Marly
- Apr 18
- 8 min read

Unique Souvenir Ideas & The Best Places to Buy Every Gift

Updated: Aug 30

Depending on how frequently you’ve had the pleasure of hitting the road or flying to faraway places you may have become keenly aware of how global our economy really is. It can sometimes feel very difficult to find novelty or surprise when traveling because so many of the best things from around the world are available right at home. This is especially true when shopping for cool souvenirs and great gifts.

From food to fashion, art, and more we're fortunate to have two-day delivery or the internet to help us enjoy all that the world has to offer. But, nothing beats experiencing the real thing at the source. Not to mention all the wonderful travel memories you will collect along the way.

In all my years of shopping at home and abroad, I have found the following items to make useful or creative travel souvenirs and best gifts. On our list of the best souvenirs you will find unique souvenir ideas for family members or anyone on your list.

4 Pro Tips for Finding Creative & Unique Souvenirs While Traveling

Cost

Depending on your country of origin, you may have to pay additional taxes on any items over a certain cost threshold when returning to the united states or your home country. If you plan to shop for items in the hundreds or thousands of dollar range it would be worth looking into customs import rules for your country. At this price point, the retailer may offer free shipping that would also take care of the import costs as part of their service.

Size

Space becomes particularly valuable if you don’t typically check your luggage. As a general rule, I travel with an international carry-on size suitcase for all trips including two weeks stay in Europe. So, saving extra space to bring items home can be quite challenging. For this reason, buying non-breakable items is a great way to ensure your souvenir gifts make it home safely

Government Regulations

(for international travel)

Going through airport security is hassle enough but international travel brings the additional step of going through customs at your destination and on the return trip to the United States.

However, it's important to remember the many reasons why TSA and Customs officers are in everyone's best interests. Designed to keep passengers and their luggage safe as well as limit the possibility of unknowingly transporting invasive species or diseases between countries.

When shopping for your travel souvenirs, be sure to check with the retailer and your country's import laws to ensure that the items you intend to bring home are safe for airline transport. Sometimes regulations can be as specific as notating the size, quantity, or way an item is packaged in order to be safe for transit. This is especially true for things like food souvenirs.

This is most commonly the case for food or plant matter like seeds. Make sure to check your government's state department website for updates on any import restrictions.

Visit Souvenir Shops and Tourist Attractions with Caution

If you're truly looking for souvenir items that will make the perfect gift it is important to shop in terms of quality. However, sometimes the tourist attractions can help give you souvenir gift ideas if you're not sure what is popular. But unless you're short on time, are looking for a good deal or there is a themed attraction you know without a doubt someone on your list will love opt for goods from local artisans made in small batches.

The Best Places to Look for Unique Souvenirs on Any Trip

A Museum Gift Shop

One of the most common places to start shopping for cool souvenirs is museums or attraction gift shops. These can be both good and bad depending on the location. If you're visiting multiple museums in an area you can certainly expect to see a lot of the same merchandise at each shop. However, this sometimes makes it easier to spot the unique souvenirs that would make great gifts.

Having a little redundancy can also be useful if you were on the fence about an item but later decided it would be the best gift for someone on your list. So there are upsides to both ends of the equation which is also one of the fun things about shopping. It's all about searching for that perfect gift.

Local Shops

Sometimes expensive but many times not, local boutiques can be a great place to find souvenirs your friends and family back home won't be able to buy.

If you're lucky and have a knack for striking up conversation you may meet the shop owner who will also be a wealth of knowledge about the local community. They will be able to direct you to specific items in their shop, recommend other local markets or give you some of their best souvenir ideas based on the local culture.

Local businesses and boutiques include any kind of shop you may have at home but what makes them unique is their product line and the limited places where you could purchase their specific product line.

Region Specific Specialty Shops for Souvenir Gift Ideas

The key distinction between local shops and region-specific specialty shops is that a boutique may exist in your area but their uniqueness comes from the specific selection of products they offer that are not available in your hometown. For example, there are thousands of shoe shops in the United States and there will be dozens or thousands wherever your travels takes you but the specific brands each shop carries will likely be unfamiliar to what you have seen at home.

Region-specific specialty shops would be a genre of local markets that are renowned in a specific area. For example, wooden clogs in The Netherlands. You could purchase wooden clogs elsewhere but it would be a little tricky to make a good purchase and know what you're getting. It would be much easier in the Netherlands as there happens to be a higher concentration of these specific shops in that region. The same would be true for things like fresh pasta from Italy, or ham from Spain.

These region-specific specialties are becoming tougher and tougher to come by but when you find one it can really open your eyes to the value and quality of that specific product. Hunting for a great souvenir this way gives you the opportunity to connect with local artists and uncover many different types of souvenirs you may not have considered previously. Best of all you'll learn something and have a story to share too. What a fun way to make travel memories.

Places for Inexpensive Souvenir Ideas

A local grocery store, flea market and sometimes even convenience stores can have small novel items that would make great gifts. Grocery stores in particular are one of the best places to buy a cheap souvenir. If anyone on your gift list has a favorite candy, consider bringing some back for them. Comparing the packaging, and flavors to their favorite at home is a fun way to share an experience.

The Best Unique Souvenir Ideas for Anyone On Your List

Reusable Grocery or Shopping Tote Bags

What started as a necessity for grocery shopping in Europe soon turned into one of my favorite gifts. In nearly any destination you can find a variety of tote bags ranging from a few dollars to upwards of twenty or thirty dollars in a range of different designs.

One of my favorite totes I’ve kept for myself is from the Victoria and Albert Museum in London which features a classic William Morris print from the 1900s. I use the simple canvas bag all the time for running errands, on road trips, or as an occasional overnight bag. It's sturdy, beautiful, and holds great amazing memories.

Another style tote I always keep an eye out for is nylon bags that fold into a tiny pouch the size of a deck of cards. These bags are great because of their compact size. They can be kept in the car, easily packed in a suitcase, or put in a jacket pocket for any grocery or other shopping occasion that may require a bag. These style bags have become increasingly popular in museum gift shops and often come in a variety of styles featuring notable artworks.

Tea or Dish Towel

Unique, useful, easy to stow, and great decorative items. Tea or dish towels are a perfect souvenir because they’re a really practical and universal type of gift to give. If you have a recipient in mind and can match colors to coordinate with their kitchen wonderful!

If not, it may serve as the inspiration for a modest kitchen refresh. I find tea towels an enjoyable gift because they make a great conversation starter for you or anyone you might plan to gift the towel to. They also don't require much space in your luggage which is also a plus.

Lens Cloth

Slightly less common than the other items on our list but worth keeping an eye out for. If you know anyone with glasses, you may have noticed they tend to have glass-cleaning clothes tucked everywhere. Or maybe you wear glasses and know how easily and often your glasses are being smudged. Having an extra lens cloth or two is always a good idea. Why not have a few to remind you of your favorite places or things.

I recently found a few beautifully printed lens clothes at a museum gift shop that I was excited to gift. They’re very affordable, useful, and easy to fit into already stuffed luggage. Another great thing about lens cloths is that they’re generally a very unisex item and can be given to virtually everyone since they can be used on electronic screens too.

Holiday Ornaments

Ok, holiday or Christmas ornaments have been around as souvenirs forever and might actually be one of the most classic souvenir ideas. However, it’s about the type of ornament. I think buying ornaments for anyone on your list that has themed décor is a great idea and way to help them add even more joy to their christmas tree.

Not everyone will want an ornament with the name of the destination you visited, and it probably won’t have much meaning or value to them if they've never been. But, if, for example, they have a collection of snowmen on their tree it would be fun to find a small snowman to bring back from a unique location.

Hand Lotion / Small Beauty Products

Make sure it's less than 3oz for TSA. Bringing back cosmetics from different destinations, usually, Europe, can make fun and interesting stocking-stuffer-type gifts.

Anything from hand lotion to lip balm, sample size lotions, and more. These items are great gifts because they don’t have to be expensive. This way, if the recipient isn’t a fan it's not a big loss for anyone. They’re also useful because almost anyone can use an extra hand lotion in a purse, desk, or car console.

Often European drug stores carry a variety of notable brands at affordable prices compared to the post-import markup in the US. Better yet, you may come across quality products that haven’t made it to the United States at all.

When in Doubt Opt for the Most Classic Souvenir Ideas

Coffee Mugs

look for ones made by local artists for a unique twist

Shot Glasses

Tasting tours have been a long time favorite among tourist attractions. Consider collecting the tasting classes or purchasing a small shot glass or other token from each place you visit.

Snow Globes

a cherished classic that's fun for children and adults a like. They come in so many different sizes now making it easier to transport them.

Local Currency

sometimes it can be fun to commemorate a trip by holding on to some of the local currency to compare to your usual money. This is also become a more unique type of memento since paper money is becoming less and less common.

Coffee Table Books

though sometimes heavy, a coffee table book is a great way to commemorate your travels and have pages of beauitul professional photographs to remind you of the trip and help you share the experience with your family members.

Fridge Magnets

These make a great inexpensive souvenir. However, they are becoming a little more difficult to enjoy as many new refrigerators are not magnetic on the front anymore. So keep this in mind when you're picking out the type of souvenirs you want to bring home.

Wrap Up

When you’re traveling it’s fun to share the experience with friends and family members. Though there’s always video chat, finding a unique souvenir or two makes a great gift for birthdays holidays, or just because.

Before each trip, it’s always a great idea to do a little research about the local culture and specialties to get a feel for what you may want to bring home. However, if you ever find yourself struggling with ideas, I hope this article will serve as a trusted source of inspiration regardless of your destination.

Do you have any other unique souvenir ideas that didn’t make the list? Share them below!