# Travel souvenirs - do you have a favorite type? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 9, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750 "2022-03-09T13:52:11Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/1 "2022-03-09T13:52:11Z")
My mom’s fridge is covered in magnets from all over the world. I know other people get shot glasses or collector spoons from places they visit. I used to make sure to buy a t-shirt and a picture postcard, but not so much any longer. Do you buy a particular type of memento of your travels? ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 1:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/2 "2022-03-09T13:58:22Z")
My husband firmly refuses to shop for souvenirs while on vacation. At first, I wanted to buy gifts for the family whenever we went somewhere, but I’ve come to think Mr. Beetle is right. For one thing, I’m terrible at shopping, so it would take forever. And two, we got places to go and things to see besides the inside of a store! We’ve been all over the place and I’ve got nothing to show for it. 🙂 I do tend to pick up pens at the hotel or coasters at the bar or whatever. We bought a scarf in London because I absolutely needed it. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/3 "2022-03-09T14:21:56Z")
Back in the '50s, decals for the car windows were popular. Available in gas stations and gift shops. I remember my folks car having the rear side glass covered on both sides. Now decals have been replaced by opaque adhesive stickers, which are nice, but not really meant for glass I don’t believe. Of course if you sold the car all your souvenirs were gone. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/4 "2022-03-09T14:31:11Z")
> [@FairyChatMom](#): > > My mom’s fridge is covered in magnets from all over the world. For a long time that was our approach. When we moved to our new place we didn’t put up the magnets and haven’t bought any since. I kind of miss them. ---
**Author:** ![Cheesesteak](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cheesesteak/32/3694_2.png) [@Cheesesteak](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cheesesteak)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/5 "2022-03-09T14:31:59Z")
Coffee mugs. At home, we use matching mugs that came with our dinnerware, but at work, I have a collection of mugs to choose from. It’s a brief reminder of places I’ve been without being completely ridiculous. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/6 "2022-03-09T14:55:57Z")
We have a somewhat sizeable cubby-hole shelf thingy, and we get whatever small 3-D item of local iconography (buildings, figurines) looks decent. We don’t _spend_ on souvenirs, but we always get something inexpensive and small. For example, one cubby has: a tiny Chichen Itza (Mexico), St. Stephen’s (Vienna), Old North Church (Boston), Tiki Doll (Hawaii), Lion statue (Hearst Castle). Another cubby: Neuschwanstein Castle (Bavaria, Germany), a Raven (London Tower), a tiny Burj Khalifa (Dubai), Haufbrauhaus beer stein (Munich), an anchor (US Naval Academy, Annapolis). And on and on and on. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/7 "2022-03-09T15:05:29Z")
> [@Telemark](#): > > For a long time that was our approach. When we moved to our new place we didn’t put up the magnets and haven’t bought any since. I kind of miss them. We do that. We are lucky that the kids never really ask for souvenirs so all we come back with is a magnet or two. They were all on the fridge but we recently had our kitchen done and all appliances are built-in. I’m thinking that I’ll put a couple of magnet board on the wall up the stairs and put them all on there instead. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/8 "2022-03-09T15:37:39Z")
I usually get a mug or ball cap, _however_ I do so reluctantly, as they are usually made in China. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/9 "2022-03-09T15:41:16Z")
Mrs. J. brought me home an Odessa Meteorite Crater t-shirt from her Texas travels. ---
**Author:** ![Paintcharge](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/paintcharge/32/7946_2.png) [@Paintcharge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paintcharge)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/10 "2022-03-09T15:41:45Z")
Back when I was travelling a lot for work, I’d get a shot glass from every airport I visited. I’ve got about 20. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/11 "2022-03-09T15:42:52Z")
Yep, fridge magnets; we’ll grab one if we’re someplace new. The word has gotten out, so people send us fridge magnets of where _they’ve_ been on vacation. Also, if some place has those penny stamping machines, we’ll press one. ---
**Author:** ![Hampshire](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hampshire/32/4887_2.png) [@Hampshire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hampshire)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/12 "2022-03-09T15:58:59Z")
My wife started the tradition for us of getting a touristy Christmas tree ornament from wherever we go on vacation. When we get it home we get a sharpie and write the date of the vacation on the bottom or back of it. Our tree each year is covered with a lot of memories and when we can’t remember when we were there we just look at the date on the ornament. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/13 "2022-03-09T15:59:09Z")
T-shirts for me. Maybe a coffee mug if I see one I really like. The problem is, we have reached coffee mug equilibrium at our house. If I buy a new one I have to get rid of an old one. My wife collects patches from National Parks that she has visited. She keeps saying that some day she is going to get a denim jacket and sew all the patches on the back, but so far they are all just sitting in a drawer. ---
**Author:** ![racer72](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/racer72/32/3075_2.png) [@racer72](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/racer72)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/14 "2022-03-09T16:06:31Z")
My wife likes magnets, we have a wall of them in our kitchen. We also have a collection of rocks. I use to collect hats but quit when I quit wearing hats for the most part. Gave about 50 of them to Goodwill a few years ago, I kept 6 favorites that I never wear. ---
**Author:** ![Dung\_Beetle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dung_beetle/32/7945_2.png) [@Dung\_Beetle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dung_Beetle)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/15 "2022-03-09T16:11:11Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > We also have a collection of rocks. Have you ever seen the Lucille Ball movie The Long Long Trailer? Hopefully you’re collecting _little_ rocks. 😁 ---
**Author:** ![solost](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/solost/32/11776_2.png) [@solost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/solost)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/16 "2022-03-09T16:15:19Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I usually get a mug or ball cap… I’m not a big travel souvenir guy, but ball cap is the first thing I thought of, usually because I forget to pack one and want a brim to block the sun when I walk around. ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/17 "2022-03-09T16:16:27Z")
It depends, sometimes magnets in the shape of the state, shot glasses, t-shirts, or Christmas tree ornaments. ---
**Author:** ![romansperson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/romansperson/32/17100_2.png) [@romansperson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/romansperson)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/18 "2022-03-09T16:17:30Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > I usually get a mug or ball cap, _however_ I do so reluctantly, as they are usually made in China. Yes, this. While we do tend to get magnets since they are small and easy to bring back, anything else I might get as a souvenir has to be made in or near the place we’re at. I collect boxes, so a small box made by a local artisan, preferably of materials that are native to the area, is something I’ll definitely pick up. I can buy cheap Chinese shit at home. ---
**Author:** ![joebuck20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/74df32/32.png) [@joebuck20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joebuck20)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/19 "2022-03-09T16:18:00Z")
In recent years I’ve made it a point to get souvenirs from craft breweries in the places I visit - t-shirts, pint glasses, coasters. For one, I really like beer, and two, I like being able to promote a local business or product, rather than just buying a shirt with, say, the name of a beach town slapped on it, similar in design to what I can get in a hundred other beach towns. I have a friend who watches my cat when I go out of town and collects refrigerator magnets. I always get her at least a couple when I got on vacation, and if I’m going on a really long road trip, I try to get her one from every state I travel through. As a result, her fridge door is almost entirely covered in magnets now. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/21906_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [March 9, 2022, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750/20 "2022-03-09T16:28:18Z")
> [@racer72](#): > > We also have a collection of rocks. Whenever a conversation about vacations and camping comes up, my husband and his brothers talk about the time their mother made them carry a bunch of rocks back from a hike because she wanted them in her rock garden. There was nothing particularly interesting about the rocks - she just liked how they looked and she wanted them. Her sons rag her about it 50 years later. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/travel-souvenirs-do-you-have-a-favorite-type/960750.md?page=2)