I love Fitflops. They are extremely comfortable. I can wear them forever and I have bad feet. They usually have them at Nordstrom and Nordstrom Rack, as well as online.

Keen sandals offer good support. Also Cobb Hill (I believe they are owned by New Balance, and use some of the sneaker technology in their shoes).

Sandals are the worst for sightseeing in hot weather. Your feet will sweat anyway, and then they slide all over the place.

Get some good wool socks and good hiking shoes/boots.

Keen sandals + Thorlo socks= happy feet, happy human.

"nie Deighnaugh

tibb, you clearly don't suffer with hot feet!"

I do, which is why I know feet sweat and slip around in sandals when hiking and why I wear wool socks and stable, enclosed shoes when hiking on trails in the summer.

Choose wool:

http://www.ems.com/ea-how-to-choose-summer-hiking-socks.html

IM w/ tib. For me, if choices were touring wearing sandals or staying home, I'd stay home and spare me the discomfort. Skechers don't offer much support but might be better than sandals.

I haven't worn Vionic brand personally yet, but everyone I know swears by them for the support. Zappos and Belk also carry them & would assume Nordstrom and others do too.

I have worn Olukai brand flip flops and love them for the footbed support.

Walking does not equal hiking. Boots and socks in Arizona in the summer? Only if you're a local working outside or a serious hiker. Touristy stuff? You're in and out of AC cars and buildings all the time.

Yes, I didn't think we were talking about hiking or I would not have recommended Fitflops -- definitely not for hiking!

I have a pair of Vionics and they're okay once you get used to them, but it does take a while to toughen up the right spots on your feet.

Ecco also has sandals that have good support for either walking or hiking, and they have a suede-y insole, so no slipping and sliding. But they're definitely more outdoorsy looking than Vionics are.

i love teva sandals... they're very comfortable! even teva mush flipflops mold so much to your foot that they provide a decent amount of support...

look at the nike free or flyknit sneakers if you want a comfortable sneaker that you can wear without socks (i prefer them without socks at least!!) they're very lightwt and more supportive than many sandals...

Oh, man, my mistake! Somehow my brain turned "sightseeing" into hiking!

Disregard my comments.

Teva mush flipflops are the best! I prefer the wedge which I think are more comfortable for my feet and calves. All spring/summer/fall this is my go-to shoe for ordinary walking.

I bought some Ecco sandals (velcro straps) for my last trip to Israel. I wanted open shoes that could get wet, but still have support. Maybe I just don't have them adjusted correctly, but even when I walk on flat surfaces, my foot can slip. I just can't trust them anymore.

Sandals with good support, and shock absorbing....Mephisto, Dansko, Taryn Rose. I have to have good footwear or will have an instant backache.

My 6'8" BIL tried to pack lightly for 6 weeks in Croatia two years ago, his shoes can be a problem space wise. He came home with plantar faciitis. At his first visit to PT the therapist asked, were you wearing (after being told he had just returned from a trip) Tevas or flipflops? Answer was Tevas.

We went to Cambodia in July where it was hot and humid and we walked a lot. Dansko sandals with leather footbeds were excellent. I also find Think! sandals very comfortable with good support.

Ecco "Yucatan". Can't go wrong with those. I have a bad back and if I don't wear a good shoe/sandal my back & feet start to hurt really fast. I can go all day in my Yucatans. They have great arch support. Wish I could wear them in winter! ;)

Timely subject. I have terrible feet, can't walk very far in sandals without pain. After researching online (Barkingdogshoes.com is a good resource), I purchased Dansko Kami Sandals and wore them this weekend when we were away. I walked in them for miles, without pain. They aren't bad looking, have a great arch, and are really comfortable. I just ordered another color, as a matter of fact!

I love my vionic flip flops. I wear them all summer. If you go that route, be sure to take time to break them in first. I brought a new pair on spring break and couldn't wear them very much. I stuck with my pair from last year.

Earth sandals have a comfortable foot bed with good arch support. And they have a few choices that are a little more stylish than the tire tread sandals.

http://www.zappos.com/earth-women-sandals~1

Vionics work for me, had plantar faciitis from flat flip flops, so need the arch support. But I wish I could find some fun ones, ya know. rhinestones etc.

I wear Naot sandals, with arch support, for touring-walking. LadyPat, they have many styles, including metallic colors and some with bling.

I live in Fitflops. My selection is large with pewter, bronze , black, some with sparkles and some with faux gem stones. I have walked all over Europe several times in them. I have even done moderate hiking.

Wow, Earth sandals have come a long way, baby! :-)

I also like NAOTs but if I am going to be walking all day, it's fitflops! I can wear them longer than some of my sneakers. I thought I had a good selection until I read Justterrilynn's post haha. I have silver sparkle, bronze and black... all the thong style.

I have also done light hiking in them but i think they are best for walking on paved surfaces. They do have great support underneath and around the foot... and I really don't have an issue with them getting hot, sweaty or slipping around.

And, they have nifty interiors and great cushion. They are particularly good on cobblestone streets. You just bounce along ^^^^Fitflops...

FYI -- Costco recently started selling Fitflops ..... I guess I need to order some now to try out :)

Thanks lolauren - I didn't realize that -- will have to make a Costco run!

I have a pair of Tevas I bought for canoeing. I wouldn't recommend them for a lot of walking. I like my Keen sandals for walking because I like having my toes covered/protected. If I'm going to be doing a lot of walking I'm going to wear shoes (with socks) though no matter how hot it is. I made the mistake of wearing an old pair of Keen shoes for a five hour walk in Central Park recently. Time to replace those babies! Even good shoes wear out.

Also consult Podiatry Shoe Review blogspot. Done by a podiatrist in Arizona. Gives suggestions for all kinds of foot problems. My podiatrist, as well as the author of the blog, says that your shoes should bend ONLY at the toe.

When I went in wearing Sketchers Go Walks, he said I should burn them!

I swear by Abeo sandals. I bought a brand new pair for a trip to Universal Studios in Orlando and had no problem with them. I specifically bought Abeo H20 so they could get wet on the water rides and still be comfortable. They were amazing for that trip and I have since bought several additional pairs. In fact, I am on a trip to SW Utah right now and have a pair with me for everything but hiking.

There are some good recommendations here. What I would recommend is that you go to a good shoe and have them properly fitted.

I have been suffering from severe Plantar Fasciitis for the past 6 months. After seeing a massage therapist, podiatrist and physical therapist, I am finally getting some relief. In both the physical therapist and podiatrist's offices, they had a display of Vionics. I almost bought them, but was concerned as neither place seemed to know much about them.

I went to a local shoe store that carries only the great brands, many of which were talked about above. The sales woman knew what she was talking about. I tried on the Vionics flip flops and hated them. I bought another style of Vionics as well as a pair of Naot's, a pair of Olukai and a pair of another brand I can't remember now. It turns out, I was wearing shoes a size too small. I tried on many, many different shoes and this woman analyzed each pair on my feet. Best thing I ever did, expensive but worth it. What works for one person might not work for someone else and if they don't fit properly, it' s even worse Take the time to be fitted properly. You won't regret it. Good luck!!!

Thank you all so much! I just googled "walking sandals" and the name of my town and several "walking" stores popped up....all within 20 minutes. Who knew? I've gone to running stores for walking sneakers but had no idea shoe stores for walking existed.....gosh, I need to get out more! Looks like they all take time to fit you, etc.. I know I'll find something....thanks again!

Wore Merrell sandals on our trip through Europe last summer. My feet were very happy the entire 3 weeks, went back and forth between the sandals and Nikes. I have a difficult time finding comfortable shoes, bought another pair of the Merrells in a different color as soon as I got back home.

Easy Spirit makes some comfortable sandals. They come in wide also.

I swear by Merrill Agave sandals. I have them in black and have worn them on many vacations that involved sightseeing and extensive walking. They look nice with pants, capris, casual dresses/skirts. They are not clunky but yet have extensive support.

http://www.agavesandals.com/

I love my keens for walking up streams, which I actually have to do sometimes for work. But my feet get sweaty with the rubber foot beds. Whatever you choose, go for leather or suede footbed. Suede feels best to me in the summer.

The ones that didn't work for me:

FitFlop - didn't fit my high arches.

Vionic -- I gave away.

Olukai - were too heavy and made my toes cramp and calves ache

The ones that work:

Munro America 'Zena' - I have the blue and the tan. Comfortable, stylish, and I can walk miles without any pain. (I have a bone spur in my left hip)

Dansko - i have a pair that I've worn for two years, but it's discontinued. It's a platform, but not high. Extremely comfortable. Stylish for a comfort sandal. Mine has narrow straps, not the wide ones, and it has a back strap to hold my foot in.