Atlanta is one of those cities where you could easily come home with a suitcase full of food.
Georgia peaches might get most of the attention, but there are plenty of other things worth bringing home from Atlanta, from pecans and locally made sauces to artwork and products from some of the city’s most recognizable attractions.
When I am souvenir shopping, I usually look for something we will actually eat, use or display rather than something that is going to end up forgotten in a drawer.
If you are wondering what to buy in Atlanta, here are a few souvenirs worth looking for.
Best Souvenirs From Atlanta
Georgia Peach Products
You can’t talk about Georgia souvenirs without starting with peaches.
Fresh peaches aren’t exactly the easiest souvenir to pack, but there are plenty of peach-flavoured products that travel much better.
Look for peach preserves, jam, salsa, hot sauce, candy and other locally made products. They are easy to pack, relatively inexpensive and make great gifts.
Just make sure you check customs regulations before bringing food products home internationally.
Georgia Pecans
Pecans are another easy Georgia souvenir, especially if you prefer bringing home something edible.
You will find everything from plain roasted pecans to pralines, chocolate-covered pecans and flavoured varieties.
They are also easy to throw into your luggage without taking up much room, which automatically gives them bonus points in my books.
Atlanta Art and Prints
For something that lasts longer than a bag of pecans, look for artwork depicting Atlanta.
That could be a print of the city skyline, an illustration of a favourite neighbourhood or artwork featuring one of Atlanta’s recognizable landmarks.
Small prints are one of my favourite souvenirs because they are lightweight, easy to pack and don’t take up much room once you get home.
If you find one featuring somewhere you actually visited, it also becomes a reminder of a particular part of your trip rather than simply another piece of decor.
Local Hot Sauce and BBQ Sauce
Atlanta is a good place to look for locally made sauces, particularly if you like bringing home flavours from the places you visit.
BBQ sauce is an obvious choice, but keep an eye out for hot sauces and other condiments made by Georgia producers as well.
These are another easy gift, although glass bottles require a little more thought when packing. Wrap them well and put them in your checked luggage if they are over the carry-on liquid limit.
Coca-Cola Souvenirs
Atlanta is home to Coca-Cola, so this is one city where a Coca-Cola souvenir actually has a connection to the destination.
If you visit the World of Coca-Cola, you will find plenty of branded merchandise ranging from clothing and glassware to retro-style signs and collectibles.
I wouldn’t necessarily fill my suitcase with Coca-Cola merchandise, but if you have someone in the family who loves the brand, Atlanta is certainly the place to pick something up.
Atlanta Sports Gear
Sports fans have plenty of options in Atlanta.
Depending on who you follow, you can look for merchandise from the Atlanta Braves, Falcons, Hawks, Dream or Atlanta United.
For kids and teens who couldn’t care less about souvenir shopping, a hat or shirt from a team they like is often a much better choice than trying to convince them they need a decorative Atlanta magnet.
And if seeing a game was part of your trip, the souvenir has an actual memory attached to it.
Something From a Favourite Atlanta Attraction
Some of the best souvenirs come from the places you actually visit.
Instead of heading straight for a generic souvenir shop, look at the gift shops at Atlanta’s museums, attractions and historic sites.
Books, artwork, clothing and smaller keepsakes tied to something you experienced on the trip tend to have much more meaning later.
It is the difference between remembering that you went to Atlanta and remembering exactly what you did while you were there.
Where to Buy Souvenirs in Atlanta
You don’t need to limit your shopping to traditional souvenir stores.
Markets, museum shops, independent boutiques and neighbourhood shopping districts can be much better places to find locally made food, artwork and gifts.
Atlanta is also a city where you will see a surprising variety of beautiful properties as you explore. Historic homes, gardens, hotels and estates are found throughout the area, and some of the wedding venues in Atlanta are destinations in their own right, showcasing the architecture and green spaces you might not expect when you first picture the city.
Wherever you shop, look for products actually made in Atlanta or elsewhere in Georgia. Those are the souvenirs that tell you something about the destination rather than simply having “Atlanta” printed across them.
Atlanta Souvenirs I’d Skip Next Time
I would skip most of the mass-produced souvenirs that you could buy in virtually any major city with a different name printed on them.
Unless you collect shot glasses, keychains or magnets, there are much more interesting ways to spend your souvenir budget in Atlanta.
I would also be careful with bulky or fragile items, especially if you are flying home.
Georgia pecans, peach preserves, a small art print or something connected to an experience you had in Atlanta is much easier to pack and far more likely to remind you of the trip once you are home.
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Lindsay Nieminen hails from Vancouver, Canada and shares her love of travel on this website. She is passionate about showing others that they should not put off traveling the world just because they have children or are single parents. She aims to encourage them to seek out adventure, whether it is at home or abroad by providing information on how just about everywhere can be a destination to explore as a family.