For decades, families relied on station wagons to navigate through thousands of miles of American highway. These road trips were a means to escape the stress of work, bills and all that accompanies daily life. The children take the back seat, where their perpetual whining and far-too-frequent bathroom stops become the underlying memory of road trips. Parents often find the vacation more stressful than staying at home.

In a desperate attempt to remember the upside of vacations, families have brought souvenirs on their trips. It became popular to collect spoons, shot glasses, collector plates and salt and pepper shakers from every state families travel through.

For the past 20 years, Sue Strang of Valley City, N.D., has collected spoons and memorabilia plates on her family vacations. “I think the biggest reason people collect is to help them remember. If you see the little souvenir you got, it triggers a memory,” Strang said. “That’s a good thing to remember.”

Although Strang is just short of having a spoon from every state, she has acquired some from other countries. Some of her favorite spoons are from Germany, Paris, Disneyland and Las Vegas.

"Every time I get something else, my husband says I collect too many things,” Strang said. “But, spoons are small and you can tuck them in a suitcase really easily,” Strang said.

When her family returns home to normal life, Strang said it is important to remember the pleasures of the trip.

Kathy Mantei’s of Glyndon, Minn., is also an avid travel collector. She has collected thimbles and spoons since her family’s first vacation. “I think I started to collect little things because the kids would get the expensive things, so I would settle on a $5 spoon,” Mantei said.

Mantei's sewing room displays her collector thimbles, and her kitchen walls are lined with 87 collector spoons from places she and her family have visited. Each of her keepsake helps her recall memories of the trip. Mantei said one of her favorite family memories was made on their vacation to Florida. The family drove from Minnesota, stopping each night to camp and relax in whatever state they were in. Of course, Mantei picked spoons from every state she drove through, including Tennessee, Alabama and Missouri.

If Mantei can't personally visit a place in order to get her hands on a spoon, she relies on others. Two of Mantei’s most treasured spoons were given to her by her daughter, Carla, when she visited Mexico and France.

“I have a few more places to visit, and I think my rack will be full,” Cathy said. She is planning a road trip to Colorado this summer, and collects spoons and thimbles along the way.

Since collecting souvenirs became popular, tourist traps began catering to the hobby. As if selling memories, popular attractions market everything from clothing to post cards. Today, collectors of all ages can find something to take home.

“There’s so many things to collect,” Stang said. “They’ve kind of catered to all age groups.” During every family trip Strang and her family go on,her 21-year-old son looks for shot glasses, while her 9-year-old daughter keeps her eyes open for unique jewelry.

If visiting South Dakota, travelers might find a post card featuring a jack-a-lope. If New York City is their destination, travelers might wear home an “I (heart) NY” shirt. Whatever it is, travelers on every interstate, plane and train seek out souvenirs to take home. It may not be the item that is significant, but the memories that are evoked by each keepsake.