When Nick and I were heading off on our 15-month trip through South America, Asia, and New Zealand back in 2013, I had this idea in my head that I wanted to start documenting our adventures in a brown leather journal with a wrap-around tie closure (you know, the ones that look very old and very important in movies).
Well, of course, Nick is a hopeless romantic and he surprised me with the perfect one!
And on the first page he wrote something that has since become my all-time favorite inspirational travel quote: “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.” This small act started my very cliché and cheesy love story with wanderlust-inspiring travel quotes that remind me that when I’m old and grey I’ll look back at this time as the best years of my life!
So I’ve put together a compilation of my all-time favorite inspirational travel quotes with some of my favorite travel photos for you to enjoy!
Disclaimer: This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase or booking through one of our links we may earn a small commission (don’t worry, it’s at no extra cost to you).
My 26 All-Time Favorite Inspirational Travel Quotes
1. Inspirational Travel Quote: “We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
2. Inspirational Travel Quote: “What we find in a soulmate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with.” – Robert Brault
“What we find in a soulmate is not something wild to tame, but something wild to run with.” –Robert Brault
3. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Travel. The best way to be lost… and found… at the same time.” – Brenna Smith
“Travel. The best way to be lost… and found… at the same time.” – Brenna Smith
4. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” – Gustave Flaubert
“Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world” – Gustave Flaubert
5. Inspirational Travel Quote: “People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness.”
“People wait all week for Friday, all year for summer, all life for happiness.”
6. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures.” – Lewis Carroll
“Actually, the best gift you could have given her was a lifetime of adventures.” – Lewis Carroll
7. Inspirational Travel Quote: “When was the last time you did something for the first time?” – John C. Maxwell
“When was the last time you did something for the first time?” – John C. Maxwell
8. Inspirational Travel Quote: “One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” – Paul Coelho
“One day you will wake up and there won’t be any more time to do the things you’ve always wanted. Do it now.” – Paul Coelho
9. Inspirational Travel Quote: “I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again” – Benjamin Button
“I hope you see things that startle you. I hope you feel things that you never felt before. I hope you meet people with a different point of view. I hope you live a life you’re proud of. If you find that you’re not, I hope you have the strength to start all over again” – Benjamin Button
10. Inspirational Travel Quote: “As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen” – Winnie the Pooh
“As soon as I saw you, I knew an adventure was going to happen” – Winnie the Pooh
11. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.” – Henry David Thoreau
“Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves.” – Henry David Thoreau
12. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac
“Because in the end, you won’t remember the time you spent working in the office or mowing your lawn. Climb that goddamn mountain.” – Jack Kerouac
13. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”
“Travel is the only thing you buy that makes you richer.”
14. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Sometimes you never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss
“Sometimes you never know the value of a moment, until it becomes a memory.” – Dr. Seuss
15. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with them.” – Carrie Bradshaw
“Maybe some women aren’t meant to be tamed. Maybe they just need to run free until they find someone just as wild to run with them.” – Carrie Bradshaw
16. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Jobs fill your pocket, Adventures fill your soul” – Jaime Lyn Beatty
“Jobs fill your pocket, Adventures fill your soul” – Jaime Lyn Beatty
17. Inspirational Travel Quote: “The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
“The purpose of life is to live it, to taste experience to the utmost, to reach out eagerly and without fear for newer and richer experience.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
18. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” – Helen Keller
19. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide
“Man cannot discover new oceans unless he has the courage to lose sight of the shore.” – Andre Gide
20. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
“Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the ones you did do.” – Mark Twain
21. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Remember that happiness is a way of travel – not a destination.” – Roy M. Goodman
“Remember that happiness is a way of travel – not a destination.” – Roy M. Goodman
22. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
“Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail.” – Ralph Waldo Emerson
23. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Collect moments, not things.” – April Peerless
“Collect moments, not things.” – April Peerless
24. Inspirational Travel Quote: “Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” – John Lennon
“Count your age by friends, not years. Count your life by smiles, not tears.” – John Lennon
25. Inspirational Travel Quote: “There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle and a very happy start.” – Shel Silverstein
“There are no happy endings. Endings are the saddest part, So just give me a happy middle and a very happy start.” – Shel Silverstein
26. Inspirational Travel Quote: “And then there is the most dangerous risk of all — the risk of spending your life not doing what you want on the bet you can buy yourself the freedom to do it later.” – Randy Komisar (Cover Image)
What’s your favorite inspirational travel or adventure quote? Share it with us in the comments below!
Want even more travel inspiration? Check out these books!
Val grew up in Portland, Oregon but moved to Oahu on a whim back in 2013. She sold her house and all of her belongings and bought a one-way ticket. Since then she’s taken two around-the-world trips and has visited 60-ish countries while living out of a duffel bag.
Val started documenting the Wandering Wheatleys travels back in 2013 as a way to update friends and family about her whereabouts and to relay humorous daily interactions. The only readers were her mom and her mother-in-law but that didn’t stop her!
These days you’ll find Val dreaming up future trips, creating new travel content, managing a team of amazing travel enthusiasts, and chasing around her two adorable but naughty kids.
Oh I just discovered your blog & it’s amazing! Planning a 2018 trip for my husband & I and your posts are incredibly helpful. I really want to go to Greece & Turkey but actually not sure that Americans can even enter Turkey at this time unless they already have a visa. Thinking you guys got in just before they started these restrictions…do you have any insight on this? You’ve also renewed my interest in Egypt – I had pretty much ruled it out for 2018, BUT maybe I shouldn’t!
Anyway, I actually just wanted to add my favorite travel quote (Mark Twain)…”Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”
Just beautiful!
Thanks Pegs!
Oh I just discovered your blog & it’s amazing! Planning a 2018 trip for my husband & I and your posts are incredibly helpful. I really want to go to Greece & Turkey but actually not sure that Americans can even enter Turkey at this time unless they already have a visa. Thinking you guys got in just before they started these restrictions…do you have any insight on this? You’ve also renewed my interest in Egypt – I had pretty much ruled it out for 2018, BUT maybe I shouldn’t!
Anyway, I actually just wanted to add my favorite travel quote (Mark Twain)…”Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness, and many of our people need it sorely on these accounts. Broad, wholesome, charitable views of men and things cannot be acquired by vegetating in one little corner of the earth all one’s lifetime.”