5 Best Travel Maps: Which Is Right for You?

This poster is a travel map that shows the world in a gold foil–that is, until you start scratching the foil off. Beneath the foil are brightly colored and outlined states and countries, so you can display where you’ve been in the world in a fun and interactive way. The map is made out of a thick art paper covered with laminate so, when you’re scratching off the foil to reveal the country, you won’t tear the paper nor leave scratch marks on the base map.

The travel map comes with a scratch tool, arrow stickers, a golden erasable marker in case of accidental scratches, and a carrying pouch to keep the items organized or presentable as the perfect gift for someone else. The map comes in a 23.3” x 16.5” which is a standard A2 size for easy framing.

This map is highly detailed with borders, cities, rivers, islands, and mountains, so some have used this map for children’s education instead of travel destinations.

One reviewer said it was the most detailed travel map they had ever seen, complete with small islands and landscapes that normally do not get included on travel maps. One mixed review is that some of the bodies of water are also covered in gold foil, leaving the question of whether to use those as scratch-off freebies, or if those are also destinations you aspire to see.

If scratch-off maps aren’t your style but you would still like to keep track of your travel destinations, you can try the Art of Wanderlust Cork Board World Travel Map with Pins. A simple design with minimal color, it matches all decor styles so you can hang it in most rooms of your home.

This map comes with 60 push pins: 30 blue and 30 white, so you can use one color to track where you’ve already been, and one to track where you would like to go.

Measuring at 17 inches wide and 13 inches tall, this corkboard map also comes with a sawtooth hanger attached at the back for easy hanging. Weighing only 13.6 ounces, you can hang this up without the use of screws or thick nails that may damage your wall. While most purchasers were pleasantly surprised with the quality and were excited to display it in their homes and offices, some have noted that there are no city or country names on the map.

When purchased from the Art of Wanderlust Amazon account, 10 percent of the profits are donated to the Against Malaria Foundation, an organization that helps to prevent and treat malaria in the developing world.

The Enjoy the Wood travel map is a unique addition to your home or office and allows a few options for customization. This map arrives in sections so you can spread it out across a large wall space, or hang it as normal.

It is available in four sizes, Medium (39×24”), Large (59”x35”), Extra Large (79×47”) or Extra-Extra Large (118×69”) and in a 6mm thick birch plywood or cork. You can choose from six different colors, and can also choose whether you would like the countries named, outlined, both, or neither. You can choose to add Antarctica for a completed world map, and you can also choose to add airplane and compass cut-outs.

You can choose whether you would like your map to come with small holes already punched in so you can display pushpins on your map to showcase where you’ve traveled or where you’d like to go. The map also comes with a free double-sided tape for ease of hanging.

Out of 17 reviews on Amazon, this map has a 94% five-star rating, with the lowest rating being a 4 star. Many buyers added pictures of their walls after hanging the map up to show how the styles of display could be customized–you might want to check them out for inspiration! A few said the instructions could be a little more detailed, but they still left five-star reviews due to how pleased they were with the product and quality.

For those with an extra creative streak, try the Travel is Life X-Large World Map Coloring Poster that arrives with all countries displayed in stark white with elaborate mandala designs printed on top. It’s a fun coloring challenge for travel lovers.

Sized at 36×24”, this large poster-sized map comes in a standard size for easy framing and ships in clear cellophane, folded into a booklet shape measuring at 9×6.5”. This map is printed on uncoated paper and has mandala designs only, with no country outlines or names. That didn’t stop reviewers on Amazon from using the map to color in the areas that they have already visited. You can color in your map with markers, colored pencils, crayons, and even paint.

Designed for an intermediate to advanced coloring level, this travel map is great for those who enjoy therapeutic coloring, or for families to color together and spend some time away from screens, inspiring conversations about travel.

The reviewers of the map have ranged from those who used it for a little unwinding and self-care time at the end of the day, to teachers of kindergarten classes who are currently sharing world geography with their students.

For a purely decorative world map on canvas, try out the Kreative Arts Watercolor Travel Map. The three-piece canvas set that makes up a world map when hung together measures 20 x 30” per panel or 59 x 36” without spaces between the panels.

The print of the world is printed on high-quality glossy canvas and with state of the art technology that produces quality and vivid high-resolution images. The canvases are gallery wrapped over wood frames and are each inspected for quality before being shipped to your home.

All of the canvases come ready to hang and come with hanging hardware, including nails and a small level. It comes in four different styles ranging from a color map with a distressed wood-looking background, a map with a creamy background, a very warm-toned multicolored map, or another wood style map that includes the names of countries and other landscapes. You can choose between maps that include labels, or a map simply designates different regions by color for a simpler and more artistic look.

The three panels that combine to feature one complete world map allows you to get creative with the display. You are able to separate them as far apart as you wish to fill more wall space, or hang them without spaces for a more condensed look. Many reviewers commented on the quality and the clarity of the labels, and stated how the map looked exactly as displayed. Others stated that the three panels added extra challenges for hanging the artwork straight and evenly spaced on the wall.