how travel log

AI Generator

A travel log is a sheet which contains a record of a traveler’s record. Initially, it was only used for non-formal purposes i.e. by travelers to record their experiences. But today, many companies and individuals establish a travel log for their professional records. A personal travel log can help one plan a trip and write about the memories. Adding pictures and writing about one’s own self can make travel log unique and personalized. Professional or business related travel log helps one in maintaining a record of their travel and in preparing an accurate expense report for reimbursement. Travel logs help companies in preparing a sheet of traveling expense incurred by them in a specific period.

This article will cover templates, examples, and samples of different types of travel log used around the globe in day-to-day life.

Travel Log Examples & Templates

1. sample travel log.

Size: 551 KB

It becomes essential for organizations to maintain an accurate record of the trips conducted through company vehicles. Such records help in preventing the misuse of the service and in obtaining a clear expense record. This file is an example of the Travel Log format by the Motor Fleet Management Division, Raleigh for permanently assigned vehicles. It is a one-page document capturing information about the individual responsible for the vehicle, agency supervisor, and other details about the vehicle. The log is divided into three sections viz. trip dates, office travel, and mileage. Sufficient space is provided to enter trip details for an entire month and convenient calculation options are provided at the bottom to summarize the log.

2. Daily Travel Log Sample

A daily travel log is a sheet maintained by an individual to record details about the personal/professional trips. Such travel logs help an individual in maintaining a record of the miles traveled by his/her own car and in keeping an exact track of the total time spent in traveling. This file is a blank general template of daily travel log available for download free of cost in PDF format. The log is divided into three sections viz. Mileage reading, number of miles, and purpose of the trip. It is a one-page log and can easily accommodate travel data for an entire month.

3. Vehicle Travel Log

Size: 17 KB

The above file is an example of the vehicle travel log issued by the St. Louis Area Regional Response System. It is required to be filled and submitted on a semi-annually basis by the owners who have vehicle purchased with funding from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. One must enter basic details like department, VIN Number, License Number, and vehicle details at the beginning before entering information in the log. It captures information like date of travel, operator, the purpose of the trip, destination, beginning & ending miles, gasoline purchased, and miscellaneous remarks. It is a three-page blank log sheet which is sufficient enough to accommodate travel details for 90 days.

4. College Supervisor Travel Log

Size: 278 KB

College and universities have a systematic process of reimbursing the travel expenses to student interns. Such processes are strictly monitored and recorded by intern supervisors to promote transparency. This file is one such example of the travel log of the student intern. The information capturing log sheet is divided into three sections viz. Date, School Travelled to & from, and Mileage. The log also includes instructions at the end of the sheet for supervisors on guiding them about the procedure for filing a reimbursement to the management. One can download this travel log and use it as a reference to prepare a similar log.

5. Travel Card Log Sheet

Size: 58 KB

This file is a general template of a purchase/travel card log. It is neatly designed and the formatting is basic. It is a one-page editable PDF file with top section allotted for general purchases and the bottom section for travel expenses. One must provide information about the card and the card holder in the space provided at the extreme top and the bottom of the document. One can download this file and explore the formatting style and standard pattern of a travel card log.

6. Student Team Travel Log Expenses

Size: 16 KB

Universities fund the traveling & food expenses of a sports team representing the college at different competitions. For reimbursement of the expenses a student team travel log expenses is issued by the university which has to be filled and submitted along with relevant receipts to demand a claim. This file is one such example of the student team travel log issued by the University of Nevada, Reno.

7. Occupational License Travel Log

Size: 148 KB

Officials often demand travel logs from the occupation license holder during the renewal of their existing license or in the suspension investigation case of their regular license. This file is an example of the travel log for occupation license holders. It is a one-page PDF document available for download free of cost. It can capture information like date, start time, end time, reason, from, and destination.

8. Automobile Travel Expenses Log

Travel costs are paid by an organization for a political or marketing campaign of a company. It demands a travel expense log from the drivers or executives who have initially paid for the same, and then initiate a reimbursement. This file is a similar example of an automobile travel expense log sheet. The entire sheet is divided into two sections i.e. travel expense and repayment. The sheet can capture information about both the travel expense and payment records.

9. Guardian Travel Log

Size: 50 KB

This file is a one-page general PDF log sheet for recording the guardian/parent travel details. One can add travel information up to five trips in this sheet. The sheet can include details like date, destination & purpose, mileage, and amount. The total reimbursement demanded is subjected to approval from the director of special services as mentioned in the sheet.

10. Monthly Travel Log Sheet

Size: 14 KB

This file is an example of the monthly travel log issued by a university to be filled up respectively by assigned drivers to certify that the mileage driven by the vehicle was for official university purpose only. The log is designed in a standard format and can easily capture required information related to tracking the travel of a vehicle.

11. Travel Log Form Sample

Size: 202 KB

The above file is a general blank template of travel log form available for download free of cost in PDF format. It can include information like date, the location from, location to, number of miles, and purpose of travel. It can be instantly downloaded to record the travel details for personal or professional purpose.

Text prompt

• Instructive
• Professional

10 Examples of Public speaking

20 Examples of Gas lighting

• New? Start Here
• Try For Free

How To Write A Travel Journal: Ideas, Tips, Prompts & Resources (2023 Definitive Guide)

Before I give you the A-Z on creating your travel journal, I have an interesting thought experiment for you…

Can you imagine packing up your life into ONE SINGLE duffel bag?

That’s exactly what my wife and I did when we first moved onto our sailboat  Sea Otter : one duffel of personal items each, and one small box of other items stored at our folks back home.

It turns out over  90% of the “stuff” we all own can happily be given away  or tossed in the bin.

Look around you right now. How much of the things you see are truly meaningful enough that you’d NEED to keep if all you could leave your home with was ONE duffel?

You’ll like this…

One of the  DEAD SIMPLE decisions you’d face with a “purging” like this is with your travel journals  because I can GUARANTEE it wouldn’t take more than a nanosecond for them to be placed delicately in your bag so you could keep them forever (which is exactly what I did with mine).

That’s how important your  travel diary  will become to you. It will become a cherished vault of memories…

…stories you’d have forgotten if you didn’t jot them down…

…memories you’ll look back on for the rest of your days with an ear-to-ear grin…

…a memento you can pass along to future generations so they can bask in your adventures.

And today you’re going to see  how to write a travel journal of your very own , including travel journal ideas, writing prompts, tips and all the best resources around!

What Is A Travel Journal?

Simply put, a travel journal is a diary of your time on holiday or vacation. It’s a place to jot down the things you never want to forget: people you met, important details, funny events, raw experiences.

And as we’ll discuss, it can take many forms, such as a paper notebook, a DIY scrapbook, an app, a website, and everything in between.

Is There A Difference Between A Travel Journal, Trip Diary, And Travel Log?

People often get confused about whether there’s a difference between these terms, but the answer is that they’re all the same thing.

Whether you prefer to call it a diary or a log doesn’t matter because you enter inside is the same: the stories of your travels.

And here’s an interesting fact you might enjoy: 

The term “travel log” (otherwise known as “travelogue” or “travelog”) originally comes from the term “ship’s log,” which was how sailboats and other seafaring vessels tracked the details of the voyage. They called it a “log” because of a wooden float that they used to drag behind the boat to measure speed.

…You know, in case you were really wondering. 😉

Why Keep A Journal While Traveling?

The experience is priority one.

Followed closely by a way to remember that experience.

You know this conundrum:

If a tree falls in the woods, does it make a sound?

Now how about this doozie:

If you forget most of the things you did on your trip, did they really happen?

Well of course they did! But wouldn’t it be so much sweeter if you KNEW you would remember that adventure for the rest of your life? Hell yeah!

THAT is why it’s SO important to keep a journal while on your trip: to remember the best days of your life — those days spent abroad exploring new places, meeting new people, experiencing new cultures.

What Are The Different Types Available?

If you want the best travel journal, you first need to know what  type  you would prefer.

There are  2 main types  to consider, and they are very different:

1. A paper notebook style journal 2. A digital, multimedia style journal (such as an app)

Let’s take them one by one:

A Paper Travel Journal:

These are, most often, simple notebooks that you tailor to your travels. Blank page after blank page, ready for ink to cover the lines.

The main benefits of a paper notebook style journal are:

• Some people like the physical act of writing, as opposed to typing on their phones or tablets.
• It’s physical. You can hold it in your hands. It can sit on your bookshelf and physically take up space. 
• They make really cool gifts (especially  personalized travel journals ). 
• You scrapbook with it by gluing in boarding passes, ticket stubs, and anything else you want to keep a hold of.

A few shortcomings of a physical journal are:

• You can lose it! 😩
• You can only write it in, not easily add pictures or videos from your phone.
• You can’t track or tag locations automatically.
• They take up physical space (if you are a diehard minimalist).
• You can’t share your stories online.

A Digital Travel Journal:

Digital journals are usually apps and websites that work well for journaling. That said, you could also DIY it by simply documenting your travels in a simple text doc on your computer or the ‘Notes’ app on your phone (just make sure you back them up properly!).

The main benefits of a  travel journal app :

• The best ones store all your entries securely to the cloud, so you never have to worry about losing your memories.
• You can add pictures directly from your phone’s camera.
• The best ones allow you to add videos too!
• You can collaborate with travel-mates to the same journal, which makes sure you get ALL the stories from all angles (and pics too).
• The best ones automatically tag locations for you and show your routes on a map.
• The best ones allow you to  ‘publish’ your journals online for your friends and family to follow along .

A few shortcomings of a digital journal are:

• It’s in the cloud, so you can’t place it on your coffee table and peruse when you’re in the mood (although the best ones do allow you to print your journals too).
• You can’t glue in physical mementos you want to hold on to.
• They’re harder to give as gifts because the “ unwrapping ” just isn’t the same.

As you can see, there are tradeoffs with each style and the answer to which is better truly lies in what you find as more important. Do you want to  share it online  or are you happy to  keep it privately written  on your bookshelf? Are you cool with just being able to write or do want to add pictures, videos, and maps ?

Think about what’s best and go for it! Remember, you can always choose a different style next time!

5 Of The Best Travel Journal Notebooks To Buy

There are loads of travel journals available for you to buy online. Some with simple ruled pages, others with prompts and other interesting things inside, and some are personalized for that extra cool touch.

Here are our top 5 favorites (including a few of our best selling personalized journals, of course 😊):

1.  The Extraordinary Life & Adventures Notebook (Personalized!)  by Journo Travel Goods

2.  Refillable Leather Journal Traveler’s Notebook  by Moterm 3.  Personalized ‘Comrades in Life, Love & Adventure’ Couples Travel Journal  by Journo Travel Goods

4.  Simple Premium Leather With Monogram  by OxAndPine

5.  The Custom Boarding Pass Travel Journal  by Journo Travel Goods

There are plenty of options out there. The best of which comes with personalization and are an ideal size for hauling around on a trip.

What Is The Best App For Journaling?

I founded  Journo  to do ONE THING: help fellow travel junkies track, remember and share their adventures like they couldn’t do ANYWHERE else.

It all started while at anchor in a secluded bay in The Bahamas, when I was trying to describe in my paper journal the most strikingly red sunset I’d ever seen. But I couldn’t find the words.

…and  I felt like I was going to miss out on that memory  if the only way I was trying to document it was on paper.

The very next day the idea for  Journo  was born. It’s taken on a life of its own since – developing a huge community of incredible travelers and winning “Best Travel App” by IMA Awards. 

National Geographic Travel put it simply:

“Sharing memories from a trip can get messy. Journo removes the pain.”

Journo  is loaded with cool capabilities that make it so much easier to document your trips. And even comes with your very own travel blog so your friends and family back home can follow along (and endlessly drool at your adventures 🤤).

Journo is  available on iOS for iPhones and iPad , with Android coming soon. Of course, there are a few other travel journal apps out there and I encourage you to compare with Journo and use whichever you think is best. 

What do you write in your journal? 10 Fun Travel Journal Ideas To Inspire You!

A little nudge can go a long way when you’re first starting out. So to get your mind running, here are 10 of our favorite ideas to include in your trip diary:

1. Start before your trip.  Jot down your  pre-trip planning list , where you’re going, who with, what items are on your  must-see and must-do lists . Write about anything you’re most excited about, even if it’s simply relaxing on the beach and going through a couple of  great books !

2. A picture is worth a thousand words.  If you’re using a travel journal app like Journo, the simplest thing to do is start in your photo album. Look through, grab a pic that catches your eye, add it to your Journal and then write the story about it! If you’re using a paper journal, consider bringing along  a mini polaroid like this , and then paste in your pics!

3. A video is worth all the words.  This one only works with a limited number of apps that allow for video (like Journo, of course 😉), but including a video of a memorable moment can really take your entries up a notch.

4. Oh, the sights!  We often say, “ Don’t be a tourist. Be a traveler. ” But we always recommend seeing the big sights, even if they’re in massive tourist traps. They’re big sights for a reason – they’re incredible! Add them to your journal. Write about if they lived up your expectations or not.

5. It’s all about the people.  I guarantee some of the longest-lasting memories you’ll have from a trip are of the people you meet. We, humans, are built for connection, and so a beautiful connection with a new friend or complete stranger can have a lasting impact. Document it!

6. Let’s not forget about the food.  Even the most non-foodies amongst us love to talk about  amazing food experiences abroad . I’ll never forget my squid ink spaghetti on The Amalfi Coast, or navigating my way through Cuy (Guinea Pig!) in Cuzco, or my daily  street dumplings  in Shanghai. Take pics of your favorite dishes, jot down the restaurant (or pin it on a map in Journo), and describe the food in detail! 😋

7. Map it!  If you’re anything like me, you love the look of a cool map. Now, doesn’t that map get even sweet when it’s of YOUR travel route? Yep! Draw it and color it if you’re using a paper journal (gives you something to do when in limbo or on a  long train ride ). If you’re using an app, it should  pin your route for you .

8. Paste in awesome mementos.  This one is best for the paper journalers amongst us because you can literally glue in cool stuff from your adventures, like maps, ticket stubs, bottle labels, coasters, postcards, foreign dollar bills, candy wrappers, etc. Whatever you find interesting, toss it in! If you’re using an app, just take a pic of it!

9. Write about yourself.  No better place for a little bit of introspection than on a trip. And that’s usually because – if you’re doing it right – you’re pushing yourself out of your comfort zone and growing as a person. Write about that. Write about your feelings, changed opinions, ups, and downs, whatever it may be that you’re going through!

10. Team up!  We created Journo as a collaborative journaling tool because it’s a ton of fun for you and your travel-mates to be journaling in the same place ( here’s my wife, Mak, and my collabo Journo from a sail a while back , as an example). You get all the stories and, oftentimes, a hilarious new angle on a shared experience. If you’re using a paper journal, just pass it around, maybe even taking turns documenting the days.

>> New: 100 travel journal prompts for ever part of your adventure.

And whatever you do… don’t overthink it! It’s better to just roll with it than overthink it. It’s just an entry, after all. Just write!

One thing we’ve discovered from our community of travel journalers is that it can be hard to find the time  while on a trip  to keep up with your journaling. Here’s some help with that…

4 Writing Tips To Fill Your Travel Journal With Ease WHILE Vacationing

1. Start with today.  With limited time, and being pretty beat after a long day, it’s tough to keep up. So just don’t worry about previous days, just start with today (and catch up as soon as you can or when you get home and maybe  feeling the post-trip blues ).     

2. Think “highlight reel.”  The quickest way to get that entry rolling is to think about the top 1-3 things that went down today. Add those, then expand later if you want. 

3. Start in your phone’s photo album.  As mentioned above, it’s simplest to start by pulling up the date in your phone’s photo library, find the best pics, add them to your journal and write a short snippet of it.     

4. Consider giving your friends back home a touch of the #TravelEnvy bug.  😜 With Journo, you can publish your entries to your very own travel blog with a couple of taps. This will both  make your friends drool  and also keep you on track with adding more stories of your adventures.

I hope you found this helpful in getting started with traveling journaling. Remember, the most important thing is to simply begin.

Step one is to grab the right journal  for you  (thanks for considering Journo in your decision).  Step two , if you have time before your departure date,  is to start writing now ! That easy!

Ok here’s one last helpful tip for you…

Try to develop the habit of daily journaling now will make it even easier while on your trip.  Here is a free downloadable journaling prompt exercise book for you: The 21-Day Journo Challenge.

Inside you’ll get ONE word or image, and all you need to do is write about WHATEVER comes to your mind as you read the word or lay your eyes on the pic.

Have any tips we didn’t mention? What do you love travel journaling about the most?  Tell us in the comments below!

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Related Posts:

Advertiser Disclosure

This site is part of an affiliate sales network and receives compensation for sending traffic to partner sites, such as CreditCards.com. This compensation may impact how and where links appear on this site. This site does not include all financial companies or all available financial offers. We appreciate your support!

Editorial Note: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities.

Travel Tips, Tricks, & Hacks — Straight To Your Inbox

No spam, only the goods. And we would never share your info with anyone.

• Bucket List
• Travel Tips
• Remote Work
• Gift Guides

Most Popular Stories

11 Proven Ways To Be A Responsible Traveler

We want to be responsible adults, responsible citizens, but what about responsible travelers? Are there things we can do that protect us and those around

7 Literary Cities for the Book Lover

We read books to learn new skills, understand our world better, and get lost in the incredible stories of authors from all walks of life. 

14 Tips for Anyone Traveling Alone

In these challenging times, our schedules are out of whack and we are itching to explore. You may find that significant others and close friends

13 Unique Gift Ideas For Father’s Day

Our fathers hold a special place in our hearts. Whether you’re able to spend this Father’s Day with yours or not, we hope to help

Travel More, Remember Better.

• Journo Travel Journal
• Currency Converter
• Become An Insider
• Digital Nomad Secrets
• Remote Work Wealth Club
• Travel Hacker's Toolkit
• Travel Fund Challenge
• Insider Adventures
• Shop Travel Goods
• TERMS & CONDITIONS
• PRIVACY POLICY

• 2024 Calendar
• 2025 Calendar
• Monthly Calendar
• Blank Calendar
• Julian Calendar 2024
• Personal Letter
• Personal Reference Letter
• Collection Letter
• Landlord Reference Letter
• Letter of Introduction
• Notarized Letter
• Lease Renewal Letter
• Medication Schedule
• Bank Statement
• 100 Envelope Challenge
• Landscaping Invoice
• Credit Application Form
• Plane Ticket
• Child Support Agreement
• Payment Agreement
• Cohabitation Agreement
• Residential Lease Agreement
• Land Lease Agreement
• Real Estate Partnership Agreement
• Master Service Agreement
• Profit Sharing Agreement
• Subcontractor Agreement
• Military Time
• Blood Sugar Chart
• Reward Chart
• Foot Reflexology
• Hand Reflexology
• Price Comparison Chart
• Baseball Score Sheet
• Potluck Signup Sheet
• Commission Sheet
• Silent Auction Bid Sheet
• Time Tracking Spreadsheet

Free Printable Travel Log Templates [PDF, Excel, Word]

A travel log can quickly become an un-tracked mess if you don’t organize it. But you’ll soon realize that keeping a travel log is almost like a lifestyle for anyone who goes on many trips. There’s so much to write down, from flights to hotels and miscellaneous expenses.

Table of Contents

What is a travel log?

A travel log is a way of documenting your travels, whether personal or professional. A travel log can be beneficial in helping you recall memories of your trips and also act as an excellent guide to help you plan your next. It enables you to keep track of all the information you need on each trip so that when it comes to following up with it, you can do so.

The travel log only travels within the framework of a route. Rather than ordinary diaries, it is an object that tries to convey the ambiance of the places visited. People can keep a travel diary for themselves or share their journey with a community. The language to be preferred in travel diaries is entirely up to the individual, but if shared with a community, fluency in the language to be created and the chronological order of events are of great importance.

Travel Log Templates

Document your adventures and keep track of your travel experiences with our comprehensive collection of Travel Log Templates . A travel log is a journal or diary where you can record details about your trips, including destinations, activities, accommodations, and memorable moments . Our customizable and printable templates provide a structured framework for organizing and preserving your travel memories. Whether you’re a globetrotter, an avid explorer, or a digital nomad, our templates offer various layouts and designs to suit your style.

By utilizing our Travel Log Templates , you can capture important details, reflect on your experiences, and create a personal keepsake of your journeys. With visually appealing designs and user-friendly layouts, our templates make it easy to document and share your travel stories. Enhance your travel documentation, relive your adventures, and create a lasting record of your wanderlust with our user-friendly templates. Download now and embark on a journey of preserving your travel memories with our Travel Log Templates .

How to write the perfect travel log?

“How to write a travel log?” It is the most logical option for travelers searching for an answer to the question to start by obtaining a notebook set first. One of the notebook sets should be divided into days directly with its pages or sections, and the travel notes for each day should be transferred to the relevant sections. Other essential features of the travel book are that it is easily portable, has a stylish structure, and is of high quality. The successful storage of the notes obtained during the trip will be possible with the travel book.

• Flow is a significant detail in a travel diary to be created from scratch. To prepare the flow according to the route and to make the events consist of a pattern, the “chronological” order is of great importance. Just before the creation of the travel book or diary, there are various notes, photographs, sound recordings, etc., that individuals must do. It is to obtain records that will facilitate the recall of the moments put into the memory with the elements. Thanks to these records, creating the final version of a travel diary will become much more perfect.
• Of course, every traveler takes a lot of photos during travels, and from time to time, he may not even be able to find a space to fit his photos. While preparing a travel diary, the inability to fit the images on the pages is a bigger problem than the pictures cannot be stored in the digital space. It is of great importance that the images of the days are chosen very well in the travel diaries. The most crucial photo of the day should be on the page related to that day, not to exceed a few.
• What’s a good travel log be like? Individuals looking for an answer to the question should pay attention that photographs tell much more than words. On the other hand, it is a much better reminder of the details of that moment. Therefore, doing a little photography training before preparing a travel diary or even before traveling will improve your travel diary. Afterward, it will be straightforward to decide on the photos to be chosen while organizing a travel diary and the photos taken at critical moments and times during the trip. Then, the travel diary can obtain photographs that contain the most important and most profound meanings of the days or contain the most details and describe much more than words.
• A street, a monument, a museum, a garden, a historical place, etc. You may have visited many places. Unfortunately, boring your diary with details while talking about these visited areas will make it difficult to read. It will disrupt the flow of the log and make it boring. Only the necessary details should be included in the travel diary to avoid such a situation.
• Avoiding telling personal details will be one of the best moves when writing a travel journal. For example, I did my hair like this today, chose that color bag, etc. Instead of unnecessary details, more details should be given about the cultures of the places visited during the trip or the ambiance of the events at that moment. With accurate descriptions, one of the primary purposes should be to make the reader live that moment in his mind with the diary and feel himself in that journey.

To better convey the feelings or experiences you have experienced while traveling a place, you need to include the sense organs in writing. Details such as talking about the smell of the environment during the trip, indicating the condition of the air temperature, giving information about the taste of what you eat and drink, conveying the details that catch your eye, and being descriptive about the general sound of the environment are the elements that should be included in the diary when writing a travel log.

Have you learned how to write but haven’t gone anywhere yet? Then hit the road, travel, roam, and share your experience with us!

How do you write a trip log?

A trip log records details during travel, including dates, locations, transportation, accommodation, activities, food, costs, weather, and personal experiences. Write down notes each day in a journal or log template. Supplement with photos, ticket stubs, etc.

What is the travel log?

A travel log is a diary where travelers document details about their trips, often including where they went, what they did, who they met, how they felt, and more. It helps preserve memories from vacations and adventures.

How do I create a key log spreadsheet?

To create a key log spreadsheet, make columns for the date, employee name, key number, time checked out, time returned, purpose/area accessed, and notes. Use rows to log each instance a key is used. This tracks key usage.

What is a log template?

A log template is a pre-made document with fields to enter repetitive data over time, allowing the user to track details, patterns, and progress. Logs help organize information like project tasks, exercise routines, work hours, expenses, etc.

What are the benefits of keeping a detailed travel log?

Benefits include preserving memories, recording expenses, writing down tips for future travelers, reflecting on experiences, maintaining a catalog of places visited, and appreciating how much you accomplished.

Should you write in your travel log during or after your trip?

It’s best to write frequent, brief log entries during your trip so details are fresh, then expand on them afterwards. In-the-moment notes capture true thoughts.

What makes a good travel log?

A good log is consistent, personalized with stories and anecdotes, has fun mementos attached or inserted, highlights new discoveries about people/places/yourself, and evokes the feeling of the experiences.

Hey there! I recently learned about Venn diagrams and thought they were pretty neat. Just wanted to share a bit in case you weren't familiar. Venn diagrams are those images…

According to salary.com, the average payroll cycle is two weeks. However, large companies employ vast numbers of workers according to labor demands. In such cases, some individuals get contracted to…

Are you planning on protecting your company or business against any loss? Say hello to indemnification agreements. No doubt you might have thought of the term liability, which can connect…

Congratulations can be used in a speech or writing. To write a letter, however, you will have to start from scratch. A well-written letter of congratulations can serve as an…

Betina Jessen

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Travel journal examples and how to get the most out of a travel journal

A travel journal: your new best friend.

Travel journal examples can spark ideas for your own journal. This matters a great deal because a travel journal can be one of your most helpful travel — make that life — tools. It can serve myriad purposes from recording your thoughts, emotions (an important aspect many overlook) and experiences to being a repository of creative ideas and even artwork. You can use it as a scrapbook, planning tool, contact book, organizer, reference book (for vital information such as passport numbers, hotel addresses, places to visit, etc.) and even a place to hide certain valuables.

It’s simple enough to put information into your travel journal. The hard part is being able to find or extract that information easily later on. But don’t worry. I’ll show you travel journal examples, techniques, hacks and tips for that and more based on decades trying a wide variety of travel journals and approaches. You’ll find these useful whether you’re an old pro at journaling or even if you’ve never used a travel journal before. And be sure to read all the way through this article since the Additional Resources section at the end is loaded with inspiring and helpful travel journal examples and ideas.

Getting started

The first and most important thing to remember is that there is no one right way to set up your travel journal. In fact, I’ve found that the best approach is to just start with something and learn as you go. My first travel journal was basically a daily diary: “Today I did this, etc.” Now, however, I use it in a very different matter. But it all comes down to this: What is the purpose of your travel journal?

Two typical entries from my first travel journal on my first trip to Europe in high school. I have upped my travel journal game a bit since then, or so I hope.

This is such an important question because it will guide what kind of notebook/journal/sketchbook you use, how you organize it and how you interact with it. If you’re just starting out, you may not even know your purpose other than to record your experiences. That’s fine. Start there. Then refine over time.

For me, I see my travel journal as a collection tool for travel drawing and notes where I gather ideas, sketches, some to-do’s, trip details and anything else that interests me. But the main difference between this and most journals is that as a tool, I want to use my journal after I return. Not just for nostalgic reminisces on my trip, but to glean from it what I’ve learned, gained and become. I’ll explain this more momentarily.

Picking the right journal

Again, I’m not sure there is a universal “right” travel journal. Your goal is to find what works for you. You can start by determining if you want a blank notebook or a travel journal that comes with prompts, quotes, organizing categories, etc. Here’s a helpful list of 17 travel journals to give you a sense of travel journal examples and possibilities. Mostly, consider if you want to do travel drawing or even painting in your travel journal. If so, you’ll want thicker paper that won’t warp with the water or bleed through with ink. You likely will want blank pages, as opposed to lines, grids or dots.

Just as there’s no right or wrong size (just what works for you), so too is the orientation up to you. As you can see here, I sketched holding the journal in a portrait orientation (left page) but wrote (right page, partial) using a landscape orientation. Both work.

If you want to use it as a form of a scrapbook, get one with pockets or that is expandable enough for when you’ve doubled the thickness with all those tickets, stamps, samples of currency, bottle labels and other elements you’ve glued to the pages.

Buying a nice looking or feeling notebook or journal can be motivating. But getting too nice of a notebook to use can be intimidating: You’ll be afraid to do any travel drawing or mess it up. Thus, I suggest starting somewhere in the middle. Find a journal or notebook that will hold up well (hard covers help in this regard), but isn’t so expensive you’ll only want to use it on special occasions. 

Even fancy patterns on your pages can be fun. I tend to prefer blank pages, but sometimes I’ll try different patterns just to mix things up.

Your travel journal is more of a workhorse than a show pony (though sometimes a bit of that too later on). You’ll get far more out of one you use all the time, where you write, do travel drawing or urban sketching, doodle and record with the intent that only you will ever see it. If you choose to show it to others later, fine. But don’t make that your main goal, at least as a beginner, or you’ll never get the most out of your journal.

How will you use your travel journal?

Back to purpose, you can choose to have a general-use journal or one devoted only to your trips (or to a particular trip). I have done both, and there are pros and cons to each. A journal for all situations allows you to connect everything you do so that if a great work idea hits you on a trip, you can reference back to a meeting about that, etc. You can also find things easier in some ways since your whole life, trip or home/work, is laid out in a chronological fashion in one book.

Here’s a recent journal of mine that I use daily, as well as for trips. You can see the basic outline for this article here that I wrote on the plane on a business trip. How do I know it was on a trip? From the notation that the sketch was done from a photo in the airplane’s magazine somewhere between Baltimore (BWI) and Seattle (SEA)

A really popular approach these days to general journals is the Bullet Journal . Many people swear by this way of organizing their journal and their life. I love many of the ideas found in bullet journaling. But I choose not to follow that approach completely. Why? Bullet journaling is primarily intended as a productivity tool. I personally don’t find it helpful in that regard because, for example, tracking all my calendar events and moment-by-moment to-do’s in a journal slows me down.

Combine digital and analog

Instead, I use a combination of Outlook, Trello , Evernote and Scrivener (the latter two for organizing ideas and writing projects or content) on my phone and computer. The main reason for tracking tasks digitally is that they roll over automatically. I don’t have to constantly move them manually from one day, week or month to-do list to the next.

But the main reason I don’t use the bullet journal methodology for my travel journal is that when I travel, productivity is not my goal. Exploration and discovery are. I use my travel journal to capture what I learn as I explore the world around me and the world within me wherever I go.

On a trip, I’m less interested in productivity than in explaining why this sketch was hard to do well.

In the last few years, I’ve taken up sketching and even watercolors, so for me, I now maintain a separate travel journal for each major trip. I use one that has thicker watercolor paper, so on a three-week trip, I can pretty much fill up the whole book. But for shorter trips, I do use my day-to-day journal. And I’ve even done both: Used my day-to-day journal to record words and a smaller sketchbook for travel drawing or watercolors. Again, no right or wrong way to do this. Just start with an approach and build from there.

Organizing your travel journal

What follows is how I organize my travel journal. It’s the same way I do my day-to-day journal but with some additional pages in the end for travel-specific information. My purpose, remember, is to capture ideas, information and experiences and then to be able to use these later. For that reason, the most helpful part of my journal is the index. I’ll explain that in a moment along with travel journal examples, but here’s what else goes into my journal.

Starting with a brand new empty journal

The first thing I do with a new journal is to put my name, cell phone number and email address on the inside cover.

Next, if the journal doesn’t have a rear pocket, I make one or glue/tape in a small envelope that fits on the inside of the rear cover.

If you glue in your own, consider hiding a few large denomination bills, both dollars and the local currency, behind the envelope or anything else you tape or glue inside the covers. It’s a great place for hiding back-up money. It works because once you start using your travel journal regularly, you’ll find it is one of your most precious possessions. You’ll learn to guard it like your wallet, passport or phone.

These are just some of the many travel journals I’ve filled up over the years.

In addition to the pocket or envelope in your journal, consider bringing a quart or gallon-sized zip lock bag to hold all the small items you pick up along the way. I used to shove them into pockets in my carry-on bag, but having a single location now keeps them from getting lost or mangled. And it keeps my travel journal from looking like George Costanza’s wallet on Seinfeld . This same bag can hold a glue stick, paper clips or anything else you want for adding items to your journal.

Start in the front and work back

I track everything chronologically noting the date at the top of each day’s entry. If it spans multiple pages, I’ll write “(cont.)” after the date on later spreads so I know to keep looking for the start of that day when I review the entry later.

I work in this chronological fashion for recording most of my entries because I find it flows better to write the item down right away and then figure out how to classify it later. I set up indexes in the back for classifying and locating the entry. But that comes as a review step, not a creative or collecting function.

What to write

Starting at the front section of the travel journal, I may use the very first page as a title page if the journal is devoted to a single trip. Otherwise, I skip over that page and then start with the date of the start of the trip and then just keep going from there. Here are the types of content I write/draw along with some of my travel journal examples:

Sometimes, I’ll devote a whole page or spread to nothing but sketches.

• General thoughts . These make up the majority of my journal and are what you’d expect in any journal.
• Sketches . I’m still just a beginner, but I’ve committed to one sketch per day, at home or on a trip. Sometimes they are involved. Others (most of the time), are just a quick gesture. But the discipline helps improve my skill.
• A daily log . At the end of each day, I do a very quick list of summary activities, where I went, who I met, what I did. I actually note it like this: “(Log 11/27/19 – Wed.):” so that I can see at a glance what were log entries versus other ideas. For logs, the shorter the better. Here’s where bullet journal techniques can help: Record a few words as a bullet rather than full sentences. At the end of every daily log, I also record two specific items in addition log entries themselves, gratitude points and what I’ve read or watched.
• Gratitude points : I jot down what I call a Goodness Journal (abbreviated as GJ) entry. This is the highlight of my day for which I am most grateful. On trips, this can often end up being multiple points.
• Read/Watched : The second additional component is what I call Read/Watched (R/W) where I list any books I’ve read that day or any movies, programs, concerts, etc. that I watched. It can include podcasts and anything else you want to track. Before I started doing this, I’d get to the end of the year and couldn’t recall all the books I’d read. Now I can just by referring back to these entries.
• Insights and Ideas . Most of my journal at home is filled with these. On trips, these happen more on plane, train or bus rides than every single day. But they could happen any time which is why I keep a pocket-sized travel journal with me or at least a note card or my phone so I can write the idea down immediately.
• Quotes . These can be formal written ones I encounter or snippets of conversations I overhear. As a writer, I want to always be gathering dialog examples or clever turns of phrases.
• To-dos. Yes, I said I record these digitally for the daily tasks. But sometimes on trips, you have opportunities for dreaming and planning. I mark all to-do’s with a checkbox I can fill in later. I like the bullet journal way they do this as well (a dot instead of a box).

I had a gentleman in China demonstrate his woodblock stamps by stamping some examples in my journal. You can paste in stamps, tickets, receipts, postcards or any other artifacts from your trip onto your journal pages as you go (if you remember to bring some glue or paste).

• Descriptions . These are either quick notes on what I’m seeing, hearing, tasting or tasting, or longer ways to capture the details of a place. See Look Closely for details on how to do this as a way to learn to see details better or to write better based on your travels. I also make sure to write down the names of places, people, food, local expressions and anything else I want to write about later. Don’t assume you’ll remember it or can look it up later. Write it down.
• Miscellaneous . I’ve had artists draw in my journal, had people stamp it (see photo above), record different colors of beverages spilled or intentionally dripped on it and a wealth of other things added. Be open to how you can use your journal. Or for fun, try this exercise: Come up with as many ways as you can think of to use your travel journal on your next trip.

The back of the journal

The front of the journal is used for a chronological input of information each day (or whenever you choose). The goal there is to record the idea, insight, drawing or information just like in a diary. The back of the journal is where you’ll organize it all for later retrieval.

Working from the last page backwards, I set up a series of index or topic pages (see the list below) where I record anything related to that topic either verbatim (if I have the time and forethought to write it down there such as contact info or a quote I came across) or as a page number reference and summary line from the front of the journal (hence the reason these back-of-the-journal pages are called Index Pages).

For me, I find that most index sections only require one page (e.g. for Contacts or Travel Details) but I leave two pages for Ideas or Vocabulary since they tend to have more entries. I write small (some would say ridiculously small), so if you don’t, you may want to leave more room.

Review your entries and record them for easier retrieval

I don’t assign page numbers as I write in the front of the journal. Instead, I jot down a page number later, maybe daily, maybe weekly, as I review my journal. Writing down the page number during the review phase shows me which pages have been indexed. No page number indicates it still needs to be indexed. As I review each page, I also code the entries themselves on the journal pages by highlighting the topic or assigning a word or letter to let me know what it is. For example, if there’s a quote, I will write “Quote” and circle it right before the quote. For blog ideas, I’ll write “blog” and circle that, etc. If  an idea that has distinct merit, I’ll draw a star next to it. Particular project ideas get a corresponding code, e.g. if it’s about  my book on Hidden Travel,   I’ll write “HT” and circle that. The whole point is to make it easier to spot the entry when you’re reviewing the page later.

Here you can (hopefully) see how I’ve written and circled page numbers at the top and put a box around the word “Quote” on the left page and “Visual appeal article” on the right page. Then, on the Quotes index page, I’ll write “108” and circle it with a quick notation like, “E.B. White on saving/savoring the world.” On the Ideas index page, I’ll write “109” and circle it with the notation, “Visual Appeal article questions.”

In case you’re wondering why the index/topic pages go in the back and not in the front like a table of contents, it’s because I often add topics as I progress through the journal. Working from the back gives me room to add new pages whereas if I’d started from the front and I didn’t guess correctly, I’d be out of room before running into my journal entries.

Travel journal examples of Pre-Trip Items

Some of my index/topic pages get filled in (or at least started) before my trip either as planning or to load my travel journal with important information to have on my trip. Here are some travel journal examples of the key sections.

Here’s a travel journal example of a shot list from my China trip journal. I tend to write pretty small in the back section of a journal! The whited out area was my passport number in code. Writing key information on pages with other entries makes it even less obvious this is something valuable.

• Vocabulary. On trips to countries where I’m learning the language, I’ll add new vocabulary words here usually starting long before the trip. These are key words to practice, as well as new ones I pick up as I travel.
• Shot list . When planning my trip, as a photographer, I make a list of specific places, scenes, techniques I want to try or even times of day I want to shoot. Check out my Beginner’s Guide to Making Awesome Travel Photos for more on this and other travel photo techniques. In addition, as I review guidebooks or articles, I’ll add interesting places to this list. Even if you’re not a photographer, you can make a list of “must see” places or “must do” experiences or activities. Writing them down really helps because it makes it so easy to find all these in one place rather than hunting through a guidebook or other pages on your trip.
• Themes and Moments . This is yet another pre-trip fill-in page. I try to come up with a theme or quest for each trip. Writing down ideas about that or defining it really adds to the anticipation of the trip. On this page, I’ll also jot down ideas for creating magic or defining moments for others on the trip. This includes ideas for the activities or contact info for places or people that will be part of the activity.

Travel journal examples of elements to add as you travel

Here are some typical index/topic pages in the back of my travel journal that get filled in as I go:

• Contact information . I keep a separate page to record the names, email addresses, etc. of people I meet along the way. If, in a hurry, I just write down a name and email address in the front-of-the-book journaling section. I’ll later record the page number and contact name on the page here so all I can find all my contacts in one place later.
• Ideas . This becomes a catchall for any creative ideas I’ve had. I normally start with the page number(s) followed by a brief summary such as “27 – 29: Dining room chair design” or “73: Article on architecture styles in Morocco.”

Here’s a specific travel journal example, the Ideas Index Page from my China trip journal. I had started the page on the left as a vocabulary list but made room from more ideas when I ran out of space on the page on the right.

• Books and Movies . This too is a catchall for any form of entertainment I want to read. I constantly get book and movie (and even song or podcast) recommendations as I travel that I add here with an open check box. I also record books I’ve finished to this list noting those with a checked box.
• Quotes . As noted above, these may be written quotes I come across or snippets of dialog I pick up. I either write the quote here directly or reference the journal page where I wrote the quote with a reminder such as “53-quote from Leipzig waitress on timing.”

You can do a trip highlights page on the flight home, but sometimes it helps to record a summary of details in the midst of your trip of things that stand out to you.

• To-do’s. I said I like to keep my travel journal free from productivity and time management, but I always have big-picture to-do activities that arise on a trip. I’ll record these as I go in the journal section, but for longer-term ones I don’t want to lose track of, I sometimes add a to-do index as well in the back of the journal. This can also be a great place to record future planning ideas for things you want to accomplish after your trip.
• Trip highlights . I’ll normally note the big moments in the journal section as they occur. But often on the flight home, I like to review these and capture them all in one place with the page reference and a brief notation. I may also add in additional ones at this point because sometimes, you don’t realize how powerful or meaningful a moment was at the time.

When your journal is full

Eventually, you’ll fill up your journal with entries. You’ll then review and have every page numbered with key entries noted in your index pages. Then what?

I use Scrivener (for writing projects) and Evernote (for others) as software/apps to track ideas over time. Thus, when I finish a journal, I go copy the content from my index pages into one of these digital programs.

There are several reasons for this. First, it helps to have all your ideas over time in one place so you can view them easier. Second, with the online tools, I can tag content by subject making retrieval later much easier. Most of us focus our efforts on having ideas and maybe writing them down. But those ideas won’t serve you well if you can’t find them later. Finally, putting everything into one place helps me see patterns and related ideas which, in turn, sparks new ideas.

It all relates to the concept of Collect, Connect and Share. If all you’re doing is collecting, you’re missing out on the main value of your journal.

Make a copy

This may be overkill to some, but my journals are precious repositories of life. I would hate to lose them. I could dictate the contents and transcribe that, but I don’t have that kind of time. Instead, Evernote comes to the rescue.

The Evernote app has a photo function. I open the app and take pictures of every spread or page of my journal. I save the results as an Evernote file and can even tag it by date, country or other criteria. It then resides on the cloud (and I also do a back-up on a drive at home). That way, if the original gets lost, I know that all those memories are secure.

Let’s review

Here’s a summary of the key points:

• Know the purpose for your journal
• Choose the type of journal based on your intended purpose.
• Start with something that’s not too nice so that you’re not afraid to mark it up.
• Keep daily entries in the front and a list of index pages in the back of the journal.
• Periodically review your journal entries. As you do, number each page and record that page number and a brief reminder on the appropriate index page.
• At the end of each journal, photograph each page and save to a secure location. Then enter the index information into whatever tool you use for tracking all of your ideas over time.

Additional resources and travel journal examples

Here are other resources and travel journal examples to both inspire and help you get the most out of your travel journal:

• A helpful article with visuals of different travel journal examples
• Writer and artist Austin Kleon’s comments on notebooks 
• Travel journal examples (and notebooks) of author Robert MacFarlane 
• Some additional travel journal examples and notebook types
• The Sketchbook Projec t, one of my favorite places to visit in Brooklyn, NY and a great source of inspiration for sketchbooks. If you’re looking for a single place for travel journal examples, it is this one. Here are just a few screen shots of some random travel journal examples I looked up by Julia Yellow . There are thousands of such journals at this site.

• If you really enjoy the travel drawing aspect of a travel journal, you might want to connect with the whole Urban Sketchers movement and see travel journal examples that include urban sketching. Here’s an example of an urban sketch by Stephanie Bower . I took some of her architectural sketching courses online at Bluprint and they were excellent.

Parting thoughts

Finally, if you want even more travel journal examples and information, be sure to read Lavinia Spalding’s excellent book on the subject, Writing Away: A Creative Guide to Awakening the Journal-Writing Traveler. Here’s one of many great quotes from the book:

“If we’re committed to honest investigation, the travel journal can be a cornerstone of growth and a catalyst for great work, providing a safe container for astonishing discoveries and the life lessons we take away from them. We write words in an empty book, and an inanimate object is transformed into a living, breathing memoir. In turn, as we write, the journal transforms us. It allows us to instantly process impressions, which leads to a more examined layer of consciousness in both the present and the future. It’s a relationship, and let me tell you, it’s no cheap one-night stand.”

You might want to consider writing that quote down in your travel journal. Either in the daily entries or on the quotes index page. Or however you want to do it. It’s your travel journal and the possibilities are endless.

Thanks Steve! Informative and creative. Your sketching is lovely, too! Merry Christmas to you and the fam

Thanks, Alan. I was just editing a section in my upcoming book, “Hidden Travel,” on the subject of sketching and the advice I was given by Gabriel Campinario, founder of Urban Sketchers. He told me to never apologize or say, “Oh, I’m just a beginner” when someone compliments your sketching because no matter how bad you think it is, it is still better than that of the 99% of the population who never attempts to draw. So I will leave it at, “Thank you!”

[…] I mainly get inspiration from a Reddit group called Journaling, and also I get a few ideas on making travel journals. Despite it being fun to do having a physical notebook, at times it can be difficult to finish them […]

You’ve inspired me to resume creating tiny travel journals, with scrapbook like additions. I use photo double sided stickies, not glue. Someone asked what do I do with these? As if creating isn’t pleasurable. I often use them as primary sources to create photobooks. Along with my Bird lists.🐦😁.

• Search for: Search

Get the Good Stuff!

My instagram images.

Session expired

Please log in again. The login page will open in a new tab. After logging in you can close it and return to this page.

Travel Log Template

What is a travel log.

Why do people use travel logs?

How to use the travel log, 1- for planning trips:, 2- for writing expectations, 3- for tracking expenses, template for a travel log, what are the benefits of a travel log template.

• It keeps you organized: Using the travel log keeps the person organized. Writing down everything in the log helps a person know what to expect and what to be prepared for. In this way, people stay focused and they know what to do while they are traveling and how. Furthermore, such people never fall short of anything while traveling because they have everything with them that they thought they might need while traveling.
• It helps manage the finances: People frequently traveling often face the problem of lack of money because they spend more than they ever expected. Wise people always use the log and make a list of all the expenses. They can also mull over their expenses and can have good control over their budget.
• It makes travel more enjoyable: Those who plan everything ahead of time usually stay stress-free while traveling. This peace of mind comes with a travel log for such people.
• Mileage Expense Report Template
• Fitness Calendar Template
• Project Gantt Chart
• Daily Attendance Tracker for an Individual Employee
• Overtime Hours Tracker Template
• Vacation and Leave Tracker Template
• Departmental Expense Report Template
• Event Planning Gantt Chart
• Employee Attendance Dashboard
• Monthly Study Reminder & Planner
• Move-in Checklist Template
• Camping Checklist Template
• Employee Orientation Checklist Template
• Salon Startup Checklist Template
• Project Completion Checklist

← Previous Article

Next Article →

You may also like

Driver Daily Mileage Log

Sales Commission Log Sheet

Office Maintenance Log Template

Weekly Telework Log Template

Visitor Registry Book Template

Washing Machine Maintenance Log

Equipment Request Log Template

Gas Mileage Worksheet Template

Farm Equipment Maintenance Log for Excel

• Construction Site Checklist Template
• Rental Inventory Checklist Template
• Customer Support Representative Duty List
• Party Attire Inventory Template
• Kids Morning Checklist
• Fuel Station Inspection Checklist
• Bakery Cleaning Checklist
• Bakery Employee Responsibility Sheet
• Kids Screen Time Checklist
• Kids Daily Activity Checklist
• Balance Sheets
• Business Analysis
• Calculators
• Event Orientation
• Family Stuff
• Inventory Templates
• List Templates
• Log Templates
• Schedule Templates

How to Make a Travelogue: 8 Travel Journal Ideas and Writing Tips

Traveling can be a widely fulfilling and exciting experience. A travel journal is a fantastic way to remember the things you have done during your trip and write down the observations you have had during the trip. You don’t have to travel around the world and have exotic adventures to write an insightful travel journal. All you need is a basic journal notebook and a destination.

But first things first:

What is a travelogue?

Three different meanings come up with a quick search:

• A travelogue can be a piece of writing about travel.
• On the other hand, a travelogue can also be a talk or lecture on travel usually accompanied by a film or slides.
• Finally, a travelogue can be a narrated motion picture about travel too.

In short, a travelogue is a speech, a movie, or a piece of writing about someone’s experiences while traveling. When a travelogue is a piece of writing, it is also called a ‘travel diary’ or ‘travel journal’.

Quick wins and tips to write an excellent travelogue

Here’s why you need to get into travel journaling or writing a travel journal and how to ace it:

You Can Plan Your Trip Before You Arrive

Don’t wait until you’re at your destination.

Use your journal to plan your holiday before you even arrive. You can enhance your travel experience by using your journal to plan out some activities.

Research and note the names and menus of restaurants you want to attend, sightseeing tours that interest you, hiking spots, or just photos to help inspire you.

Write down a checklist of places you want to see , your budget, or your list of things to pack. It can be very overwhelming arriving in a new country so making these notes before arriving at your destination can be very helpful. Not only will you have more fun, but you’ll also take some of the stress out of finding things to do and start getting interesting travel journal ideas.

It can be interesting to write what you imagine it will be like and then compare it to reality, once you arrive.

Don’t Just Describe

Avoid just listing descriptions of the activities.

“You want to create a captivating story that brings the journal to life , not a mundane list of things you’ve done. Also remember you don’t have to include everything, for example, if you eat the same cereal in the hotel as you do at home there is no need to note this experience,” says Joel Saunders, a travel writer at Boom Essays .

Pick out some interesting activities and experiences from each day and write about them. Write about how different your daily life is and how it compares to what you had imagined it would be.

Use dialogue , some of the best overseas stories come from overheard dialogues between tourists, locals, or conversations you can be a part of. Write whatever catches your imagination, if it interests you it’s likely to interest your reader.

You’ll find that one of the best parts of traveling is encountering people who are very different from you. Take in the local culture ; journal about things people say and do that are new and interesting to you.

Write Whilst It’s Fresh

It is easier to remember moments when they are fresh in your brain, try to write as much as you can whilst traveling. Writing at the moment will help you achieve the most accurate, vibrant, and engaging content.

We understand you don’t want to get distracted from your travels by working, you don’t have to write down much, just keywords like smells, tastes, sounds, and dialogue . Go back to the entry later and the content will be sure to trigger the emotions you felt.  

Writing after the event has happened can often be a false memory seen through rose-tinted glasses, especially if you write about it once the trip is over and you’ve returned home. You might find that writing a brief journal entry every evening is a nice way to unwind and end your day .

Wondering what to include in a travel journal ? Sometimes writing the most random emotions can work best:

• Did you learn something that day?
• Did something upset you?
• Was someone wearing something that stood out to you?
• What did you eat?

Don’t be afraid, to be honest, and include things that were strange or even unpleasant, these things are part of traveling and can be very interesting to read about.

Use Writing Tools

Writing tools can be a great way of getting the best out of your travel writing, they can improve spelling and grammar as well as make the text more cohesive.

• State of Writing and Grammar Checker

The grammar guides cover everything you need to know about writing.

• Essayroo and Assignment Help

These online communities will help you find like-minded people to give advice and share tips with.

• Cite It In and Word Counter

These are great tools if you want a professional take on your journal. Use citation tools to reference other articles, travel books, or websites.

• UKWritings and Academized

These are proofreading services that will help you polish your writing.

• My Writing Way and Via Writing

These tools will help you if you decide to choose the blogging route.

Add Pictures

A journal is for text but pictures are still worth a thousand words .

Combining images of your travels with words can form a comprehensive narrative of your travels. Take images of places you are describing, of a new friend, even a selfie or two if that’s the impression you want to give of your travels.

Sometimes images can make the journal seem more human and personal , it can also bring back memories or inspire. If you forget or don’t have time to journal for a few days, you’ll be glad you took some pictures so that you can use them to help you remember and fill in the blanks.

If you are so inclined, add sketches or doodles , they don’t have to be works of art but perhaps just mindless lines to pass the time on public transport. 

The internet is full of sketchbook tours. When talent and practice get together, the result is just mind-blowing.

Don’t Be Afraid to Write About the Bad

Even the best holiday will have ups or downs.

Don’t be afraid to write about what disappointed you . Since you wrote about your trip before you arrived, you should also write about it after you leave. The best travel journals are straightforward and raw.

Maybe you were looking forward to a meal and it wasn’t as high quality as you were expecting, maybe your hotel didn’t look like the website photo or, maybe the flight was hellish.

Often your bad experiences will be the most interesting and dramatic things to write in a journal. Great works have been written about awful trips. You might even want to book yourself into a cheap motel or visit a kitschy tourist spot just so you have a higher chance of a more authentic and interesting experience.

Write down what you would have changed about it, maybe you will return to that destination and want to remind future you to do something differently.

Write About Yourself

Think of yourself as the main character, or maybe even the hero, of your travels.

Take some time to record your trials and tribulations. Reflect on how the experience changed you or will change you in the future.

Did you learn something new about it yourself, like a new skill or the enjoyment of something you previously hadn’t enjoyed?

Write about the huge argument you and your friend had outside that restaurant that made you wait an hour for a table. Traveling can help people grow and evolve into better versions of themselves, it teaches you to appreciate people’s differences, to accept different cultures, and to be more patient, amongst others.

Maybe you’ve seen a side of your personality that you don’t like such as anger, prejudice, a judgmental side, or a snobby side . Don’t be afraid to be honest about your reflection as this itself will help you grow. All the best stories and creative and unique travel journal ideas have the character go through an arc and change, for better or worse.

Will your travel journal have an arc?

You can write this during the trip, or after, depending on when you start seeing these differences.

It Doesn’t Have to Be On Paper

We all think of worldly travelers with their beaten-up notebooks but in this day and age, you have so many choices.

Many people vlog , videoing their travels and speaking directly to the camera. This can sometimes be less visceral than a written journal but it can be more accessible and easier to show others. The cons of vlogging are also the worry about carrying camera equipment and having the right sound and lighting to capture that perfect moment.

Check this vlogger’s take on how to start vlogging:

Apps are also a great aid to travel journals. There are purpose-built travel journal apps that allow you to take notes, upload images and video plus text, and auto-link the website of the place or business you are mentioning. The best element of these apps is that they will auto-capture the time, location, and weather of your location; allowing you to craft a thorough online travel journal .

But the main piece of advice is to enjoy yourself . Traveling is fun and your journal should be too.

• Start writing in your travel journal scrapbook before you leave home.
• Don’t just list off things you did and places you visited, turn your trip into a story.
• Include details about how you felt and thought about the places you experienced.
• Record your thoughts while they are fresh in your mind and don’t be afraid to include the not-so-great parts.
• Use pictures to enhance your writing and to aid your memory.
• Be sure to use writing resources so your narrative flows well and doesn’t have errors in it.
• Write about what you want to talk about, show the images you want to show and summarize both the best and the worst of your time.

Do you have any further tips to add to this travel journal writing guide? Are you still wondering what to write in a journal? Would you like us to write a guide on how to create a travel blog?

Send us an email to aworldtotravel @ gmail . com , we are always happy to improve our articles with your tips!

There are 2 comments

I want to know how to start my travelogue… I have so many ideas n experiences but don’t know how to put them into words please help me.

Get in touch with us via email :) We’ll try to help

Comments are closed.

A Little Journal… These Digital Travel Diary Apps Are Worth Your Time

Last updated on July 7, 2024 by Shannon

As travel enthusiasts, we yearn to capture the essence of extraordinary travel moments and freeze them in time. We even want those mundane details preserved—what was the name of that hilarious taxi driver who shuttled you from the airport to your guesthouse?

If you’ve logged those details in a travel journal, you don’t have to remember—that’s where travel journaling apps come in, offering a digital travel scrapbook that easily documents even the craziest travel adventures.

I’ve been traveling the world for 15 years, writing, photographing, and sharing my travel stories from the first day. That means I have pretty high expectations when it comes to using digital travel diaries meant to preserve the memories of your expeditions. Here’s what you need to know about the best online travel journal apps available.

Table of Contents

What are Digital Travel Diaries?

While journaling about your travels via a paper notebook used to be called a travel log, the more modern equivalent is an online travel journaling app. That said, even diary app is just a new way to log the most important moments of your travels—and the mundane ones too.

Travel journals essential just document your experiences, capturing your memories as you travel the world. By logging your travel memories in real time via a journaling app, you ensure the smaller details are captured.

Was it a torrential downpour on the day you had booked an “any-weather” tour of the Norwegian fjords? Log that and then share how you felt at that very moment, otherwise the details fade with time.

That’s the real magic of keeping a travel log in any form, a beloved notebook, an app, or a blog. I’ve used all three over my 15+ years of travel. This travel blog was my primary travel log, but at times I’ve used these travel apps to capture moments more immediately.

And no matter my online travel journal app of choice, I always, always have a small physical journal. Even if you diligently record all of the best moments of your trip in your digital travel diary app, you should also carry a small travel journal that acts as your travel log—you use it to jot down funny off-the-cuff moments, or even just mundane details.

Perhaps you press between the pages ticket stubs, a pretty flower from your world wanders, and other small memorabilia that can’t be captured in a journaling app. It becomes a place to log currency conversions you can surreptitiously glance at when haggling at a market, or jot down lists and travel plans.

I never travel without a pocket Field Notes waterproof notebook and this Moleskine travel journal —its these two things that have allowed me to share such rich details on this blog, my personal travel log that’s been running 15 years and counting.

How to Choose an Online Travel Journal App

Travel journal apps are not one-size-fits-all. The best apps offer the exact range of features you need and at a price point you can afford—which can mean free! Many journaling apps offer a free version that may just meet your needs. Often its the more sophisticated features that require a paid upgrade.

Given that you’re probably snowed under travel planning, don’t waste your time downloading every travel diary app here. To pick the right app for your travels, consider these things before you download it:

When choosing an online travel diary app, there are several factors to consider that can help you find the one that best fits your needs. Here are some tips to help you make a decision:

• Features : Review what the journaling app actually does—what are the key features these app developers believe are the hallmarks of their app? That will tell you a lot about functionality. Standard features of most digital travel diaries include: text entry, photo and video uploading, geotagging, and weather data. Decide which features are important to you and ensure that the app provides them. Maybe you want an awesome map interface because you’re hopscotching around the world for a year ? Or you’re studying abroad you might want an app with more functionality around text and photo entries.
• Platform Compatibility : Check if the digital journaling app is available on your preferred platforms, such as iOS, Android, web-based, and desktop. If you’re bringing both a smartphone and laptop on your travels , you may wan a travel diary app that seamlessly switches between the two devices.
• Syncing and Backup : Consider whether the app offers syncing and backup options—and if those are free or paid features. You want access your travel diary across multiple devices, and you want it securely backed up to the cloud.
• Export and Sharing Options : If you plan to share your travel diary with others or would like to have a backup of your entries outside of the app, check if it offers export options, such as PDF or other file formats.
• Company Story : If the travel journaling app you’re considering using hasn’t been around for at least two-to-five years, run in the other direction. Companies, especially app makers, fold quickly. The last thing you want is an email saying you have a matter of days to download your cherished memories before they’re all deleted.

Best Travel Journaling Apps

Day One tops most of these lists because it’s actually that good—and it’s been around since 2011, so you know your travel memories are safe with this online diary app. The company has invested in a high-quality product, and updates over the years have responded to user reviews and feedback—which is enthusiastic across the board.

Its clean interface and seamless integration with iOS (both iPhones and Macs) and Android make it a joy to use. You can effortlessly capture each destination through text and photos, while popping in location data too.

Best app features : The “On This Day” functionality is neat because it doesn’t pull in the best of anything, but rather that exact moment years ago when you were on an incredible adventure out there in the world—or maybe you had logged a tasty hot chocolate at a hipster spot near that landmark you were visiting.

Either way, you’ll be transported back there in an instant and that app feature is maybe one of the strongest motivators to journal about all the big (and small) things that happen as you travel.

Cost : The free version is enough to see if you like it, but if you’re using this as your main digital travel journal then the one photo per entry restriction on free plans isn’t going to cut it. Premium is affordable though, at just under $3 per month, which buys you unlimited photos, videos, audio, drawings, and more.

If you go all in on Journey as your travel journal app, it will become your trusted companion. Rather than being a journaling app that’s great for travel, this travel-centric journaling app goes above and beyond with its extensive features.

Geotagging allows you to pinpoint the exact location of you experiences, while the inclusion of weather data and “mood” status adds depth to entries. You can import photos from your camera roll directly into journal entires, creating vivid visual narratives of your travels.

This robust app works on iOS devices and Android phones, Mac or Windows computers, and there’s even a web app! Basically, it’s an accessible and essential tool for any travel writer seeking to document their adventures with style and precision. Not only because of the features, but also because it allows multi-media exports in PDF or doc format.

It’s also a bit cheeky and has a handy guide to what Journey offers versus Day One or Daylio .

Best app features : Stand out for many will be the features that let you automatically sync and import social media content from Instagram and the like—what a time saver! And the full text editing screen is nice—you can bold, bullet, color, or link to anything you’d like right inside the text. Surprisingly, that’s not in every diary journaling app.

But one of the neater travel-focused elements are the three views for your journal—media (where you scroll by photos), map (which shows your entries pinpointed on a map of the world) and calendar (journals organized by date).

Cost : Unlike essentially all competitors, Journey offers a one time purchase license—currently $18. You can buy a membership for ~$4.20.

3. Journalfy

The Journalfy Travel Journal app is a new contender on the market with a lot of potential. It entered the market earlier this year, so the company has a short track record, but it’s beautifully designed with a lot of thoughtful touches—including an analog, old-school travel journal that you can back up using their app.

I love using a physical travel journal, so it’s a neat differentiator that you can use these either together or independently (the paper journal is as beautifully designed as the app). If you use the app without the physical journal, the free plan allows you to upload up to 10 photos per entry, which is plenty for most travelers. The free and paid plans include the same features, however, you can just add more photos and create more entries with the paid plan.

Best app features: The share function is seamless—friends and family can view entries without the app. The writing prompts are helpful, and the intuitive, ad-free layout makes it easy to record travel memories on the go. The PDF export feature is handy, though adding images to the exports would be an improvement.

Cost: The free version is probably enough for most, however, they do have a monthly option for $2/month or an annual plan for $18.65/year.

Daylio , billed as a “simple micro-diary app,” adds an interesting twist to a travel journaling routine. As a mood and activity tracker, it enables you to record daily experiences and emotions with ease—and without writing anything. It’s an interesting way to to reflect on how your travel adventures have impacted your overall well-being .

It’s not for the hardcore travel writer, but rather, Daylio captures the essence of the travel experiences in a uniquely personal way. It’s a good companion for those seeking to intertwine their emotional journey with their physical travels. And for those who want a more streamlined diary app with fewer features and just straight to the meat of what you want to do.

Best app features : This app is dead simple to use and can be updated in under a minute thanks to the tap interface. It’s certainly not going to be the only way you record you travels, but if you’re already planning to share extensively on a Facebook or Instagram page , then this ease of use may just ensure that you use it every day.

Cost : You could get pretty far with the free version, or upgrade for just $3 per month—only the premium version supports exporting to PDF.

5. Evernote

Real talk: The digital travel journal of your dreams may be something you’re already using. When it comes to versatile note-taking, Evernote reigns supreme. Its functionality goes beyond simple journaling, allowing the creation of multimedia-rich entries.

I’ve organized my entire life via Evernote—travel pans, stories, etc—and its robust features make a compelling case for this being one of the best journaling apps out there, period. Not just in travel, but in general.

As one of the best digital diary apps, you can update it seamlessly across iOS, Android, Mac, and Windows.

Best app features : Well, you could use Evernote to basically plan and execute your trip, in addition to using it as a digital journal. You can also stay ruthlessly organized.

Cost : The free version offers 60 MB monthly uploads, which is constraining for travelers looking for an online app where they could add photos and videos to Evernote itself—this would like be better if you’re embedding YouTube videos, for example, versus storing them in Evernote.

The Personal version offers a more reasonable 10 GB in monthly uploads, but costs $11/month for that perk. If you’re already paying for Evernote for other reasons then this could be an excellent online travel journal, otherwise some of the other ones are likely better priced for a traveler.

6. Travel Diaries

For those seeking a dedicated travel journaling app, Travel Diaries hits the mark. It’s really a truly solid option. As a travel writer, I’m captivated by its interactive features. You can easily create immersive travelogues, complete with photos, maps, and annotations.

It’s also a captivating way to showcase your journey to fellow travelers (and your family and friends back home, of course!). The ability to share your travel stories and explore others’ adventures on the platform adds a sense of community not available in the other digital travel journaling apps.

It’s available as software for web, iOS and Android, but will only work with an internet connection (either cell data or wifi)—which means this might not be the best journaling app for those going far off-the-beaten path .

Best app features : A broad range of fonts and styles allow you to design your travel diary according to your own taste, and your travel log can include itineraries, travel photos, and a traveling map. The layout as an actual travel journal is a fun and personal touch that makes it feel like your digital diary is just as capable of creativity as a blank page in front of you.

Cost : There is no free version of Travel Diaries—it’ll be a subscription for as long as you want access to your travel journal. The basic plan costs $1 a month and includes unlimited storage and is really all most travelers will need for a robust travel journal. If you want to export your stories to PDF, you’ll have to upgrade to $3 per month.

Diaro App is a reliable companion for millions of people, not just globetrotters. This comprehensive diary app offers an array of features that elevate a travel journaling experience. Sometimes the best travel journal is, well, just a great online diary that you happen to use to document your travels.

The ability to add text, photos, tags, and organize entries into folders keeps this app well-organized—you can effortlessly find specific memories or delve into specific themes from your trips. It has a map of entry locations, which is especially important for those using this as a travel journal diary.

Diaro’s sleek interface and user-friendly design make the process of documenting adventures a true pleasure. Available on web, iOS or Android devices (with cross-device syncing via Dropbox) Diaro is a go-to app for travelers who want to capture the essence of their trip with elegance and efficiency.

Best app features : The multilingual UI (30+languages) may be a real boon for those for whom English is not their native language, but the shining standout features is just how easy it is to create a robust diary accounting for all of the key moments on your trip.

Cost : The free version has robust functionality. Upgrading to Diario Pro costs $10 per month and offers more customizability.

8. Polarsteps

Polarsteps is a great travel journal app that offers automatic tracking of your journey, making it effortless to document and share your trips. With its GPS technology, the app traces your route in real-time, creating a visually appealing map of your adventure without requiring any manual input.

This feature sets Polarsteps apart from other travel journal apps, as it eliminates the need for constant updates and allows you to focus on enjoying your trip while the app takes care of recording your route—and uses minimal data and power to do so.

What truly makes Polarsteps unique is its ability to create a beautifully presented travel log that showcases your journey. This app is made for the travel photographers out there also wanting a digital travel log of their journey.

Along with the automatic tracking, the app allows you to add photos, captions, and personal insights to your entries. These elements are then combined to create a visually stunning travel journal that can be shared with friends, family, and fellow travelers. I think this is one of the prettier apps—the maps alone are just a step up from the others.

Best app features : The GPS tracking is easily the standout here. You’ll know the precise spot you took a photo, and can then include a quick note—an inside joke you shared with a friend while there, a tidbit about the day, and more. This kind of precise location data is invaluable in the months and years after you travel.

Cost : It’s free! Polarsteps offers you a printed travel journal of your trip, which is how it’s monetized.

9. Waffle Journal

Waffle Journal stands out from the rest as a a collaborative journaling app that allows you to document and share your travel experiences with others—probably those on your same trip. Its unique approach fosters collaboration, allowing friends, family, or fellow travelers to contribute to your journal. With the ability to add stories, photos, and memories, everyone can create a collective travel diary that captures the essence of your adventures.

The app goes beyond traditional journaling by integrating multimedia elements. You can include photos, videos, and audio recordings. It’s not a travel journal specifically, so you’re not going to have any of those map features the travel apps have integrated into the experience, but it could be a great option for those travel in a group, or a group of friends who just love to share their travel adventures with each other. Social sharing features make it easy to showcase your travel adventures on social media platforms or via email.

BONUS: RIP: Bonjournal

Bonjournal captured my attention many years ago for its visually stunning approach to travel journaling. As you penned your travel stories, this app transformed them into beautifully presented narratives—and it made you choose just one photo to represent your day. Which was really quite neat.

This travel journal app is no longer available! Even though other websites are still recommending it as a travel diary app, the gorgeous app that debuted more than a decade ago is no longer up and running. Instead, a new app with the same name launched in 2021—it’s not a viable alternative. This new Bon Journal diary app is glitchy and poorly rated—storing your cherished travel memories there is not a good idea.

Don’t forget a paper journal as well.

This Moleskin travel journal is well made and worth the space it will take up in your bag. There will be times you just want to put pen to paper—you’ll be glad you have an analog record of your travels too.

How to Safely Store Travel Photos and Videos

These travel journaling apps are a terrific way to document your journey for personal memories, and to share with others. Although some long-term travelers create a travel blog to record their trips, using a travel diary instead is a great alternative.

You get amazing functionality and the ability to share your travel stories without the hassle of running a blog—which can get pricey and generally lacks the ability to share some stories privately with family, or keep other journal entries entirely private.

One thing all of these apps have are general constraints on how you upload, store, and present your travel photos and videos. Although some of these apps offer paid subscriptions with unlimited uploads, you’re likely safer if you store your actual travel photos elsewhere, too. Here’s a quick review of other places you can store travel photos, and the perks of using them in addition to, or instead of, a travel diary app.

• Facebook pages : Rather than use your personal profile, consider setting up a Facebook page for your trip—then you can share unlimited stories, photos, and videos. And you’re creating and sharing in a place where it’s likely your family and friends are already hanging out.
• Instagram : This is a great way to share photos, but videos and stories are a little more constrained on this platform. This might be a good option in addition to a digital travel diary.
• SmugMug : If you need a place to both store and display all of your travel photos, SmugMug is a great option. I’ve had an annual plan for more than a decade and it offers unlimited storage for all of my photos from all over the world for $88 per year. And it’s totally customizable—you can create gorgeous albums on a custom domain name if you own one.
• Google Drive : If you just need a backup solution without the need to share then Google Drive is a good option (I find Google Photos a chore to use). It’s just $2 a month for 100GB of cloud storage.

Ready for some travel inspiration? These are the best travel stories of travelers to follow now, inspiring books from historic travels, and short reads, too.

Travel Journal: Ideas, Tips, and How To Write a Travel Diary

• Travel Journal

Traveling has the potential to be wildly fulfilling. It exposes you to new cultures, different perspectives and unique experiences. The further you travel the more you are pushed out of your comfort zone. And the more you are pushed out of your comfort zone, the more you learn about yourself and the world around you.

One of the most popular types of journals is a travel journal. By having a travel diary, you can keep all these new experiences and knowledge in one place where you can reflect on them.

What is a travel journal?

Travel journals are a place where you can write about trips you have taken, what you learned during and the experiences you had. It is a collection of adventures, stories, memories and discovery.  It doesn’t matter where you're going or who you’re traveling with, an online trip journal can come anywhere. 

Why Write A Journal When Traveling?

There are many benefits of keeping a journal when traveling, but here are a few to start with:

Remember More

By writing down the things you want to do on your trip and the things you have done during it, you won’t forget the reasons you wanted to go and will remember more of your visit.

When traveling somewhere new, you will learn a lot about that place’s culture, customs and people. By having a place to write down your observations, you will absorb more of your surroundings.

Reflect More

A journal is a place to record new things you have discovered while exploring various places you visit. By having all these new findings in one place, you will be able to look back and reflect on what you have learned and apply it to other parts of your life.

How To Write Travel Journals: 5 Tips To Get The Most Out Of Your Journaling

You don’t need to be traveling to Timbuktu to write a travel diary. Your writing can start with a family vacation or a weekend getaway. All you need is a destination and your holiday journal can begin!

1. Use your journal to plan your trip

Your trip journal can begin before your trip has even started. Use your journal to start planning the things you want to do. It can be anything from a cool restaurant you want to eat at, a hike you want to go on or different sights you want to see. Write down whatever is on your trip check-list, so you don’t forget it.

Once you know what you want to do, do some research and figure out the best way to do it. If you want to go see a special monument, figure out the best way to get there and put it in your journal. If you want to do some cool activities, write down the contact information of the people, places or tours that facilitate them. Your journal is also a great place to keep the contact information of your accommodations and transportation.

2. Write about what you imagine it will be like

Sometimes when you travel, your destination is wildly different than what you expected. Maybe you expected the local food to be bad and it turned out to be delicious. Maybe you imagined the town to be smaller than it actually is. Maybe you thought you would be more comfortable with the language. Whatever it is, think about writing it down before you arrive. It will be interesting to compare these predictions to what you actually experienced.

3. Write during your trip

It is always easier to remember things when they are fresh in your brain, so try and write as much as you can while traveling; every day if you can. Your journal entries don’t have to be long, but let them highlight what you feel was most important or exciting. How did you feel during your visit to the local market? What did you smell, taste and hear? Did you learn something new from the person you spoke to at the bar? Were you surprised by the clothes people were wearing? What was the view from the top of the mountain like? Before you go to bed, try and recall what you did that day, what you thought and how you felt. This will serve as a great way to remember more from your trip, but will also help you reflect and grow from what you encountered.

4. Add pictures to your journal

Even though your journal is meant for writing, pictures are still worth a thousand words. Combining pictures with your first-hand accounts of what they represent, or what happened when they were taken, will make for an even more comprehensive narrative of your travels. Don’t worry about glueing or taping anything either. Penzu allows you to upload pictures straight into your online travel journal, so you can keep your pictures and words connected and organized.

5. Write about your trip after you leave

Since you write about your trip before you arrive, you should also write about it after you leave.

• What was it like?
• What did you learn?
• What surprised you?
• What disappointed you?

It is important to reflect on your travels, so you can retain new understandings and apply them to future adventures. This is also a great way to learn about yourself, other people you may have travelled with and how you can grow. Step back from all the things you did and try to see the big picture. It may surprise you.

10 Travel Journal Ideas To Inspire You

The blank pages of your travel journal may not be serving as great inspiration, but your new trip should! Here are 10 travel journal ideas to get those creative juices flowing, kick-start your writing and help you get the most out of your travels. We hope these journal prompts help!

1. Why are you going?

Not every trip needs an explanation and not every vacation needs a justification. People travel for all sorts of different reasons or for no reason at all, but if your travel has purpose, write about it. Even if you’re traveling for the sake of it, that is a reason worth talking about too.

2. Write about your expectations.

As we mentioned above, expectations can wildly differ from reality, especially when going somewhere you’ve never been or going with someone you have never travelled with before. Jot down what you think the trip will be like, or hope it will be like.

3. What are you going to do?

Write about the things you want to do, the sights you want to see, the music you want to dance to, the food you want to taste. Writing it all down will get you excited and help you not to forget.

4. Write about the people.

Did you meet anyone new? Did you make a new friend? Were the locals welcoming? Did you learn something new from a stranger? Did you learn something new from a friend? People can really make a trip. Whether you came with them, or met them there, write about how the people you encountered affected your experience.

5. Write about the food.

Just because you call it your travel diary, doesn’t mean it can’t double as a food diary . If there are any foods you loved, dishes you hated or recipes you can’t live without, write them down to remember them all. Maybe some new fare you tried will influence your tastes when you return home.

6. The ups and the downs.

What did you like most about the trip? What did you like the least?

7. Write about yourself.

Reflect on the new experiences you had, what made you uncomfortable and what enticed you. Did you learn anything new about yourself on the trip? Did being somewhere else expose something you hadn’t seen in yourself before? Traveling can help people grow. Think about your journey and if it helped you grow in any way.

8. Write a travel guide.

If you knew friends were going to the same place, what would you tell them to do? Write down your recommendations and the stuff that should not be missed.

9. What would you have changed?

Is there anything about the trip you would have changed? Is there anything else you wish you did? Anything you wish you didn’t do? Write about your travels and how you can improve them for the next time you go away.

10. Where do you want to go next?

We all have a wish-list of places we want to go. Write yours down and try to start checking them off.

Using Penzu for Your Travel Journal

Penzu’s journal software allows you to access your journal from any computer, smartphone or tablet. Penzu will be your travel journal app ; all you need is your mobile phone or tablet and can write in in it, with or without wifi. You never have to miss an entry or forget a moment, as Penzu can come with you around the world. No internet necessary.

Now that you know what to write in a travel diary and how to write one, all you need to decide is where to go. Pick a place get start your online journal today!

There's no time like the present - start your free online journal today!

Loved by millions!

Get access to your diary wherever you are – download the free Penzu app for your all of your iOS and Android devices today!

Related Articles

Best Travel Journal App

Journal Basics

What is a Journal?

Journal Entries

Benefits of Journaling

Journal Types

How To Start and Write a Journal

• Journal Examples
• Journal Prompts

Ideas for Journals

• Dream Journal

Dream journals are instrumental in fields as diverse as psychology, natural science, creative arts and advanced mathematics. What is your subconscious trying to tell you?

• Pregnancy Journal

A pregnancy journal helps you remember important information about your health and make better decisions while you're expecting.

Gratitude Journal

We'll explain what a gratitude journal is, how to figure out what you're grateful for (and why), and some guidelines for keeping one through Penzu.

5 Year Journal

A five year journal can help you remember the people and events that matter to you.

How To Create a Reflective Journal

A reflective journal is the perfect place to jot down some of life's biggest thoughts.

• Free Signup
• What is a Journal
• Reflective Journal
• Bible Journal
• Five Year Journal
• Secret Diary
• Electronic Diary
• Diary Templates
• Wedding Diary
• School Diary
• Health Diary

Copyright Penzu Inc. 2024

Your poweful AI Trip Planner

Travel Log: The Art of Documenting Adventures

Embarking on journeys and exploring new horizons is a thrilling experience. To make these moments last, many travelers turn to the art of keeping a travel log. In this article, we delve into the world …

Written by: Johny D.

Published on: July 4, 2023

Embarking on journeys and exploring new horizons is a thrilling experience. To make these moments last, many travelers turn to the art of keeping a travel log. In this article, we delve into the world of travel logs, their significance, and the benefits they offer. From preserving precious memories to inspiring others, discover how a travel log can become your ultimate travel companion.

What is a Travel Log?

A travel log is a record of your journeys , a personal chronicle that captures the essence of your travel experiences. It serves as a window into your adventures, allowing you to document the places you visit, the people you meet, and the emotions you encounter along the way.

A log can take various forms, from a traditional written journal to a digital blog or even a collection of photographs and videos. It is a space where you can express your thoughts, reflections, and insights, preserving memories and creating a narrative of your travel stories.

It is not just a collection of facts and figures; it is a tapestry of experiences that brings your journeys to life and provides a glimpse into the beauty and wonder of the world you have explored.

The Benefits of Keeping a Travel Log

Preserving memories and experiences:

A travel log acts as a time capsule, preserving the memories and emotions associated with your travel adventures . It allows you to revisit those special moments, relive the experiences, and evoke the same feelings you had during your travels.

Capturing details for future reference:

A travel log serves as a valuable resource, capturing essential details such as itineraries, accommodation information, and local recommendations. It becomes a reliable reference for future trips or when sharing recommendations with fellow travelers .

Inspiring and sharing travel stories:

Your travel log can inspire others to explore new destinations and embark on their own adventures. By sharing your experiences, insights, and recommendations, you contribute to the collective knowledge of the travel community, fostering a sense of connection and inspiration.

Tips for Creating an Engaging Travel Log

Choose a format that suits your style:

Select a format that resonates with you, whether it’s a traditional written journal, a digital blog, or a combination of visuals and narratives. Find the medium that allows you to express yourself authentically and enhances your storytelling.

Include essential information in your entries:

Ensure that your travel log captures important details such as dates, locations, and key highlights of each adventure. Include vivid descriptions, anecdotes, and personal reflections to bring your experiences to life.

Incorporate visuals and multimedia elements:

Incorporating visuals and multimedia elements into your travel log adds depth, enhances the storytelling experience, and brings your adventures to life. Here are some ideas on how to effectively utilize visuals in your travel log:

• Photos: Capture the essence of your travel experiences by including high-quality photographs in your travel log. Select images that showcase the landscapes, landmarks, people, and moments that made your journey memorable. Embed them within your entries or create dedicated photo galleries to visually complement your written narratives.
• Videos: Create engaging and immersive content by integrating videos into your travel log. Use short video clips to capture the sights and sounds of your destinations, document activities and events, or record personal reflections. Video snippets can be embedded directly into digital platforms or linked to external video hosting platforms like YouTube or Vimeo.
• Maps: Include maps in your travel log to provide visual context and help readers navigate through your journey. You can mark the locations you visited, highlight specific points of interest, or trace your route. Digital tools and apps often offer built-in map integration features, allowing you to create interactive maps with pins or annotations.
• Sketches and Drawings: If you have artistic skills or enjoy doodling, incorporate sketches and drawings into your travel log. Create quick sketches of landscapes, architectural details, or memorable moments. These hand-drawn illustrations add a unique and personal touch to your entries.
• Collages: Create collages using a combination of photographs, tickets, postcards, and other memorabilia. Collages allow you to visually represent a collection of memories or a specific theme in a visually appealing and creative way. You can either create physical collages in your physical travel log or use digital collage-making tools for your digital log.
• QR Codes: Consider incorporating QR codes into your travel log. These codes can be linked to additional content such as videos, audio recordings, or online resources related to your travel experiences. This interactive feature adds an extra layer of engagement and enables readers to access supplementary information with a simple scan.

Organizing and Managing Your Travel Log

Categorizing entries by destinations or themes:

Categorizing entries in your travel log by destinations or themes is a practical and efficient way to organize your experiences. By grouping entries based on specific locations or common themes, you can easily retrieve information and create a cohesive narrative of your travels.

When categorizing by destinations, you can create sections or chapters dedicated to each place you visit. This allows you to capture the unique aspects, highlights, and recommendations for each location, making it convenient to revisit specific details when planning a return trip or sharing your adventures with others. It also helps in comparing different destinations and reflecting on the diversity of your travel experiences.

Utilizing digital tools and apps for organization:

In today’s digital age, numerous tools and apps are available to help you organize and manage your travel log efficiently. Here are some popular options to consider:

• Note-taking apps: Apps like Evernote, OneNote, or Google Keep provide a convenient platform for creating and organizing digital travel logs. You can create separate notes for each entry, add tags, attach photos, and even synchronize your notes across devices for easy access.
• Travel-specific apps: Several apps are designed specifically for travel logging and organization. TripIt, for instance, allows you to create itineraries, add notes, and store important travel documents all in one place. Travefy and Polarsteps are other popular apps that provide features for tracking and documenting your trips.
• Cloud storage services: Utilizing cloud storage services like Google Drive, Dropbox, or iCloud ensures that your travel log is accessible from any device with an internet connection. You can create folders to organize your entries and upload photos, videos, or text documents directly to the cloud.
• Digital journaling platforms: Platforms like Day One, Journey, or Penzu are dedicated to digital journaling and offer features specifically tailored for travel logging. These platforms often include rich text formatting options, photo integration, location tagging, and automatic date/time stamps.
• Social media platforms: Social media platforms like Instagram, Facebook, or Pinterest can also serve as a medium for creating a travel log. You can create dedicated accounts or use hashtags to categorize and archive your travel posts. Additionally, these platforms allow you to interact with a community of fellow travelers.

Creating a system for easy retrieval and access:

Creating a system for easy retrieval and access is essential to make the most of your travel log. Here are some tips to help you organize and manage your entries effectively:

• Use consistent tags or labels: Assign tags or labels to your entries based on relevant keywords, such as destination names, activities, or memorable experiences . This makes it easier to search and retrieve specific entries related to a particular tag.
• Create an index or table of contents: For physical travel logs or notebooks, consider maintaining an index or table of contents at the beginning. This allows you to quickly locate specific entries by page numbers or section titles.
• Utilize digital search functions: If you’re using a digital platform or app for your travel log, take advantage of the search function. Most digital tools offer search capabilities that enable you to find specific entries by keywords, dates, or tags, saving you time and effort.
• Arrange entries chronologically: Organize your entries in chronological order, starting from the earliest to the most recent. This timeline-based arrangement helps you retrace your journey and provides a sense of progression throughout your travel log.
• Include cross-references: If an entry refers to a previous or related entry, consider adding cross-references or hyperlinks to facilitate navigation between related content. This allows you to establish connections between entries and create a seamless flow of information.
• Use dividers or tabs: For physical travel logs, use dividers or tabs to separate different sections or categories. This makes it easier to flip to specific sections and adds a visual element to your organization system.
• Backup your digital travel log: If you maintain a digital travel log, ensure regular backups of your entries to prevent the risk of losing valuable content. Store your backups in multiple locations, such as cloud storage or external drives, for added security.

Frequently Asked Questions

A. Should I keep a digital or physical travel log?

The choice between a digital or physical travel log depends on personal preference. Physical logs offer a tangible experience and can be cherished as keepsakes, while digital logs provide ease of sharing, multimedia integration, and accessibility across devices.

B. Can I use a travel log for trip planning?

Absolutely! Your travel log can serve as a valuable resource for future trip planning. You can refer back to your previous experiences, recommendations, and itineraries to craft new adventures or enhance existing plans .

C. How can I ensure the privacy and security of my travel log?

If privacy is a concern, be mindful of the platform you choose for your digital travel log. Select reputable platforms with robust privacy settings and consider sharing only what you’re comfortable with. For physical logs, keep them in a safe place and exercise caution when sharing personal details.

In the ever-changing landscape of travel, the power of a travel log remains constant. By capturing memories, preserving details, and inspiring others, a travel log becomes a treasure trove of experiences. So, whether you choose pen and paper or embrace digital platforms, start documenting your adventures today. Let your travel log be a testament to the transformative power of exploration.

Fun Fact: The famous explorer and author, Marco Polo, kept a travel log during his epic journey across Asia in the 13th century. His detailed accounts, known as “The Travels of Marco Polo,” became one of the most influential travel logs in history, inspiring generations of adventurers to follow in his footsteps.

1 thought on “Travel Log: The Art of Documenting Adventures”

• Pingback: Do You Tip A Travel Agent? Is It Uncommon? | PlanTrips

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

About Johny D.

Introducing The New PlanTrips Logo

How to plan a trip a guide to inclusive travel.

Travel Logs

Utilize printable travel logs for documenting road trips.

Whether you're an adventurer, a travel blogger, or a budget traveler, printable travel logs are an excellent tool for keeping organized accounts of journeys. They allow you to note important aspects like mileage, destinations, and remarkable sights, offering structure and facilitating memory preservation.

Streamlining Adventures with Printable Travel Logs

These printables can provide travel bloggers with valuable templates for tracking destinations, activities, and experiences, thereby promoting the creation of engaging and informative content for readers.

Table of Images 👆

• Mileage Log Form
• Mileage Log Sheet
• Travel Log Sheets
• Travel Log Sheet Template
• Mileage Log Form Template
• Payment Log Sheets
• Vehicle Inspection Log Template
• Geocaching Log Sheet
• Travel Journal Template
• Kids Travel Journal Template

Budget Travelers Tools: Printable Travel Logs

Budget travelers can utilize this to effectively manage expenses and cherish travel memories. These logs are designed to track costs and capture personal reflections on different travel events.

Printable Travel Logs Serving as Vacation Memories

Travel logs can serve as a unique keepsake for families, offering a platform for each member to document their travel experiences. This helps in creating personalized memories that can be treasured for many years to come.

Printable travel logs are useful tools for keeping track of your journeys and creating memorable keepsakes. These logs typically include sections for recording the date, destination, activities, and impressions of each trip. By using printable travel logs, you can easily organize your travel experiences and have a tangible record to look back on in the future. They can also serve as a helpful reference when planning future trips.

More printable images tagged with:

Have something to tell us?

Recent Comments

Nov 1, 2022

Printable travel logs are a convenient and practical way to document your journeys, allowing you to easily organize and record your travel memories in a neat and personalized format.

May 8, 2022

Thank you for sharing these Printable Travel Logs! Such a handy and organized way to document my adventures. Can't wait to use them on my next trip!

Mar 10, 2022

Printable travel logs offer the convenience of organizing and documenting your adventures in a compact and portable format, perfect for capturing memories and keeping track of important details on the go.

Quilt Journal Pages

Food Journal Template

Exercise For Weight Loss Food Journal

Weight Watchers Food Journal

Exercise Journal

Monthly Food Journal

Find free printable content.

How a Travel Log Can Transform Your Trips into Lifelong Stories

• January 3, 2024
• Travel Planning

Imagine turning the pages of your travel log, every chapter brimming with vibrant details, rich moments, and unforgettable narratives crafted from your personal experiences. From that captivating sunset over the African savannah to the character you met in an Italian coffee shop, a well-kept travel log transforms these fleeting moments into lifelong stories. This testament of your journeys can powerfully convey where you’ve been and how it felt to be there, cultivating an authentic record hard to replicate by digital photographs or souvenir collections. Yet more than just providing a walk down memory lane, creating a travel log inspires mindful travel—encouraging us to truly engage with our surroundings and connect meaningfully with people we meet along the journey. Rather than passively moving through tourist spots, maintaining a log pushes us towards observation, curiosity, and active participation in unknown cultures. 

Benefits of keeping a travel log

Immersing yourself in the vibrant hues of a new city, tasting exotic delicacies, and marvelling at magnificent vistas – a significant part of travelling is about creating and relishing these unique experiences. Keeping a travel log can help you capture these precious moments and transform how you perceive your journeys. In essence, it enables explorers to move from mere spectators to active participants, deeply engaging with the places they visit. Beyond its role as an avenue for preserving memories and emotions, maintaining a travel diary is an incredibly useful tool for personal growth and learning. This practice allows you to reflect on your experiences and insights gained during travels, promoting greater self-awareness. Moreover, flipping through pages filled with chronicled adventures years down the line will undoubtedly provide fresh perspectives on how far you’ve journeyed physically and personally.

Different ways to keep a log (traditional journal, blog, vlog, social media)

Dive into the pages of a traditional journal, where you can pour out your travel musings with ink and parchment, unfettered by technology. Sketch doodles, paste ticket stubs, or dried flowers to create a handmade collage of memories that are exclusive just for you. This tangible map of experiences is personal and intimate, reflecting every whim of your wandering spirit and providing an insightful narrative of your journey.

But if you’re more digitally inclined, consider creating a blog or vlog . Capture significant moments in pixelated words or through the lens, testifying to the authenticity of your journey. With blogs letting you narrate tales vivaciously adorned with pictures and videos, vlogs present a cinematic perspective, giving others a virtual tour and guiding them through unseen terrains. Your digital canvas could be endlessly imaginative, inviting readers or viewers worldwide into some piece of reality crafted by you.

Keep things spontaneous and exciting with real-time updates on social media platforms such as Instagram stories or Facebook check-ins. These sociable sites allow instantaneous capturing, shaping, dialogues, and emotions without coherently arranging them, as in the above mediums. Don’t simply visit places; cherish engagements as each comment shared makes reminiscing more fun! Whatever method charms you most, remember – Log is not about showcasing but embracing the ethos of travelling, creating an intimate bond with time-space re-lived afresh anytime!

What to include in a travel log (places visited, experiences, photos, souvenirs)

Imagine you’re sipping coffee at that picturesque café in Paris or hiking the Great Wall of China – wouldn’t it be fantastic to capture and relive these moments down the line? That’s where travel logs come into play, serving as a treasure trove of your adventures. But remember four cardinal points while penning down your wanderlust journey: places visited, experiences garnered, photos captured, and souvenirs collected.

Indeed, noting the places you visited is vital, but take a step further. Weave narratives around them by incorporating cuisine devoured, unique customs learned, or simply what amused you about each locale! Adding photos pushes the narrative from imagination to visual reality. 

They are live embodiments of memories that vividly reignite intricate details of an adventure years later – so snap pictures relentlessly. Last, include souvenirs in your log- a quaint shell from a Sri Lankan beach or a vintage wine bottle from Italy. Just like magic, they’ll whisk you back in time.

Don’t just see it filling up pages; view this exercise as crafting your novel brimming with colourful tales worth retelling! Be creative; let every experience make an indelible mark carrying its unique essence on paper!

Creative ideas for personalising

Ditch the traditional, clichéd way of keeping a travel log, and let your creative juices flow! After all, it’s not just about marking off cities on a map; instead, elevate this experience by incorporating local fabrics or artefacts into each entry. In India? Use colourful silk from Saris as a backdrop for your notes. Visiting Japan? Try using Origami shapes to give your logs an artistic edge.

Personalise your travel journal with post dates and location coordinates for more specificity. Found an incredible wine in Italy? Make it more interesting by stashing the wine label along with tasting notes! Or if poetry sparks joy in you, sum up your experiences in haikus inspired by destinations visited – now that’s ‘travelling’ outside the box! Personalising doesn’t always mean decorating; sometimes, it’s about breaking the conventional travel log format to create an authentic record of YOUR journey.

Using technology to enhance your travel log experience

Immerse yourself in a tech-enhanced travel log experience that elevates your globetrotting adventures. With innovative tools at your fingertips, you can now effortlessly document each breathtaking view and exquisite cultural exchange traversing the globe offers – all with a level of detail and convenience that was unimaginable not too long ago.

Imagine waking up to the awe-inspiring sunrise in Santorini, Greece. Now, pull out your smartphone instead of grappling for pen and paper to capture this enchantment! Use advanced features on travel log apps to paint an evocative picture via photos, 360-degree videos, or location pins – bringing that moment back to life any time you want. Access AI-powered platforms like artificial immersive reality, which transports you back to those surreal moments, helping relive exhilaration years later with augmented reality overlays.

The capabilities offered by technology are reshaping how we chronicle our journeys magnificently – drawing us closer to our past experiences and connecting an online community of global explorers sharing their unique sights & stories. Embrace technology today and venture ahead into tomorrow’s exploration!

A travel log is a personal diary that transforms our trips into enthralling lifelong stories. It allows us to capture the essence of our experiences, preserving memories in vivid detail far beyond what photos alone can achieve. By reflecting on our journeys, we gain a deeper understanding and appreciation for the world around us. A travel log helps narrate our adventures and gives them life beyond the trip. So next time you embark on a journey, don’t forget your trusty travel log – it’s more than just documentation; it’s a storyteller waiting to breathe life into your travels.

Leave a Reply Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Name  *

Email  *

Add Comment  *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Post Comment

Trending now

What is a Travelogue?

Travel writing is a genre that is becoming increasingly popular. It seems that each week a new travel book gets published and every day more writers are interested in writing one. Yet, as interest in travel writing grows, so too does the need to clarify the questions: What exactly is a travelogue? And how does it compare to a travel book?

What is a travelogue?

A travelogue is a truthful account of an individual’s experiences traveling, usually told in the past tense and in the first person.

The word travelogue supposedly comes from a combination of the two words  travel  and  monologue . In turn, the word  monologue  comes from the Greek words  monos  (alone) and  logos  (speech, word). A travelogue is then, in its most basic form, a spoken or written account of an individual’s experiences traveling, which usually appears in the past tense, in the first person, and with some verisimilitude.

Because a travelogue aims to be a true account of an individual’s experiences traveling, descriptions of what the traveler sees, hears, tastes, smells, and feels in the external world while traveling are essential components . 

Of course, thoughts, feelings, and reflections are important parts of our experience of travel. So, descriptions of a traveler’s inner world are not out-of-place in the travelogue.

Likewise, notes and observations on history, society, and culture are also common features of travelogues, as we certainly learn about the world when we travel.

If you want to write a better travel stories, check out our tips to write better travelogues .

What are the types of travelogue?

A travelogue can exist in the form of a book, a blog, a diary or journal, an article or essay, a podcast, a lecture, a narrated slide show, or in virtually every written or spoken form of creation. 

There are many examples of travelogues online in the form of “travel blogs.”

However, not all travel blogs are travelogues in the pure sense of the term because some of their authors are less concerned with giving personal accounts of their own experiences traveling than capturing internet search traffic by providing tips, advice, or practical information about travel.

For example, they claim to present the “best things to do” in a particular destination instead of “what I did” there. Though, some travel blogs do publish hybrid travelogues that also provide tips and advice in order to market their travel services.

Travelogue books

Mark Twain’s  The Innocents Abroad  is a good example of a travelogue in book form. While it was published as a book in the 19 th  century, it is perhaps best characterized as a travelogue by today’s standards and not as a modern travel book . The frontispiece of the first edition in 1869 explains why:

In  The Innocents Abroad , Twain gives us and “account of the steamship  Quaker City ’s pleasure excursion to Europe and the Holy Land; with descriptions of countries, nations, incidents and adventures, as they appeared to the author.” It is a descriptive account of his travels and thoughts, sometimes funny and often bigoted. He tells us what he saw and what he felt while also offering historical and cultural remarks on the places he visited.

While it is well-written, I’m not sure the book has a story, a plot, a narrative arc, or a storyline that holds everything together. These are features seldom found in travelogues, R. K. Wilson reminds us in his 1973 study  The Literary Travelogue .

A destination isn’t a story. Neither is simply going from one place to another.

Instead,  The Innocents Abroad  is an account of Twain’s holiday, written as if were a letter to his mother half a world away. “Dear Mom,” we imagine the book starting.

Travelogues vs. travel books

As we have seen in the example above, a travelogue can exist in the form of a book. But this does not mean that it is the same thing as a  travel book as we understand it today. 

Indeed, terms like  travelogue  and  travel book  often get conflated. “Even [E.M.] Forster is uncertain what to call these things,” Paul Fussell wrote in his book  Abroad . “In 1941 he calls them  travelogues , in 1949  travel books .” Like Forster, Fussell conflates the terms.

In the last 100 years or so, we have seen the travel book evolve from the travelogue and mature into a more rarefied thing with its own set of stylistic and formal expectations. Carl Thompson calls this the  modern travel book , a concept he discusses in the early chapters of his academic study  Travel Writing . 

While it can appear in book form and evoke a day-to-day account like a logbook, a ship’s log, or a captain’s log, a travelogue does not necessarily have the formal dimensions and stylistic conceits of the  modern travel book .

A travelogue does not necessarily have the formal dimensions and stylistic conceits of the  modern travel book .

This is not to say that travelogues are not insightful or uninteresting. Quite the opposite. They are incredibly revealing and can expose a tremendous amount of information about the world, the writer, and the reader.

But the modern travel book is a different beast. Among other important distinctions, modern travel books and modern travelogues have stories , plots, and through-lines. A mission, quest, or journey isn’t a story in and of itself.

Perhaps making a distinction between a travelogue and the modern travel book is an elitist or academic move. But perhaps it is no more pompous to say this than it is to say that a modern novel has a specific form and style different from its earlier iterations.

Is the travel book a “sub-species of memoir,” as Fussell notes? Is travel writing even a genre? How do travelogues fit into the travel writing landscape?

Travel writing historians and scholars do not agree upon the definitions and boundaries of travel writing. The one thing they agree on is that there is no consensus on the definition. To that point, Thompson writes, “the boundaries of the travel writing genre are fuzzy, and there is little point in policing them too rigidly.”

P.S.: At the time of writing this, the Wikipedia article on The Innocents Abroad says that the book “presents itself as an ordinary travel book based on an actual voyage” (emphasis added). We’ll leave it at that.

Last Updated on 29 December 2020 by Travel Writing World

Share this:

• Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Reddit (Opens in new window)
• Click to print (Opens in new window)
• Click to email a link to a friend (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Pocket (Opens in new window)
• Click to share on Telegram (Opens in new window)

Travel Writing World

With an emphasis on travel books and long-form travel literature, host Jeremy Bassetti talks with the world’s most inspiring travel writers about their work and about the business and craft of travel writing in this award-winning podcast and website. In addition to the podcast, the site also features travel writer profiles, book reviews, and articles.

You may also like

History in travel writing, books to help writers cultivate and create a..., how dictation can help writers capture a sense..., how to build an author platform, travel books about italy, the ultimate travel writing resources list.

Extremely helpful; informative and insightful. Has stimulated me to dig a little deeper into the sub-divisions within travel writing and gain a better understanding of where my own Mad Cow in Galicia memoir series sits within the genre. Thank you.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Notify me of follow-up comments by email.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

The Last Mileage Log You'll Ever Need (Free Template)

Sarah is an Enrolled Agent with the IRS and a former staff writer at Keeper. In 2022, she was named one of CPA Practice Advisor’s 20 Under 40 Top Influencers in the field of accounting. Her work has been featured in Business Insider, Money Under 30, Best Life, GOBankingRates, and Shopify. Sarah has spent nearly a decade in public accounting and has extensive experience offering strategic tax planning at the state and federal level. Her clients have come from a wide range of industries, including oil and gas, manufacturing, real estate, wholesale and retail, finance, and ecommerce, and she has handled tax returns for C corps, S corps, partnerships, nonprofits, and sole proprietorships. In her spare time, she is a devoted cat mom and enjoys hiking, painting, and overwatering her houseplants.

Looking for a painless way to track your business mileage? The search ends here. I’d like to introduce you to the last mileage logs you’ll ever need, updated with the latest IRS rates. ‍ Here's one for the 2023 tax year:

To use these spreadsheets, click on the links below and select “Make a copy” to make it your own.

How the Keeper mileage log works

This free mileage log template tracks your trips and automatically calculates your mileage deduction on each one. 

It’s user-friendly, compliant with IRS standards, and quite pretty to look at. All in all, it’s a perfect solution for your own taxes —  or for requesting a mileage reimbursement from a customer or employer.   

Entering your trip details

The bottom half of the log gives you plenty of room to record all your trip information. There are a few sample lines to show you how it works. Let’s take a look at each column, one at a time: 

• Trip Name : Use this to specify the purpose of your trip. For example, if you’re going to a meeting, it could be the name of the client you’re meeting with.
• Date : Here’s when you took the trip. This is an IRS requirement, so don’t forget to jot it down!
• Start and End : The beginning and ending addresses allow  the IRS to verify the mileage if required. You can enter the exact address, or use a close approximation. For example, “ABC warehouse on 6th.” 
• Miles : Enter the exact distance you drove. This will be used to calculate your deduction. 
• Business or Persona l: Use the dropdown menu to specify the nature of the trip. The mileage deduction won’t calculate unless “Business” is selected. However, “Personal” trips will be included in the “Total Mileage” shown at the top of your Mileage Dashboard. 
• Deduction : This column shows how much you can write-off per trip. The running total is listed under the Dashboard. 
• Notes : Use this column to jot down any necessary information relating to the trip. For instance, if it’s a routine trip but you had to stop for gas, leave a note to explain why the trip was slightly longer.

Understanding your Mileage Dashboard

As you begin to fill out the log, your Dashboard will automatically update.

The total tax deduction for the year will show up in the green box shown below. We calculate this automatically for you, using the latest mileage rate provided by the IRS.

Your cumulative business and total mileage will display as well.

If you prefer to use your odometer readings for your total miles, you can include those in the top right corner of the Dashboard. The “Total Mileage” box will update accordingly. (We’ll talk some more about odometer readings down below!)

What does the IRS require from your mileage log?

If your mileage deduction is ever challenged, this is what the IRS is going to expect to see included on your log:

• Date the trip happened
• Purpose of the trip
• Starting address and end destination
• Number of miles you drove

If you fail to adequately supply any of these things, your tax deduction would be disallowed. That’s why we made sure to include all of those on the Keeper log. 

{write_off_block}

Do I need to provide odometer miles on my log?  

A common misconception is that the IRS requires your odometer readings on the log. That’s not true. As long as you’re able to document the other details, you don’t need to consult your odometer at all.  

However, when it comes to claiming your mileage deduction on your tax return, your odometer can come in handy. 

When to use your odometer readings

Your odometer can be helpful for figuring out your total mileage.

Let’s back up a second. When reporting your auto details, you’ll have to list two things: 

• Your business mileage for the year
• Your total mileage (including commuting ) for the year

Most people know to track their business mileage, but not everyone tracks their total mileage.

If you use the Keeper mileage log for both your work and personal trips, the total mileage listed at the top should be accurate.

However, what if you only track your business trips? Then you should record your odometer miles at the beginning and end of the year to get your total mileage. 

Just put in your starting and ending odometer readings, and the Dashboard will do the rest.

Understanding the mileage deduction

Our free spreadsheet is a great way to track your mileage deduction, but how does it actually work? The mileage deduction is calculated by multiplying your yearly business miles by the IRS’s standard mileage rate. For 2023, that’s $0.655. For 2024 , it'll be $0.67.

This rate is adjusted for inflation each year. It’s designed to reflect the average costs of car-related expenses , such as: 

• 🚙  Depreciation
• ☂️  Insurance
• 🏷️  Licenses and registration
• 🔧  Repairs and maintenance 

So if you have 5,000 in business mileage, your deduction would be $2,925. Not bad, right? 

This is a great deduction to take advantage of if you drive for work. However, it does come with the added recordkeeping requirement of a mileage log.  

What happens if you claim business miles but don’t keep a log?

Over the years, many taxpayers have gotten dinged for claiming the mileage deduction without good records. 

Here are a couple of tax court cases that show what can happen.

⚖️ Taylor v. Commissioner: A few bad trips can put your whole write-off at risk

In the case of Taylor v. Commissioner in 2017 , a small business owner’s mileage deduction was disallowed due to discrepancies on her log. Certain trips listed inaccurate mileage or showed distances that would be too long to complete in a single day.

Interestingly, Mrs. Taylor’s entire mileage deduction was disallowed, even though much of her documentation was up to the IRS’s standards. Having several major mistakes cost her the entire write-off.   ‍

⚖️  Kilpatrick v. Commissioner: There’s no point in creating a mileage log after the fact

In another case, Kilpatrick v. Commissioner , a business owner waited until after he received notice of an IRS audit to create his mileage log.

Mr. Kilpatrick was able to provide calendar records and MapQuest printouts of his routes. However, the tax court deemed his records inadequate since they were prepared more than two years after the driving had occurred.

Sadly, this has been the fate of many taxpayers over the years. The IRS is strict about requiring contemporaneous records, which means they are kept in real time.

Recreating your log after the fact could jeopardize your write-off. 

{email_capture}

Sarah York, EA

Over 1M freelancers trust Keeper with their taxes

Keeper is the top-rated all-in-one business expense tracker, tax filing service, and personal accountant.

Sign up for Tax University

Get the tax info they should have taught us in school

Expense tracking has never been easier

What tax write-offs can I claim?

At Keeper, we’re on a mission to help people overcome the complexity of taxes. We’ve provided this information for educational purposes, and it does not constitute tax, legal, or accounting advice. If you would like a tax expert to clarify it for you, feel free to sign up for Keeper. You may also email [email protected] with your questions.

Voted best tax app for freelancers

More Articles to Read

Free Tax Tools

1099 Tax Calculator

• Quarterly Tax Calculator

How Much Should I Set Aside for 1099 Taxes?

Keeper users have found write-offs worth

• Affiliate program
• Partnership program
• Tax bill calculator
• Tax rate calculator
• Tax deduction finder
• Quarterly tax calculator
• Ask an accountant
• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Affiliate Program
• Partnership Program
• Tax Bill Calculator
• Tax Rate Calculator
• Tax Deduction Finder
• Ask an Accountant

CNN values your feedback

Barcelona anti-tourism protesters fire water pistols at visitors.

Protesters in Barcelona have sprayed visitors with water as part of a demonstration against mass tourism .

Demonstrators marching through areas popular with tourists on Saturday chanted “tourists go home” and squirted them with water pistols, while others carried signs with slogans including “Barcelona is not for sale.”

Thousands of protesters took to the streets of the city in the latest demonstration against mass tourism in Spain, which has seen similar actions in the Canary Islands and Mallorca recently, decrying the impact on living costs and quality of life for local people.

The demonstration was organised by a group of more than 100 local organizations, led by the Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic (Neighborhood Assembly for Tourism Degrowth).

According to official figures, almost 26 million visitors made an overnight stay in the Barcelona region in 2023, spending €12.75 billion ($13.8 billion).

However, the Assemblea de Barris pel Decreixement Turístic says that these visitors increase prices and put pressure on public services, while profits from the tourism industry are unfairly distributed and increase social inequality.

It has published 13 proposals to reduce the number of visitors and transition the city to a new model of tourism, including the closure of cruise ship terminals, more regulation of tourist accommodation and an end to public spending on tourism promotion.

On Saturday, the city’s mayor, Jaume Collboni, highlighted a series of measures that he has announced recently to reduce the impact of mass tourism, including increasing the nightly tourist tax to €4 ($4.30) and limiting the number of cruise ship passengers.

At the end of June, Collboni also announced that it would end apartment rentals for tourists by 2028 by scrapping short-term rental licenses for more than 10,000 apartments.

This would help to make housing more affordable for long-term residents, according to Collboni, who said rents had increased 68% in the past 10 years, with the cost of buying a house up 38%.

Related article Canary Islanders call for hunger strike to protest against overtourism they say is pricing them out

However, Collboni has been criticized for allowing events such as a Louis Vuitton catwalk show in architect Antoni Gaudí’s Parc Güell in May, as well as the upcoming America’s Cup sailing competition.

The growing discontent in Barcelona echoes similar protests in other parts of Spain.

In April, locals in the  Canary Islands  mobilized to protest against  excessive tourism , blaming visitors for pricing them out of their homes and causing environmental damage.

These complaints are common to many tourist hot spots around the world, which have experienced record visitor numbers recently as the travel industry has roared back from a pandemic-induced downturn.

Such surges may be sweet for local economies and hospitality businesses’ bottom line, but they also come with notable downsides: increased noise, pollution, traffic and strain on resources; a lower quality of life for locals; and a diminished visitor experience, among others.

Not surprisingly, many tourist magnets have created initiatives and restrictions intended to combat overtourism, including new or increased tourist taxes, campaigns aimed at discouraging problematic visitors and attendance caps at popular attractions.

Hand-Picked Top-Read Stories

Travel Log: Everything You Need to Know (FAQs)

9 Tips For Keeping a Perfect Travel Log

How to Create a Travel Log (Tips and Examples)

Traveling gives you a fulfilling feeling that you will live to remember. It offers you unique experiences, different perspectives and introduces you to new cultures globally. When you travel far away, you are likely to find yourself out of your comfort zone, and this will enable you to learn more about the world around you and yourself.

A travel log is a favorite type of travel journal. Suppose you are going on a vacation. Ensure you carry this type of travel journal with you since it allows you to keep new knowledge and experiences together. In addition, it enables you to organize and plan your trip effectively. This article will give you an insight into a travel log, including everything you need to know about it.

What Is a Travel Log?

A travel log is a specific document that features all the information concerning your trip. On the other hand, companies and organizations can use this travel journal to monitor their clients or even employees. However, this log was used originally by travelers to rate their trip experiences and for personal reasons.

What are some other names of Travel Log?

Below are a few other names of a travel log:

• Travel journal
• Travel story
• Travel diary
• Journey plan
• Trip report
• Journey log

What is the main purpose of a travel log?

A travel log usually assists you in writing as well as documenting your trip experiences. Here, you can also include a brief description of places you managed to visit, the voice recordings that you managed to record on your vacation. You can also list down the photos you took during the trip and the itinerary. Bear in mind that a travel journal falls among the most famous and common journals among the various journals.

How to start a travel log?

You do not have to travel miles away to use a travel log. You can commence writing on your journal when on a weekend getaway or family vacation. In a nutshell, you only need a destination to use your holiday journal. Below is an overview of how to start your travel log:

Use the travel log to plan and organize your trip

You can comfortably start writing your travel log before you officially embark on your trip. Take your time to plan and organize your trip efficiently. This includes varying sights you would love to see, the hike you would love to experience, and the food you would love to eat. Document everything that is on your checklist to avoid forgetting, especially when you start your vacation.

After knowing what you would love to do on your trip, thoroughly research how you can achieve them effectively. You can proceed and write down the contact information of individuals who facilitate places you want to visit. Ensure you keep your transportation and accommodation credentials in your travel log.

Writ about your imagination

When going on a journey, your expectations are usually high. But sometimes, what is on the ground can disproof your expectations. However, you must state your expectations in your travel journal, and you can compare your expectations with what you experienced later after your trip.

Ensure you write during your trip

If your brain is fresh, you can easily remember things. As a result, ensure you jot down as much as possible when traveling. Ideally, please write down each day. Furthermore, whatever you write in your journal should not be too long, and it should highlight what you think is crucial and exciting. Before you sleep, try and recall some of the things you achieved during the day, this will enable you to remember more on your vacation. Through this, you will grow and reflect on what you encountered.

Add pictures to your journal

Most people use journals to write their expectations and experience, but pictures signify more than writing. A combination of your writing and pictures makes a detailed narrative of your trip. Several photo printers feature stickers which makes it pretty easy for you to stick your photos. Ensure that you keep your words and images organized and linked.

Document something about your trip after you leave

After your trip, you should also have something to write about, more so your experiences, what you learned, what surprised you, what it was like, and what disappointment you met on your trip. Reflect on your vacation and write down a guide that would help you in the future. This guarantees you a chance to learn about yourself and the colleagues you journeyed with.

How to close a travel log?

How you end your travel log matters because it is the last thing you will read on your travel journal, and probably not you alone but also the people that will use your journal as a guide. An outstanding ending leaves your reader anticipating more about your trip and yawning for one. Therefore, below are several ways you can use to close your travel log.

Callbacks: Link your opening to the end

As you conclude your travel journal, ensure you connect it to the opening and relate the end with how you started it. This technique will help you to end your travel journal with style. And please make it as relevant as possible.

Close with a revelation, discovery, or a lesson

When closing your travel log, you must state what you have learned and whether your trip has given you a new experience and changed your perspective. This is something you should talk about in the body of your journal and at the end. You can also state what you discovered on your vacation. Remember, such details can guide others when going for a trip or even yourself the next time you go for a vacation.

Emphasize your point using memorable images, details, and facts

To make the end of your journal captivating, you should summarize your entire trip using outstanding photos, details as well as facts. Ensure you drive home the key points.

What is the travel journal?

A travel journal is a place to organize and plan your trips. Here, you can add the paper mementos from your trip and state your experiences. Do not forget your small and large memories, what you learned, and who you met on your vacation.

Why should I keep a travel journal?

Here are multiple reasons as to why you should keep your travel journal:

Tips and references

When you keep your travel journal well, you can also use I to help others. Likewise, you can use it to share and give tips to your friends, family, and colleagues about the places to visit, foods to eat, and what to see while on holiday. You can assure them of a pleasant stay in varying countries or cities through sharing tips and references.

Photo memories

You will take many photos on your trip, which will make a magnificent addition to your travel journal. Whenever you go through your travel log, fresh memories will always run in your brain. Furthermore, there are many things you will not remember after your trip, but you will be able to remember both small and big experiences with the photos.

Essential contacts and information

Ensure that you keep properly essential information, especially if you are going for a long vacation with varying destinations. Keep your traveling information in your travel journal. This information includes vital contacts, accommodation, flight info, and timetable.

It gives you a chance to create a list of places you would love to visit and the activities you would love to do when on your trip. This allows you to save on time and concentrate on your trip. As a result, state down the excellent restaurants to eat, best cultural things and food.

Learn more about yourself

You must know whatever you are writing is not for your audience but your soul as well as yourself. Therefore, you need to be confident about yourself and what you write without fearing that someone will judge you. Avoid negative thoughts and watch everything flows.

What do you include in a travel log?

A travel log should include a voice recording that you made during your free time, the photos you took during your vacation, a list of the itinerary, and a brief written description of places you toured.

How can I decorate my travel log?

You must be figuring out what it takes to decorate your travel log. Below are a few things you can use to decorate your travel journal:

• Pictures cut from brochures
• Food wrappers
• Beer bottle labels
• Entrance tickets
• Train/ cable car/ bus tickets

Everyone looks forward to writing a travel log that is worth reading. Thus, below are travel journal tips that will guide you write a travel journal that is worth reading:

• Send yourself a postcard and add it to your travel journal
• Design the custom travel journal cover
• Include attractive food packaging and stickers
• Find something unique and put it on your travel log
• Include colors from amazing outstanding places
• Feature great journal ideas, such as flowers and leaves
• Postage stamps for a special travel journal
• Glue money on the travel journal
• Add sketches to your travel log
• Record special interaction with the people you meet
• Include maps and tickets, which make perfect travel journal ideas

What is the difference between a travel log and a diary?

Most people usually think that a diary is the same as a travel log, but that is not the case. There is a difference between the two. A travel log is a book you can use to document ideas that take shape, while a diary is a book you can use to record events when they happen.

On the other hand, travel logs are never constrained on a calendar and dates because they feature random song lyrics, memories, doodles, pictures, ideas, lists, as well as thoughts that cross your mind. At the same time, a diary is a book you can use daily to record certain things, which happened on a specific day. It can be emotions, moods, or feelings. Besides, it also has the potential to track data and assist you in making crucial discoveries.

How do you make an online travel journal?

It is easy to make an online travel journal. The steps below will guide you make an online travel log:

• Create your story by writing it down
• Add images to your travel journal
• Show maps of your trip
• Watch travel log samples on the website
• Print your travel journal

What can I use for a travel journal?

Now that you are well familiarized with the travel journal, below are a few things you can put in your traveling diary:

• Sketches and doodle
• Places to tour
• Travel itinerary
• Packing list
• Expectations
• Business cards
• Food labels
• Postage stamps
• Pressed flowers and leaves

What should you look for in your travel journal?

A travel journal features crucial components that you can easily find, such as postcards, tickets, doodles, sketches, photos, places to visit, travel itinerary, packing list, and expectations, among other components.

What is bullet point journaling?

A bullet point journaling is a sort of a daily planner mix, diary, and to-do list. It is an analog journaling system developed by Ryder Carroll, a New York-based designer. Moreover, he describes journaling or the planner approach as a method you can use to track the past, arrange or organize the present, and focus on your future plans.

Are bullet journals a waste of time?

Suppose you follow the initiator’s reasoning; bullet journaling is never a waste of time; instead, it is a time saver. However, you can choose other options if you do not find them interesting. Before you use it, ensure you find out more about it to enhance our productivity.

How do you write a trip essay?

Writing a trip essay needs less creativity since the trip features extraordinary activities, cultural findings, and dramas. This means the essay does not require you to do a lot of thinking. However, turning your trip experience into an essay can be pretty challenging since you might leave much information uncovered. Here is an overview of practical guidelines that will assist you in writing an outstanding essay:

Choose your favorite destination

Before planning for a trip, you should choose your favorite destination. You must do thorough research before you decide on the city you would love to visit. Try and read about varying regions and see what is likely to inspire you more. You can share with your friends to help you choose the best city, and this will make them long for your essay after your trip.

Select several attraction sites

After choosing your city, take your time to select a few tourist attraction sites. Instead of writing about every place you passed during your trip, it would be better that you focus on the attraction sites to avoid being boring. Ensure that you focus on two or three places and offer your audience comprehensive information. Please do not concentrate on famous attraction sites since almost everyone has written about them. Instead, focus on unknown areas since many people usually want to hear something they have no idea about.

Create a compelling introduction paragraph

The first paragraph, which introduces your essay, is crucial because it convinces your reader how much you enjoyed your vacation. This means it must be catchy. Here you can start with the new tradition you witnessed, a cultural misunderstanding you experienced during your journey, or even an exciting dialogue you had on your trip. Utilize your sense of humor and stay innovative. Make sure that you engage the reader to make them want to read your essay until the end.

Show as you tell the story

An essay can be boring if feelings do not accompany it, painted imagery pictures of the space, more so in the reader’s mind. Ensure you become specific about your descriptions. Additionally, readers will barely understand fantastic buildings, fabulous roads, or incredible parks without you showing them. When you show the reader, it feels like they have been there with you.

Images make the reader understand your essay more and imagine better. 1 to 2 images are perfect. Therefore, try and choose the best images, which are more related to your essay or narrative. Choose vivid shots instead of black and white. These types of images are captivating and can make the reader curious.

Ensure your essay is simple

Ensure that your essay is simple since it is meant to entertain the reader. Hence avoid using highly academic structures and vocabularies. Try and use a friendly tone and an active voice to make your narrative engaging.

Talk about what you achieved on your vacation

Suppose your trip gained you nothing and did not bring a positive change in your entire life. Then our trip was a waste of money and time. Bear in mind that great experiences usually come with incredible achievements. This includes making new friends and shifting of belief. Whatever you achieve, ensure you tell your reader.

Offer the reader a food finale

Each interesting essay starts with a good and catchy point, reaches a climax, and ends with a perfect conclusion. Ensure you plan your paragraphs before writing. Make sure you have a strategy for starting your essay. You can commence by exercising a rising action and gradually slowing it down to let your reader know they are reaching the end of your narrative.

When planning for a vacation, you must not miss crucial details. This explains why you need a travel log. It assists you in planning and organizing your trip, and you can also jot down your experiences during your trip. With your travel journal, you can tell your trip stories to your friend, family, and even your grandchildren in the future.

Related Posts

Travel Log: Definition, Essential Elements, and Examples

• The Buzz on Florida Politics

Florida lawyer donates $1 million to family of victim of attempted Trump assassination

• Nina Moske Times staff

A Florida lawyer has pledged to donate $1 million to the family of the man killed during an attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.

Orlando attorney and megadonor Dan Newlin said he felt “called upon to help fellow Americans.” He will also give $100,000 to the families of people injured at the rally.

“Democrat, Republican, independent — that had nothing to do with this,” Newlin, 56, said. “It had everything to do with knowing I could help a family while supporting our democracy.”

Trump left the Saturday rally bloodied but “safe” after a bullet pierced his right ear. A gunman fired multiple shots into the crowd from a nearby rooftop before the Secret Service killed him, authorities said.

Corey Comperatore, a 50-year-old volunteer firefighter from Pennsylvania who attended the rally with his family, was shot and killed by the gunman. Two other attendees, David Dutch, 57, and James Copenhaver, 74, were wounded and are in stable condition.

Newlin said Meredith O’Rourke, Trump’s campaign finance director, called early Sunday morning to ask for help raising $1 million for the victim’s family. Newlin has donated money to Trump’s campaign and Republican super PACs in the past and said he considers the candidate a “friend.”

“Tell the president, ‘Don’t worry about anything, I’ll take care of it,’” he said he told O’Rourke on the phone call. “‘You can count on me to give the million dollars.’”

Newlin said he plans to meet Comperatore’s family in Pennsylvania and deliver the money in person.

“I’m not one to just write a check,” said the lawyer, who said he often donates to charities around Florida. “One of the greatest parts of giving is being able to connect.”

Newlin has donated millions of dollars to Republican and Democratic political causes since 2003, according to Federal Election Commission data. He gave more than $2,500 to Hillary Clinton’s 2016 campaign.

But since 2023, the lawyer’s contributions have leaned right. He gave $1 million to Make America Great Again, a Trump-aligned super PAC, last year. Trump also raised more than $8 million at a campaign fundraiser held at Newlin’s Windermere home in April. Newlin has cited immigration and border issues as reasons for his support of Trump.

Earlier this month, the lawyer launched what he said was a “million dollar plus” campaign to place more than 100 electronic billboards promoting Trump in Florida, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nevada. The signs, displayed along Interstate 4, feature taglines including ”Putting American Families First” and “Make America Safe Again!”

O’Rourke, a longtime Florida GOP fundraiser, also organized a GoFundMe page for the families of deceased and injured victims that has raised more than $4.9 million as of Tuesday.

Billionaires Elon Musk and Ken Griffin donated $100,000 each.

Top contributions from state leaders include $50,000 from Sen. Rick Scott and his wife, Ann, and $10,000 from Florida’s agriculture commissioner, Wilton Simpson.

Catch up on top stories before rush hour

Become a Times subscriber to get our afternoon newsletter, The Rundown

You’re all signed up!

Want more of our free, weekly newsletters in your inbox? Let’s get started.

“All donations will be directed to these proud Americans as they grieve and recover,” wrote O’Rourke on the fundraising platform. “May God bless and unite our nation.”

Nina Moske is a reporter on the politics team covering Florida politicians and voters. She can be reached at [email protected].

MORE FOR YOU

• Advertisement

ONLY AVAILABLE FOR SUBSCRIBERS

The Tampa Bay Times e-Newspaper is a digital replica of the printed paper seven days a week that is available to read on desktop, mobile, and our app for subscribers only. To enjoy the e-Newspaper every day, please subscribe.

Trump may only be alive due to the shooter's bad wind estimate, Blackwater founder says

• Erik Prince, the founder of Blackwater, said 5mph wind was enough to displace the bullet by two inches.
• Donald Trump was "not saved" by the US Secret Service's "brilliance," the former Navy SEAL said.
• Prince criticized the Secret Sevice for letting a shooter within 150 meters of a pre-planned event.

Former President Donald Trump may only be alive due to the shooter's bad wind estimate, according to Erik Prince, a former Navy SEAL and the founder of private military company Blackwater.

In an X post on Sunday, Prince joined those criticizing the Secret Service's handling of the attempt on Trump's life, saying Trump may only be alive due to a "bad wind estimate by an evil would-be assassin."

Prince pointed to a map of the rally site in Butler, Pennsylvania, which he said was from an unnamed SEAL sniper instructor at Red Sky LLC.

The map shows a 5mph wind blowing westward in the bullet trajectory.

"As the graphics show, the full-value wind of just 5 mph was enough to displace the unconfirmed but likely light 55-grain bullet two inches from DJT's intended forehead to his ear," Prince said, using Donald John Trump's initials.

"DJT was not saved by USSS brilliance," he added.

Prince and representatives for the Secret Service didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.

The former president was shot in the upper part of his right ear at a campaign rally in Butler on Saturday.

The gunman "fired multiple shots toward the stage from an elevated position," according to a statement shared by Secret Service spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi.

The shooter, armed with an "AR-style" rifle , was only about 450 feet (roughly 137 meters) away from Trump, satellite imagery shows.

Videos of the shooting show the former president clutching his hand to his bloodied face and later raising his fist triumphantly while being escorted off the stage by the Secret Service.

Trump later thanked the US Secret Service and law enforcement for their "rapid" response.

But the assassination attempt raised questions about why the US Secret Service didn't spot Trump's shooter sooner , with former intelligence officers criticizing the Secret Service's procedure.

Prince, who reportedly served as a Navy SEAL from 1992 to 1996, pointed to several of the USSS' alleged shortcomings, including letting a rifle-armed shooter within 150 meters of a pre-planned event and failing to kill the shooter immediately.

Related stories

"The only positive action was an apparent 488yd shot by one USSS sniper, which dispatched the assassin, but after the assassin launched at least 5 rounds, wounding DJT and killing and severely others in the crowd," he wrote on X.

In his former role as founder and CEO of Blackwater, a security firm that played a major and controversial role in the US wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Prince said they were "expected to execute the basics, or we would be fired."

"Clearly, USSS failed at the basics of a secure perimeter, and once shots were fired, their extraction was clumsy and left DJT highly exposed to follow-on attacks," he said.

On Sunday, Guglielmi said claims that the agency had turned down a request from Trump's team for additional security were "absolutely false".

"In fact, we added protective resources & technology & capabilities as part of the increased campaign travel tempo," Guglielmi said on X.

Watch: How the Secret Service protected Trump after 'screwing up'

• Main content

Billy Boyd & Dominic Monaghan On Reuniting With Ian McKellen In Their Food Travelog ‘Billy And Dom Eat The World'; Watch Trailer Here

EXCLUSIVE: Billy Boyd and Dominic Monaghan’s food travelog series Billy and Dom Eat the World gave the pair a chance to renew their Lord of the Rings fellowship with Ian McKellen.

In the first episode of their six-part series from Dash Pictures and new distributor Abacus Media Rights, Boyd and Monaghan, who played Pippin and Merry in Peter Jackson’s movie trilogy, visit Gandalf - sorry, McKellen - at his east London pub The Grapes on the bank of the River Thames.

“It happened we were looking at London pub culture and it just so happens Ian McKellen has a pub,” Boyd told Deadline in an exclusive interview. “He told us why he ended up in that part of London, and what pubs mean to Britain.”

Monaghan recalled how he, Boyd, McKellen - who has recently returned to work after his fall during a West End performance - and many other Lord of the Rings cast and crew members would go for dinners each week while filming the features in New Zealand, “sharing plates and ideas about food.”

That concept partially inspired him and Boyd to create Billy and Dom Eat the World , in which the real-life best friends travel the globe on a string of adventures discovering food cultures and quirky secrets about six specific and very different locations. Each episode will show how food and drink can give real insight into places such as Texas and the Outer Hebrides in Scotland. Watch an exclusive trailer above.

Boyd and Monaghan previously hosted a Lord of the Rings -inspired podcast , The Friendship Onion , in which an ‘Eat the World’ segment became popular. They later met producer Daniel Sharp on the recommendation of Harry Potter twins James and Oliver Phelps, who worked with the Dash Pictures boss on their travel series Fantastic Friends .

“The podcast folded, but Billy and I had said right from the start that is we could find something in the podcast that we could build out into a show, we would,” said Monaghan.

“One of our favourite ways to get to know a city is to check out a local restaurant,” said Monaghan. “Myself, Billy, Elijah Wood and Sean Astin go to conventions very often, and one of the things we do over these weekends is pick a restaurant, and go and eat.” A recent Instagram pic of the group at the Liverpool Comic Con confirms just that.

“If you ask someone to bring you something from their childhood or their country, it opens a door to conversation,” added Boyd. “We felt food is a great in to finding out about people and communities. Dan loved the idea and very quickly we started making it.”

Sharp, Martin Blencowe, Boyd and Dominic Monaghan are exec producers. The series is in post-production and will be launched at MIPCOM in October, having first been announced back in 2021. Unusual for TV, it does not have a commissioning broadcaster and funding will be recouped mainly through sales. We can reveal Abacus recently picked up the rights and has also boarded sales for both seasons of Fantastic Friends , in which the Phelps brothers go on travels with famous friends and celebrities.

Boyd and Monaghan are now hoping the series goes to multiple seasons. “Because Dom and I know each other so well, it becomes an easy thing to do,” said Boyd. “We’re not always looking for the easiest travel route, and we will spend six hours on a bus to make sure we get the story we want to tell. That makes it authentic.”

Monaghan added that Sharp’s Dash Pictures has relationships in many countries the pair would like to experience, so ideas for new seasons already in discussion.

The Lost actor is currently attached to psychological period drama Long Shadows , which Concourse Media was selling in Cannes , and we revealed last year that he was cast opposite Jacqueline Bisset and Dermot Mulroney in Last Dollar , an 1880s-set Western inspired by European cinema. Boyd’s credits include home invasion pic An Intrusion and in 2022 he reprised his role from the original Chucky movie in the NBCUniversal series adapted from the film.

Monaghan is represented by Ivo Fisher of Buchwald, Ryan Martin at APA, and attorney Yorn Levine Barnes Krintzman Rubenstein Kohner Endlich & Gellman. Boyd is represented by SMS Talent Inc and attorney Matt Saver.

More from Deadline

• Breaking Baz: Ian McKellen Eyes Return To "Danger Free" Work On Movie 'The Critic' Following Fall From West End Stage
• Ian McKellen Pulls Out Of 'Player Kings' Tour "With The Greatest Reluctance" After Fall