Keeping a journal is one of the best ways to record all the incredible memories we make on trips. I love looking back and reading all the little details about places and remembering my favorite funny stories. Writing during traveling can be a whirlwind when you are taking in new things and on the move. Without travel journal prompts, it’s easy to stick to the facts; today we went here/the weather was this/we ate that for dinner.
The hard part is recording those emotional details, the ones that transport you back to the moment you wrote it and the memory was still a reality. These little details are the special things worth remembering.
Sometimes it takes extra effort to extract these details, and that’s ok! Take a breath and really examine your surroundings. Ask questions you wouldn’t normally ask. Try to see things from someone else’s perspective. That’s where the real stories are hiding. Keeping a few prompts on hand makes this process a whole lot easier!
Travel Journal Prompts
- Do a long term before and after comparison. Before leaving, what are your expectations? What do you THINK this place will be like? Afterwards, How were you right or wrong? To really make this special, take it a step further and start writing before you even plan the trip, even if it is over a year away. Same thing on the flip side, writing more thoughts long after a trip. Is anything that happened still affecting your life today?
- What are other people happily eating or excited to see? I tend to write the most detail in my journal about what I am eating or cool things I find at markets. Turn that view around and look at what other people (especially locals) are excited about. Even if it is something well known to you, it may be rare or special to other cultures. I’m not talking about stereotypical “the French like baguettes!” Imagine a booth at a farmer’s market is selling out of a certain kind of apple. What is special about those apples? What are people planning to make with them?
- Interview your travel partner. What do they think about your destination? How do they feel about their experience so far? Getting out of your head and into someone else’s offers a whole new perspective.
- Describe the worst thing that happened. Yes, it’s easy to only write about the good parts of travel and ignore the bad. I’ve been guilty of that. I mean, who wants to remember getting pick pocketed or losing your luggage? The thing is those bad days are still part of your story. In the end they may be the stories you tell the most. Like a disastrous day I had in Iceland!
- What type of music did you hear? Whether it was on the radio or street musicians, write what you hear and how it connects you to the location. Does the music remind you of any other times or places?
- Don’t write anything, draw. Even if you say you can’t draw, do it anyway! Sketch a delicious plate of food, local clothing, or a unique building. Taking the time to record how you see something is so much more memorable than snapping a picture. Afterwards, take note of any special details or colors that you used.
- What are you wearing, and why? Think about both why you brought something and when you wore it. Like saying, “I brought my favorite black scarf to wear in Paris so I would look chic on the streets.” Maybe you went out and bought modest clothing for an Eastern county or chunky sweaters for Norway. Write about it!
- What is going on in the world? I was in Scotland once when the people were about to vote as to whether their county was to become independent or stay part of the United Kingdom. It was a really exciting time to be there. Even if you’re not visiting somewhere with a major political debate raging, take notice of what is happening in all parts of the world and how it affects the people around you.
- What is trending in the local magazines and newspaper? Pick up a few and see what’s going on! Cut out any interesting articles and pictures specific to your location and write about why you chose them. I have a recipe clipping for Lobster Chowder from a little town circular I found in Maine. I could write about that chowder for days.
- How is this place celebrating? If you are visiting during a holiday (big or small) take note of how homes and shops are decorated and what special holiday items they have. Take a few minutes to research the cultural traditions of that place and see how they are being reflected.
Happy Writing!
On your next trip, try these travel journal prompts and see where they take you!
I love this so much. I often don’t make time when traveling to write down my first impressions then find myself struggling to remember how I felt at a later date. I’m totally using these prompts next time I travel. They’ll help me get right to the point and stay on top of my writing. Cheers!
Great post. I’m hoping going to be able to go on my honeymoon next year. A road trip in the states and these prompts have been great for me to start planning my travel journal.
Great ideas! I find that there are always details and stories that I had forgotten when I look back at my journaled trips. It really is amazing how many things we forget even from one day to another on a busy vacation.
I totally agree! If I get behind a day or two on my journal it always seems like I am missing details. It’s hard to keep up with it sometimes after a long day, but I’m always glad when I do!
Great prompts! I will definitely implement them on my blog!
Such good tips!! I’ll have to try these for my next trip!!
I absolutely love these ideas! I always carry a journal too although I need to make it a priority to carry it with me all the time to better document things. I am really good about writing everything at the end of the day as a form of reflection. When we go on trips my husband and I like to share our peak and the pit of the trip which is just sharing what we liked most and what we liked least about trip. Like you mention it is fun getting in your partners head because it usually different things that we enjoyed most and least. I am now motivated to write those moments in a journal now rather then just say them out loud!
These are fantastic prompts! I’ve never thought about them before. Already looking back on my own disastrous trips! Lol Thanks for sharing!