Keychains are great, but you can get more creative with your souvenirs. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Souvenirs
should be cherished or consumed with joy. They should never be dust
catchers, but rather a collection of memories strung by the thread of
your life.
Yahoo
Travel went in search of the best things to take home from your
journeys in all fifty states, either for yourself, or for the poor saps
you left back home. The list reads like a treasure hunt of Americana
through food, crafts, and even plain old tackiness. Use it as a trip
planner if you will, because the travel of finding these fifty bits of
memorabilia is the treasure itself.
Alabama
Dip
southern pecans into the sweetness of gooey praline, then roll them in
dusty sugar for a delight that will make you dream of Alabama forever.
Try these from Wood Pecan Co.
Alaska
The crafting of wooden bowls for decoration and utility is an art quietly slipping away, but not at the Great Alaskan Bowl Company in Fairbanks.
Arizona
Cactus candy from the Arizona Cactus Candy Company makes for a silly reminder of all that cactus you have driven past.
Arkansas
There is no better souvenir than one found, rather than purchased. An actual diamond from Crater of Diamonds State Park would certainly top the list of amazing things you might find in Arkansas.
California
Take home a few rocks from Glass Beach. (Photo: Thinkstock)
Beach glass from “Glass Beach” at MacKerricher State Park also falls into the find-it-yourself treasure category. Take along a tiny glass jar to store your collection in.
Colorado
You can set out rockhounding in Colorado to find mineral treasure on your own but an easier route is to stop by the Rock Doc in Nathrop first for advice or to buy the finest specimens.
Connecticut
Glass art from The Company of Craftsmen in Mystic adds beauty to any travel collection.
Delaware
The latest seasonal brew from Dogfish Head Craft Brewery is
to be sampled, savored, and collected for enjoyment with your buds back
home. The hard part may be sharing your stash once you get it there.
Florida
Crazy painted hermit crabs from Florida Marine Research (found at souvenir shops throughout the state) are easy to care for and bring a tiny piece of Florida into your home.
Georgia
Of course you need boiled peanuts when you visit Georgia. Take some home from Hardy Farms.
Hawaii
Take home some goodies from the Dole Plantation. (Photo: Dole Plantation)
You
can ship actual fruit home, but it will never taste as good as it did
in the islands. Instead, try the chocolate covered pineapple from the Dole Plantation. It’s the perfect way to put that pineapple smile back on your face.
Idaho
Potatoes are kind of an Idaho thing in case you hadn’t noticed. Potato soup mix from Idaho Taters brings your Idaho memories back in a warm way.
Illinois
Wrigley Field is
the second oldest ballpark in the country. There are certainly
souvenirs you can buy at the park, but the only one you actually need is
your ticket stub.
Indiana
Popcorn from Not Just Popcorn is a staple souvenir from The Crossroads of America. The dark chocolate is a sure winner.
Iowa
A die cast truck, a Kenworth perhaps, makes a fun reminder from the biggest truckstop in the country– Iowa 80 Truckstop.
Kansas
Brisket is just the gift that keeps giving. (Photo: Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ)
After you have gorged on Kansas ‘que, take home some sauce from Fiorella’s Jack Stack BBQ to share with those unlucky enough not to have shared your feast.
Kentucky
Once
you have toured the distillery and bought a bit of bourbon to take
home, you’ll need some help figuring out what to do with it. Start with
the Maker’s Mark Mixologist Gift Set.
Louisiana
There’s surely a chance that someone in your life needs a Voodoo doll from Marie Laveau’s House of Voodoo.
Maine
You
really need a lobster keychain from just about any souvenir shop to
remind you that the key to good lobster is a return trip to Maine.
Maryland
And you need a crab keychain for the same reason that you need a lobster keychain from Maine.
Massachusetts
Wicked Walnuts from these stores are the perfect reminder of the wicked good time you had in Massachusetts.
Michigan
So it’s not the real thing, but you can take home your own piece of Ford memorabilia with this die-cast model. (Photo: Ford)
If you can’t go home with an actual muscle car, maybe a die-cast model from the Henry Ford Museum gift shop will work as a stand in.
Minnesota
Take home some Legos from the Mall of America, because where else can you experience such a shopping fantasyland?
Mississippi
Any souvenir from Sharkheads
in Biloxi will work, because the fun is just to walk through those
teeth at the doorway, and it’s rude to do that and not buy something
inside.
Missouri
Take home the taste of Missouri in a jar. Levee Mercantile Pumpkin Butter is available in the lobby gift shop of the Gateway Arch.
Montana
A sapphire from Sapphire Gallery should be in your possession when you leave the state. Because everyone needs a few.
Nebraska
Antiques from the heartland are an everyday find in The Old Market neighborhood in Omaha.
Nevada
Anything you buy at Gold and Silver Pawn,
home of the Pawn Stars is a souvenir with a story behind it. You can
always just go for the new talking bobble-head dolls of the show’s
stars.
New Hampshire
This year the top souvenir would be presidential campaign buttons. You can find them almost anywhere.
New Jersey
Try not to eat all of the taffy before you get it home. (Photo: Shriver’s)
Salt water taffy from Shriver’s is the perfect souvenir from your visit to the shore.
New Mexico
You have got to get some Hatch green chilis.
If you can’t make it to Hatch when they are fresh in late summer, shop
the supermarkets in Albuquerque and Santa Fe for some frozen Hatch to
take home.
New York
Take home a snow globe from Radio City Music Hall, because nobody does Christmas like the Rockettes.
North Carolina
An ornament (or three) from McAddenville is really the only souvenir you need to remind you of your visit to Christmas Town, U.S.A.
North Dakota
Fargo has plenty of unique shopping venues to explore, but stop for the now-famous chocolate-covered potato chips from Carol Widman’s Candy Company before you leave town.
Ohio
Grab a jersey of your favorite player at the Pro Football Hall of Fame. (Photo: Hall of Fame)
A jacket from the Pro Football Hall of Fame in Canton will make you a standout at football games the rest of the season.
Oklahoma
Buffalo jerky from the Red Dirt Emporium gives you a flavorful, but unique reminder of your visit to OKC.
Oregon
Is
there any question that you will be eating salmon while in Portland?
The easiest way to take some home to share or enjoy later is smoked from
Browne Trading Company.
Pennsylvania
Snag as many bags of Kisses as you can stuff into your luggage from Hershey World. They have flavors that you cannot get anywhere else.
Rhode
Island Rhode Island Rocks chocolate-covered pretzel mix from these stores is a perfect blend of sweet and salty—kind of like Rhode Islanders.
South Carolina
Sweetgrass hand-woven baskets are the prime souvenir target from Charleston. Shop the Charleston City Market for a wide selection.
South Dakota
In addition to your presidential trinkets from Mount Rushmore, take home some honey from Black Hills Honey Farm.
Tennessee
Soak in the memory of Elvis Presley. (Photo: Graceland)
Stationary from your room in the Heartbreak Hotel, or maybe a selfie taken in the heart-shaped pool are far better souvenirs from Graceland than most people will take home.
Texas
Get yourself some Blue Bell Ice Cream. Because you can.
Utah
Polished petrified wood from Rock pick Legend Company is a tactile reminder of the state with a rough exterior and a highly polished and colorful interior.
Vermont
Load up on maple syrup from Sugarbush Cheese and Maple Farm. Because you must.
Virginia
There will be peanuts of course. But stop and get some from The Virginia Shop at the Library of Virginia for a peek at the state’s (and our nation’s) history.
Washington
A cresting wave paperweight. (Photo: Glass Eye Studio)
Get a paperweight to end all paperweights from Glass Eye Studio purchased at one of the exclusive and artsy Made in Washington Stores. Each piece includes ash from Mt. Saint Helens. How cool is that?
West Virginia
Glass beads from Fenton Art Glass are no longer in production, making them an even more prized memento of your trip.
Wisconsin
In
your rush to try every small craft brewery in the country, don’t forget
to salute the old guard. Take home a beer stein from the gift shop at
the Pabst Blue Ribbon Brewery.
Wyoming
Get a hoodie from Yellowstone National Park,
because a t-shirt just doesn’t cut it on a chilly fall night in
Yellowstone. You’ll be snuggling in it all winter, remembering your
trip.
WATCH: Taste Testing Greenland’s Finest Microbrew Beers
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