The best travel journals can help you document notable moments that happen on your adventures. Whether you want to remember funny things your kids said, keep a record of interesting things you experienced along the way or document all the different places you’ve been, including cities and countries as well as the planes, trains and automobiles you took to get there, a travel journal is the perfect companion.
While a regular pen and paper can help you write down any of these details, a traveler’s journal is meant to be considerably sturdier and longer-lasting than a traditional notebook. Many travel journals are also refillable, so you can continue adding pages as you add new destinations or stories.
Which travel journals are best? That really depends on what you plan to use them for, whether you want a traditional travel diary or you want one that is small and compact or waterproof. Here are 22 travel journals that could work for almost anyone.
Everyday travel journals
$70 at Mark & Graham
If you're looking for a travel journal that can be personalized with your initials, this leather diary from Mark & Graham may be perfect. Beyond the fact you can make this travel journal your own or customize it before giving it as a gift, you'll find it complete with full-color maps of major cities, international dialing codes and other details that can help you organize your travel plans. This travel diary comes with 320 pages to get you started, and its leather binding comes in a bright orange hue.
$48 at Etsy
This personalized travel journal from Etsy is both practical and fun. Pockets and envelopes allow you to keep mementos from your trip, and you can order your journal with your choice of map as well as name, date or other short text on the cover. This travel diary is also handmade and has more than 1,500 five-star reviews from past customers who seem to agree it's both high-quality and fashionable to boot.
$19.99 $14.44 at Amazon
This hardcover journal is durable, and it features J.R.R. Tolkien's "Not all those who wander are lost" quote on the front. Inside, you'll find travel-themed art and quotes on each page to give you the inspiration to start jotting down your travel memories and stories. Never forget where you left off in your journal with an included bookmark ribbon.
$35.95 $29.99 at Amazon
This distinguished travel notebook is made of leather with a distressed look that makes it as visually appealing as it is practical. Not only is it filled with 120 pages of high-quality paper, but its adjustable strap holds your favorite pen with ease. This journal also comes in two different hues and two sizes, so you can customize it based on your style or how much writing space you want.
$85 at Smythson of Bond Street
The Travels and Experiences Panama Notebook from Smythson of Bond Street comes in six different colors, and it's made from crossgrain leather that's built to last. It's also lightweight and portable, so it's perfect for carrying with you as you explore new cities or spend time in the great outdoors. The fact it comes with 128 leaves of gilt-edged paper also means it has enough space to document several different trips in one place.
$12.57 at Amazon
The Adventure Awaits travel journal was created to help you document all the adventures of your life, from family beach vacations to epic hiking trips. It's made of a hardback exterior with lined notebook paper to write down everything you want to remember, and several special pages let you outline specifics like your packing list, adventure bucket list, your favorite meal and something you might do differently on your next trip. There are 200 pages in this journal, and it's complete with a ribbon bookmark for your convenience.
$19.95 at REI
This guided journal is catered to women who want to get out and explore the great outdoors. It includes creative exercises meant to help women stay active while recording their accomplishments, and it comes with goal-setting tips and space for tracking your progress. Colorful artwork is also featured throughout the journal, making it as beautiful as it is functional.
From $126 at Rustico
This gift set is perfect for any traveler who is gearing up for the trip of a lifetime. The featured item in the set is a templated globetrotter travel journal with space for jotting down memories and making lists, as well as keepsake envelopes to store receipts, business cards or photos. The journal also comes with coordinating book darts that make it easy to organize thoughts or tag frequently used pages. Also included are matching luggage tags and a passport cover.
$19.99 at Amazon
The Clever Fox Travel Journal offers the benefits of both a journal and a planner thanks to its empty pages and organizational tools. An inner pocket gives you space to keep receipts and mementos, and the journal also includes world maps, calendars you can fill in with your plans and premade lists you can use to create your travel bucket list. More than 150 colorful stickers are also included for those who want to decorate their journal as they go. This all-in-one travel planner comes in five color options: black, orange, purple, rose gold and turquoise.
$25.50 at Paper Source
This travel planner from Paper Source features a stunning gold design on its cover, and its relatively low price makes it an affordable choice. Whether you're angling to plan a dream trip to Santorini, Cinque Terre, Amsterdam or Paris — or somewhere completely different — this travel diary can help you document your plans and create the ideal itinerary for all you want to see and do. A ribbon bookmark is built into this journal, so you'll never forget where you're at in your travel planning, either.
$39.95 at Quotebook Journal
The Quotebook Journal is meant to help you keep track of all the tiny moments that take place in your life, from your child's first time seeing the ocean to all the inside jokes you never want to forget. That said, this commemorative notebook is slightly different from other journals that made our list, since it's intended for quotes people say during your adventures. This journal is made with a sturdy blue cloth cover, and it's perfect to buy as a gift or for yourself. It's also the perfect wedding gift for couples who share a love of travel.
$21.95 at Amazon
Travelers who want to get out and explore all 50 states in the US should pick up this dynamic travel journal. Not only does it include blank space for documenting your journey, but an included map lets you check off states as you go, and there are individual state maps and sections to fill in as you see each one. Made of recycled material, this journal makes a great gift for yourself or anyone who wants to explore the US from sea to shining sea.
$28 at Gallery Leather
This travel journal is extremely stylish, with four different colors to choose from and a unique tie enclosure on the front. The inside is mostly blank, with lined paper giving you space to document your travels as you see fit, make lists or simply doodle as you explore the world. You can also customize it for yourself or someone else, either with initials, a few lines of text or both.
From $12.99 at Amazon
A kids' travel journal is the perfect gift for children who are preparing to travel for the first time. This kids' travel diary is offered in both paperback and hardback versions, and it includes games, puzzles and maps in addition to plenty of space for writing and being creative. Consider this journal as a gift to help children explore new countries and continents.
$49.99 at Extra Studio
This leather travel journal comes with space for writing and plenty of storage, making it ideal if you want to take notes during a trip but also want room for your trip itinerary and your favorite travel credit cards. A pen slot in the middle also ensures you'll always have something to write with on hand. Large interior pockets on both sides add to this journal's functionality as a travel wallet, and you can even customize this journal with initials.
Compact travel journals
From $15.39 at Amazon
If you're hoping for a travel journal that won't take up a lot of space in your travel backpack, this small travel planning journal from Compendium could do the trick. It comes with 112 pages and includes reflective spaces and prompts that are meant to help you capture and remember every moment. It also has extra space for packing lists, notes and addresses you want to write down and track for later use. A ribbon marker also helps you keep track of the page you're on, so you'll never have to use a bookmark.
$16.99 at Amazon
This travel journal comes with a sturdy laminate cover and a layout that makes it perfect for documenting one long trip up to four weeks in length. There are three main sections included across 160 pages — a beginning section for trip planning, a second section for journaling during your trip and a third section for reflections and thoughts after returning home. A sheet of metallic stickers also lets you decorate your planner and make it your own.
$10 at Madewell
This compact travel journal from Madewell is perfect if you're short on space, yet it still has plenty of room for photos and documenting your trips. Made with a foil-stamped stipple cover and center-sewn binding, it comes with 48 pages you can fill in with memories, insights and places you don't want to forget. The affordable price makes this journal a good choice for yourself or a gift for someone who loves to travel as much as you do.
$14.99 at Amazon
If you're looking for a small travel notebook that lets you add more pages as you need them, this affordable choice could fit the bill. You can choose from two colors and three sizes, and each notebook comes with three different refill inserts that let you start each trip with a fresh perspective. Travelers will also like the fact that this notebook has a pouch or cardholder that lets you stash receipts, business cards and other small mementos from each adventure.
Waterproof travel journals
$11 at REI
If you're on the hunt for a travel journal that won't get ruined in your bag during an especially adventurous trip, consider looking for a travel journal that's waterproof. This outdoor journal from REI can work well since it's made with a waterproof cover and all-weather paper that is frequently used by scientists to record critical data in all kinds of weather conditions. The low cost of this travel journal makes it a good deal, and the bright yellow color makes it especially difficult to lose.
$32 $29.99 at Waypoint Wanders
Europe is on nearly everyone's travel bucket list, so having a dedicated travel journal for such a special place makes a lot of sense. This journal comes with a water-resistant cover, and inside, it's complete with a scratch-off map of Europe that lets you keep a visual account of where you have — and haven't — been. Bucket list destination scratch stamps also let you track specific cities in Europe you've managed to visit, from Amsterdam to London and Paris.
$14.95 at Amazon
This three-pack of memo books may be just what you need if you're heading out for a camping, boating or whitewater rafting trip. The paper inside each journal is waterproof and tear-proof, and the exterior cover is resistant to nearly any type of weather. The small size of this journal also makes it perfect to stuff in your pocket when you need to, whether you're hiking, canoeing or zip lining across a mountain canopy.
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