A travel planner is necessary for extended trips to ensure that your trip goes smoothly. Travel planners often double as journals when there is extra space for you to write down details of your travels, rather than a simple itinerary. A good travel planner will account for all means of planning, including accommodations, transportation, budget, risks, itinerary and an inside flap or folder to hold keepsake items, such as maps and tickets. When you are done with your adventures, you can keep the planner as memorabilia.
In pursuit of the perfect travel planner, consider one that is compact and easily transportable from place to place. If you are looking for an organized travel planner that considers all means of travel and is the perfect size, The Ultimate Travel Planner + Journal is the top choice.
Before you purchase a travel planner, consider its size and if it will fit when packing for your trip. A good travel planner will have its dimensions listed online so you know where it will be able to fit. The best travel planners will be small and compact while also providing an abundance of space inside for you to plan out your adventures thoroughly. Travel planners that are lightweight, sturdy and well made will last you long past your trip and can be saved for years as a keepsake item.
A travel planner that features pre-written prompts is vital when trying to seamlessly plan a trip. When prompts are already written for you, it takes you less time to think of what is needed to plan and where to write it down. An example of a prompt in a quality travel planner will be a section for transportation. This prompt will list the modes of transportation for you to take, how long you will be utilizing that specific style of transportation and the cost. With all of this written out in advance, it will allow you to be more organized when planning your trip. The best travel planners will leave space in between these pre-written prompts for you to write down details about the journey.
The best travel planners will leave space for you to detail your travels in their entirety, as well as provide specific allotted space for you to note your transportation, itinerary and accommodations when you arrive at your destination. By these details already being included in your travel planner, it will make the process more organized.
Other details that should already be included in a travel planner are the budget and a place where you can note alternate plans in case of risks. Planners that go above and beyond in detail will include lists of cultural references in the most popular countries to travel to. For example, a planner that includes a currency calculator that lists the difference between American dollars and Euros will bring you ease when traveling.
A quality travel planner will feature a section for you to plan out the cost of each event that you do. Budgeting may be less glamorous than planning your daily activities and adventures, but it is vital to the trip planning process. A planner that features a pre-written budget prompt will allow you to bring enough funds and can even help you figure out where you can save money in your budget for the trip.
A good travel planner will cost anywhere from $8-$20 depending on its features and how many pages it contains. The price of a travel planner will also vary with material that it is made with.
A. To account for the risks that can occur while traveling, research a specific area's customs and write down events that are likely to occur that can set back your plans. It is just as important to plan for things that could go wrong so you have an alternate itinerary to follow and are not confused or lost. Including the risks in your travel planner will allow for smoother travel.
A. It is not vital to include what you will be packing in your travel planner. This can be written on a separate sheet of paper for organizational purposes, apart from your itinerary and other planning items. If you plan to keep the planner as a keepsake to remember where you traveled and what you did, you will not want to look back on a list of what you packed.
The Ultimate Travel Planner + Journal
What you need to know: This travel planner is designed for professional advisors and travelers alike.
What you’ll love: This journal features space for pre-trip packing lists as well as prompts for 30 days of travel so it can be used for multiple trips. It is updated with all recent Covid-19 restrictions across the world so that you do not run into conflicts while traveling. It features prewritten prompts for to-do lists, budget calculations and journal notations of your adventures.
What you should consider: This planner comes in one color and design.
Where to buy: Amazon
What you need to know: This portable journal allows for space to plan the trip as well as space to note information when you arrive at your destination.
What you’ll love: This planner features a safety tips prompt for you to write down safe things to consider in the places that you travel. It is lightweight and durable and features pockets inside the planner for you to keep tickets and maps along your travels. It features a monthly calendar for you to write down specific dates when planning.
What you should consider: This book can only be used for one trip.
Where to buy: Amazon
The Lamare Travel Journal and Planner ‘Wander Always’
What you need to know: This travel planner allows you to plan every aspect of your adventure from budget to transportation and everything in between.
What you’ll love: This travel planner features prewritten prompts that leave you space for lists, planning accommodations, and specific places to go. It leaves spaces to attach photos and even write descriptions of the places you went so you can keep the journal as a keepsake to look back on. It features a minimalist design and is durable, small and portable.
What you should consider: The planner is more blue than it appears on the website and only comes in one color.
Where to buy: Etsy
Sign up here to receive the BestReviews weekly newsletter for useful advice on new products and noteworthy deals.
Logan DeLoye writes for BestReviews. BestReviews has helped millions of consumers simplify their purchasing decisions, saving them time and money.
