The Best Shoes for Travel this Summer

Warm weather and school vacations make summer a great time to travel. I know many of you plan trips to Europe at this time of year, so finding a pair of travel shoes you love is important since you’ll probably be walking miles in them. In fact, shoes might be the most important thing you’ll pack!

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I get asked what shoes are the best for travel A LOT! And while I love shoes, it’s one of the hardest questions to answer because everyone’s feet are so different. What is comfortable for one person isn’t always going to work for the next.

Even so, there are a few helpful considerations to think about when it comes to packing shoes for trips.

1. Stick with neutral colors that will go with several outfits. As you can see in my roundup above, most of the shoes are black, brown, navy, beige, white, or metallic. The less shoes you have to bring, the less heavy your bag is–always a win in my book.
2. We all know that uncomfortable shoes make for an unhappy traveler. Testing out the shoe before you go is incredibly important. I never bring a brand-new pair of shoes on a trip that will involve a lot of walking. There is nothing worse than getting a blister on the first day.
3. Another thing you won’t find on my list are heels. If you’re big into heels, I’m certainly not here to convince you otherwise, but if you’re traveling to Europe you are going to find yourself doing a lot of walking and many cities have cobblestone streets that make it very hard to get around in heels. If you like the extra height, wedges are a good alternative to heels.

Below is a roundup of my favorite travel shoes for the summer. I did my best to take into account style, comfort, and whether they pack nicely in your suitcase.

Espadrilles

Soludos (or other espadrille variations) are comfy, lightweight, and make your legs look fantastic in shorts and dresses. They don’t have the best arch support, but as long as you have two or three different shoes to rotate throughout your trip, your feet should be just fine for days filled with walking.

Sneakers

If you are looking for a structured shoe, but don’t want to walk around in a big clodhopper running shoe, there are a lot of nice sneakers on the market. The Superga brand is a personal favorite right now and I’m in love with the gingham version here. So cute for summer!

Walking Shoes

A good pair of running or walking shoes may be important to bring if you are going to be biking or taking long hikes. Nikes are always a good bet and they have so many stylish options these days. I’m also loving the Tom’s sneakers that are lightweight and perfect for running around town all day.

Sandals

Sandals are a must for summer travel. They keep your feet cool and don’t take up much room in your suitcase. It’s nice to have a pair of sandals to walk on the beach so you don’t have sand stuck in your shoes the entire trip. If you’re staying in a hostel, sandals are important to wear when showering as you don’t want to come home with any funky foot issues. Havaianas are a great option as they are easy to rinse off and they dry instantly. As far as Birkenstocks go, you are either a Birkenstock lover or you’re not and you can usually find out pretty quickly. The foot bed is so formed that if it doesn’t suit your foot you’ll know immediately. I love these shoes (especially the metallic versions they have out) and can walk all day in them, but I know my mom doesn’t wear them as they don’t fit her foot.

Flats

Since I haven’t included heels on the list, I recommend a nice pair of flats for your dinners out on the town. I’ve always loved the patent leather Ferragamo Varinas, but don’t think they will ever be in the budget. Tory Burch flats are reliable and their new travel version is great because they fold up into your purse or into the pockets in your luggage. The price point is not overly friendly, but there are lots of inexpensive flats on the market these days (like these scalloped flats). Just be sure to test them out before you go as you want to make sure they are comfortable.

What are your favorite travel shoes? I’d love to hear!

Happy feet & Happy Travels!

-Jenny