5 Best Shoes For Travel (The Ones I've Traveled With For 5 Years!)

I’ve been traveling full-time since 2021, and if there’s one thing I’ve mastered, it’s finding the best travel shoes! The shoes you will learn about today are comfortable, stylish, and actually hold up through miles of walking, airport sprints, and all kinds of adventures.

Believe it or not, I used to own almost 100 pairs of shoes. Now? I rotate between just five. Turns out, you don’t need a closet full of shoes, you just need the right ones. And in this post, I’ll not only share the exact five pairs I’ve been wearing on repeat, but also:

✅ Other top-rated options so you can find the perfect fit for your style and needs

✅ Styling tips to make the most of each pair while traveling

✅ Where to shop these shoes so you can easily grab them for your next trip

Every recommendation comes from real-life experience—these shoes have carried me through years of full-time travel, and the photos you’re about to see? All from my adventures around the world.

So, let’s find the perfect travel shoes for your upcoming adventures!

Ready To Learn About The Best Shoes For Travel? Let’s Go Then :)

Estimated reading time: 20 minutes

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Living out of a 20′ carry-on bag has taught me many lessons, and the most important one has been that I definitely need a lot less than I think. Less really means more. I don’t own anything that I don’t appreciate, and if I’m being completely honest, I am too emotionally attached to some of the pieces in my little suitcase LOL.

The following photos are snaps of my real life and were taken in between September 2021 and December 2025. I have been wearing the same 5 pairs of shoes on repeat for over 3 years. I always travel with 2, 3 or 4 of the 5 shoes I’ll share below. (it really depends on the kind of trip)

The sweet spot is 3 pairs – and remember to test them way before your trip! Like walk many miles in them. You never want to travel with brand new shoes.

Quick Look At My 5 Travel Shoes

If you just want the fast answer, here are the exact pairs I travel with and where to find them.

Keep scrolling for the full story on each one, including how I style them and when I leave them at home.

White leather sneakers · all day city walking → Shop my pair at Quince
Waterproof sandals · beach and pool days → Shop my waterproof Birkenstocks at Nordstrom
Trail runners · hikes and gym days → Shop my trail runners at Nordstrom
Flat leather sandals · going out to dinner → Shop my dressy sandals at Quince
Everyday Birkenstocks · everything in between → Shop my everyday pair at Nordstrom

Best Shoes For Travel – #1 White Leather Sneakers:

If you’ve read any of my other articles, you probably saw this one coming!

You’re about to understand why I am emotionally attached to most of these pieces. These white leather sneakers have been with me to Mayan ruins, paragliding, while exploring new cities, on endless travel days and some of the most beautiful hikes of my life. Just to name a few.

As you can see, you can style white sneakers with pretty much ANYTHING! And that’s exactly why I love them so much. Also, they are super comfortable! I’ve walked many many miles with these shoes.

I wear them in moderately cold weather or hot weather. It doesn’t matter. They truly work for any kind of trip.

The 5 Best Shoes for Travel - by Ways of Style

🛍️ Where to shop for comfy sneakers?

These are the three places I actually buy my sneakers from. Start with the first one that fits your budget.

Best price for my exact white leather sneakers → Shop them at Quince
Lots of brands in one place if you like to compare → Shop sneakers at Nordstrom or browse my top picks here
Sustainable option if that matters to you → Shop Veja at Nordstrom. These white ones with the matcha colored logo are my personal favorite

🎯 If you want to read about walking shoes only, check out this post next!

Keep in mind that you don’t have to stick to white leather sneakers. I’ve also traveled with printed sneakers for a couple of our trips (instead of the white ones, never both at the same time).

They can be fun, but they’re not as versatile. If you pack printed ones, most of your travel wardrobe has to be neutrals.

My advice: If you’re going for a printed option make sure the colors match most of the pieces you’re packing. I would choose black & white OR leopard.

Best Shoes For Travel – #2 Waterproof Birkenstocks:

I can’t state this enough… travel with comfortable shoes that are easy to take off and easy to put on.

You will find yourself rushed to leave your hotel or apartment, going in and out of religious sites where you have to take your shoes off, walking around pebble beaches, etc. You will be rushed from time to time, it just happens while traveling.

In general, it’s just nice and comfortable to travel with sandals like these.

You can wear these sandals on easy hikes, to the beach, to walk around cities, etc. Pretty much for any occasion. Obviously these are only great if where you’re going is warm :)

Other Great Options for this type of sandal:

If Birkenstocks aren’t your thing, these two do the same job. Pick based on where you’re headed.

Best grip if your trip involves rocky trails or river walks → Shop Teva’s Universal Sandal at Nordstrom
Easiest to rinse off after a beach or pool day → Shop Reef’s Water Vista Sandals at Nordstrom

Best Shoes For Travel – #3 Hiking/Gym Shoes AKA Trailrunners:

I actually don’t have a ton of photos with my trail running shoes.

Why?

I wear them for the gym and on harder hikes. And for some reason I rarely take photos.

Why you ask again?

Well, at the gym for obvious reasons… I’m focused on my workout.

And on hikes… well, I’m not really much of a hiker. I always feel tired, sweaty, and slightly grumpy until I reach the view. So taking photos is not really my priority.

Look closely at these 2 photos and you’ll notice the shoes hahaha – sorry about that one, but you get the point.

Here’s another great option from On, everyone’s favorite comfy athletic shoe. These shoes will only work out for you if you like to exercise during your vacation and if you’re planning to go on hikes. Talk about 2 for 1!

Best Shoes For Travel – #4 Going Out Sandals

I’ve had several of these sandals over the past 5 years. But I only bring one per trip.

I’ve had a few different ones because out of all my shoes for traveling, these are the ones that get ugly and worn out the fastest… so naturally, I have to replace them.

For the most part, I always follow the same rules when getting new ones:

They have to be flat.
Ideally leather (so they look slightly dressier).
They have to be a neutral color.

🎯 I usually shop for sandals here. Great quality and prices!

Even though flat leather sandals pack small and are super cute & comfortable, they’re not useful everywhere you go. Leave them at home if where you’re going is hilly and has cobblestone streets. They can be pretty slippery. (trust me, I almost ate it in Lake Como with that brown pair in the photo above 😅)

👉🏼 If heading to Europe, these sandals worked out really well on cobblestone streets! (if you’re short like me, you’ll appreciate the extra inch)

🛍️ My top recs for flat leather sandals:

Three options depending on what your trip actually calls for.

Best price for good leather that still looks dressy → Shop flat sandals at Quince
Worth the splurge if you want cushioned insoles for long dinners out → Shop Nisolo
If your trip actually calls for a heel → Shop Pashion’s convertible heels. I have this style in Latte Leather with a 3″ block heel that pops right off when my feet are done

Narrowed down your shoes but still worried about the rest of the suitcase?

🤖 Tell my packing assistant about your summer trip and it maps out which pairs to bring and what to wear with each, so every shoe earns its spot in the bag.

It comes with the full Summer Carry-On Style Guide for $47. You get the packing lists, the outfit formulas, and the assistant that adjusts all of it to your actual trip.

See everything that’s inside here →

Best Shoes For Traveling – #5 Everyday Birkenstocks:

And last but not least… again with the trusty Birkenstocks! But these are different. Sort of.

I never travel with my two pairs of Birkenstocks on the same trip for space-related reasons. I travel with carry-on only, and in my opinion these 2 pairs of sandals serve the same purpose.

I honestly prefer the green ones mentioned above. However, these are slightly more stylish and because you can tie them around your ankle, they are better to bring on easier hikes.

Here are some similar options. I would consider any kind of leather Birkenstocks. It depends on your personal style:

Here’s a direct link to all the Birkenstock options on Nordstrom. They have so many cute ones right now 😍

⚠️ 2026 update: I have been traveling with these for a year now and they’re a great alternative to Birks! Great quality, comfy and half the price. I have them in white and they go with everything!

If you’re on a budget, and still want high quality, comfortable travel shoes, check these out:

🎯 White leather sneakers

🎯 Flat leather sandals

🎯 Similar version of Birkenstocks (not the waterproof kind, though)

🎯 Cool loafers (can replace sneakers, depending on the kind of trip)

🧳 Not buying shoes yet? Let me send you a packing list instead

If you’re still in research mode and just want a clear list of what to pack, answer these 2 questions about your trip and I’ll email you a packing list built from my own carry-on system.

I’ve tried and tested every one of these lists on my own trips 👇🏼 (plus thousands of women just like you!)

Final Thoughts About The Best Shoes For Travel:

That’s a wrap, my friends! Hopefully, by now, you can see that you really don’t need a suitcase full of shoes to travel in style—just a few solid pairs that go the distance (literally).

I know choosing the best shoes for travel can feel overwhelming with so many options out there, but I hope this post helped you narrow it down.

Whether you’re packing for a weekend getaway or a months-long adventure, the key is finding shoes that fit your personal style, your comfort needs, and of course, the purpose of your trip.

At the end of the day, these are just my tried-and-true picks—the shoes that have worked for me after years of full-time travel. But the best travel shoes for you? Those will be the ones that make you feel comfortable, confident, and ready to explore the world.

Thanks so much for reading all the way down here! I appreciate you hanging out with me. If you have any favorites or go-to travel shoes, let me know—I’d love to hear what works for you!

See you in the next one! 👋🏼

XO,

Aimara

>>> PS: my most versatile travel shoes are these white leather sneakers (run TTS)

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

Hi, my name is Aimara and I am the voice behind Ways of Style. I was born and raised in Venezuela until the age of 27 when I moved to Chicago, and 2 years later I met my best friend and husband. We now travel full time and live out of a carry-on bag, so believe me, I know a thing or two about how to maximize every single piece I own.

I love creating new looks, and looking cute while I’m traveling. And in this blog, I try to share all my looks, even if I don’t have the best photos ;) My goal is to help you maximize every piece you have in your closet and to encourage you to live with less things.

The 5 Best Shoes For Travel! (Cute, Comfy & Stylish!)

Ready To Learn About The Best Shoes For Travel? Let’s Go Then :)

Quick Look At My 5 Travel Shoes