The perplexity of packing the perfect and perfectly wearable sandals for upcoming summer travel excursions can wreck a vacation. It can turn your trip into a harrowing, blister-inducing nightmare. 

Are said sandals pretty AND pleasurable in which to walk? Do heads turn while your ankles don’t? Are you tripping the light fantastic or forced to falter every cobblestone street, reapplying bandaid upon bandaid, running through moleskin patch after patch you oh-so-wisely tucked into your crossbody travel bag? 

Realizing you were sorely mistaken (sore being the unfortunate operative word here) about the strappy styles you did pack isn’t helpful, but our travel sandal choices here are.

Sorels and More

Let us walk you through a few of our favorite travel sandals, 17 to be exact, step by step. One brand in particular seems to cultivate its own membership club — Sorels, soles down, top the list. 

At an Italian train depot during the recent NextTribe Creativity Retreat, another woman gazed knowingly at the red Sorel sandals on NextTribe founder Jeannie Ralston’s feet. She then hiked her own pants to expose the immediately-identifiable Sorel soles for a true “Sorels? Me, too!” moment. 

One brand in particular seems to cultivate its own club among NextTribe travelers: Sorels, soles down, top the list.

A couple of months later, outside the sold-out Tenement Museum tour during the NextTribe NYC Insider trip, this writer was stopped and complimented on her black ’n white Sorels, the pair she purchased after admiring Jeannie’s stylin’ choice. Every few days, it seems, another NextTribe friend or reader tells us they’re wearing or are buying a pair of Sorels, making them Jeannie’s travel tip du jour.

17 Comfortable, Stylish Sandals

Here, our list of seventeen travel sandals (Sorels and otherwise) definitely made for walking!

1. Sturdy and stabilizing, ABEO’s Oasis Sandal (available from the Walking Company) has a built-in orthotic arch support and cushioning that practically guarantees pleasurable foot traffic. $109

2. A cross between a flip flop and a shiny metallic slip-on sandal, ABEO’s Laguna Thong Sandal (available from the Walking Company) is comfy and way cool. We love it for beachy getaways and beyond. $90

3. Teva’s solid reputation as a travel and hiking sandal means you can’t go wrong with any of the styles. We love the Women’s Hurricane Drift sandal in Birch with its easy on/off adjustable straps and lightweight injection molded sole. From $32 – $84.

4. Ensuring you won’t get lost in a crowd, these Dansko Kandi Slip-Ons promise a lightweight yet stable step with a natural arch technology for added support. Plus, they’re super pretty! $84

5. HOKA, renowned as a walking and running sneaker, is passing the baton to a sandal silhouette in its Hopara hiking sandal that navigates any terrain. Plus, it boasts a quick-lace system for easy-peasy on-off and has a rubberized toe cap for cushion and protection. $135

6. Any of these four Sorel styles that follow would ensure entrée into the ersatz “NextTribe Travel Sandal Club.” The Kinetic™ Impact Sling Sandals impart on-the-go energy, enhanced with color, cushion and that clubby wow factor. $105

7. Fitting a budget or wantful wallet, Sorel’s Explorer Blitz Multi Strap Sandals are all the right comfort at all the right price. $66

8. The Sorel Kinetic™ Impact Slingback Heel Sandals work day to night, ready for dancing and dining out on the town. Super-fun for a city vacay. $145

9. Hailed as “not your mama’s clogs,” Sorel’s Ona™ Streetworks Heel Clogs are bold, texturized, and play well with both pants and dresses. $130

10. Not reserved just for restaurant kitchen staff any longer, Crocs Mega Crush Sandals are updated with hue, heft, height, and a happiness pop — the ultimate youthful accessory, Crocs Jibbutz – charms that snap into the sandal strap for added style zing. $53

11. Warriors-in-waiting, Crocs Brooklyn Luxe Gladiator is cushy and comfy, with an easy squishy sole. $57

12. Pop on the comfort of Skechers’ Ultra Flex 3.0 – Never Better, a hand-free, slip-on that stretch-wraps around your foot for comfort and control. $70

13. The ultimate in a slim-line lug sole, Vionic’s Laurel Strappy Sandal is made for walking, with an adjustable ankle strap and back zip for easy on and off. $125

14. With a metallic brilliance upper and a grounded lug sole, Vionic’s Alongra Platform Lug Sandal will rock your walking world. $90 

15. Birkenstock’s Cannes pairs sophisticated details like a smooth leather-wrapped footbed on an injected rubber, city-ready sole. (And you don’t have be South of France-bound to love it.) $250

16. Famed Labocq Boomer Gold sandals fashion a far-out fisherman on a flared midsole for the stylish city walker. Pre-orders start next month.  $470

17. Comfy and classic, Australian brand Bared’s Bittern, a school girl-esque leather fisherman with a biomechanical footbed, was an-out-of-box onto-the-streets of the city favorite of NYC Insider attendee Vanessa Harker.  $269