If you are thinking of starting a travel journal, but wonder what things to include in your travel journal, let me help you. I will share a handful of essentials that will set you up for success when it comes to travel journaling.
Travel journaling is a great way to capture all those special moments along the way and create a special memory that you can look back on. Remember the day, the salty air, how the wind blew and more.
Top Items To Include In Your Travel Journal
Looking for some travel journal ideas? Here are some things to get you started!
Maps, Tickets, Etc
This is a fun one! While you are traveling make sure to save any maps, brochures or tickets you find along the way. Then you can place them in your journal as a little keepsake. Leave it whole or grab some scissors and cut a shape out in the map to glue or tape onto your page.
Dried Flowers
Take a stroll and find a wildflower growing that you can pick and dry. This is something we did as children, and a fun way to relive moments. Just press a flower in between pages of a book, and then place in the suitcase. This will preserve it and help it dry and then once home let it finish drying and then place in your journal.
Maybe you’re out at a park and see pretty purple flowers out in a field. It is always fun to pluck a few. I have even done this with buds off a tree in bloom. Then I write the fragrance of the flower to help remind me.
Note that you should avoid this if you are traveling internationally – relocating plants and animals is a big no no!
Postcards
Postcards are a really affordable option to pick up along your travels. Maybe you found some really unique and colorful cards during a gas station pit stop. Well, grab one or two and save them. Or mail them to your friends and family or even your own home so they have the postage on them.
Journaling
Make sure to write about your day. Maybe how it felt dipping your toes into the ocean, or the description of your first sip of wine from the winery you’re visiting for the day.
Sketches
If you’re artistic sketch something you see along the way. Maybe it’s a quaint bench sitting by a tree, or a building that you love the architectural feel of.
Wine, Chocolate Labels
Say you tried a new chocolate bar or even a special bottle of wine. Peel off the labels and save them back to remind yourself of how tasty the chocolate was, or what that first sip of fine wine was like.
You all know I love wine. I love peeling off labels to place in my journal. I bring my journal with me on trips, so I can write the flavors I tasted, how dry the wine was, and so on. It is always so interesting to look back and be reminded of the tastes of the wine.
Newspaper Clippings
If you are staying in a location, pick up one of their local papers. If anything stands out then cut it out and place in your journal. You could even cut out the date on the newspaper to remind you of when you trip took place.
Flat Shells, Sea Glass, Rocks
If you come across any sea glass, shells or rocks that are flat and somewhat lightweight, use them! They will add a nice pop of color. I just use washi tape to secure it in my journal.
Pictures
Take your camera and snap pictures along the way. Whether you buy a Polaroid camera or use a digital camera that you order prints for later. Or maybe you just use your smartphone for snapping pictures along the way.
Add in notes next to each picture, to remember exactly what you were thinking and feeling in that moment. Use stickers to include your photographs in your travel journal.
Business Cards
If you are visiting a shop or museum or other location and they have business cards, grab one. You’ll see them as you flip through your journal and you can be reminded.
Write down things you remember about the store. Maybe the smell, a neat item they had for sale, or the atmosphere of the store or museum.
Coins And Cash
I am always fascinated by money that is from another country. Save some coins or even bills and use it to place in your journal! A great token to show friends and family as well.
Dollar bills are one area that always fascinates me. You look at what a dollar bill looks like in the US, then compare it to Germany, Canada, etc, and see how vastly different they appear.
Bottle Caps
Sipped on a beer or a new brand of cola? Here is a fun one to try. Simply flatten out your bottle cap with a hammer and then tape it into your journal. Bottle caps are always fun.
I did this with some ales we sipped on and I actually forgot I even tried them. Then flipping through it was a really fun reminder.
Sand
You can buy small sealable bags that you can store a small handful of sand. Just tape it into your journal to remember about how the sand felt on your feet. Write out anything you remember from your day.
Log Of What You Did
Here is one that is always fun to look back on. Writing out all the things you did each day, will help you to not forget ziplining or swimming with sea turtles years down the line. Making a log of all the activities you do each day will help you to remember every single moment of the day.
I hope this list can help you decide on the perfect things to put in your travel journal. If you think of other creative ideas go for it! The travel journal is like a story to remind you of our journey and all the special moments that took place along the way.
What is something you include in your travel journal?
