7 Of The Best Free Souvenirs To Collect While Traveling

Traveling is definitely not the most budget-friendly hobby—but that doesn’t mean you can’t find ways to take a hotel on the cheaper side. Cutting out expensive souvenirs or impulse purchases made abroad can be one of the quickest ways to lessen your expenses.

The following travelers each have their own unique souvenirs that they collect while traveling—but the best part is that all of these travel memories are totally free of charge.

Here are some of the best free souvenirs to collect while traveling:

Hotel Pens

“I like to collect branded ink pens when traveling,” suggested Alex Smith, owner of Second Dad to the Right, adding that most nice hotels, restaurants, and theme parks have branded ink pens and are happy to let you have them (after all, they’re branded for marketing). “I just ask to take them as I pay the check. Then, they remind me of my trip when I use them at home. As a bonus, they’re usually good quality.”

Maps and Pamphlets

“I like picking up free maps, pamphlets, or flyers when traveling and placing them in a portfolio binder with plastic sleeves,” said Kay A. owner of Tiny Tot In Tokyo. “This is a great way to remember a country or city at a particular point in time, especially with flyers, since things are always changing.”

Leaves and Flower Petals

“If you like nature or have kids, like I do, collecting nature rubbings from fallen leaves and flower petals in a notebook or sketchbook using colorful crayons is a fun way to remember a trip,” says A. “Best of all, it costs nothing, you’re leaving local plants in their homeland, and you get a unique souvenir that likely no one else has.”

Coasters and Napkins

“Paper coasters and paper napkins are another favorite free souvenir of mine,” said A. “They’re a wonderful yet practical reminder of a bar, cafe, or restaurant that I visited. You can use them in your home but I choose to display my favorite ones.”

Bottle Caps

“Antique-style bottle caps from the local restaurant or pub is an easily packable keepsake,” said Charli Penn, executive lifestyle director at Apartment Therapy. “Once you’re home you can start a collection of these items from your travels in a curio or display box to share some of your favorite memories with family and friends.”

Heart-Shaped Rocks

“This is an idea I took from my favorite high school science teacher, Mrs. Suchanek. I scour wherever we go for rocks, shells, or bits of driftwood that are shaped like hearts,” said Ashley Schuering, founder of The Grocery Addict. “Now we take it a step further: my hubby got me a rock polisher to fulfill a childhood dream, so I use it to shine them up for prettier presentation around the house.”

Restaurant Menus

“As a food blogger, food is always a big part of our travels. I love collecting restaurant menus (or snapping pics of them, depending on the place), then coming home and trying to recreate our favorite meals,” said Schuering. “Some places will even give you a rough recipe if you ask!”