When it comes to traveling, everyone knows to always pack comfortable walking shoes. The best women’s travel shoes are always marketed for comfort and walkability because, depending on the destination, you could be walking tens of miles in a single travel day.
However, if you’re anything like me, you are not always willing to sacrifice style for comfort. Obviously, you don’t want your feet to throb by the end of each travel day, but you also want to be your most confident and stylish self while on vacation.
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You spent hours curating the cutest destination-appropriate outfits, so why would you want to ruin said outfits with ugly shoes?
Luckily, you can have the best of both worlds with these six best women’s travel shoes — rated on comfort, style and price for the practical wanderluster.
shoe | comfort Score | Style Score | Price range | ||
Teva Verra Sandals | 10/10 | 9/10 | $$ | ||
Nike Air Max Sneakers | 9/10 | 9/10 | $$$ | ||
Timberland Hiking Boots | 8/10 | 6/10 | $$$ | ||
Strapped Birkenstock Sandals | 9/10 | 9/10 | $$$ | ||
Dr. Martens Boots | 7/10 | 10/10 | $$$$ | ||
Vans Slip-Ons | 6/10 | 7/10 | $$ |
Overall Best Women’s Travel Shoes: Teva Verra Sandal
Overall, the Indigo Sahara top pick for women’s travel shoes is the Teva Verra sandal.
The thin, smooth sole of these Teva sandals is both arched and lightweight enough to provide day-long foot support, whether you’re exploring a city or hiking a jungle. Likewise, although the sole has a look that is catered to comfort rather than style, it’s so subtle that the strappy affordable shoe still matches every outfit and looks great in travel photos.
Moreover, the Teva Verra sandal is also waterproof, making an ideal travel shoe choice for rainy cities like London, muddy hikes on the Road to Hana and even beach honeymoons in Bora Bora.
1. Most Versatile Women’s Travel Shoes: White Nike Air Max Tennis Shoes
Furthermore, an honorable mention has to go Nike’s white Air Max tennis shoes for being some of the most versatile women’s travel shoes on the market.
Like the Teva sandals, these Nike Air Max tennis shoes are comfortable, supportive and match every outfit. Essentially, they’re an even more comfortable alternative to Nike’s Air Force Max shoes, which aren’t quite as walkable as regular tennis shoes.
Thus, Nike’s Air Max style is perfect for any outdoor adventure, big city walk or resort workout session.
2. Best Women’s Shoes For Air Travel: Vans Slip-Ons
The best women’s shoes for air travel are metal-less slip-on shoes that are easy to slip on and off at airport security. Furthermore, you probably won’t want to walk through security with bare feet, so slip-on shoes that require socks are ideal.
That’s why Vans slip-ons are the best women’s shoes for air travel. Unlike the Teva sandals and Nike Air Max shoes, slip-ons fulfill all the air travel prerequisites. They’re easy to slip on and off, they don’t have any metal material and you won’t forget to wear socks with them.
Plus, if you want to sneakily slip these shoes off on the plane, you can!
However, note that Vans do not provide much arch support, so if you need extra arch support, you may want to consider a different type of slip-on shoe.
3. Best Women’s Waterproof Walking Shoes For Travel: Teva Verra Sandal
Hands down, the best women’s waterproof walking shoes for travel are the Teva Verra sandals.
As mentioned prior, the Teva Verra sandals are the ultimate women’s travel shoes for multiple reasons. For example, you can walk in them for miles, and they are completely waterproof.
I wore my black Teva Verra sandals (they come in a variety of colors) on the muddy hike through the Pipiwai Trail on Maui’s Road to Hana, and my entire family was jealous of my shoewear. All of their tennis shoes were destroyed with mud; whereas, I was able to clean both my shoes and feet in a trailside stream.
Also, unlike other waterproof walking shoe brands and styles, these sandals have a completely smooth, soft sole — no uncomfortable textures or bumps.
4. Alternate Travel Sandals For Women: Birkenstock Yara Sandals
Birkenstock’s Yara sandals are an adorable alternative to the Teva Verra sandals.
Even though these Birkenstocks are not waterproof, they are a still a cult favorite in the travel community for their arch support, smooth soles, amazing quality and timeless style.
In addition, unlike traditional backless Birkenstock sandals, this style comes with ankle straps for added support. With this specific style, you won’t strain your ankles or toes trying to keep the sandals on all day. Walking in these shoes is totally effortless.
5. Are Hiking Shoes Good For Travel?
Are hiking shoes good for travel?
Hiking shoes are great for travel. However, most hiking shoes and boots are quite heavy, so you probably won’t want to wear them for everyday use unless you’re actually hiking.
Regardless, finding hiking shoes that are supportive, and still stylish and feminine is not an easy feat. After trying on endless brands and styles, I found these Timberland waterproof mid-height hiking boots to be the most flattering and photogenic.
Although these women’s hiking boots from Timberland provide plenty of arch and ankle support, the shoe itself is still slim, not chunky like most hiking shoes. Similarly, because the shoes are subtle, they won’t take away from your cute hiking outfits.
6. Stylish Walking Shoes For Europe: Dr. Martens Boots
Lastly, Dr. Martens are designed to mold to your unique foot shape, which means that, after you break them in, they can withstand any city walking distance.
These classic black slip-on Dr. Martens Chelsea boots slip on and off easily, which is perfect for air travel.
Or, if you’re looking for a bolder style, these black and white Dr. Martens 1460 boots are a travel outfit staple.
You probably won’t want to get them dirty, so don’t wear them mountain hiking. And, you definitely don’t want to wear genuine leather boots to the beach. However, if you’re exploring a big city or want stylish walking shoes for Europe, Dr. Martens are a seriously great investment.
Just be sure to break them in before your trip.
Do you have any other brands you would add to this best women’s travel shoes list? Let me know in the comments below! I’m always looking for cute, comfortable new shoes to take with on my travels.
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