5 Great Travel Souvenirs

Who doesn’t like to shop and buy souvenirs when travelling? However, if you are flying to and from your destination packing space can be limited.  Souvenir shopping can also get out of hand fast and blow your budget.  Shopping may be fun at the time you are doing it, but you might be paying for it later.  Buying travel souvenirs doesn’t always have to be this way. 

You can still have fun, shop smart, and bring home a little piece of your trip back home so when you look back at the item you can remember all the good times you had.  Here is our top 5 Best Travel Souvenirs:

1) Christmas Ornaments

At our home we have a travel tree at Christmastime.  We buy an ornament on every trip we take so when we get home and decorate our tree year after year we think back on each memory as we place the ornament on the tree. 

Ornaments can be found at almost any travel destination and will often have the year and the location written on them.  Sometimes you can even get lucky and find handmade ornaments by local artists.  We have hand painted and hand stitched ornaments from all over the world. 

2) T-Shirts

T-shirts may seem like the obvious souvenir to purchase on any trip, but there are many uses for them after wearing them.  Travel t-shirts can later be turned into eco-friendly grocery bags, pillow cases, or even memory quilts. 

Project Repat is a website that is very easy to use that can make memory quilts out of your old shirts.  We have used them multiple times and have always had great results.

T-Shirts are an inexpensive souvenir that can be found at almost any location.  Many of the straw markets in the cruise ports will have special deals if you purchase multiples.  Just be cautious of the quality.  You always get what you pay for. 

3) Home Décor

Travel destinations allow for the purchase of unique home décor purchases.  Items such as kitchen towels, nick knacks, and paintings allow you to decorate your home with memories and adventures.  For us it is fun to look around our home and be reminded of all the places we have seen and the memories that came from those destinations. 

Some of the things we have in our home are Disney salt and pepper shakers that we bought on our honeymoon trip, a sea horse candle stick that we purchased on Morgan’s first trip to the beach, and a painting of the Kilauea Lighthouse in Hawaii.  The lighthouse painting is special because we were the first customers to shop in Patrick Ching’s gallery in Princeville, HI.

4) Jewelry/ Accessories

Purchasing jewelry while travelling can not only be space saving for packing, but also for finding one-of-a-kind pieces that are special to your wardrobe.  Many local artists often sell cost-effective jewelry at nearly any destination.  In Key West by the southern most point in the US local artists set up their wares and you can purchase beautiful shell necklaces at reasonable prices. 

In the straw markets of the Bahamas local artists will often have hand woven purses and bracelets for sale.  They also have duty-free shops in many cruise ports and on the cruise ships.  What this means is all items are tax-free for purchase, and with pricier items this can mean big savings for you.  You will have to declare all purchases made in foreign countries to US customs upon arrival. 

5) Magnets

Magnets are usually inexpensive and take up very little space when packing.  Most tourist shops will have small magnets that are specific to your destination.  You can use these when you get home on your fridge as fun reminders of your travels.  Bottle opener magnets can serve two purposes when you get home. Photo magnets can be a special reminder of your trip.

Be careful when packing magnets.  Don’t put them near credit cards as they can deactivate the strip on the card making your card not work. 

Final Thoughts

Buying great travel souvenirs doesn’t have to be tedious or expensive.  You need to find something that speaks to you, and you will have a special keepsake from that time and place.  Travel souvenirs don’t have to be big and bulky.  They can be small and special just the same.  Some of our favorite travel souvenirs include Christmas ornaments, t-shirts, home décor, jewelry, and magnets and can be found at almost any travel destination for reasonable prices. 

Ready to start making your own memories? Contact us at amberh@destinationsinflorida.com to start planning your next dream vacation.  While you are planning check out our 5 Fun Things to Do with Kids While Travelling. Remember… Life’s Short… Take the Trip!