Top 20 Typical Tourist Souvenirs

Adorable to look at, but most likely won't be worn except at Halloween or fancy dress parties.  If you're thinking of buying a miniature one for a niece or nephew, they will hate it.The travel magnet is perfect for anyone with a fridge who actually posts items on their fridge.  Often found it cute designs, be sure to look for one that won't damage to easily if it falls to the ground.The shot glass is cheap, small and easy to pack for the rest of your travels. It's the perfect generic gift for your shot drinking friend.View the list »
A woman looks in the window of a souvenir shop on Whitehall selling Union Flag-themed gifts for the Diamond Jubilee weekend on June 2, 2012 in London, England.

International Travel newsletter

One of the best things about traveling is all the shopping you get to do, even if most of it is souvenir shopping. Your excitement will entice you to buy souvenirs, most of which will end up a drawer only to gather dust.

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Here is a list of the most typical tourist souvenirs.

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  • The shot glass is cheap, small and easy to pack for the rest of your travels. It's the perfect generic gift for your shot drinking friend.
  • The travel magnet is perfect for anyone with a fridge who actually posts items on their fridge.  Often found it cute designs, be sure to look for one that won't damage to easily if it falls to the ground.
  • Adorable to look at, but most likely won't be worn except at Halloween or fancy dress parties.  If you're thinking of buying a miniature one for a niece or nephew, they will hate it.
  • These winter wonderlands are beautiful to look at. Just take care when packing them in suitcases and make sure they are not a banned item in your country.
  • These beautiful cards are sometimes too lovely to send. If they are posted in the mail, more often than not you tend to arrive home to friends before they do. 
  • They are a picturesque keepsake and a great collectors item for anyone who enjoys stamp collecting.  Perhaps in a few years it might be worth something.
  • The picture frame usually has tourist icons of the country or city you're visiting. They can be tacky and colorful or modern and plain colored.
  • A favorite when visiting Russia, these furry hats are a popular souvenir for travelers.  If you're worried about the use animal fur in the product, there are many synthetic hats, and they're cheaper too.
  • The pencil and pen is the perfect generic item that can be given to anyone. You can even select multiple designs just in case the person is picky.
  • The hat may seem like a good idea at the time, but when worn outside it's destination, it can feel a bit odd.  Even worse, if the city you are visiting happens to be rivals with the city on your hat.
  • Upon first glance, the branded bag or purse looks like the perfect souvenir. It's useful, has the name of the city, and looks decent.  Then when you visit another city and find the exact same bags with a different city name, they start to feel a bit tacky.
  • The street art seems like a great addition to your art collection. That is until you realized they're mass produced prints. Good luck transporting those prints.
  • You can buy a miniature figurine of most of your favorite landmarks. Big Ben, Eiffel Tour, windmills, castles you name it, they've made it.
  • You can get towels of all your favorite phrases, places, and pictures. Best of all, you can start using it right away if you're near the beach.
  • Almost every country has their own coin, which makes it a great souvenir for avid coin collectors. Just remember that some coins may be worth a lot more than their size would indicate.
  • The tacky T-shirt is another favorite that rarely gets worn outside of the destination. The most popular ones are "I heart 'insert city name' " and "My son went to 'insert city name' and all I got was this stupid t-shirt"
  • Matryoshka dolls in the likeness of Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin and U.S. President Barack Obama stand on display at a souvenir stall. You can also get bobble heads in other famous faces.
  • Stuffed animals are a great gift for the plush loving person. These plush toys are outfitted in the traditional clothing that tourists love.
  • Cigarette lighters are a nice souvenir for any smoker. Just make sure it doesn't get confiscated on the way through security at the airport.
  • These colorful pins can be added to your backpack or bag for wonderful reminders of your trip.  Lightweight and small you can buy as many as you like.
View the list

, Toronto International Travel Examiner

Jenny Truong is Travel blogger and vlogger who has traveled to over 50 countries in Europe, Asia, and Latin America. From almost getting pick-pocketed, to bargaining in markets, she has gathered tips and stories throughout her travels.

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