Travel Journal Prompts To Help You Put Your Travel Journal To Good Use

Traveling is one of those amazing activities that can add immeasurable value and pleasure to your life. It is surprisingly fulfilling and gives you a new perspective on different cultures and on life itself.

The more countries you travel to, the more it opens your mind to a whole new world that exists beyond your neighborhood.

The further you travel, the more it pushes you out of your comfort zone.

The more you are pushed out of your comfort zone, the more insight you will get into who you really are, what are your likes and dislikes and your ability to adapt and celebrate the differences around you.

With a travel diary, you can keep all of these amazing memories, new experiences and travel reflections in one place so you can relive your wildest adventures anytime.

These journal prompts will help you get the most from this exercise.

Travel Journal Prompts for Before You Travel

Sometimes, you know you want to go somewhere but you are not sure where or what kind of getaway you are looking for. Are you looking for a wild and whacky trip with lots of excitement or a quiet trip with a lot of  downtime to rest and relax?

These travel journal writing prompts will help you get a better idea of what it is you are looking for in your next trip.

1. Which is one place you’ve always wanted to visit?
2. What is it about the place that attracts you?
3. If you could take a cruise anywhere, where would you go?
4. Do you like the idea of traveling alone?
5. Do you prefer traveling with family or friends?
6. Who would you love to travel with?
7. Describe your dream family vacation.
8. What has been your favorite trip so far?
9. Name 5 places you want to see before you die.
10. Why are you planning another trip right now?
11. What are you looking forward to most on your next trip?
12. Have you ever been out of the country you live in?
13. Do you have a passport?
14. Have you been to any of the 7 Wonders of the World?
15. Have you ever seen a live volcano?
16. Have you ever stood under a waterfall?
17. Are you afraid of flying?
18. Have you ever flown first-class?
19. If you had a long weekend, where would you like to go?
20. Do you get seasick?
21. Are you a fan of road trips?
22. What is a fun road trip you have been on?
23. Where would you like to take a solo road trip?
24. Name a place you want to see with your significant other
25. What was your least favorite vacation, and how could it have been better?
26. What is your method for planning a vacation?
27. What is a monument you want to see?
28. Do you ever have to travel for work?

Travel Journal Prompts for Planning Your Trip

1. What is your budget for the trip?
2. Can you afford to buy a first class ticket with your budget?
3. Should you plan a road trip to the next state, take a train or catch a flight?
4. Start a savings tracker for your next trip.
5. How much time do you need to get a visa for the country you are going to?
6. Make a list of things you need if you are going to a snow-bound destination.
7. Make a list of things you need if you are headed off to a tropical destination.
8. Will you be doing a lot of walking on your trip?
9. Do you have the right footwear for your trip?
10. What is the local cuisine?
11. Which restaurant is famous for serving the local cuisine?
12. What are the highlights of the trip?
13. Note down the opening days and timings of the museums, monuments and other attractions you want to visit.
14. Can you make some of the bookings online so you don’t waste time standing in long queues?
15. How many days should I stay?

Travel Journal Prompts While Traveling

1. What was my first impression as I got out of the airport?
2. How was the flight?
3. Would you travel on the same airline again?
4. How would you rate the hotel, from the reception to the room?
5. Would you stay in the same hotel again?
6. Would you recommend the hotel to family and friends?
7. What did you do today?
8. What did you love most about today?
9. What did you hate most about today?
10. How did you feel when you finally stood in front of the monument/attraction that you had always wanted to see up close? Did it measure up to your expectations?
11. Did you enjoy the traditional cuisine?
12. What were the smells and sounds you remember as you strolled through the local markets?
13. Did you find the local produce than back home or was it cheaper?
14. Did you have a problem adhering to the local culture?

Travel Journal Prompts for After You Get Back Home

1. Would you visit that destination again?
2. Why would you want to go again or why not?
3. What would you look forward to most on your next trip to the same destination?
4. What would you do differently on your next trip to the same destination?
5. Were you disappointed with any particular experience?
6. What did you learn from a local person as you rode the train or bus?

A Few Things To Keep in Mind When Using Travel Journal Writing Prompts

Travel journal prompts are meant to nudge your creativity and give you some inspiration. They are not meant to limit you.

Keep these few things in mind when you are using prompts for writing in your travel diary.

There’s No Wrong Way to Do Travel Journaling

The best part about keeping any diary is that you can’t “do” it the wrong way. There’s absolutely no wrong way to maintain a travel journal.

Your journal is a culmination of the planning, activities and feelings that went into each trip. You get to decide how you want your travel journal to work.

No one can tell you the right or wrong way to keep this diary of your adventures. If you have to adhere to rigid rules, it would rob your writings of any creativity and you would start to find it a chore.

Write for a Few Minutes Every Day

You need to create a habit to begin doing something new every day. If you’re not used to journaling, you’ll want to begin this habit as soon as possible. You don’t need to be on a trip to begin your travel journal!

Try to aim for writing in your journal for at least 10 minutes a day. Decide whether you want to journal in the morning or at night. Find a quiet place where you won’t be disturbed. Set a timer for 10 minutes. You don’t need to be actively writing for the entire 10 minutes, but you’ll want to at least be present in those 10 minutes.

When the 10 minutes are up, decide if you want to continue writing or not. If you’re feeling inspired, keep going. If you don’t feel inspired, you can stop.

The important part of this exercise is to continually return to writing in your journal for at least 10 minutes per day.

You don’t need to judge the content in your journal. The simple act of writing every day will be enough.

Try Morning or Evening Pages

Some people find that writing in their journal in the morning or evening is easier. Try to write in your journal at least once a day.

Morning pages generally reflect on how you feel about your upcoming day. You might reflect a little on the day before as well.

Evening pages are more likely to dwell on your experiences of the day.

What I Did Today…

This prompt is simple and straight forward. It’s a great way to start journaling if you’re feeling like you don’t have much to write about. All you need to do is simply write a list of things you did. Don’t leave out any detail. For example, you could say:

“Today I got up. I brushed my teeth and showered. I ate breakfast. I took the bus into town. I visited the Sistine Chapel. I ate lunch at a small bistro by the Spanish Steps.”

The important part is including every detail you can remember. Try to think about the texture of the pasta in your mouth. Remember the scent of incense in the chapel. Write about the way the man sitting next to you on the bus made you feel.

What I Loved About Today…

This prompt is a great way to feel good about your day. If you’re having a bad day, try the prompt below before giving this one a shot.

Simply set a timer for 10 minutes, and write down everything you loved about the day. The most important thing is to write in detail about why you loved the things you loved about your day.

What I Hated About Today…

If you had a bad day, it’s a good idea to start with this prompt before attempting prompt number three. All you need to do is set a timer for 10 minutes before writing down all the things that went wrong in your day.

Spare no detail. Write down every injustice. Tell your journal about how the bus driver was mean to you. Tell it about how the Sistine Chapel was so crowded that you couldn’t see any of the art. Talk about the rude tourists.

After you’ve aired your grievances, give prompt number three a shot. Sometimes just letting go of a bad day can help you see the hidden good in the day.

If I Could Go Anywhere…

If you haven’t left for your trip yet, you might want to start out with this prompt. This is a great way to start thinking about the types of trips you want to take. This is a really fun way to use your travel journal.

I Saved the Best For Last … Anticipation prompt

This prompt is a great one to try before you leave for your trip or while you’re on your trip. Set your timer for 10 minutes. Close your eyes.

Think about your upcoming trip (or the trip you’re on).

What are you most excited about doing during your trip?

What are you most excited about doing today or tomorrow?

Why are you excited?

Explain in great detail all the things that excite you the most about the upcoming trip or day. Include sounds, smells and tastes if you can.

Sometimes, when we travel to new destinations, we find that it is completely different from what we envisioned. The language barrier that you expected may be non-existent. The food may not be as spicy or as bland as you imagined. The traffic may have been crazier and louder than you ever thought possible.

Whatever it is, write it down in your diary using the travel journal prompts above. It would be really interesting to go through your notes and compare your anticipations to your actual experiences.