The Best Souvenirs From North Carolina: What to Bring Home

North Carolina is one of those states where the souvenirs can be almost as varied as the trip itself.

You have the mountains in the west, cities like Charlotte and Raleigh, small towns, barbecue traditions and miles of coastline along the Atlantic. That means you don’t have to settle for a generic North Carolina t-shirt when you are looking for something to bring home.

I usually look for souvenirs that we will actually eat, use or display once we get home. Even better if they remind us of something we actually did on the trip.

If you are wondering what to buy in North Carolina, here are a few North Carolina souvenirs worth keeping an eye out for.

Best Souvenirs From North Carolina

North Carolina BBQ Sauce

Barbecue is serious business in North Carolina, and a bottle of sauce is one of the easiest tastes of the state to bring home.

North Carolina is particularly known for its vinegar-based sauces, although the style varies depending on where you are in the state.

Look for a sauce made by a local restaurant or North Carolina producer rather than grabbing a generic bottle at the airport.

Just remember that BBQ sauce needs to go into your checked luggage if the bottle is larger than the carry-on liquid allowance.

North Carolina Peanuts

If you prefer edible souvenirs, keep an eye out for North Carolina-grown peanuts and locally made peanut products.

They are inexpensive, easy to pack and make an easy gift if you need to bring something home for someone but don’t want another decorative souvenir.

Flavoured or roasted peanuts are also considerably less likely to sit forgotten in a cupboard than a souvenir mug.

Cheerwine

Cheerwine is one of those products that is closely associated with North Carolina, making it a fun souvenir if you can’t easily find it at home.

The cherry-flavoured soft drink originated in Salisbury, North Carolina, and you will find both the drink itself and Cheerwine-inspired products around the state.

Bringing glass bottles home on a flight might be more effort than they are worth, but candies, clothing or other Cheerwine products can be much easier to pack.

Local Art and Prints

Artwork is one of my favourite souvenirs because you can choose something that represents the part of North Carolina you actually visited.

In the mountains, that might be a print of the Blue Ridge Mountains.

Along the coast, look for paintings or photographs featuring beaches, lighthouses, fishing boats and the Atlantic.

A small print takes up almost no space in your luggage and can be framed when you get home.

Coastal North Carolina Souvenirs

If your North Carolina trip takes you to the coast, I would wait and do some of your souvenir shopping there.

Beach towns are good places to look for locally made artwork, jewelry, coastal home decor and products from small businesses rather than buying something generic elsewhere in the state.

Atlantic Beach is one place where you can combine a beach vacation with exploring the Crystal Coast. If you are researching things to do in Atlantic Beach, leave some time for wandering local shops while you are there. Something connected to a beach, lighthouse or experience you actually visited will probably mean more later than a generic North Carolina souvenir.

I would avoid taking shells, sand or anything else from protected natural areas as a souvenir. Buy something from a local artist instead and leave the beach where you found it.

North Carolina Pottery

North Carolina has a long pottery tradition, making ceramics a particularly meaningful souvenir if you have room in your luggage.

Look for bowls, mugs, serving pieces and decorative pottery made by North Carolina artists.

This isn’t the easiest souvenir to fly home with, but if you are road-tripping through the state, pottery becomes a much more practical option.

North Carolina-Made Food Products

Beyond barbecue sauce and peanuts, grocery stores, markets and specialty food shops can be excellent places to souvenir shop.

Look for locally made jams, honey, hot sauces, candies and other products made in North Carolina.

Grocery stores are actually one of my favourite places to look for edible souvenirs. Prices are often better than at tourist shops, and you can find products locals actually buy.

Something From Your North Carolina Adventure

Some of the best souvenirs aren’t things you specifically went shopping for.

It might be a hat from a rafting trip, a shirt from a favourite brewery, something from a museum gift shop or a piece of artwork you found in a beach town.

I like these souvenirs because they are attached to a memory.

Instead of simply reminding you that you went to North Carolina, they remind you what you did while you were there.

Where to Buy Souvenirs in North Carolina

Where you shop will depend heavily on where you are traveling in North Carolina.

In cities, look for markets, independent boutiques, museum gift shops and stores carrying North Carolina-made products.

In mountain and coastal communities, spend some time browsing locally owned shops and galleries. These are often where you will find products made by artists and small businesses from the surrounding area.

And don’t overlook grocery stores and farmers markets, particularly if food is what you want to bring home.

North Carolina Souvenirs I’d Skip Next Time

I would skip most generic souvenirs that could come from anywhere with “North Carolina” printed across the front.

There are too many locally made foods, pieces of art and regional products available to settle for something you don’t really want.

I would also be careful with anything bulky or fragile if you are flying.

A bottle of local sauce, small art print, bag of North Carolina peanuts or something you picked up during an experience is easy to bring home and much more likely to remind you of the trip.