Not gonna lie, I absolutely love travel quotes. Okay, many travelers will probably say the same. I mean, traveling itself is already a transformative, enlightening, and incredibly inspiring experience. And when I see quotes about wanderlust and travel, it takes me back to a special moment in time and encourages me to keep exploring.
From famous explorers to contemporary writers, there’s really no shortage of inspiring wanderlust quotes; quotes that make us want to pack our bags and set out on our own adventure. So here are my all time favorite quotes about wanderlust that keep me going and that I hope will ignite the traveler in you, too:
1. “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 Browne Jr.
Starting off strong, this is the quote that always reminds me to always be brave. Travel anxiety is a real thing and before almost every trip I take, some form of fear creeps in. But this quote has become sort of like my mantra. I have always regretted the things I didn’t do or didn’t have time for. And although none of my travels have been 100% perfect, they have still been overwhelmingly positive experiences.
So next time you feel hesitant to book that trip, remember…the choice not to go at all, will be your biggest regret.
2. “Dare yourself to live the life you’ve always wanted.” –Ralph Waldo Emerson
Many of my favorite wanderlust quotes have to do with finding bravery, and this Emerson quote is no different. The power has always been in your hands. Get out there and live the life you have always dreamed.
3. “Traveling tends to magnify all human emotions.” –Peter Hoeg
Absolutely true. This means the good and the bad emotions. I have been moved to tears after witnessing some of the most iconic sites and monuments on Earth, but stress and exhaustion are also a not-so-fun part of traveling that can bring out the worst (sorry to my travel partner/boyfriend who always gets the brunt of it). It’s important to remember that travel will bring out the best in us, and it will sometimes bring out the worst.
4. “Oh the places you’ll go.” –Dr. Seuss
Awww I love this one because it is so nostalgic. Before I was bit by the travel bug, like wayyy before, when I was about six, my grandma would read this Dr. Seuss book to me. She was also a huge inspiration in my decision to finally get out there and travel. Unfortunately she passed away in 2020 but every time I see or hear this quote I can hear it in her voice.
5. “Don’t tell me how educated you are, tell me how much you have traveled.” –Mohammed
I truly believe the ultimate form of education is travel. When you travel, you are forced to see things from a new perspective. You get to know new people, their history, their culture, their reality. Your horizons broaden and your mindset expands. There’s really nothing else like it.
6. “I haven’t been everywhere, but it’s on my list.” –Susan Sontag
This is an inspiring wanderlust quote I say all the time! When someone mentions somewhere they’ve visited or gives me a travel recommendation, I always say I’ll add it to my list. Well by now, “everywhere” pretty much is on my list!
7. “If we were meant to stay in one place, we’d have roots instead of feet.” –Rachel Wolchin
A lot of the quotes I have chosen have to do with getting out there and leaving your comfort zone and this one is really no different. We were meant to wander and explore. I mean scientists say that humans began running long distances 2 million years ago to become better scavengers. We can run and travel for hours, outlasting other species and using little energy. It’s what makes us unique from other primates.
So, if you are able, use your feet to wander and see great things. Your ancestors worked hard for that.
8. “Travel is fatal to prejudice, bigotry, and narrow-mindedness.” –Mark Twain
Mark Twain is probably my favorite American writer for his clever quotes like this. He saw the world as it was and was also an avid traveler. It’s incredible how much you can learn through travel and Twain knew that well. After having many conversations with amazing people across the world, I have come to realize how similar we all really are, despite our different cultures. It’s easy to make prejudiced assumptions about something we have only heard little about. But when we allow ourselves to expand our horizons, talk to people, and see more than just the world we were born into, our whole perspectives will change for the better.
9. “You don’t have to be rich to travel well.” –Eugene Fodo
Shout out to all my budget travelers out there! Yes, this quote is so true. As I’ve said before, I used to believe I had to have all this money saved up or have a well paying job before I could see the world. But after my first trip to Europe (the one that sparked my love for travel), I realized you really don’t need to be rich to see the world. From hostels, to public transportation, there are so many affordable ways to travel.
10. “Once a year, go somewhere you have never been before.” –Dalai Lama
I like to think of this as sort of a mini challenge. Dare to go somewhere you’ve never been before. Even better if it’s somewhere a bit outside of your comfort zone!
11. “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.” –Helen Keller
I’d rather get out there and have my own adventure than staying in one place daydreaming about it!
12. “Traveling – it leaves you speechless, then turns you into a storyteller.” – Ibn Battuta
You guys, the number of stories I have from my travels… I could write books on books. Small talk has never been easier and most people are genuinely interested in some of my craziest travel stories. I feel like Homer talking about my epic adventures sometimes.
13. “We travel for romance, we travel for architecture, and we travel to be lost.” –Ray Bradbury
I have traveled for all these reasons above and more!
14. “Jobs fill your pocket, but adventures fill your soul.” –Jamie Lyn Beatty Thi
In all honesty, I have been stuck in 9-5 jobs before in an attempt to make a livable income. And yeah I made some decent money, but it was soul sucking and extremely unfulfilling. When I travel, it’s like I feel rejuvenated. I feel most happy when I’m somewhere I’ve never been before. It’s all about that balance between earning what you need, and taking some necessary time to get out there and recharge your soul.
15. “Travel makes one modest, you see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.” –Gustave Flaubert
I have never felt smaller than when I travel. You realize how huge the world is and how many different people are living in it. The more places you visit, the more mind blowing it is.
16. “Travel far enough, you meet yourself.” –David Mitchell
I definitely believe travel changes a person. You discover things about yourself you didn’t even know were there! You become braver, more curious, and learn more about what you want and don’t want. It’s kinda cool to get out there and meet yourself.
17. “If you think adventure is dangerous, try routine, it’s lethal.” –Paul Coelho
I think some of my unhappiest points in life were when I was stuck in a daily routine. Ya know, get up go to school/work, come home, sleep… After months and years of routine, it drains you. But the highest moments of my life are when I’m in a new place, trying new things and meeting new people.
18. “Drink Heavily with locals whenever possible.” –Anthony Bourdain
Anthony Bourdain has said some of the best wanderlust quotes out there. Literally some of the most memorable times I’ve had has been grabbing some (or more) drinks with the locals. You learn so much, meet new friends, and get to know so much more about the local culture!
19. “A ship in harbor is safe, but that is not what ships are built for.” –John A. Shedd
I absolutely love this wanderlust quote. And I feel like this is one can resonate with a lot of people. Yeah it’s true we feel safest when we’re docked up in a safe harbor, but that’s not what we were meant for. Docking in this scenario can be your desk, or your job, or a comfortable past time. Remember, you are the captain of your own ship, it’s up to you to take control and see what’s out there.
20. “Fear is only temporary. Regrets last forever.” –Unknown
The regret I’ve had from declining a trip or an experience in favor of fear or any other excuse will always sit with me. You never know what you might miss.
21. “Why do you go away? So that you can come back. So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colors. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” –Terry Pratchett
Travel really does alter your perception on pretty much everything. I would be a completely different person if I stayed in one place and decided not to travel far outside my comfort zone. Which leads into the next quote…
22. “Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.” –Neale Donald Walsch
A simple wanderlust quote, yet powerful. It really only takes that one leap of faith for you really start living. Trust me, I know it’s scary, but you have no idea of the life that awaits you once you leave your comfort zone.
23. “To Travel is to Live.” –Hans Christian Anderson
I really couldn’t agree more. Everyone has a true path in life they are meant to follow. But without exploring, you’ll never discover that path. Without curiosity, the answer to “will I ever achieve my dreams?” will always be “no”.
24. “It is not the destination where you end up but the mishaps and memories you create along the way.” –Penelope Riley
The amount of laughable and cringy mistakes I have made over the course of my travels, have turned into some of my fondest memories. It’s embarrassing, yet hilarious to reminisce on some of my past travel mishaps. They truly are what makes each trip memorable.
25. “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
How many times do I say, “I was bitten by the travel bug”?? Like A LOT. But it’s the best way to describe my passion for travel. Seriously, after seeing the Acropolis in Greece for the first time, I wanted to see more. Then, once I visited the Colosseum in Rome, I wanted to see even more. It’s been a never ending cycle ever since.
26. “To travel is to discover that everyone is wrong about other countries.” –Aldous Huxley
It’s crazy how many people told me that Mexico was a poor, unsafe country. Or that Turkey wasn’t safe because it is technically in the Middle East. Oh, how absolutely wrong they were. It’s easy to make assumptions on the outside, and it’s hard to relieve yourself of any prejudices and actually get out there to experience the world. Two of my favorite countries I have visited happen to be Mexico and Turkey. I never once felt unsafe and I met some incredible people in both these countries.
I was lucky, of course, because dangerous things happen all over the world. But it is absolutely fascinating to experience a new place despite the danger warnings.
27. “Live with no excuses and travel with no regrets.” –Oscar Wilde
Excuses might just be the death of us. It’s so easy to make up excuses so we can stay in our comfort zones but, again, that’s really no way to live. Excuses will eventually lead to regret. Don’t let maybes turn into laters, and don’t let laters turn into nevers.
28. “Wherever you go becomes a part of you somehow.” –Anita Desai
It’s hard to put into words just how much you change after seeing many new places. I feel my travels have really helped me learn and grow as a person. I have carried so much of the places I have seen with me throughout my life. From fashion, to cooking, to certain words and phrases, the places you go really do become a part of you.
29. “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” –Unknown
Yes! Hands down one of my favorite wanderlust quotes on this list! One of the best parts of travel is going to a new place where nobody knows you. There is no past, only a future. You can be and become literally anyone you want to be. You discover versions of yourself you didn’t even know existed.
30. “Don’t listen to what they say, go see.” –Chinese Proverb
You can hear all the stories in the world about travel. But it only takes one decision from you to get out there and see it for yourself.
So there you have it. I hope at least a few of these quotes sparked some sort of passion within yourself to go out and travel to the place you’ve always dreamed of! What’s your favorite travel quote? Let me know in the comments!
About the Author: I’m Alayna, originally from Orange County, California and now traveling the globe. After being bitten by the travel bug in 2021 during my first trip to Greece, I decided to completely alter the course of my life. For so long, I was under the belief that I had to go to college, get a good job, earn enough money, save up for practical things like a house and car, and then maybe travel if I found the time. Well, taking a spontaneous trip on my own terms made me realize there is no right way and wrong way to live life, and I am choosing to do something with mine I only thought was possible in my dreams: travel the world. It is my hope that through my stories I can inspire more people to take that same, life-changing trip to the place of their dreams!
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