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Diary entry examples

Diary entry about summer vacation (6 examples)

A diary entry about summer vacation has the date and day at the top, opens with Dear Diary, describes one day or one trip from your holidays in the past tense, shares how you felt, and ends with a closing and your name. Here are 6 complete model entries, from a short one for young kids to longer ones for class 8 to 10, plus phrases, steps and a page to write your own.

By My Diary Journal · Updated October 11, 2026
Today

Summer vacation diary entry format

The biggest tip for this topic: write about one day, not the whole holiday. A diary entry is written on a single evening about that day. If your question says "your summer vacation", pick the best day and tell it well.

  • Date, day and time at the top left.
  • Dear Diary, on the next line.
  • Where you were and who you were with in the first two lines.
  • What happened, in order, in the past tense.
  • How you felt and one thing you will remember.
  • Closing and name, such as Good night or Love, then your name.

If you need to cover the whole break, write it as the last evening of the holidays and look back: "Tomorrow school starts again. This summer I..."

Short diary entry about summer vacation (for kids)

About 80 words with one simple trip and a happy ending. Great for grades 2 to 5.

Short entryTuesday, July 15
Dear Diary,
Today Grandpa took me to the beach. The sand was so hot that I had to run to the water! We built a giant sandcastle with four towers and a moat. A big wave knocked one tower down, but we fixed it. I found a white shell shaped like a fan. I am keeping it on my shelf forever. We ate ice cream on the way home. Mine was strawberry. This is the best summer ever. Love, Noah

It has a place, a person, one problem (the wave), one thing to keep (the shell) and a feeling at the end. That is all a short entry needs.

Diary entry about summer vacation in 120 to 150 words

This exam style model fits the 120 to 150 word limit used in many class 6 to 10 papers. It describes a visit to grandparents in their village.

Exam style10 May 2025, Saturday, 9 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Today was my first full day at my grandparents' house in their village in Kerala, and I already never want to leave. I woke up to the sound of roosters and the smell of Grandma's fresh appams. After breakfast, my cousins and I ran to the mango grove behind the house. We climbed the lowest tree and ate ripe mangoes until our hands were sticky and yellow. In the afternoon, Grandpa took us to the river in his small boat. He showed me how to row, and I only splashed everyone twice. In the evening, we sat on the veranda and listened to his stories about when he was a boy. There is no Wi-Fi here, but I did not miss my phone once. I feel calm and happy. I hope the holidays last forever. Good night, Riya

Why it works: it focuses on one day, uses the senses (roosters, the smell of appams, sticky hands), includes family, and ends with a real feeling. It also has a small moment of humor, which keeps an examiner reading.

Longer diary entries about summer vacation

These longer models give four very different summers. Use them for creative writing tasks or to see how older students add detail and reflection.

A day at summer camp

Longer entryThursday, July 24
Dear Diary,
Day four of camp, and today I finally tried canoeing. My partner was a girl named Priyanka from cabin six. We paddled out onto the lake, which was so still that the trees looked like they were growing upside down. Then we both leaned the same way to look at a heron, and the canoe flipped right over. The water was freezing! The counselors cheered when we swam back, dripping and laughing so hard we could barely breathe. Tonight we sat around the campfire and toasted marshmallows. Mine caught fire twice. We sang songs, and I did not even feel shy about singing loudly. I was nervous about coming here, but I think I have made a real friend. Only three days left. I am not ready. Love from cabin four, Amelia

Learning something new at home

Longer entryFriday, 20 December
Dear Diary,
No trip this December holiday, because Mama has to work. I was sure it would be boring. Instead, Gogo decided to teach me how to bake bread, and today I did it alone. I mixed the flour, yeast, salt and warm water just the way she showed me. Kneading is harder than it looks. My arms were burning after ten minutes. Then we waited for the dough to rise, and I checked it about fifty times. When the loaf came out of the oven, the whole house smelled warm and golden. Gogo tapped the bottom and said it sounded hollow, which means it is perfect. We ate it hot with butter and apricot jam. Mama had two slices after work and asked me to make another tomorrow. I feel proud. A holiday at home can still be a good one. Sleep well, Bongani

A trip to the mountains

Longer entryMonday, 2 June, 10 p.m.
Dear Diary,
Today I touched snow for the first time in my life! We are on a family trip to Manali, and this morning we drove up to Rohtang Pass. The road twisted like a snake, and Papa told me not to look down. I looked down anyway. At the top, everything was white. The air was so cold that my nose went numb, even in June. We hired thick jackets and boots, and my sister and I had a snowball fight. She won, but only because she cheated. For lunch we drank hot tea and ate Maggi at a small stall. It tasted better than any restaurant food I have ever had. I am writing this wrapped in two blankets. My cheeks are still pink. I will remember today for the rest of my life. Good night, Arjun

Last day of the summer holidays

This reflective model looks back over the whole break, which is useful when the question asks about your summer vacation in general.

Reflective entrySunday, 31 August, 9:40 p.m.
Dear Diary,
School starts again tomorrow, so tonight I am looking back at the whole summer. For six weeks I helped my aunt in her bakery every morning. I learned to fold pastry, count change quickly and smile at grumpy customers before eight a.m. I also read nine books, learned three songs on the guitar, and finally stopped being scared of the deep end at the pool. It was not all fun. Some days I was tired and bored and missed my friends who went away. But I think I grew up a little. I feel more confident talking to people now. My uniform is ironed and my bag is packed. I am nervous about Year 11, but I feel ready for it. Until tomorrow, Fatima

Useful words and phrases for a summer vacation diary entry

Feeling words

  • excited, thrilled, carefree, relaxed, joyful, adventurous
  • homesick, bored, restless, sunburned and tired
  • grateful, proud, refreshed, a little sad that it is ending

Summer and holiday words

  • scorching sun, blazing heat, a cool breeze, long lazy afternoons
  • beach, waves, seashells, sandcastle, swimming pool, river, lake
  • hill station, campsite, village, cousins, grandparents, road trip
  • ice cream, mangoes, lemonade, watermelon, picnic, barbecue

Ready phrases

  • The holidays had finally begun, and I could not stop smiling.
  • We set off early in the morning with the car packed to the roof.
  • The view took my breath away.
  • I laughed until my stomach hurt.
  • Time flew by so fast that I could not believe the day was over.
  • It was a summer I will never forget.
  • I wish these holidays could last forever.

A few strong phrases plus your own real details work best. For more holiday ideas, see our list of diary entry topics.

How to write your own diary entry about summer vacation

  1. Choose one dayPick your best, funniest or most surprising day of the holidays.
  2. Write the date, day and time, then Dear DiaryThese go at the top, each on its own line.
  3. Say where you were and who was thereGrandparents' house, a camp, the beach, home. Name the people.
  4. Tell two or three moments in orderMorning, afternoon, evening works well. Use the past tense.
  5. Add senses and feelingsThe heat of the sand, the taste of the mango, how happy or tired you felt.
  6. End with a thought, a closing and your nameWhat will you remember? What are you looking forward to?

Tap a card to start a page in the diary at the top. If you are not sure about the layout, our diary entry format guide shows every part, and how to write a diary entry walks through it step by step.

A trip

Somewhere you went this summer

At home

A summer spent close to home

The last day

Looking back on the holidays

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Writing the whole holiday as a list. "We went here, then there, then there" is a list, not a diary. Focus on one day.
  • Writing it like an essay. An essay has a title and is written for readers. A diary entry is personal, dated and starts with Dear Diary.
  • No feelings. Say how the trip made you feel, not only where you went.
  • Wrong tense. Write what happened in the past tense. Use the future only for plans.
  • Forgetting the date, closing or name.
  • Going far past the word limit in an exam.

For more model answers, see our diary entry examples, or read a diary entry about the best day of my life. Kids who want to keep writing through the holidays can try our journal prompts for kids.

Questions people ask

How do I start a diary entry about my summer vacation?

Write the date, day and time, then Dear Diary. Your first sentence should say where you are and why the day was special, for example: Today was our first full day at the beach, and I woke up to the sound of the waves. Starting with a place and a feeling sets the scene quickly.

Should I write about the whole vacation or just one day?

One day is better. A diary entry is written on one evening about that day, so it feels real and focused. If the question asks about your whole summer, write it as the last evening of the holidays and look back on the best moments and how you have changed.

How many words should a summer vacation diary entry be?

Use the word limit in your question. Most class 6 to 10 exam questions ask for 100 to 150 words. Younger kids can write 60 to 100 words. For homework or creative writing without a limit, 200 to 300 words gives enough room for details and feelings.

What if I did not go anywhere during summer vacation?

That is completely fine. Write about a good day at home: learning a new skill, cooking with family, a game with friends, a book you loved, or a lazy afternoon. Examiners care about format, clear events and honest feelings, not how far you traveled.

What is the difference between a diary entry and an essay on summer vacation?

An essay has a title, is written for a reader and often covers the whole topic in general. A diary entry has a date and day, starts with Dear Diary, is written in the first person about one day, shares private feelings, and ends with a closing and your name.

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