Best Shoes for Traveling

With summer here, I know a lot of people are booking trips! I also just wrapped up my (first!) trip to Paris, which included a lot of walking. I had a few questions pop up about what the best shoes for traveling are and I thought that I would share my two cents on the topic.

First and foremost… I think the shoes you ALREADY own and love and have broken in are going to be your best bet for traveling shoes. Don’t try to buy a new pair, even if it’s a sneaker, right before a trip. At the very least, give yourself a few weeks to break them in and test them out before committing to a trip.

I firmly believe that comfortable shoes are necessary for happy tourists. (And I’m sorry to say, but you’re going to look like a tourist no matter what you wear, so go ahead and wear the comfortable shoes!) I can’t think of anything more miserable than walking around miles in a new city worrying about or dealing with blisters.

But if you do want some shoe recommendations, here are my favorites:

White Tennis Shoes | So one of my favorite shoes for traveling are plain white tennis shoes. They’re almost as comfortable as a running shoe, but look a little bit chicer. Plus they go with everything from dresses to shorts to cropped jeans. In my experience, these take a little bit of time to break in, but once they’re broken in, you’re good to go.

I’m currently wearing my Superga sneakers all the time, but I’ve also loved the Converse Shoreline (cuter silhouette than the regular sneak) and Tretorns.

And as an additional FYI, these are the best socks to wear with sneakers if you don’t want your socks to show. I hate wearing socks, but these work so well and don’t drive me crazy as normal socks do.

Ballet Flats | Next to sneakers, ballet flats are a typical go-to for me. I have had many over the years, of course, but few pass the test of days of long walking. (As much as I love J. Crew flats, they don’t tend to cut it for traveling days.)

Two brands that I’ve really loved in the past: Sam Edelman’s Felicia flats and Margaux flats. I brought two pairs of the Margaux flats with me to Paris and loved them.

Sneakers | If you’re going to go the running shoe/sneaker route, you’re in luck. There are SO many cute running shoes out there nowadays. It seems like everyone has a pair of the Stan Smiths right now. (Everyone in Paris was wearing them!) These ruffle sneakers are a bit more my speed though. You also can’t go wrong with a cute pair of New Balance sneakers.

Sandals | Of all these shoes, sandals are the ones where you really have to be sure they’re broken in. And everyone is going to have a different preference, so you’ll really want to figure it out what works for you. My mom and sister swear by these sandals. I haven’t personally tried them yet, but they have great reviews from them (and other shoppers online). I LOVE my Jack Rogers, but as you know, they take a lot of breaking in before they’re ready for a big trip.

Rainboots | I almost always bring rainboots with me when I travel. The only thing worse than blisters while doing a lot of walking is walking around in the wrong shoes when it’s raining out! Nooooo, thank you. These packable Hunter boots save the day over and over again. They really are packable too, so they don’t take up as much space in a suitcase. They’re also much lighter than the original which is great for packing but also for walking around as your legs won’t get tired!

What are your favorite shoes for traveling?