Wanting writing inspiration beyond itinerary recap? Read below for 45 Creative Travel Journaling Prompts to improve your writing and your creative flow.

My Travel Journal Recommendations

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You can use the notes app on your phone, a dedicated travel diary app or notebook app, or a journal. (you have free will!) I use a mix of both given that I may not always have consistent light or downtime at a table, but I always have my phone on me. My notes are for me to process my experience, so it doesn’t totally matter. It is your life.

I have picked up journals and pens on my travels as a cool souvenir, but I usually find the quality much lower than if I intentionally researched and bought a journal ahead of time. Key thing: Just reduce your waste and bring a journal that works for your trip, instead of one you will have to replace later.

The Book of Alchemy: A Creative Practice for an Inspired Life by Suleika Jaouad – I bought this book 5x because I have given it out as gifts. I am an annual subscriber of hers on Substack!
The Alchemy Journal by Suleika Jaouad – A great companion journal designed specifically for capturing daily entries and creative reflections.
Moleskine Classic Notebook – Every time I buy a journal that isn’t a Moleskine, I regret it. Just go out and buy this one.
These pens – I have used these pens for 10 years. Buy these and never worry about new stationery again.

45 Creative Travel Journaling Prompts

Even with everything you are doing on your adventures, it can be hard to translate this into writing. Better put, after eating, swimming, drinking, looking, and scampering, it can be hard to put your full life onto the page. People often turn to writing when they are struggling with something big. People on an enjoyable sun-kissed vacation struggle with choosing a margarita or an aperol spritz.

In creative droughts, I have to give myself structure. Yes, you could follow the Artist’s Way and do three pages every day, but when traveling, even that feels too vague to give a real output that isn’t a list of what you ate, saw, and heard that day.

I am more creative and generate more creative output if I am given a framework of how to be creative, regardless of whether this is a work project or a personal one. It is like that whole goals vs. systems discussion that James Clear writes about in productivity circles—essentially, goals are about the direction you want to go, but systems are the actual daily processes that get you there. Giving yourself scaffolding (such as 45 Creative Travel Journaling Prompts) makes it easier to find the boundaries and something to leap off of. When you don’t have any structure, it can be hard to feel creative. What used to happen is that I felt compelled to write a line-by-line essay on exactly what I did that day, which is really boring to write, and even more boring read. It can make swimming in Lake Bled boring. Making your travelogue is supposed to be fun, so that your future self can breathe in the Mediterranean again. But often, like many people trying to diary for the first time, you get bogged down by a line-item list. Like, “I just lived it, why am I cataloging everything I am doing like I am running an experiment in a lab!?!”

45 Creative Travel Journaling Prompts

Don’t worry my friends! Alyssa Outside is here to help. 45 Creative Travel Journaling Prompts to help inspire you on your journey. (To understand the philosophy behind why these prompts work and how to escape boring travel logs, read my essay on The Art of Journaling Abroad.)

I. Lists (Quick & Scannable)

Sometimes the easiest way to write is to make a list. These are great for jotting down in your phone’s notes app when you only have a spare two minutes.

Favorite foods at restaurants, cafes, or street stalls.
Rank your emergency sirens — how do they sound compared to back home?
Your favorite outfits that you wore on the trip.
Your toilet experiences (because international plumbing is always an adventure).
New words or local slang you picked up in the country’s language.
Art in museums — pick your single favorite piece per room.
Rank your forms of transportation from most scenic to most stressful.
Non-touristy things you managed to do in highly touristy spots.

II. Dailies

Jot down activities quickly in your notes app as they happen.
Your absolute favorite thing you did or saw today.
The weirdest thing you encountered today.
Sensory snapshots — describe the ocean air, the smell of the bus, the sound of the market, or the color of your coffee mug.
Rose, Bud, and Thorn — note the best thing that happened, a new opportunity/experience, and the worst thing.
Document your outfit and how it matched the vibe of the city.
Water tracking — did you drink enough water today, and was it easy to access?

III. Reviews (End-of-Trip Reflection)

As your trip winds down, use these prompts to summarize your experience and check in with your headspace.

Jet lag check — how did you feel, and how many days did it take to recover?
The weirdest experience of the entire journey.
The coolest moment that you know you will tell stories about.
Heading home feelings — what are you most and least excited about back home?
Food summary — what was your best meal, your worst meal, and your most overpriced meal?
Surprise attachments — is there anything you were surprised to find yourself missing from home?
New knowledge — what did you learn about this destination that you couldn’t have researched online?
Personal surprises — did you surprise yourself with your own capabilities on this trip?
Going off-script — did you do something completely unexpected?
Packing post-mortem — did you pack well, or did you overpack/underpack?
Souvenir review — what was your favorite souvenir purchase?
Gift reflections — what is the gift you are most excited to give someone back home?

IV. People (Connections & observations)

Travel is defined by the people we meet and watch.

People watching — describe a person you didn’t meet, but who was doing a job on the street.
The helpers — write about someone who was incredibly helpful when they didn’t have to be.
Surprising interactions — did anyone catch you off guard with their kindness or behavior?
Other travelers — what are their stories, where are they from, and why did they decide to come here?
Trip inspiration — who inspired you to visit this place (a book, a creator, a passing conversation)?
Fellow traveler check — how are you enjoying your companions, if traveling with friends?
First-time travel partners — is this your first time traveling with this friend?
Compatibility — do you think you travel well together?
Friction points — did anyone bother you today, and does that behavior annoy you back home?

V. Next Places & New Experiences (Looking Forward)

Use these to think about how this trip has shaped your future travel bucket list.

The initial spark — what first interested you in this location?
A new lesson — what did you learn about yourself today?
The biggest shock — what was the most surprising thing you discovered?
Return policy — would you visit this exact city or country again?
Friend recommendations — would you tell your best friend to come here?
Mom recommendations — would you tell your mom to come here?
Transportation review — if you could change the transit method you took to get here, what would you do?
Solo travel capability — would you recommend this destination to a solo traveler?
Future bucket list — where are you going next, and what did you add to your wishlist?