1. Miniature License Plates
You probably remember spinning the carousel, eyes scanning for your name among a hundred little license plates. If you were lucky, it was there. If not, you settled for a nickname or one letter off. These tiny plates were colorful, personal, and made you feel seen. You clipped them to your backpack, lunchbox, or jacket zipper like a badge of travel honor. “I still have mine from 1978,” one nostalgic collector wrote online. They were simple souvenirs that brought big excitement, and more than a few are tucked into memory boxes to this day.
2. Cedar Wood Trinket Boxes
You could smell these before you saw them, smooth, reddish boxes lined up on gift shop shelves near national parks. Cedar trinket boxes were often stamped with moose, mountains, or the name of a forest trail. Some had music boxes inside, playing tinny versions of “Edelweiss” or “You Are My Sunshine.” Kids used them for friendship pins, rocks, or love notes. The scent still lingers, tucked deep into fabric-lined drawers. They weren’t fancy, but they were perfect. Many are still quietly preserved, hidden in dresser drawers or attic trunks, scent intact and memory-packed.
3. State-Shaped Fridge Magnets
Every family fridge in the ’70s doubled as a travel map. State-shaped magnets, loud, bright, and clunky, clung to the door with pride. They weren’t subtle, but they screamed, “We’ve been there!” Kids collected them like trophies, comparing which states they had and which were missing. They made geography feel fun. “We had nearly the whole East Coast on our fridge,” one commenter on a nostalgia forum recalled. Over time, many migrated to old tins, junk drawers, or magnetic boards packed away. But a few still survive, still sticking strong to someone’s garage fridge or basement freezer.
4. Snow Globes from Amusement Parks
Shake it, flip it, and let the magic swirl. ’70s snow globes were more than tourist kitsch, they were memory traps filled with glitter and pride. Whether it was a national monument or your favorite amusement park, there was something magical about that suspended sparkle. Kids would stare at them like crystal balls. Some even played music or doubled as paperweights. “Mine leaked, but I kept it anyway,” someone said on Facebook. While many cracked or yellowed, a few are still perched on attic shelves, sealed shut with tape and filled with the shimmer of a different decade.
5. Postcard Booklets
Before Instagram, there were accordion-style postcard booklets. Stacked neatly in gift shops, they unfolded into a parade of scenic shots, mountain views, boardwalks, streetcars, or even awkward photos of locals in vintage dress. Parents bought them instead of using film. Kids treated them like picture books from magical lands. You never mailed them, you kept them. “I used to flip through them like a comic book,” said one Reddit user. These souvenirs may have curled at the edges, but many still sit in bins under the bed, patiently holding onto the moments they were meant to capture.
6. Shell Animals and Figurines
Walk into a seaside gift shop in the ’70s and you’d find a whole shelf of these, tiny turtles, owls, or kittens made entirely of seashells. Some had googly eyes. Others wore hats. All were glued together with obvious affection and a lot of Elmer’s. They weren’t sturdy, but they were irresistibly cute. Kids carried them home like beachy trophies, excited to add them to their shelf of “treasures.” Today, they’re a little chipped and maybe missing an eye, but they still bring smiles when found hiding in an old box marked “souvenirs” in the attic.
7. Gemstone Kits from Tours
Whether from a cave tour or museum gift shop, these kits promised real treasure. Glittering, colorful, and carefully labeled, rose quartz, pyrite, obsidian, they felt like ancient secrets packed in plastic. Kids would spread them on the floor and imagine mining adventures or opening a rock shop. “I was convinced mine were worth millions,” a Tumblr user confessed. Some kits came with cardboard trays or glossy identification guides. They weren’t science kits, really, more like imagination starters. Many still live in old jewelry boxes or science fair folders, quietly reminding us how magical a shiny rock once felt.
8. Fake Coonskin Caps
Somewhere between history lesson and dress-up, fake coonskin caps were a rite of passage on 1970s vacations. Inspired by frontier legends like Davy Crockett, these hats made kids feel like explorers, even if they were just standing in the driveway. Made of synthetic fur with a stripy tail, they weren’t exactly stylish, but they sure were unforgettable. “I wore mine to the grocery store for weeks,” one user laughed in a forum post. Today, most are crushed under other toys or stored in plastic bins. Still, one look can take you back to simpler, sillier days.
9. Plastic Tomahawks and Bow-and-Arrow Sets
Vacation stops with historic or “frontier” themes almost always offered these plastic weapons. Kids begged for them, clutched them tightly, then immediately staged battles with siblings in motel parking lots. Made from lightweight plastic, they had neon feathers and foam tips. While these toys haven’t aged well culturally, they were everywhere. “I hit my brother with one during a tour,” someone wrote on Facebook. Today, you might find one in an old toy bin or behind the Christmas decorations. They’re frozen echoes of a time when souvenirs doubled as props for wild backyard adventures.
10. Miniature State Spoons
Elegant but oddly specific, these tiny collectible spoons were a favorite among grandparents. Each one featured a state’s flower, animal, or seal, displayed proudly on a wooden rack in the living room. Kids rarely noticed them, except when they were told not to touch. “My grandma dusted hers weekly,” one X (formerly Twitter) user wrote. Some had engraved handles, others painted enamel heads. You’d find them at most tourist stops, packed in velvet boxes. Now, many rest wrapped in newspaper or bubble wrap, preserved for no one in particular, but too sentimental to throw away.
11. “Wish You Were Here” Ashtrays
Back when smoking was as common as postcards, ashtrays were among the top-selling souvenirs. They came in bold colors, quirky shapes, and cheeky messages like “I Survived the Grand Canyon” or “Hot Times in Palm Springs.” Even non-smokers brought them home as décor. “My parents used one for paperclips,” someone shared online. They were solid, ceramic, and oddly beautiful. While most homes are now smoke-free, these ashtrays sit boxed with glassware, tucked into corners of dusty cabinets, small reminders of a time when a family trip included postcards, pit stops, and maybe a puff or two.
This story 11 Vacation Souvenirs from the ’70s You’ll Still Find in Someone’s Attic was first published on Daily FETCH
