Pre-Trip Journaling: How to Start Your Travel Journal Before You Leave
The best travel memories begin before departure. Learn how to use pre-trip journaling to set intentions, organize research, and build excitement—with templates and prompts included.
Psychological research shows something fascinating: people often derive more happiness from anticipating a trip than from the trip itself.
The dreaming. The planning. The "what if."
Yet most travelers leave their journal blank until they land. They're missing half the joy.
Pre-trip journaling captures the anticipation—and transforms chaotic planning into organized excitement.
Here's exactly how to do it, with templates you can copy.
Why Start Journaling Before You Leave
1. Anticipation Is Its Own Reward
Studies show that vacation happiness peaks during the planning phase. Pre-trip journaling extends this peak by giving you a place to channel excitement.
2. Better Decision-Making
When you're tired and overwhelmed in a new city, written intentions become a compass. "What did I actually come here to do?"
3. Organized Research
Restaurant recommendations, neighborhood guides, logistics—they get scattered across tabs, texts, and screenshots. A pre-trip journal consolidates everything.
4. The "Before" Snapshot
You'll change during this trip (all good trips change you). Recording your pre-trip mindset creates a comparison point for reflection.
The Pre-Trip Journaling Framework
Part 1: Setting Intentions
Before logistics, start with purpose.
Why am I taking this trip?
Not "because I had vacation days." Go deeper.
I'm going to Portugal because I've been running on empty for months. I need long dinners with no agenda, mornings without alarms, and the perspective that comes from being somewhere new.
What do I want to feel?
- Rested, not exhausted from "seeing everything"
- Present, not distracted by work
- Curious, open to the unexpected
What would make this trip "successful"?
- At least 3 meals that last over 2 hours
- One day with no plans at all
- Return home feeling restored, not drained
What am I intentionally NOT doing?
- Not trying to see every museum
- Not working (not even "just checking email")
- Not over-scheduling
Why this matters: When you're standing in Lisbon, exhausted, choosing between a famous monastery and a quiet park, your written intentions remind you: "I came here for rest. Go to the park."
Part 2: Research Documentation
Consolidate your research in one place—not scattered across browser tabs.
Pro tip: Include sources. "That restaurant someone recommended" is useless. "Maya's recommendation from our March dinner" is retrievable.
Part 3: The Brain Dump Bucket List
Write down EVERYTHING you might want to do. Don't edit. Just dump.
The Famous Stuff
- Colosseum (probably crowded, but still)
- Vatican Museums (Sistine Chapel)
- Trevi Fountain (at 6am before crowds?)
- Pantheon (free, supposedly magical light)
Food Goals
- Cacio e pepe at Roscioli
- Supplì (fried rice balls) from a street vendor
- Gelato comparison: Giolitti vs Fatamorgana
- That carbonara place from the NYT article
Neighborhood Wandering
- Trastevere (evening, dinner vibes)
- Testaccio (local, less touristy)
- Monti (boutiques, cafes)
Weird/Specific
- The keyhole view of St. Peter's (Aventine Hill)
- The cat sanctuary in the ruins
- The "best espresso in Rome" debate
Day Trips
- Ostia Antica (Roman ruins without Pompeii crowds)
- Orvieto (hilltop town)
Then prioritize:
- Must-do: Limit to 3 things (be honest)
- High priority: You'll make time
- If time allows: No guilt if skipped
Part 4: The Worry List
Travel anxiety is normal. Acknowledge it, then neutralize it.
| Worry | Contingency Plan |
|---|---|
| Missing the flight | Set 3 alarms, arrive 3 hours early, app notifications on |
| Lost passport | Photocopy in luggage, digital scan in email |
| Getting sick | Travel insurance purchased, know location of nearest hospital |
| Phone dies/lost | Portable charger packed, printed backup of key addresses |
| Don't speak the language | Downloaded offline translation, key phrases written down |
| Running out of money | Two cards from different banks, emergency cash in USD |
| Accommodations are terrible | Read recent reviews, have backup hotel bookmarked |
The psychology: Once you have a plan, your brain allows you to stop rehearsing the catastrophe. Write the worry, write the plan, let it go.
Part 5: The Pre-Trip Snapshot
Record your "before" state. You'll appreciate this during post-trip reflection.
Current mood: Exhausted. Work has been brutal. I've been counting down to this trip for 6 weeks.
Energy level: 3/10. Running on fumes.
Expectations: Nervous about the language barrier, excited about the food, hoping the hotel lives up to the photos.
What I need from this trip: Permission to do nothing. To not optimize every moment.
One thing I'm weirdly excited about: The train ride. Just watching the countryside go by.
I'll re-read this when I get back to see how I've changed.
%20copy%202.webp&w=384&q=75)
%20copy%203.webp&w=384&q=75)
Your trips deservemore than a camera roll
.webp&w=96&q=75){kind=icon}
Pre-Trip Prompts (Quick Version)
If you don't have time for full templates, answer these 10 questions:
- Why am I really taking this trip?
- What would make it "successful"?
- What am I NOT doing on this trip?
- What are my 3 must-dos?
- What research am I still missing?
- What am I worried about? (And what's the plan?)
- What do I hope to feel?
- What's my current mental state?
- What would future-me want to remember about this moment?
- What question do I hope this trip answers?
Packing as Journaling
Your packing list is part of your pre-trip journal.
Document what you're bringing and why:
Clothes: Overpacking as usual, but intentionally bringing the linen shirt I never wear at home. Vacation-only clothes feel special.
Tech: Kindle loaded with books I've been meaning to read. Leaving laptop behind (this is hard but necessary).
Journal supplies: One small notebook, two pens (one will die), TripMemo on phone.
The thing I'll probably forget: Phone charger. Writing this to remind myself to pack it LAST so I don't leave it plugged in.
The Night-Before Entry
The last pre-trip journal entry. Write it the night before departure.
The bag is packed (overpacked, let's be honest). Boarding passes downloaded. Alarm set for an unreasonable hour.
I'm nervous and excited in that specific way that only happens before a trip. The apartment feels different tonight—like I'm already half-gone.
What I'm feeling: Anticipation. Relief that the planning phase is over. A little scared that it won't live up to the buildup.
What I'm hoping for: That one moment—you know the one—where everything clicks and you think "this is why I travel."
One thing I want to remember: This exact feeling. The night before. All possibility, no disappointment yet.
Next entry: from the other side.
The TripMemo Approach
TripMemo supports pre-trip journaling through:
- Trip creation before departure — Start your trip timeline early
- Note entries without photos — Pure text entries for intentions and research
- Draft mode — Capture ideas before they're polished
- Integration with during-trip entries — Your pre-trip thoughts appear on the same timeline as your travel photos
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Over-planning: Pre-trip journaling should reduce stress, not add to it
- Skipping intentions: Logistics without purpose leads to aimless tourism
- Not capturing worries: Unwritten anxieties grow; written ones shrink
- Forgetting the "before" snapshot: You'll want it later
- Making it too perfect: Messy notes are better than no notes
Getting Started Today
If your trip is weeks away:
- Create a trip entry in your journal app
- Write your intention statement
- Start the research dump
- Add to it as you find things
If your trip is tomorrow:
- Write 3 intentions (quick version)
- List your 3 must-dos
- Do the night-before entry
- That's enough—go get some sleep
If you're reading this on the plane:
- It's not too late—write your intentions now
- Document what you were feeling before you left
- Your memory of pre-trip anticipation is still fresh
What's Next
Pre-trip journaling sets the stage. Continue the journey:
- During the trip: 100+ Travel Journal Prompts
- After the trip: Post-Trip Reflection Guide
- Complete system: The Complete Guide to Travel Journaling
- Photo journaling: Photo Travel Journal Guide
The trip doesn't start at the airport. It starts the moment you begin imagining it.
Give those dreams a place to live. Start journaling now.
Ready to start your pre-trip journal? TripMemo lets you create your trip before you leave—capturing intentions, research, and anticipation alongside the photos you'll take later.
