We all know that travel quotes can be powerful. From inspirational travel quotes to motivational quotes about traveling we find that other people often say the words better than we can, so we put together these inspiring words of wisdom with our favorite quote photos.
The Ultimate List of the Best Travel Quotes
Through inspirational quotes, Dave and I have been motivated to take chances, inspired to travel, and strive to live a better life. When we started our travel blog in 2008, we gathered travel quotes to share and were the original bloggers who shared daily inspiring quotes on Twitter more than 15 years ago. Whether you enjoy short quotes or longer one,s you are going to enjoy these motivational quotes about traveling.
Inspiring travel quotes have certainly ignited our spirit of exploration and captured the essence of why we travel. For example,
- “A journey is best measured in friends, not in miles” ~ Tim Cahill
- “Life is short, and the world is wide,” ~ Simon Raven.
- “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page” – Saint Augustine
- “People don’t take trips, trips take people” ~ John Steinbeck’s
- “Travel far, pay no fare… a book can take you anywhere,” ~ Anne Morrow Lindbergh
- “A good traveler has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving” ~ Lao Tzu
Each of these travel quotes offers a unique perspective on the enriching experiences travel brings to life.
Famous Travel Quotes That Will Inspire Your Next Adventure
Feel free to pin, use as Instagram captions, download, and print these best travel quotes to put up around your house for inspiration!
Let’s kick our list off with some of the more famous travel quotes by famous people. We’ll get to the more obscure as we go down the list.
The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only one page.” ~ Saint Augustine
Ever feel like you’re stuck in a routine? Travel is the best way to turn the page and see the world beyond your own backyard.
“Not all those who wander are lost.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
A perfect reminder that sometimes, the best way to find yourself is to get lost in a new place.
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” ~ Helen Keller
Travel isn’t just about places—it’s about stepping outside your comfort zone and embracing the unknown.
“Take only memories, leave only footprints.” ~ Chief Seattle
A simple but powerful mantra for responsible travel—explore with curiosity, but respect the places you visit.
“Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” ~ Mark Twain
Want to change your perspective? Travel makes it impossible to hold onto stereotypes when you see the world through different eyes.
“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.” ~ Marcel Proust
Sometimes, travel isn’t about going somewhere new—it’s about seeing the world differently than before.
“Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” ~ Gustave Flaubert
There’s no better way to feel humbled than standing before a vast landscape or a bustling foreign city.
“Twenty years from now, you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” ~ H. Jackson Brown Jr.
If you need a sign to book that trip—this is it!
“Never go on trips with anyone you do not love.” ~ Hemingway
Because nothing tests a relationship like navigating foreign streets together.
“Like all great travellers, I have seen more than I remember and remember more than I have seen.” ~ Benjamin Disraeli
A reminder that travel isn’t just about sights—it’s about the emotions and stories you take home with you.
“Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
Some trips take your breath away. Others fill it with stories you’ll be telling for the rest of your life. The best ones? They do both.
“A journey of a thousand miles must begin with a single step.” – Lao-Tzu
Every adventure, no matter how big, starts the same way—with the decision to go. Take that first step, and the world opens up.
“To awaken quite alone in a strange town is one of the pleasantest sensations in the world.” – Dame Freya Madeline Stark
There’s a quiet thrill in waking up somewhere new, where every street, every sound, and every smell is an invitation to explore.
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things.” – Henry Miller
Travel isn’t just about ticking off locations—it’s about shifting perspectives. A new place can change the way you see the world, and more importantly, how you see yourself.
Adventure Travel Quotes to Spark Your Wild Side
Adventure isn’t just about thrill-seeking—it’s about pushing boundaries, embracing the unknown, and collecting stories worth telling. Whether you’re scaling mountains or stepping outside your comfort zone, these quotes remind us why adventure is always worth the risk.
“If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.” ~ Paul Coelho
Routine may feel safe, but nothing suffocates the soul faster than playing it too safe. Adventure is where life truly happens.
“Great things never came from comfort zones.” ~ Anonymous
Growth begins the moment you step beyond what feels easy. The best stories don’t happen on the couch.
“If you are always trying to be normal, you will never know how amazing you can be.” ~ Maya Angelou
Normal is overrated. The real magic happens when you dare to be different, to explore, and to chase the extraordinary.
“Stop worrying about the potholes in the road and enjoy the journey.” ~ Babs Hoffman
Adventures aren’t perfect—flights get delayed, plans change, and the unexpected happens. But those are the moments that make the journey unforgettable.
“Fear is only temporary. Regrets last forever.”
The scariest part is before you take the leap. But if you never do, you’ll spend a lifetime wondering, What if?
“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”
The best views, experiences, and memories? They’re always just beyond what feels comfortable. Go find them.
“Travel doesn’t become adventure until you leave yourself behind.”
Adventure isn’t about where you go—it’s about who you become along the way.
“Climb the mountain so you can see the world, not so the world can see you.” ~ David McCullough
The best adventures aren’t about showing off—they’re about gaining a new perspective on the world and yourself.
“Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” ~ Jamie Lyn Beatty
Money comes and goes, but the moments you collect on the road? Those stay with you forever.
So, where’s your next adventure?
Funny Travel Quotes That Will Make You Laugh Out Loud
Travel isn’t always postcard-perfect. Flights get delayed, bags get lost, and questionable street food choices are made. But the best way to survive the chaos? A good sense of humor. These hilarious travel quotes remind us that sometimes, the only thing you can do is laugh and keep going.
“Don’t worry about the world ending today, it’s already tomorrow in Australia.” ~ Charles M. Schulz
If you ever need proof that time zones are confusing, this is it. Somewhere, someone is already living your tomorrow—so no rush.
“I have found out that there ain’t no surer way to find out whether you like people or hate people than to travel with them.” ~ Mark Twain
Want to test a friendship? Share a tiny hostel room, navigate a foreign metro system, and get lost together. You’ll know by day three if it’s for life—or over.
“A journey is like marriage. The certain way to be wrong is to think you can control it.” ~ John Steinbeck
Travel plans and relationships have one thing in common—rigid expectations usually end in frustration. Just go with the flow.
“Drink heavily with locals whenever possible.” ~ Anthony Bourdain
Because sometimes, the best way to immerse yourself in a new culture is over a round (or several) of the local brew.
“I told the doctor I broke my leg in two places. He told me to quit going to those places.” ~ Henny Youngman
Some destinations just aren’t meant for return visits. Lesson learned.
“There is nothing safer than flying, it’s the crashing that’s dangerous.” ~ Theo Cowa
A reassuring thought next time you’re gripping the armrest during turbulence.
“I always like to go to Washington D.C. It gives me a chance to visit my money.” ~ Bob Hope
No passport required for this depressing realization.
“Jet lag is for amateurs.” ~ Dick Clark
Veteran travelers know: you push through, you power nap, and you pretend you weren’t up at 3 AM eating hotel mini-bar snacks.
“Travel is glamorous only in retrospect.” ~ Paul Theroux
The Instagram version of travel? Stunning. The real version? A mix of lost luggage, street food mishaps, and trying to figure out foreign public transport.
“I wish I had never gone traveling.” Said no one ever.
No matter how chaotic the journey, it’s always worth it in the end.
Because if travel teaches us anything, it’s that the best stories come from the biggest mishaps—so you might as well laugh along the way.
Inspirational Travel Quotes to Ignite Your Wanderlust
Inspirational travel quotes can be life-changing. I used to have quotes taped all over my house and now that we have moved into a house again, I’m collecting inspiring quotes about life and adventure. Words have meaning and can change mindsets.
- “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” ~Andre Gide
- “It’s Better to Travel Well than to Arrive” ~ Buddha
- “It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.” ~ Penelope Riley
- “The important thing is to never stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing” ~ Albert Einstein
- “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”
- “I would rather own a little and see the world than own the world and see a little of it.” ~ Alexander Sattler
- “It is better to see something once than to hear about it a thousand times.”
- “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow”
- “When was the last time you did something for the first time.” ~ Anonymous
- “Someday I’m going to be free and I’m going to travel the world.”
- “You may say that I’m a dreamer, but I’m not the only one. I hope someday you’ll join us and the world will be as one.” ~ John Lennon
Short Travel Quotes for Instagram & Captions
Dave and I have been gathering quotes about travel for 20 years and shared them since we started our travel blog in 2008. They have always helped to pick us up when we’re down, put life in perspective, or just brought a smile to our faces.
These are our favorite traveling quotes we’ve posted on social media from Twitter to Pinterest.
- “Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets” ~ Oscar Wilde
- “We travel not to escape life but for life not to escape us.”
- “People don’t take trips, trips take people.” ~ John Steinbeck
- “Don’t listen to what they say, go see” ~ Chinese Proverb
- “Don’t Quit Your Day Dream”
- “I don’t know where I’m going, but I’m on my way”
- “Oh, the places you’ll go.” ~ Dr Seuss
- “Try to Be a Rainbow in Someone Else’s Cloud” ~ Maya Angelou
- “Life’s a journey, not a destination” ~AEROSMITH/Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “Where to next?”
- “To Travel is to Live” ~ Hans Christian Anderson
- “I want to make memories all over the world”
Meaningful Travel Quotes That Will Change Your Perspective
- “Whenever you find yourself on the side of majority, it’s time to pause and reflect.” ~ Mark Twain
- “The world is changed by your example, not your opinion.” ~ Paul Coelho
- “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” ~ Aldous Huxley
- “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” ~ Gandhi
- “There’s a sunrise and sunset every single day, and they’re absolutely free. Don’t miss so many of them.”
- “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.”
- “If your ship doesn’t come in, swim out to it.” ~ Johnathan Winters
- “Without new experiences, something inside us sleeps. The sleeper must awaken.”
- “Those who follow the crowd usually get lost in it.” ~ Rick Watson
Happy Travel Quotes to Fill Your Soul with Joy
- “Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness.”
- “Because when you stop and look around, this life is pretty amazing.”
- “This heart of mine was made to travel this world”
- “The Impulse to Travel is one of the hopeful symptoms of life”
- “Let’s find some beautiful place to get lost”
- “I’m in love with cities I’ve never been to and people I’ve never met.” ~ John Green
- “Travel…the best way to be lost and found at the same time.” ~ Brenna Smith
- “The journey is my home.”
Unique Travel Quotes You Haven’t Heard Before
Not all of the best travel quotes are famous. We have dug deep down the rabbit hole of quotes to find some of the more unique quotes about travel out there. Enjoy!
- “It’s a big world out there, it would be a shame not to experience it.”
- “You can shake the sand from your shoes, but not from your soul.”
- “Stop being afraid of what could go wrong and think of what could go right.” ~ Anonymous
- “We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment.” ~ Hilaire Belloc
- “It doesn’t matter where you’re going, it’s who you have beside you.”
- “Traveling is not something you’re good at. It’s something you do, like breathing.” ~ Gayle Foreman
- “All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given us.” ~ J.R.R. Tolkien
- “It feels good to be lost in the right direction.”
- “Traveling allows you to become so many different versions of yourself.”
- “Travel has a way of stretching the mind.” ~ Ralph Crawshaw
- “Wandering re-establishes the original harmony which once existed between man and the universe.” ~ Anotole France
- “All journeys have secret destinations of which the traveler is unaware.”
- “A journey is best measured in friends rather than miles.” ~ Tim Cayhill
- “Just Go. Go See all the Beauty in the World”
Travel Quotes by Famous People & Icons
I love hearing travel quotes from my favorite celebrities and people in history. Check these ones out and see what you think.
- “I travel not to go anywhere but to go. I travel for travel’s sake.” ~ Robert Louis Stevenson
- “If you’re twenty-two, physically fit, hungry to learn and be better, I urge you to travel – as far and as widely as possible. Sleep on floors if you have to. Find out how other people live and eat and cook. Learn from them — wherever you go.” ~ Anthony Bourdain
- “Because In The End, You Won’t Remember The Time You Spent Working In An Office Or Mowing Your Lawn. Climb That Damn Mountain.” ~ Jack Kerouak
- “Paris is Always a Good Idea” ~ Audrey Hepburn
- “You go away for a long time and return a different person – you never come all the way back” ~ Paul Theroux
- “You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” ~ Mae West
- “Two roads diverged in a wood and I – I took the one less traveled by, and that has made all the difference” ~ Robert Frost
- “We travel, initially, to lose ourselves; and we travel next, to find ourselves.” ~ Pico Iyer
- “Once a year, go someplace you’ve never been before.” ~ Dalai Lama
- Though we travel the world over to find the beautiful, we must carry it with us or we find it not. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
- “The only people who ever get anyplace interesting are the people who get lost.” ~ Henry David Thoreau
- “There is no moment of delight in any pilgrimage like the beginning of it” ~ Charles Dudley Warner
- “The most beautiful in the world is, of course, the world itself.” – Wallace Stevens
- “Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.” ~ Walt Whitman
- “Try to be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud” ~ Maya Angelou
- “Perhaps travel cannot prevent bigotry, but by demonstrating that all peoples cry, laugh, eat, worry and die, it can introduce the idea that if we try and understand each other, we may even become friends.” ~ Maya Angelou
- “The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.” ~ Oprah Winfrey
- “The more I traveled the more I realized that fear makes strangers of people who should be friends.” – Shirley MacLaine
Bonus: The Most Thought-Provoking Travel Quotes of All Time
And we leave you with not the most inspirational travel quote, but this one is practical for travel.
- “When preparing to travel, lay out all your clothes and all your money. Then take half the clothes and twice the money” – Susan Heller.
- “Of the gladdest moments in human life, methinks, is the departure upon a distant journey into unknown lands.” ~ Sir Richard Burton
- “And I think to myself, what a Wonderful World” – Louis Armstrong
- When you’re travelling, you are what you are right there and then. People don’t have your past to hold against you. No yesterdays on the road.” -William Least Heat Moon
- “Once the travel bug bites there is no known antidote, and I know that I shall be happily infected until the end of my life.” ? Michael Palin
And we leave you with the wise words of Louis Armstrong. Seriously, do you ever just think to yourself, what a wonderful world? We do.
When we took our first travels in 2000, we felt a huge change in ourselves. Our lives were never the same. We never came all the way back, we have left a piece of ourselves around the world and we wouldn’t have it any other way.
What are your favorite travel quotes? Now that we’ve got your wanderlust juices flowing, please share your favorite travel quotes in the comments below. Whether you are looking for an Instagram caption or inspiration, we hope these travel quotes have ignited your wanderlust!
All images belong to The Planet D and are from our travels around the world to seven continents and 110 countries.
