Hey guys! Emily of Planned & Planted (IG and YouTube) here from the Ambassador team with some ideas for planning out a trip in your bullet journal.

Summer is in full force, which means it’s peak traveling season! As fun as it is to explore new places, we all know that traveling can get really expensive really fast. To help with travel spending, I like to get a list of places we can explore in advance, as well as how much each of them costs. 

Using this, I can create a travel budget and expense spread in my travel journal to help prevent extravagant spending. It also serves as a handy, quick reference guide when we are deciding what all we want to do and explore each day. Today I’ll be showing you the 4 travel spreads I use in my bullet journal to help plan out trip details. 

Travel Planning Supplies

• Archer & Olive Notebook - I’m using a B6 size, which is perfect for traveling!
• Pencil & eraser
• Ink Pen
• Letter stamps & ink pad
• Archer & Olive Calliograph pens
• Straight edge
• Washi tapes

Make sure to use code PLANNEDANDPLANTED10 to save 10% on your Archer & Olive order!

Travel Journal Spreads Tutorial

4 Travel Journal Spread Ideas

1. Travel and Lodging Details

This is where I keep track of all of our travel details. For this particular trip, we were driving, so I listed how many miles away our destination is so I could more accurately estimate gas costs. If you are flying, you can notate your flight details for your outgoing flight here: flight number, seat number, airport, departure time, layover details, etc.

I also write down lodging details I may need to reference, including: address, check in and check out times, reservation details, and any contact information for the host we may need.

2. Travel Budget & Expense Log

For my budget, I make a standard table chart with 3 columns. I list out my spending by categories in the first column, in the second I have the budget amount, and then at the end of the trip, I will calculate totals for each category and notate it under actual.

I also drew some little color dots to the left of each category. The idea is that when I’m listing expenses, I will put the dot associated with that particular category next to it so I can keep track of the individual categories well.

The expense log has a similar set-up, but the headers are What, Where, and Cost. I am hoping to sit down at the end of each day and list out each of our expenses for the day. I will keep my receipts in the back pocket of my journal Then I can use them for some travel memories spreads or junk journaling, too!

3. List of Places to Explore or Visit During Your Trip

Whether in my journal or a spreadsheet, I always make a document like this in preparation of visiting somewhere! There never seems to be enough time during trips to do everything you want to. So listing out some ideas of things you want to do in advance, as well as how much they cost, can help you narrow down what all you want to do.

I divvy this list into 3 categories: eat, drink, and explore, with explore broken down into indoor and outdoor activities. Under eat, I list any restaurants or food establishments that pique my interest. I also use dollar signs to approximate the cost of the dishes at the establishment so I can choose according to my budget. Under drink I list any breweries or other drink establishments that sound fun. 

I like to divide the explore category into indoor and outdoor because the weather doesn’t always cooperate with our plans. Having a mix of indoor and outdoor activities to explore can ensure that you always have something fun to do. When I’m going through this section, I always try to look up any admission costs or parking fees for these establishments. Including a mix of free and paid activities can help free up some wiggle room in your budget. 

4. Packing List

This one is pretty straight forward. I truly never go anywhere, even a weekend trip, without first making a packing list. I tend to wait until the last minute to pack. Having a list of everything I need laid out in advance can help make sure everything is clean, charged, and ready to go when it comes time to pack. 

I do usually wait until about a week out from the trip to fill out most of the packing list. Since weather can affect what items you bring, I don’t want to write down a bunch of summer-y clothes if it’s going to be raining for the whole trip (knock on wood). 

My packing list is pretty basic, but if you want to make it cuter and add more doodles, check out this travel packing list post! 

Travel Planning and Packing List Printable

I created a generic version of my travel planning and packing list. You can print these out and put them in your journal, then use some calliographs and washi tapes to bring it to life!

Tracking Travel Memories in Your Journal

While I haven’t made a memories spread for this  particular trip I'm planning yet, I have made some for other trips! But I love collecting little memorabilia like receipts, stickers, pamphlets, photos, etc. that I can put in my bullet journal to capture memories from the trip. My fellow ambassador Amanda does a ton of traveling and has an excellent blog post on documenting your trip.

I love having a separate journal for traveling, because I can keep all of these found objects in the back pocket for safekeeping until it’s time to sit down and make my memory spread. 

Traveling with Journal Supplies

To keep your journal and your other essential crafting items safe and organized while traveling, make sure to grab one of the Archer and Olive Creativity Cases (link). They are truly spectacular for journaling on the go. 

If you want to add some more pizzazz to your travel journal spreads, make sure to grab an Adventure Awaits Monthly Kit as well. 

Happy planning!