have more leeway when choosing your own travel notebook. We recommend the vintage leather or moleskin travel notebooks because they are of great quality. We also loved the clever fox brand travel notebooks because of all the extra features that their notebooks contain.

Refillable or not refillable

If you want your travel memories to stay in one place then we recommend you invest in or make your own travel notebook that has refillable pages. that way you can just remove the pages that are full and place them in a travel stationery box to refer back to. Otherwise, you can get away with non-refillable versions re are more easily found anyways.

Hardcover vs Softcover

Hard covers last longer but soft covers are lighter and more flexible

Spiral vs bonded sides

Spiral is the version we prefer, the rigid movement of bounded covers bugs us when it comes to writing on small surfaces since we ant fold the covers behind one another like a spiral version.

Paper Format:

Type: rip out or hole punched

Paper Material: grainy, white, natural, eco-friendly, etc

Lined pages-blank pages

If you’re using it more so for ideas and checklists then lined will suit you better, otherwise blank is the way to go if you want flexibility for drawing, pictures, stickers, etc. We recommend a notebook that combines both of these so you have a perfect balance.

Included Perks:

  • photo spots, pockets, weatherproof, stickers, calendar, etc
  • size of the travel notebook
  • Small vs large
  • weatherproof durability
  • Outdoorsy travelers vs city travelers?

What Are The Top Travel Journals To Get?

1. Clever Fox Travel Journal

https://www.amazon.com/Clever-Fox-Travel-Planner-Notebook/dp/B0865HKGLL/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_FDYNJ6M3AHW0G2940F45

Specific pages included:

  • Calendar
  • Packing list pages
  • Checklist pages- we all need a place for our to do lists
  • World map
  • Bucket list pages
  • Research/budget pages
  • Expense tracker pages
  • Transportation and accommodation pages
  • Memorable moments
  • Trip review
  • Travel journal – perfect for travel listography
  • Notes/ideas – write down the cool recipes you find when trying different world cuisines
  • Safety tips
  • Keywords you might need to be listed on a translation page in several languages
  • Temperature, time zone, and metrics conversions
  • Universal communication symbols
  • Pre-trip checklist

Comes with:

  • Faux leather cover travel journal
  • Ribbon bookmark
  • Elastic band for closing
  • Inner pocket
  • Pen loop
  • 150+ stickers
  • User guide

Specs:

Weight: 12oz

Size(inches): 5.8in x 8.3in

Material: Faux leather

Comes in 8 different colors

Space to plan 5 trips

Overall:

This compact and lightweight travel journal have a pen loop, an extra inner pocket where you can store business cards, and over 150+ travel-themed stickers to make your travel journal that much more fun and exciting.

This journal includes a bunch of template pages that you might need from maps, bucket lists, transportation, accommodations, a calendar, a packing list, and more! Plus it comes in a bunch of different fun colors. This journal is fun and has everything you need to keep a day-to-day calendar of your trips.

2. Page a day artisan vegan leather

https://www.amazon.com/Artisan-Travel-Journal-Leather-Notebook/dp/1441331336/ref=sr_1_5?crid=27QX5OYVSATUV&keywords=travel+journal&qid=1655657706&sprefix=travel+journ%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-5

Specific pages included:

  • Simple pages with a place for a date, location, weather, and a journal entry

Comes with:

  • Faux leather cover travel journal
  • Page format: 176 writeable pages
  • Elastic loop
  • Pen loop
  • Inner pocket
  • Ribbon bookmark

Specs:

Weight: 9.6oz

Size(inches): 5 x 0.5 x 7.25

Material: Faux leather

Comes in 1 color

Space to plan several trips with 176 writeable pages

Overall:

This compact journal is perfect to use for writing simple journal entries such as trip reviews, jotting down memorable moments, and even writing down a daily itinerary. If you stick to a page a day this journal is perfect to use so you don’t spend too much of your fun trip time writing rather than experiencing it.

It only comes in one color and has a simple inner design but it gets the job done. We recommend this as a journal to use during your trip for smaller entries rather than an entire trip-planning journal.

3. Maleden refillable travel notebook

https://www.amazon.com/MALEDEN-Refillable-Notepad-Classic-Embossed/dp/B01GRMG6R0/ref=sr_1_10?crid=27QX5OYVSATUV&keywords=travel%2Bjournal&qid=1655657706&sprefix=travel%2Bjourn%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-10&th=1

Specific pages included:

  • Simple blank pages

Comes with:

  • PU leather cover travel journal
  • Page Format: 160 writeable pages
  • 2 stylish pendants attached to the journal
  • Leather string to tie the journal closed

Specs:

Weight: 8.8oz

Size(inches): 4.9 x 7.2

Material: PU leather

Comes in 7 colors

Space to plan several trips with 160 pages(80 sheets)

Binder style, replaceable pages

Overall:

This compact durable travel journal is simple enough to be used as a travel journal, a travel sketch book or even a travel photo album if you carry around a polaroid or want to print out photos later to add in. This journal is stylish with its cute design, pendants and it comes in multiple colors. Plus it has a ton of space with the perk of the pages being replaceable.

4. Road trip activities and travel journal for kids

https://www.amazon.com/Activities-Journal-Writing-Prompts-Scavenger/dp/1641240997/ref=sr_1_14?crid=27QX5OYVSATUV&keywords=travel+journal&qid=1655657706&sprefix=travel+journ%2Caps%2C132&sr=8-14

Specific pages included:

  • Daily journal
  • Travel log
  • Road trip bingo
  • Scavenger hunt
  • Car maze
  • Word search
  • Write a poem
  • Learn to write in code
  • Match the signs
  • Trucker trivia
  • Inspiration quotes
  • Rebus puzzles
  • Tic-tac-toe
  • Coloring pages
  • Pages for drawing and writing notes
  • …And even more!!

Comes with:

  • Paperback travel journal
  • Over 100 games and activities

Specs:

Weight: 6.4 oz

Size(inches): 5.25 x 8.25

Material: Paperback

Comes in 1 color

Recommended ages: 7-12

Can be used on multiple trips with 96 pages included filled with lots of different fun activities

Overall:

This travel journal for kids is super cute and fun with a bunch of included games, brain teasers, coloring pages, questionnaires, puzzles and even more! This journal is the perfect thing to keep kiddos occupied on trips during down time, train time, flight time, etc. to keep them away from too much screen time.

The journal encourages children to be more present by looking at their surroundings and using what they see and observe for some activities included in the journal. It’s the perfect trip momento to hold onto so they can read it when they’re older to help them remember this amazing trip they had as a child.

5. rite in the rain weatherproof travel diary

REi: https://www.rei.com/product/783328/rite-in-the-rain-outdoor-journal-large?sku=7833280014&store=78&cm_mmc=PLA_Google%7C21700000001700551_7833280014%7C92700057791486143%7CNB%7C71700000074092932&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkruVBhCHARIsACVIiOzkQobVug05AGfYJn03TD4fVXt5LUFW6dX_pY5G71OfPlIfeNcbsRUaApPCEALw_wcB&gclsrc=aw.ds

https://www.amazon.com/Rite-Rain-All-Weather-Side-Spiral-Notebook/dp/B001PD28JM/ref=sxin_24_ac_d_rm?ac_md=0-0-dHJhdmVsIGpvdXJuYWw%3D-ac_d_rm_rm_rm&content-id=amzn1.sym.568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935%3Aamzn1.sym.568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935&crid=27QX5OYVSATUV&cv_ct_cx=travel%2Bjournal&keywords=travel%2Bjournal&pd_rd_i=B001PD28JM&pd_rd_r=3b22b1bf-5522-4471-a513-425e4d252b6a&pd_rd_w=q5HuE&pd_rd_wg=phOu9&pf_rd_p=568df61d-e115-4cb1-a96a-ba070b8f0935&pf_rd_r=6XVWKB6T97RJM2WSZ4W5&qid=1655657706&sprefix=travel%2Bjourn%2Caps%2C132&sr=1-1-7d9bfb42-6e38-4445-b604-42cab39e191b&th=1

Specific pages included:

  • 64 blank writeable pages

Comes with:

  • Weatherproof travel journal with 64 blank writeable pages

Specs:

Weight: 3.2oz

Size(inches): 7 x 4.6

Material: Polydura for the cover

Comes in several colors on Amazon, only 1 on REI

Space for several trips with 64 pages

Recyclable weatherproof paper

Overview:

This weatherproof journal is the perfect journal for traveling in the coldest, wettest, harshest conditions due to its weatherproof paper. This journal is durable with both weatherproof paper, a durable plastic cover and tough wire-o-binding to keep your journal in the best condition. It comes with 64 blank writeable pages that can be used for writing down your thoughts, memorable moments, sketching, and more.

6. Vintage leather travel journal

https://www.amazon.com/Vintage-Travelers-Notebook-Refillable-Journals/dp/B078RMSNVQ/ref=sxin_25_trfobq2a_3_B078RMSNVQ?content-id=amzn1.sym.5ddee050-56b5-4bf4-9386-6ef622079f4c%3Aamzn1.sym.5ddee050-56b5-4bf4-9386-6ef622079f4c&crid=27QX5OYVSATUV&cv_ct_cx=travel%2Bjournal&keywords=travel%2Bjournal&pd_rd_i=B078RMSNVQ&pd_rd_r=3b22b1bf-5522-4471-a513-425e4d252b6a&pd_rd_w=0ERkW&pd_rd_wg=phOu9&pf_rd_p=5ddee050-56b5-4bf4-9386-6ef622079f4c&pf_rd_r=6XVWKB6T97RJM2WSZ4W5&qid=1655657706&sprefix=travel%2Bjourn%2Caps%2C132&sr=1-4-c944532c-3909-4a2a-84a2-570d2ee3cd13&th=1

7. Travel journal with a photo album

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1172187762/travel-journal-and-photo-album-our?click_key=8f69b4a8a26fb5263bbd58e0582ea358e780f638%3A1172187762&click_sum=fac6c201&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=travel+journal&ref=sr_gallery-1-1&bes=1&sts=1

Specific pages included:

  • Table of contents, 15 trips
  • Trip overview questions- can use for quick questions and answers
  • “favorites” pages
  • Bucket list
  • Blank pages – perfect for drawing or having a place for all your thoughts

Comes with:

  • Page Format: 110 pages blank
  • Hard back cover

Specs:

Size: 9.25 x 7.75

Material: Linen, Flat lay, Gold foil, journal paper, hardback

Comes in 1 color

Space for 15 trips with 110 pages included

Overview:

This travel journal comes in a nice blue color with a ton of space for 15 fun-filled trips. There are sections for pre-trip questions, jotting down your favorites of each trip, and blank space for writing notes or for a photo album. Overall, this travel journal has everything you need to remember your trip by and is still pretty compact in size.

8. Personalized Travel diary

https://www.etsy.com/listing/1059043307/travel-journal-personalised-adventure?click_key=237da6e3313bb24d3b2cbe9b79fc1f90f19022c4%3A1059043307&click_sum=fa54baf4&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_search_type=all&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_search_query=travel+journal&ref=sr_gallery-1-3&frs=1&bes=1

Specific pages included:

  • Travel mood board pages
  • Travel checklist- Underrated!
  • Itinerary for a single trip – multiple trips
  • Destination pages- plan that next adventure!
  • Memories pages- to capture memories
  • Travel destinations checklist- hit that next trip!

Comes with:

  • Soft cover travel journal

Specs:

Size(inches): 5.8 x 8.3

Material: Foil text, paper, soft cover

Comes with 2 front cover designs: Ocean ripples or hills

Customizable foil text on cover: Silver or gold, text can be names or surnames

Space for several trips with 140 travel themed writeable templates and pages

Overview:

This lightly customizable travel notebook is super cute and has a ton of space to be used for adding photos, writing down memories, planning out an itinerary and so much more! Its compact and cute design is perfect for writing on the go.

9. Moleskine passion journal – The Best Moleskine Travel Journal

Moleskin: https://www.moleskine.com/en-us/shop/notebooks/passion-notebooks/passion-journals/passion-journals-travel-8058647620268.html?channelType=Google&gclid=Cj0KCQjwkruVBhCHARIsACVIiOzjW8cAhC5hKkCdasyC2mrlJM6fz7dI1uHTk-KPlsuyTYCXfHcDB54aAnQ2EALw_wcB

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B079ZT1XTN?psc=1&ref_=cm_sw_r_cp_ud_dp_M9344DK9D2RARYXGZM81

Specific pages included:

Trip planning pages

Journal entry pages- Perfect for note taking, jotting down travel inspiration, capturing memories, and writing down your next adventure.

Tabbed sections

Comes with:

Premium box

Hard cover travel companion

Page Format: 400 travel-themed writeable pages

Travel themed stickers

2 ribbon bookmarks

Inner pocket

Elastic loop enclosure

Specs:

Weight: 1.2 pounds

Size(inches): 5.5 x 8.5

Material: FSC

Comes in 8 colors on amazon and 9 on Moleskin

Space for trips several trips with 400 writeable pages

Overview:

This journal is durable and has a ton of space for writing down travel journal entries, trip planning pages, and even pages for use as travel scrapbooks. This travel journal has everything you need for keeping so many of your trip memories in one place with 400 pages. Plus it comes in a bunch of colors and comes with stickers!

That wraps up our post on finding the best travel journals and learning what to use your travel notebook for! We hope you enjoyed this post and found it to be helpful ☺️. if you did, please share it via the social buttons and we really appreciate your support ☺️. If you’re looking for other travel products travel guides, travel tips, and other travel-related posts then make sure to check out the rest of our site for the best of the best travel tips!

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