Comfortable and Stylish Walking Shoes You’ll Want to Bring on Vacation

Once Memorial Day arrives the question I get asked most frequently is if I have any summer vacation plans. Yes, it's that time of year where most of us pack up and hit the road for some fun. If you are planning on taking a huge trip, staying local or just plan on hitting the amusement parks with the kids, it's probably smart to think about comfortable and stylish walking shoes because, after all, those lines are long at Disney World.

Nobody wants to wear clunky white sneakers, especially when leaving the country. Nothing says, "I'm a tourist" more than a pair of these. However, it costs a lot to take a vacation and you don't want to miss out on seeing all the sights because your feet hurt. If you are on the hunt for some comfortable and and stylish walking shoes, check out these styles from notable comfort brands that will keep you on your feet with style.

Comfortable and Stylish Walking Shoes You'll Want to Bring on Vacation

Comfortable Shoe Style #1- Dansko
It doesn't get much more comfortable than Dankso shoes. Think they only make clogs that belong in a hospital or on sous chefs? Think again. I particularly love this colorful sandal style that works perfectly with summer dresses, cropped pants and shorts. Here I styled them with this breezy white dress from Boden and finished the look with a crossbody bag in saddle from Coach, SPF 50 sunhat from Wallaroo, sunglasses from Elizabeth and James, drop earrings from LOFT and wrap bracelet in orange from Banana Republic.
Comfortable Shoe Style #2- Ecco

When I saw these sandals from Ecco I fell in love. With the trend towards flat, strappy sandals they seemed perfect. Unlike these types of super flat sandals, that usually have zero support, they may look stylish but are hardly good for walking. These Ecco sandals solve the problem of providing comfort with trend.

For this casual look, I styled the sandals with a pair of denim shorts from White House|Black Market and used a graphic tank and summer weight cardigan from Lucky Brand to complete the outfit. Accessorizing the ensemble, I added this orange backpack from Kipling a pair of sunglasses from Ray Ban and chevron stud earrings from Gorjana.

Comfortable Shoe Style #3- Birkenstock

You already know how in love with Birkenstocks I am, particularly their Gizeh style. I don't just love them because I can walk for miles and miles in them, I also love them because of their versatility. Today I am wearing them with denim Bermudas but they also work with summer dresses, too. You can't say that about all comfortable and stylish walking shoes. Shoes take up a lot of room in a suitcase, so get more with less with a pair of Birkenstocks.

In this outfit I took a pair of silver Birenstock Gizehs and styled them with a summer dress from Tory Burch. For coverage on cool days, and for a pop of color, I layered a yellow summer cardigan from J. Crew over the dress and accessorized with a pair of honeycomb earrings from Modcloth, a white, floppy hat from Nordstrom, blue sunglasses from Ray Ban and blue tote from Tumi.

Comfortable Shoe Style #4- ABEO

Whenever I see people walking great distances in flip flops without any support I cringe for their backs and feet. These types of shoes may work for a quick trip to get a pedicure or for the shower at the gym, but not for vacation where lots of walking is required.

If you need orthodics you have to know about ABEO shoes. The biggest issue those who require these inserts experience is with summer shoes, particularly sandals. You can't work a custom made orthodic into these shoes and often have to sacrifice foot comfort for appropriate summer footwear. However, ABEO revolutionized this by offering shoes with orthodics built in. If you can't wear flip flops because you need orthodics, you have to check out this metatarsal sandal. You can just buy the shoes online, but if you need a particular orthodic fit for your feet, it is recommended that you visit a store that carries the brand, like The Walking Company, to get a digital foot analysis first.

In this outfit, I used these Abeo flip flops to create a fabulous casual look using a pair of chino shorts from Boden, linen tank from Madewell, denim jacket from The Gap, handbag from MICHAEL Michael Kors, raffia fedora from Nordstrom, sunglasses from Tildon and stud earrings from Anthropologie.

Comfortable Shoe Style #5- Naot
A comfortable shoe brand many of my clients rave about is Naot. Looking at their styles, like this black,white and grey pair, I can see why. The one thing to make note of about these shoes, and all the shoes featured, is that they all have slight heels. Ask any podiatrist and he will tell you that healthy feet require a small heel instead of being completely flat, and/or have tremendous arch support. This is why so many chefs and doctors wear clogs, and why June Cleaver and Donna Reed often vacuumed in heels. If you have foot problems going with the flattest shoes you can isn't the best idea.

In this outfit, I styled these Naot sandals in cleaner and more modern way using these crop pants from Theory, a boxy, cropped t-shirt from Mango, black and gold earrings from Bauble Bar, black, classic Ray Bans and, for a splash of color, this red crossbody bag from Kooba.

Whatever your summer vacation plans are, even if it is a staycation, I hope you enjoy your summer of fun.

Still looking for comfortable and stylish walking shoes?

Check out these additional styles.