How Travel Journaling Can Transform Your Adventures
Hi Wingers! I’m a few days behind on this week’s blog because I was off on a road trip across the midwest (stay tuned to my socials for cornfields, windmills, and a ferry ride across Lake Michigan!). But being on the road reminded me just how easy it is for travel moments to blur together, especially when you're soaking in so much at once.
That’s what this week’s post is all about: travel journaling. What it is, why it’s different from scrapbooking, and how even just 5 minutes a day can make a huge difference in how you remember and process your adventures.
Wait, Isn’t This Just Scrapbooking? You JUST blogged about that!
Not quite! While scrapbooking is about creatively documenting your trip after the fact with photos, souvenirs, and washi tape galore, journaling is about capturing your experiences as they’re happening, although it doesn’t have to right that second. It’s reflective, raw, and doesn’t require scissors or glue. You can journal about what you saw, how you felt, or even what the croissant tasted like at that little café you didn’t plan to find.
Journaling enhances the experience in the moment, helping you slow down, take stock, and soak it all in more deeply.
My Norway Regret (and Lesson)
A few years ago, I took an incredible trip to Norway, complete with fjords, northern lights, reindeer, the works. It was stunning, magical, and a lot. In fact, thinking back on it, I would probably have to refer to my itinerary to remember exactly what I did on each day, and the itinerary is only the stuff I actually PLANNED. There were plenty of things that we did spur of the moment that I of course remember, but not in as much detail as I wish I had. In general, I packed so much in that the days started to blend together. Looking back, I can feel how amazing it was, but I struggle to remember the specifics. What was the restaurant where I had that unforgettable fish stew in? Who was the lovely British couple I chatted with on the way back from my snowmobiling excursion?
I didn’t take even five minutes a night to jot anything down, and now I really wish I had. Journaling wouldn’t just have preserved those details; it would have helped me mentally reset each day, notice more of the little things, and deepen the entire experience.
Why Journaling Makes Travel Better
It anchors your memories. A few lines a day helps you remember the names, faces, smells, and feelings that photos alone can’t capture.
It gives you a moment of mindfulness. When you pause to write, you’re giving yourself space to breathe and reflect.
It helps you process. Travel can be exhilarating, but also disorienting. Journaling helps you work through the emotional side of your journey too.
How to Start (No Fancy Notebook Required)
Whether you're more pen-and-paper or pixels-and-keyboard, there's a journaling style that will work for you. Here’s how to make it simple and sustainable:
1. Choose Your Medium
Physical notebook: There’s something grounding about putting pen to paper. Plus, it becomes a keepsake in itself.
Digital journal: Use the Notes app, Google Docs, Evernote, or a travel journaling app like Day One.
Voice memos: Not a fan of writing? Record your thoughts aloud and transcribe them later (or don’t. It still counts).
2. Keep It Simple
Don’t try to write an essay every night. Just answer a few quick prompts:
What did I do today?
How did it make me feel?
What’s one small moment I want to remember?
3. Make It a Ritual
Pick a consistent time, and do it regularly. If every day is too much, maybe every other day; I wouldn’t recommend much longer than that. Maybe do it on the train back to your hotel, or right before bed. Pair it with a cup of tea or your favorite travel snack to make it a cozy habit.
4. Don’t Skip the Boring Stuff
Sometimes the little details (like the guy who got excited when you said “thank you” in Norwegian or the weird vending machine snack (OMG Smash!!) you tried) are the ones that end up meaning the most.
So next time you hit the road, skies, rails or trails, consider packing a journal alongside your toothbrush. Even just five minutes a day can turn your trip into something you don’t just remember, but relive.
Have you ever kept a travel journal? Planning to start on your next adventure? Let me know in the comments or tag me on socials and show me your journaling setup!
Yours in flight,
🪶 Tianna
