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At least half the fun of going on vacation or traveling to a new small town is shopping for a souvenir you can bring back as a reminder of your stay. While t-shirts and embroidered hats may be the tourist trap du jour, they’re not exactly an exciting way to pay tribute to a family vacation in Maine or a once-in-a-lifetime stay in France. When all is said and done, the most special travel memento is the piece that transports you back to that time and place every time you look at it.
For DIY and interiors creator Alisa Bovino, that piece is an original Hudson River Valley School landscape painting she scored unexpectedly during a trip to the area. “Not only did I get the piece, but the owner invited us in for a tour of her home,” Bovino says of the lucky find. “The story makes the piece even more special, and reminds me of the trip every time I see it.”
The source of that painting? Facebook Marketplace—which makes total sense if you’re one of the 149,000 people who follow Bovino on Instagram. Bovino is known as a sort of Marketplace whisperer; the site has been her go-to sourcing tool for years, and she’s built a loyal audience by showing how to find vintage gems online and turn secondhand pieces into something special.
While Bovino has scored plenty of memorable pieces close to home, she also urges her followers to expand their search radius, both as a means of “training” the algorithm to identify pieces that suit their style, and also as a way of capitalizing on moments where you’re hitting the road on a vacation or have a few extra hours to spare to drive somewhere cool.
“When I’m shopping Facebook Marketplace at home, I’m thinking more logistically,” Bovino explains. “I’m in it for the long run; I check multiple times a day, negotiate, and sometimes even wait months for the perfect piece to pop up. But when I’m traveling, I’m in action mode. It’s more spontaneous and exciting, and I’m not as married to function or scale. It just needs to feel right in my gut and fit in my suitcase—or be able to be shipped!”
Below, Bovino shares her best tips for shopping Facebook Marketplace while traveling or on vacation. Whether you’re looking to bring home a one-of-a-kind souvenir or want to build a weekend trip out of going to fetch an epic find, one thing is for certain: These types of scores beat a touristy t-shirt or fridge magnet any day of the week.
Adjust Your Radius Ahead of Time
For the uninitiated, Facebook Marketplace is a location-based buying and selling platform within Facebook that shows listings from your surrounding area. It also uses your activity—such as the items you click on or save—to personalize your feed and surface more relevant results over time. So, to make the most out of an upcoming trip, you’ll want to venture out of your comfort zone—literally.
“Before I even hit the road, I manually set my Facebook Marketplace radius to around my destination,” explains Bovino. “I usually go with a 20 to 40 mile radius, depending on how far I’m willing to drive once I get to my destination. This gives me time to scout listings and message sellers before I even arrive.” Think of this step as a little preview of the fun to come. In addition to planning restaurant reservations and beach stops, you can also start your “window” shopping a bit early.
Save Anything That Catches Your Eye
One of Bovino’s top tips for using Facebook Marketplace is to save every listing that catches your eye—even if it’s outside your budget or local area. Why? Because the platform’s algorithm is heavily image-based. The more you engage with listings that reflect your taste, the better it gets at showing you similar items—especially when you’re actively hunting, like during a road trip.
Pack (and Plan) Accordingly
Unless you’re taking a U-Haul across the country, now is probably not the time to shop for larger pieces like furniture or case goods. Still, that doesn’t mean you can just pack your suitcase (or your car) without worry.
“If you’re driving, leave some space in your car—I’ve passed on too many dream finds because I didn’t think ahead and leave myself a bit of extra room,” says Bovino. If you’re flying, she suggests focusing on smaller treasures, such as art, lamps, or textiles, that are more likely to fit in an extra suitcase or foldable duffle bag. “If you end up finding an item that’s a worthy score but you don’t have room for it, you can always mail it home or ask the seller to ship it,” she adds. “I’ve also had success using a trucking service, like uShip, for bigger items.”
Look for Local Flavor
Traveling is a great way to explore new Facebook Marketplace listings in general, but it’s especially rewarding when you find something that also captures the distinct style and character of the area you’re visiting. To increase your odds of finding something great, research what the area is known for, be it lightship baskets from Nantucket, pottery from Santa Fe, or nautical antiques from Maine.
“Use this as an opportunity to collect something you likely can’t find at home,” says Bovino. “I typically search for things like regional art or locally-made decor—pieces that reflect the area’s personality and feel like a little piece of the trip.”
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