Non-Touristy Souvenirs for a Tourist

Jun 30

Some of the best parts of any kind of trip you take is snagging a kitschy souvenir. A postcard, magnet, keychain, mug, t-shirt… all pretty basic commemorative items. While I still love to get some of these things too, try getting something totally different that (more than likely) won’t collect dust. Here are a few tips for your next souvenirs!

Buy Locally

Support the hole-in-the-walls or little shops that make the place you’re in unique and more meaningful. Giving to the local economy and purchasing from places that also align with the local culture is a small, awesome way to make your trip memorable. I’ve bought leather goods in Florence, intricate & handcrafted bowls in Santorini, and more. Consider shopping small next time you’re on a trip!

Playing Cards

Probably the biggest collection of a single souvenir I have! I started collecting decks of cards from countries + cities I went to abroad years ago and just about all of them are pretty worn with love. It’s compact and is something I use regularly as game nights are frequent in my world. If playing cards aren’t your thing, consider something else that is small & useful — I bought Van Gogh coasters in Amsterdam and my cups resting on top of them just feel more FANCY and ~ cultural ~

Photographs

It might sound cheesy, but sometimes just letting pictures speak for your experiences is sufficient. They can paint a story of a moment better than a postcard or magnet can. I am a huge proponent of being present — few things bring me greater joy than to not have wifi while I’m traveling and to truly disconnect, but I believe there are moments made for capturing in your travel story.

Receipts

No one wants to keep a bunch of receipts, but hear me out! Creating a collage or scrapbook of your ticket stubs, receipts, etc. is a cool way to remember where you’ve been and what you’ve done! In college I pinned a long piece of yarn to the wall and used clothespins to create a timeline of my time studying abroad via leftover tickets, brochures, postcards, and receipts. It helped build the framework of what all I did in 3 months! If you like to hold onto those things after a trip, consider doing something useful with them instead of letting them just sit in a box.