There are little moments a camera can’t hold. That’s why a notebook is one of the first things I pack. Wherever I go, it rides along in my bag, elastic band snapped shut, pages slowly filling with ink and tucked-in treasures.
I take plenty of photos, but pictures only show what a place looks like. They miss the thought that drifts in over a morning coffee, the line of conversation I overhear at the next table, the feeling of finally standing somewhere I have wanted to see for years. Those little moments and thoughts are exactly what I write down, because I just can’t get them in pictures.
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My journal is also where the mementos live. Ticket stubs, stickers, maps, and receipts all find a home between the pages. Flipping through it later feels like opening a souvenir box and a diary at the same time.
Why Make a Travel Journal?
If you want to hold on to your trips the same way, learning how to make a travel journal is easier than you might think. Photos end up buried in your camera roll, and social media posts show only the highlights. A journal keeps the small details: the name of the street vendor, the smell of the market, the joke that had everyone laughing on the train.
You do not need artistic abilities to start. Travel journaling is simply a habit of writing a few lines, tucking in a few ticket stubs, and adding color where it makes you happy. Your future self will thank you, and so might future generations who flip through your old travel journals one day.
This guide walks through the supplies worth packing, how to set up your own travel journal before you leave, what to do each day on the road, and travel journal prompts for when the words will not come.
Travel Journal Supplies You Actually Need
The best travel journal kit is small enough to carry every day. Four pieces do most of the work: a sturdy notebook, a pen that will not fade, a pen that makes the page feel special, and a metal ruler for clean lines.
A Sakura A5 Ruled Notebook
A5 measures 148 x 210 mm, roughly 5.8 x 8.3 inches. That is big enough for a full journal entry plus a ticket stub, yet slim enough for a day bag. A passport size notebook is lighter, but you will run out of room fast once you start gluing things in.
The Sakura A5 ruled notebook is a smart match for the pens below, since it comes from the same company. It has cream pages with light ruled lines, rounded corners, an elastic closure, a ribbon bookmark, and a pen loop, so your pen travels with the book. Covers come in colors like Pine Needle, Amber, Deep Indigo, Mulberry, Cinder, and Black, and it sells for about $16.50 at JetPens. Ruled lines keep handwriting neat on bumpy bus rides, while the margins leave space for doodles and decorative elements.
Sakura Pigma Micron Pens With Archival Ink
If you want your words readable decades from now, the ink matters. Pigma Micron eco pens use pigment based archival ink that is waterproof and fade resistant, and it will not smear or feather once dry. Gaylord, a supplier to museums and archives, notes the ink does not bleed through most papers.
That waterproof quality is a real perk on the road. A splash of coffee, a drizzle at a sidewalk cafe, or a wet hotel room counter will not wipe out your entries. Micron tips run from 005 (0.20 mm) up to 08 (0.50 mm). Finer tips like 01 or 02 suit small handwriting on ruled lines, and a thicker 05 or 08 works for headings and outlines.
Sakura Gelly Roll Shimmer Pens
This is where the fun comes in. Gelly Roll Shimmer pens have glitter ink that shifts between three hues depending on the viewing angle and the light. According to JetPens, the ink shows up on both white and black paper, has a bold 1.0 mm tip, and is pigment based, archival quality, fade resistant, and water resistant. The six pen set includes Copper, Pink, Fresh Green, Aqua Green, Purple, and Red Violet.
Use them for trip titles, dates, borders, and highlighting the best part of each day. Because gel ink sits on top of the paper, give each page a minute to dry before you close the notebook.
A Metal Journaling Ruler and Stencil
A metal ruler keeps borders crisp and headings straight, even on a wobbly cafe table. I still use the stainless steel journaling card I bought when I first started bullet journaling, and it has earned a permanent spot in my travel kit.
This Stainless Steel Pocket Journaling Card works as a ruler, a stencil, and a bookmark in one. The listing describes bullet point, calendar, and habit tracker stencils plus a mix of shapes, all sized for A5 planners, so it pairs naturally with the Sakura A5 notebook. Use it to draw boxes for ticket stubs, trace check boxes for a packing list, or frame a title before you fill it in with Gelly Roll Shimmer. When you are done, slip it between the pages to mark your spot.
Nice Extras
| Item | Why pack it |
|---|---|
| Washi tape | Holds ticket stubs, business cards, and photos without glue, and adds color fast |
| Glue stick | Flat, mess free way to attach maps, receipts, and train tickets |
| Pocket or envelope | Stores loose physical objects until you have extra time to paste them in |
| Pen holder, like a Le Loop pen holder | Keeps your Micron and Shimmer pens attached if the built in loop is full |
| Small scissors (checked bag or skip) | Trims brochures and guide book pages to fit |
Pet tapes, stickers from a local shop, and stamps are optional. If you collect National Park Stamps when you visit, these are a nice addition to the journal too. Pick up a few as you go and they become souvenirs too.
How to Make a Travel Journal, Step by Step
The easiest way to keep going is to do the setup at home, then keep daily entries short. Here is the process from start to finish.
- Choose your style. Some people love a classic travel diary full of lots of words. Others prefer a bullet journal approach with bullet points, lists of places, and quick notes. A scrapbook style mixes writing with ephemera. There is no right way, so pick the one that fits your personal style.
- Make a title page. Write the destination and dates in Gelly Roll Shimmer, then add a strip of washi tape across the top. It feels like opening a new chapter.
- Set up planning pages before you leave. Use the first few spreads for a packing list, a bucket list of things you hope to see, to do lists, and flight or hotel details. These pages make the journal a valuable tool during the trip, not just after.
- Create a color key. Assign one Shimmer color per category: Copper for food, Fresh Green for outdoors, Purple for people you meet. Write your entries in a black Micron and use the colors only for headings and highlights so pages stay readable.
- Leave blank pages. Save a few blank pages at the back for maps, extra ticket stubs, and photos you print later.
- Write a little every day. Five minutes in a coffee shop, on a train, or in your hotel room is plenty. Jot the date, where you were, and three small things you noticed. Handwritten notes capture fine details your memory will drop within weeks.
- Collect as you go. Tuck plane tickets, train tickets, museum stubs, business cards from great places to eat, and postcards into a pocket. Paste them in with a glue stick or washi tape when you have a good time to sit down.
- Add photos after you return. Print small photos and add them near the matching entry. You get the best of a photo album and a diary in one book, without the extra cost of a printed photo book.
- Close the trip with a reflection. At the end of your trip, write a final page: your favorite moment, what surprised you, and ideas for future trips. This is where personal growth often shows up on paper.
Journaling Lessons From Rick Steves
Travel guru Rick Steves has kept journals since his first trip to Europe as a teenager, and his essay The Zen of Travel Journaling is full of ideas worth borrowing. Here are the ones I find most useful.
- Bookend your trip. Steves writes about his mindset and hopes for the trip on the flight out, then writes a reflective wrap up on the flight home. In between, he records each day’s experiences before going to sleep. Those first and last pages become the frame for everything in the middle.
- Skip the play by play. He suggests you do not need a chronological record at all. Instead, sit somewhere interesting and describe what is around you, or write about one conversation with a local.
- Leave out the boring stuff. A forgettable lunch or the hotel breakfast will not matter in ten years. Focus on details that capture the character of a place and how it made you feel.
- Pay attention to your attention. His key to good journaling is being observant and disciplined, taking time to “notice what you’re noticing.”
Travel Journal Prompts for Every Day of Your Trip
Staring at a blank page is the most common reason journals get abandoned. Keep a short list of travel journal prompts on the inside cover and pick one whenever you are stuck.
- What was the first thing you noticed when you arrived?
- Describe one meal in enough detail that you could taste it again.
- Who did you meet today, and what did they teach you?
- What sounds did you hear on the walk back tonight?
- What went wrong, and what made it funny later?
- List three interesting facts you learned about this place.
- What do you want to remember about the people traveling with you?
- If you came back in ten years, what would you hope is still here?
- What did this new city or new experience change about how you see home?
On a road trip, try a mile marker log: one line for each stop, with a doodle or a sticker. On a slower trip, write longer travel stories in the evening. Different ways of journaling suit different travel adventures, and mixing them keeps the habit fresh.
Tips to Keep Your Travel Journal Going
- Lower the bar. The most important thing is consistency, not beauty. A few bullet points count as a journal entry.
- Keep your kit together. Store the notebook, a Micron, and two Shimmer pens in one pouch so you can journal anywhere.
- Catch up without guilt. Missed a day? Write a quick summary the next morning and move on.
- Protect your pages. Let gel ink dry before closing, and keep the elastic band on so loose items stay put.
- Use a separate notebook for planning if needed. If your trips involve heavy research, a small notebook for logistics keeps your memories book uncluttered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Start Your Own Travel Journal Today
Now you know how to make a travel journal that lasts: a Sakura A5 ruled notebook, Micron pens for words that stay, Gelly Roll Shimmer pens for sparkle, a metal ruler for neat lines, and a few minutes each day. Set up your title page before your upcoming trip, and the rest will follow.
For the kids, check out these other journaling articles:
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