love your journey tattoo

Tattoos to Celebrate Life’s Journeys: Growth, Change and New Beginnings

People get tattoos for all sorts of reasons. Some are purely decorative, designed to make a strong style statement, but often they mark an important life event and have deep personal significance. The act of getting a tattoo often accompanies a change in circumstances and the beginning of a new chapter in a person’s life.

In various world cultures, this was what tattoos were traditionally created for. They might signal the passage from childhood to adulthood, as with initiation tattoos, or they might communicate some other important change in social status and identity.

Others are closely tied to spiritual beliefs and a commitment to personal growth and transformation.

The choice to have a tattoo is often prompted by life changes and the desire for a new future, so finding the right motif to represent that is crucial. Societies have celebrated growth and new beginnings for millennia. After all, what is life about, apart from growing and moving forward?

This means there’s a huge choice of images available. Most of us will want a tattoo that is beautiful or visually striking, so that will probably be an important consideration.

But finding the perfect motif for your tattoo means marrying visual appeal with a symbol that has special resonance for you. Sources of inspiration include the world around us, symbols from other cultures and world myths and emblems of transformation that have a powerful spiritual meaning.

Nature Motifs

The natural world, and the wonderful living things we share the planet with, provide us with many symbols of growth and renewal. One of the most popular themes for tattoos is the butterfly, which transforms from a common caterpillar into a delicate creature of amazing beauty.

Related Post: Butterfly Tattoos: Symbolism and Meaning

Flying creatures of many kinds symbolize a new start in life . After all, flying is all about the freedom to take off into new realms and seek out new opportunities. Birds are another popular tattoo choice for this reason. Different species of birds have their own unique symbolic meanings.

For example, the robin, with its bright red breast, is associated with resurrection and the blood of Christ but also symbolizes endurance and transcendence . This is partly because in many cultures blood represents new life and the eternal cycle of death and rebirth.

Related Post: Reach For the Sky with a Wings Tattoo

A variety of plants and flowers are associated with renewal and change. Seeds represent the potential for growth and, although most of them aren’t visually interesting, there are exceptions. An acorn makes for a simple tattoo that is an evocative symbol of growth : think of the saying ‘Great oaks from little acorns grow’.

In other words, small changes can evolve into great things in the future. Winged seeds like that of the maple or sycamore do double work in symbolic terms, evoking both the freedom of flight and the potential to flourish.

Another seed-related motif is the dandelion when the flower has died and the delicate seed head remains. The wind blows the tiny seeds far and wide, where they are able to thrive, even in poor soil and in challenging conditions.

Many types of flowers also evoke new beginnings and possibilities:

• Spring flowers, like the daffodils, the iris and the purple tulip, represent revival after the dreariness of a long winter.
• The narcissus is the symbol of the new year in Iranian culture, whereas the lotus flower stands for the realization of inner potential in Hindu traditions.
• The Tarot card known as ‘The Magician’ commonly includes images of lilies and roses. This card stands for aspiration, progress and the successful realization of ambitions .

Related Post: A Short Introduction to Floral Tattoos

As well as living things, natural phenomena are also associated with growth, renewal and the cycles of life:

• The rising sun is a universal symbol of a new dawn and a new start (sunflowers can have a similar meaning).
• The moon is another well-known example, because of the way it waxes and wanes, growing from a silver sliver to a glowing orb.
• Shooting stars also signify change and progress , or moving towards a better place or new realms.
• The ocean wave has similar connotations of change and moving forward. Technically, a wave is defined as ‘the transfer of energy through matter, space and time’. The mighty ocean waves rise, gather force and power their way towards the shore. That amazing energy can also represent progress and positive momentum in life .

The rainbow is a powerful and widely used symbol, with many meanings. Rainbows typically appear when the rain is clearing and the sun breaks through the clouds – a sign that things are changing and, both literally and figuratively, becoming brighter.

In world religions, it is often seen as a bridge between earth and sky or as some kind of spiritual path. The symbolism is of spiritual progress or ascent to a higher plane .

Related Post: Nature Tattoos: Trees, Waves, Mountains, Crescent Moon and Sun

Symbols of Growth, Change and Rebirth in Myths and World Cultures

Symbols from nature often have meanings that are almost universal. The butterfly is a good example of this: Its astonishing transformation from caterpillar to beautiful creature perfectly represents ideas about positive change and being born anew.

But different cultures throughout history have also created their own unique symbols, or have their own particular perspectives on symbols that are common throughout the world.

As well as naturalistic motifs drawn from the real world, global cultures are also filled with fabulous beings that live only in the worlds of the imagination and spirituality.

One of the most famous of all symbols of positive change is probably the phoenix. In Greek and Roman mythology, the phoenix was a fabulous bird that was forever reborn. In some versions, the phoenix rises from the ashes of its former incarnation.

It is also sometimes associated with the life-affirming power of the sun, depicted as a halo or as rays of sunlight.

Related Post: What Do Phoenix Tattoos Symbolize?

Another symbol with roots deep in antiquity is the ouroboros, a snake or dragon-like creature eating its own tail. It is found in both Egyptian and Ancient Greek culture, with the oldest known example from the tomb of Tutankhamun in the 14th century BC.

The symbolism of the ouroboros works on many levels. Both the motif and its circular form symbolize renewal .

Other reptiles have similar connotations of new beginnings and regeneration. This is because of the ability of snakes to shed their skin and emerge afresh, while reptiles such as lizards can cast off their tails and regrow them.

The world egg (or cosmic egg), symbolizing the birth of the universe, is a symbol found worldwide. One version derives from ancient Greek tradition and depicts an egg with a snake curled around it. Though it refers particularly to the birth of an early Greek god, it combines two archetypal symbols of growth and regeneration.

Related Post: The Significance And Symbolism of Snake Tattoos

The tree of life is an ancient symbol found around the world, including Celtic, Norse and Oriental cultures. Trees have many different meanings in world myths but because they are sturdy and long-lived they often serve as symbols of growth, rebirth and eternity .

As the tallest of plants, they are sometimes seen as linking the realms of the universe: rooted in the earth but reaching to the sky, with connotations of high aspirations. Trees are also linked to knowledge , especially in Judeo-Christian traditions, and so can refer to personal advancement and spiritual growth .

In ogham, a fifteen-hundred-year-old Celtic alphabet, the first letter resembles a ‘T’. The character’s name is beith, meaning birch tree, a Celtic symbol for growth, endurance and renewal .

Related Post: 5 Tree Tattoos And Their Meanings

One of the most popular, and most beautiful, tattoo motifs in irezumi (the art of Japanese tattooing) is the cherry blossoms, or sakura. The trees burst into clouds of delicate flowers in spring. In modern Japan, they are associated with the first day of school and, by extension, with the beginning of a new year of learning, knowledge and self-improvement .

Originally they were thought to embody mountain gods that transformed into the gods of the rice paddies and so also signified agricultural renewal and abundance. Momiji (Japanese maple leaf) is another attractive motif in irezumi, symbolizing the passage of time, renewal and regeneration .

Also prominent in Japanese lore and tattooing is the koi, a fish of the carp family. As well as being a general symbol of good luck and prosperity , the hardy koi represents endurance, perseverance and overcoming obstacles, as well as transformation .

The story goes that a school of koi were swimming in a river against the current. Most failed but one who persisted and made it to its destination was rewarded by the gods by being turned into a golden dragon. That’s why koi tattoos are often paired with dragon tattoos or lotus flowers, in order to emphasize the theme of transformation.

Different designs and colors have varying meanings. Black koi, in particular, are linked to change and transcendence .

Related Post: The Symbolism Behind Koi Fish & Goldfish Tattoos

Abstract Signs and Designs

Although representational images like flowers and living or mythological creatures are perennially popular as tattoo motifs, geometric and abstract signs and designs can be just as visually striking and richly steeped in meaning. Various symbols from eastern cultures and religions represent growth and a person’s journey to spiritual enlightenment.

Symbols and signs drawn from Buddhism are probably the best known. At the heart of Buddhist belief is the idea of the Eight-fold Noble Path that leads ultimately to Nirvana and the end of suffering .

The Dharma wheel (or the Dharmachakra) is a wheel that resembles the steering wheel of a boat. Its eight spokes represent the eight principles of the Noble Path. Among them are the acquisition of wisdom , the strength to persevere in the face of the trials of life and letting go of the past in order to live in the present .

Related Post: Buddha and Aum/Om Tattoo: Symbolism and Meaning

Spiral designs may have similar meanings. The spiral is associated with movement and although that can be negative (everyone knows the phrase ‘downward spiral’), in world symbolism it’s more often linked to positivity .

One of the most famous spiral designs is the triskelion, or triskele, a triple spiral motif. The oldest examples, dating to around five or six thousand years ago, are known from structures in Malta and Ireland. In Celtic culture, the triskelion is again believed to represent moving towards understanding , though it also evokes the cycle of life , death and rebirth .

The unalome sign, in Buddhist beliefs, also incorporates a spiral into the base of its design, representing the struggles that are overcome on the path to nirvana.

A beautiful spiral design that is based on ideas about growth comes from the traditional culture of the Maori people of New Zealand. Known as a koru (the Maori word for ‘coil’ or ‘loop’), it derives from the way a tightly curled young silver fern leaf looks before it unfurls into a huge fronds, which can reach four meters in length. In Maori traditional thought it represents movement, growth potential and new life .

Related Post: Tribal Tattoos and Their Meanings

Christopher Owers

Recent Posts

Lower Back Tattoos: Should You Jump On This Revived Trend?

'Ethereal' Lower Back Tattoo @kiniula.w The mid-90s to the early 2000s brought with it the popularity of the lower back tattoo. From angel wings to tribal designs, lower back tattoos were proudly...

Mountain Tattoos: What They Mean And Design Ideas For Every Aesthetic 

Circular Mountain Range Tattoo @mr_lovaah_tattoos One of the most majestic views in nature is a mountain range. The rising and falling peaks create a stunning image to behold. It makes sense that...

Love Yourz Tattoo Meaning and Design Ideas

There’s a tattoo trend that’s not only hitting the skin but also hitting right in the feels – the “Love Yourz” tattoo. If you’ve ever vibed to J. Cole’s lyrics that go “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours,” you know exactly where this is coming from. This isn’t just any tattoo; it’s a powerful reminder to embrace your journey, your struggles, and your beautiful self. Let’s dive into the meaning behind this ink, why it’s making waves, and how you can rock it with style!

Inked with Love: The Meaning Behind “Love Yourz”

Picture this: life’s throwing its curveballs, and you’re navigating through its highs and lows. Amidst it all, you stumble upon J. Cole’s soul-stirring lyrics that remind you that there’s “No such thing as a life that’s better than yours.” It’s a call to look beyond the comparisons, beyond the Instagram filters, and truly love and appreciate the life you’re living – the good, the bad, and everything in between. This ink isn’t just a tattoo; it’s a declaration of self-love, acceptance, and a nod to embracing your unique journey.

Why Choose a “Love Yourz” Tattoo?

So, why would someone choose to ink “Love Yourz” permanently on their skin? Well, it’s like carrying your own personal cheerleader everywhere you go. Life can be a wild ride, and sometimes we get caught up in the hustle of wanting what others have. But this tattoo serves as a grounding reminder to find joy and fulfillment in your own journey, no matter where it takes you. It’s a little nudge to appreciate the beautiful chaos that is your life.

Placement: Where to Rock “Love Yourz”

Now, let’s talk real estate – tattoo real estate, that is! The beauty of the “Love Yourz” tattoo is that it’s versatile when it comes to placement. You can let it be your daily affirmation or a private mantra. Some popular spots include:

• Wrist: A delicate reminder to love yourself, visible whenever you need a pick-me-up.
• Forearm: Rock it boldly as a testament to self-love and your appreciation for your own journey.
• Collarbone: Keep it close to your heart, quite literally, with a collarbone placement.
• Ankle: A subtle spot that holds deep meaning, even if hidden by your fave kicks.
• Ribcage: A more discreet placement for those who want a personal reminder, just for themselves.

Cost: Investing in Self-Love

Now, let’s get real about the digits – how much will a “Love Yourz” tattoo set you back? As of my last update, the average cost of a tattoo in the US ranges from $50 to $300 per hour, depending on factors like the artist’s experience, location, and complexity of the design. Since “Love Yourz” is a text-based tattoo, it might be on the lower end of the price spectrum. Remember, though, that investing in self-love is priceless!

Pairing with Other Tattoos

Feeling a bit more adventurous? The “Love Yourz” tattoo plays well with others, making it the ultimate team player in your ink game. Here are some ideas for pairings:

• Minimalist Symbols: Add a tiny heart, a star, or an infinity symbol to accentuate the “Love Yourz” mantra.
• Floral Blooms: Combine your message of self-love with the beauty of nature by incorporating delicate flowers or leaves.
• Complementary Quotes: If you have another mantra or quote that resonates with you, consider placing it alongside “Love Yourz” for a powerful combo.
• Coordinates: Pair “Love Yourz” with the coordinates of a meaningful location in your journey, reminding you of your personal path.

Love Yourz Tattoo Design Ideas

Rocking your “love yourz” tattoo: some extra advice.

So, you’re ready to rock your “Love Yourz” tattoo with pride? Here are a few tips to keep in mind:

• Connect with Your Tattoo Artist: Choose a tattoo artist who understands the significance of the “Love Yourz” message. Discuss your vision and collaborate to create a design that resonates with you.
• Wear It Proudly: Your tattoo isn’t just ink; it’s a piece of your heart. Wear it proudly and let it be a conversation starter about self-love and embracing your journey.
• Reflect on the Message: When you glance at your “Love Yourz” tattoo, take a moment to reflect on what it means to you. Let it be a daily reminder to love and appreciate yourself, just as you are.

Remember, life’s journey isn’t about comparisons or striving for perfection. It’s about embracing your unique path and finding beauty in every step. So, whether you’re hustling, struggling, or soaring, let your “Love Yourz” tattoo be your guiding light, reminding you that there’s no such thing as a life better than your own. You’ve got this!

Privacy Overview

Why Bali Is My Favorite Place in the World

How Learning That More Money Won’t Make Me Happier Has Changed My Life

Examples of 250+ Businesses Started With

38 wanderlust tattoo ideas & designs for the constant traveler.

Note: This post may contain affiliate links which means if you click on a link and purchase an item, we will receive an affiliate commission at no extra cost to you.

Travel can be so magical. That’s why travelers love keeping as much as they can to remember their trips. They take lots of photos or buy souvenirs like keychains, fridge magnets, shirts, or stamps.

Some wanderers choose to ink their memories to last a lifetime. Tattooing has been around for centuries and was once seen as a sign of strength and power. Today, tattooing is more popular than ever, with people of all ages and backgrounds getting inked.

So, here’s a compilation of the best wanderlust tattoo designs for immortalizing your next trip.

From world maps to exact coordinates, these designs will surely “inkspire” you, whether you’re looking for something minimal or large scale.

Excited to get inked? Read on!

Table of Contents

Slogans or Word Tattoos

1. “The World Is Yours” Tattoo

If you think you’re not prepared to take risks and you’re afraid to do something big, this tattoo is a perfect reminder that the world is yours to explore. It symbolizes the endless opportunities waiting for you out there.

Dream big and travel wide. The world is never too small for your ambitions.

2. “Live In the Moment” Tattoo

If you’re a traveler who needs a reminder to let go of your fears, then this is for you. You can’t live in beach paradise forever, but you can cherish every moment and get this tattoo to remind you that tomorrow’s trip is never promised, so live today.

3. “Stay Wild” Tattoo

Stay wild tattoos have grown in popularity over the years as a way of portraying your wild side. Perfect for party lovers and risk-takers, this tattoo is a great way to show the world that you’re out to enjoy your life to the fullest. They’re popular among older people as well. 

It’s a way to reconnect with your youth and the most exciting times in your life. If you need a reminder to let your hair down, the stay wild tattoo is perfect for you.

4. “Live Life to the Fullest” Tattoo

No matter what age you are, this tattoo is a great reminder to take every opportunity that’s thrown your way. So don’t be afraid to book the next flight, tour that country, or try that extreme sport.

Let this tattoo be a reminder that you only have one life to do everything you want.

5. “Enjoy the Journey” Tattoo

As a constant traveler, you often get caught up with getting lost, taking a lot of pictures, re-routing, and stumbling on dead ends. And sometimes, you forget how to enjoy the journey.

This tattoo is a perfect reminder to honor your journey and continue traveling the world despite experiencing setbacks.

6. “Explore” Tattoo

This tattoo is for you if you always seek adventure and go to places you haven’t been before. The ultimate way to enjoy traveling is to explore so let this be a reminder that exploring is what you do and you’re destined to do it for the rest of your life.

7. “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” Tattoo

This tattoo is perfect for the free-spirited individual who loves to travel. It’s a reminder that even though you may be wandering, you’re never really lost. It’s also a great conversation starter, as people will often ask about its meaning.

8. “Life Is Good” Tattoo

Life has its ups and downs, but it’s what makes it worth living. When inked on your skin, this tattoo will remind you that the good times always outweigh the bad.

You’ll realize that traveling the world is something you should be grateful for. At the end of the day, life is still good.

Location or Country Tattoos

9. Coordinates Tattoo

Anyone looking for an outside-of-the-box tattoo idea should consider getting a coordinates tattoo. You can get this to remember a special place that you’ve visited.

This tattoo can say a lot about a person, but it’s also one of the most personal tattoos around.

10. Palm Tree Tattoo

The palm tree, also known as the “tree of life,” is associated with travel and, for some, idyllic beach holidays. Adding a setting sun behind the palm tree tattoo will also remind you about your traveling sprees and beach vacations in Bali, Mexico, Costa Rica, Long Island, or Ecuador.

Historically, the palm tree was a symbol of regeneration, immortality, and victory. Nowadays, the palm tree has become the symbol of tropical paradise and places with warm weather.

11. Map Tattoo

When it comes to tattoo designs, a map tattoo is chosen and appreciated by many people for its unique appeal and charm.

As far as symbolism is concerned, a map isn’t just a mere outline of geographical location, but it also signifies the unity of the people of the land.

Imbibed with a patriotic theme, a map tattoo is ideal for anybody with an inclination for showing off love for their nation. Some travelers opt for maps that show their favorite continent. You can also put the outline of countries such as Italy, Brazil, or Germany.

12. Desert Tattoo

For travelers who love deserts like Gobi and Sahara, this tattoo is especially for you. Wanderers love going to deserts because of their tranquillity and beauty.

The landscape is unforgettable so it deserves some space on your skin.

13. Beach and Mountain Tattoo

If you’ve been to Spain, Hawaii, or Scotland, there’s a big chance that you’ve fallen in love with the beaches and mountains there. Travelers often want to immortalize their memories by inking themselves with such beautiful sceneries.

This tattoo will surely remind you of happy and peaceful times.

Hiking Tattoos

14. Mountain Outline Tattoo

Nature is a great source of inspiration for tattoo artists, and mountains represent an important natural motif with many symbolic meanings. The common meaning of a mountain tattoo is the love for nature and travel, but it could also remind you of a great journey or a special place.

Mountains represent freedom and adventure, making it an amazing mountain climbing tattoo idea.

15. Suitcase Tattoo

One type of tattoo that’s becoming increasingly popular is the suitcase tattoo. This design usually features a vintage or antique suitcase, often with a travel-themed design inside.

Sometimes the tattoo will also include a map or other symbols of wanderlust.

Suitcase tattoos can be a great way to show your love of travel, and they can also be very personal designs.

For example, you could get a tattoo that features a suitcase that belonged to a relative who was a world traveler. Or you could get a tattoo that’s inspired by your personal travel experiences.

16. Road or Trail Tattoo

Climbing steep mountains is an extraordinary feat. Roads and trails can sometimes be challenging to follow, and that’s what makes hiking a rewarding hobby.

So to commemorate your memorable hikes, you can get a tattoo that shows the roads or trails you’ve hiked on.

17. Footprints Tattoo

If you’re into hiking but want a minimal tattoo, this may be what you’re looking for. Footprints symbolize your courage and dedication. It’s meaningful since it gives off the message that your feet took you to where you are right now.

18. Pine Trees Tattoo

Pine trees have always been a popular choice for tattoos and for good reason. They’re strong and resilient, just like you. And their evergreen needles are reminders that even when the world around you is barren and cold, there’s still hope and beauty to be found.

Ocean-Themed Tattoos

19. Waves Tattoo

Wave and water tattoo designs are appreciated as symbols of life’s constant motion, an unstoppable force of nature that continues on and on.

For many cultures, the simple wave tattoo is a gentle reminder that you can choose to fight the current and risk being swept away, or trust in the timeless tide to deliver you to where you’re destined to go.

Whether still waters, a minimalist wave tattoo, or crashing waves, these designs are great ways to symbolize emotion.

20. Stingray Tattoo

Stingray tattoos represent protection for constant travelers who are prone to danger. Inked in several variations and styles, the image can hold symbolic meanings.

Other themes that go hand in hand with the sting-ray image are adaptation, gracefulness, peacefulness, danger, agility, speed, and stealth.

The stingray can hide in the underwater sands, mainly from sharks, and can cover up with sand and lay still. Most sharks can sense prey in the sand based on movement but for the most part, the stingray can hide for this reason.

21. Shark Teeth Tattoo

Like stingrays, sharks represent protection, guidance, and strength as well as ferocity. They’re also symbols of adaptability in many cultures. This can represent you as a fearless traveler who’s one with the ocean.

22. Turtle Tattoo

The turtle or honu is another important creature throughout all Polynesian cultures and has been associated with several meanings. Turtles symbolize health, fertility, longevity, foundation, peace, and rest.

Most travelers go on adventures to find themselves or find the inner peace that they’ve been longing for.

With a turtle tattoo, you’ll be reminded that inner peace is your end goal and slow living is the way to go.

23. Ocean Tattoo

An ocean tattoo can be a beautiful and meaningful addition to your body art collection.

It’s a reminder of your connection to the ocean and all that it represents. It can also be a symbol of your love for the sea and its creatures.

There are many different ways to design an ocean tattoo. You can choose from a variety of symbols and images that have personal meaning to you.

You can also use colors that represent different aspects of the ocean. Blue is often used to represent the water itself, while green may be used to represent the plants and sea life.

Nomad Tattoos

24. Compass Tattoo

Compass tattoos are very popular among sailors and travelers. They represent a safe journey and a connection to the sea. They can be simple or complex, and they can be placed anywhere on the body.

Compass tattoo designs are usually small and delicate, making them perfect for placement on the wrist, ankle, or behind the ear.

25. Broken Compass Tattoo

This type of tattoo can symbolize the many twists and turns that you experience on your journey through life, and how ultimately you’re the one who controls your destiny.

There are a number of different ways to design a broken compass tattoo, and you can even incorporate other elements into the design to make it more personal.

26. “Wanderer” Tattoo

Sometimes the simplest designs carry the deepest meanings. The wanderer is someone who travels the world rather than settling in one place.

There are only a few people who understand this kind of lifestyle so if you need a reminder of who you are despite what other people might say, this tattoo is for you.

27. Globe Tattoo

There’s something about getting a globe tattoo that just feels right. It may be its symbolism of it – representing the world and all its beauty and mystery. Or it may be the way a globe tattoo looks, with its intricate lines and patterns.

Whatever it is, there’s just something about a globe tattoo that speaks to people. And if you’re looking for a tattoo that has meaning and is absolutely gorgeous, then this design is the perfect choice for you.

There are all sorts of different ways to design this tattoo. You can go for a traditional look, with the continents outlined in black and white. Or you can add some color to it, with different shades representing different parts of the world.

You can also get creative with your tattoo, adding in other elements like stars, clouds, or even animals.

28. Arrow Tattoo

Arrow tattoos are popular among both men and women. They’re simple, yet elegant and can be placed almost anywhere on the body. They can represent many things, such as strength, direction, or even love. Whether you’re looking for a small tattoo or a large one, an arrow tattoo is definitely a great choice.

Tattoos that Symbolize Freedom

29. Swallow Tattoo

Historically, sailors tattooed swallows on their throats or hands to ensure a safe return home from sea.

In Western countries, they’re often associated with sailors, criminals, and prisoners. But in recent years this connotation has shifted and the tattoo is now seen as a symbol of hope, new beginnings, and good luck.

Swallow tattoos can be found in a variety of different styles and designs. The most popular ones include traditional nautical swallows, old school swallow tattoos, and modern swallow tattoos.

30. Airplane Tattoo

Airplane tattoos are a great choice for those who want to show their love of flying or travel. They can also be a good choice for those who appreciate the engineering and design of airplanes.

Airplane tattoos come in many different designs. Some may feature a single airplane, while others may feature a flock of birds or a series of planes in formation. The designs may also include other elements such as clouds, stars, or the horizon.

31. Bicycle Tattoo

The bicycle tattoo symbolizes freedom, movement, and the desire to achieve your goal. To reinforce this meaning, it’s often depicted with wings or as a perpetual motion machine. By choosing a bicycle tattoo, you can hope that life will change for the better.

32. Wind Tattoo

The wind tattoo suggests weightlessness and independence. It’s suitable for people who constantly travel and often change their place of living. This symbol can mean freedom of spirit and quick thinking. This element is a source of energy.

Wind can be represented in many different ways. Quite often, it’s written in Chinese or Japanese hieroglyphs. But you can use the Arabic technique of writing, or just write in Latin. You can also dream up and come up with an image of your wind.

33. Sign Language Tattoo

Getting a tattoo in this natural language is extra special. People don’t get sign language tattoos very often, but there’s something about them that looks good. Maybe because they look more interesting than lettering would, or because they look different from any other tattoos out there. 

Additionally, it shows that you value inclusivity. As a constant traveler, you’ll encounter different types of people, including those who can’t speak or hear. If they see your tattoo, there’s a good chance they’ll understand what you want to say (or remember).

Nature-Themed Tattoos

34. Island Tattoo

If you’re a frequent visitor to small tropical countries, this tattoo is perfect for you. Inked with a combination of trees, mountains, and the sea, travelers will love the vibe this tattoo gives off. They’ll always remember the feeling of relaxation, comfort, and safety they felt on their most memorable trip to an island.

35. Peace Sign Tattoo

The peace sign tattoo is a very popular tattoo choice. It can be placed almost anywhere on the body, but is often seen on the wrist, arm, or back. The peace sign is a symbol of peace and love, and is often used as a statement against violence and war. If you’re looking for a tattoo that represents your beliefs, then the peace sign tattoo is a great choice.

36. River Tattoo

A river usually symbolizes the power of nature. Still, it’s often used as a metaphor for time because it’s always moving and can’t be stopped. Also, it stands for something that can’t be changed. In ancient cultures, rivers were also a sign of fertility.

37. Beach Tattoo

Beach tattoos are a great way to show your love for the ocean. They’re also a great way to show off your body art.

There are many different designs that you can choose from when you’re looking for a beach tattoo. You can find designs that depict the sun, waves, sand, shells, and even palm trees. You can also find designs that are more abstract, such as those that depict the ocean’s horizon.

38. Camper Tattoo

Camping tattoos are for the traveler who’s wild at heart. If camping was important to your childhood and your family, then this tattoo has personal meaning for you as well.

A camping tattoo represents one’s hunger for adventure, but there’s much more to it than that. The ink signifies the necessity of exploration and courage, which are dying values in a world where our social lives are bound to technology, and our most common “explorations” are web searches.

These designs can draw on the beautiful imagery of campfires, mountains, and evergreen trees. They can be spare or elaborate, cartoonish or photographic.

Final Thoughts

Getting a new tattoo is sometimes a tough decision, but if you figure out what you love and want to constantly remember, the process will be easier. Find inspiration from this list of wanderlust tattoos so you’ll be prepared the next time you get inked.

History Fangirl

The Ultimate History Travel Blog Since 2015

1001 Inspired Travel Tattoo Ideas & What to Expect If You Get a Tattoo While Traveling

Last Updated on: 19th June 2023, 06:41 pm

Whether you have zero or twenty tattoos, if you love traveling then you’ve probably considered getting a travel tattoo at some point. 

Consider this the complete guide to getting a travel tattoo. First, I share my own experience of getting a travel tattoo in Jerusalem and questions for you to consider about getting one of your own.

Next, I have a giant – and I do mean freaking giant – list of travel tattoo ideas. I have general ideas at the top, then ideas for every country, sixty major cities, and every state in the US.

There are great ideas for travel tattoos for guys and travel tattoos for girls. I hope there’s a little something for everyone!

Can’t read now? Pin for later!

My Favorite Travel Booking Sites for 2023

These are my favorite companies that I use on my own travels.

Protect Your Trip via Safety Wing

Find the best city tours, day tours, bus tours, & skip-the-line tickets on GetYourGuide and Viato r .

Find the best deals on hotels & vacation rentals on Booking.com .

For English-speaking private airport transfers, book through Welcome Pickups.

For road trips and independent travel, rent a car through Discover Cars .

Find information and cruise reviews on Cruise Critic.

For packing and travel essentials order via Amazon .

Book an affordable family or romantic photography session on your trip through Flytographer (Use the code HISTORYFANGIRL for 10% off your first photoshoot).

For travel guidebooks to have with you during your trip, I always pick one or two from Rick Steves and Lonely Planet.

How to Get a Tattoo while Traveling

A tattoo is a common travel souvenir, but is it the perfect souvenir for you?

While I absolutely love my own travel tattoo and think they’re a great idea, there are still things you need to consider ahead of time. 

My Experience Getting a Travel Tattoo in Jerusalem

Before I visited Jerusalem in 2017, I had read about Razzouk Tattoo, which claims to have been in business since 1300!

As a history fan, I obviously wanted to check out the shop, but I wasn’t sold yet on whether I should get a tattoo here or not.

They do typical modern tattoos, but they also still do Coptic tattoos based on a set of blocks that have been in use for hundreds of years.

The original patrons of the shop were Coptic Christians and Crusaders, so a lot of these blocks feature Jerusalem crosses and other symbols that Crusaders wanted to commemorate what they saw as their time in a holy war.

I wanted to get a tattoo from one of these antique blocks, but I wanted to avoid getting anything with overt religious symbolism.

I found this flower detail that was a broken piece from a larger block.

I absolutely adored it, and it fit what I wanted: small, simple, and highlighting the different techniques used.

I even had them ink in the places where the edges of the stamp got ink on my skin since what I loved was the connection to history and the process as much as the tattoo itself.

My own travel tattoo was such a mix of research and impulse that I didn’t know I would actually get it ahead of time, but I knew if I ran into the tattoo shop that I would find out more (which I did by happenstance during a walking tour of Jerusalem).

I hadn’t even mentioned the possibility to anyone ahead of time!

Three years later, and I still love it!

Travel tattoos are really personal, and they’re as much about the experience and what it means to you as what it looks like.

So when you pick out what tattoo you want, your own opinion is the most important one.

There were a few things I had to give up in order to get it.

Besides having to spend the next week of my trip adding aftercare to my vacation itinerary, I had to skip a day trip to the Dead Sea since you can’t swim for two weeks after getting a tattoo. 

Things to Know Before You Get a Travel Tattoo on the Road

Before I got one, I didn’t really think about a lot of these issues, but after going through it myself I now know these are things you need to consider before getting a travel tattoo:

First, if you’re excited to go to a particular tattoo parlor, find out if you need to make an appointment or if they typically are able to take walk-ins.

Next,  consider when you plan on getting it during your trip. Since you can’t swim and you need to keep it bandaged at night for a few days, you might not want to get it early in your trip.

Make sure you will be able to follow hygienic tattoo aftercare on your trip before you commit to a tattoo.

Next,  remember that you will need to travel home with it. If you get a large tattoo or a tattoo in a sensitive place, it may hurt for days afterward.

If you’ve ever traveled with a bad sunburn and been crammed into a plane, bus, car, or train, you know this can get very unpleasant. Make sure you can tolerate traveling with the soreness.

Finally, make sure a travel tattoo fits into your budget. Even small, simple tattoos at reputable places can cost a pretty penny. A tattoo might last forever, but they also are an investment.

Should You Wait to Get Your Travel Tattoo at Home?

I would suggest getting your tattoo on the road if the specific tattoo parlor is part of the experience, if you’re getting something a design that is special to the local culture and local artists will be the best to execute it, or if you want to get a tattoo in a local method like Bamboo tattooing in Japan.

If you are getting a common or easy design, like a word or phrase, you might want to wait to get it until you’re back home.

You should also wait if you know that good tattoo aftercare won’t be possible on your trip, or if you don’t have time in your itinerary (like you’ll be on a guided tour with little free time).

Alternatively, if you want something very complicated or large, you might want to get it at home if it will require multiple sessions. 

Tips for Picking the Right Travel Tattoo for You

Make sure you will like the placement, style, and content of your tattoo for years to come. This might be the only permanent travel souvenir you can get!

Style: there are lots of different styles of tattoos. You can get something watercolor, realistic, geometric, traditional, tribal, neotraditional, new school, etc.

Any motif you choose can be done in different styles. While an Eifel Tower tattoo might seem cliche, you can put a twist on it by doing it as a watercolor or as a small geometric tattoo.

Size:  you need to make sure you like the size of the tattoo AND that the tattoo makes sense for the size. Some pictures don’t look good small, while others look awkward when blown up too big.

Color:  if you will be getting something that has color, make sure it’s a color you can live with, especially if it will show. 

Visibility:  if you want something private that most people won’t see, get a tattoo on your ankle, behind your ear, or underneath your clothing. If you want something that will be easy to see, get something on your arm, leg, shoulder, or wrist. 

Best Travel Tattoo Ideas

Okay, here are approximately one billion travel tattoo ideas. Just kidding, it’s only a little over one thousand. For each of these, I’m providing the motif or subject. You can take these ideas and do them in hundreds of different ways. The sky is the limit!  

Train Tattoos

There’s nothing as romantic as train travel, and there are lots of ways to commemorate your love of trains and travel with a train tattoo. Consider getting:

A vintage train tattoo

A subway car tattoo

A cable car or tram tattoo (think San Francisco style)

A train window (think curtains and perhaps a beautiful view)

A train bridge tattoo

Train tracks tattoo (perhaps with a beautiful scene around them)

The Harry Potter Train tattoo

A train engine or mechanics tattoo (would be especially cool if it’s a bit steampunk)

A train conductor tattoo

A tattoo of train passengers

Air Travel & Airplane Tattoos

Airplane tattoos instantly make me think of adventure and making a getaway. There are a lot of different kinds of tattoos you can get to celebrate air travel and flying the open skies. Some airplane tattoo ideas:

A cute little black airplane tattoo (They’re a staple for a reason. You can get them filled in or as a silhouette. They also are often accompanied with lines or other decorations like dots or dashes).

The view through a plane window. (Think clouds, sunrise, stars, etc).

The view through the cockpit. (This is a great tattoo for pilots).

An airport code tattoo (Think LAX for Los Angeles, CDG for Paris, etc.)

A tattoo of a plane over a map or globe.

A paper airplane tattoo.

A vintage plane tattoo. (This is another great steampunk tattoo idea).

A helicopter tattoo.

An actual airplane tattoo. (Not a silhouette or an old plane, but an actual representation of current airplanes).

A tattoo of Pilot Wings. (This is especially cool if you get one for an old airline that’s no longer in business).

Passport & Passport Stamp Tattoos

There’s no item an international traveler holds more dear than his or her passport, which makes it a great travel tattoo motif. Here are different ways to incorporate this theme into a travel tattoo:

A passport stamp tattoo. (you can pick an actual design from your passport or one that’s a bit more artistic. Either way, you can use your real travel date as the date, which is extra cool).

A passport stamp tattoo collage. (If you’re looking to get a tattoo from every country you visit, this is a good theme to go with. You can do this in all black or pick different colors for different stamps).

A visa tattoo. (If you have a cool visa in your passport, like my old Turkey visa, these are a cool alternative to passport stamps).

A passport cover tattoo.

A passport page tattoo. (You can fill the stamps in over time. Just remember you will eventually run out of room…just like a real passport).

Road Trip Tattoos

Road tripping on the beautiful roads of America, Europe, and Asia are some of my favorite travel memories of all time. Here are some tattoos you can get to commemorate epic road trips!

A highway sign tattoo. (Especially if the sign is of a famous road like Route 66 or the Pacific Coast Highway).

A vintage car tattoo. (Bonus points if you’ve actually road tripped in that car).

A road map tattoo. (Yes, we used to road trip using maps. Even if you only use Google maps for your road trips, I would opt for a more vintage or watercolor feel than an app).

A steering wheel tattoo. (You can expand it to the whole dashboard).

A tattoo of the view from the dashboard. (Ah, the open road ahead).

A tattoo of the view from the passenger seat. (Think views of mountains, lakes, or monuments).

An open highway tattoo.

A small dirt road tattoo. 

A tattoo of a roadside stop. (Think neon signs and gigantic balls of yarn).

Beautiful nature tattoos. (Get a mountain tattoo, lake tattoo, waterfall tattoos, wheatfields, prairies, etc. if you saw something you want to remember on your trip).

Postcard Tattoos

Postcards have the romance of mail and travel and bring tidings from far away lands. They are the perfect encapsulation of everything we love about travel. Here are some ideas if you’re leaning towards a postcard tattoo:

The front of a postcard tattoo. (The style here matters almost as much as what scene you choose to depict. You can bring in a real tattoo to help with inspiration).

A tattoo of the back fo the postcard. (You can even include a message in a script, like “I wish you were here!” or find your own).

A postage stamp tattoo. (You can use a real postage stamp from where you are for inspiration or work with your tattoo artists to create one using a mix of landmarks and symbols).

A canceled stamp mark tattoo. (These are the marks of the post system so they are great for travel tattoos since they mention the city and country the postcard is being sent from. You can send yourself a postcard if you want to have an example to work with, though you’ll probably want to put more of a flourish on it).

An entire postcard tattoo, front and back. (Basically include every element listed above. These tattoos are big and great for an arm or calf).

Travel Tattoo Quote Ideas

I have a giant list of 250 travel quotes , but a lot of these are way too long for an easy-to-read tattoo. Here are a few short travel quotes that will work beautifully:

Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all. -Helen Keller

To live will be an awfully big adventure. -Peter Pan

Travel far enough, you meet yourself -David Mitchell

So shut up, live, travel, adventure, bless and don’t be sorry. -Jack Kerouac

Paris is always a good idea. -Audrey Hepburn

You’ll miss the best things if you keep your eyes shut. -Dr. Seuss

Life is short and the world is wide. -Simon Raven

Not all those who wander are lost. -J.R.R. Tolkien

Every exit is an entry somewhere else. -Tom Stoppard

Not until we are lost do we begin to understand ourselves. -Henry David Thoreau

Nautical Tattoos

Not every journey starts in a plane, train, or automobile. Sailing enthusiasts, cruise lovers, and the like can get journey tattoos that fit their favorite kind of travel. Here are some maritime and nautical tattoos to choose from:

A sailboat tattoo. (Or another kind of boat. Think a kayak tattoo, canoe tattoo, cruise ship tattoo, tugboat, etc).

A nautical map tattoo.

An artisanal knot tattoo. (Think Portlandia but more fun).

A wave tattoo. (I especially like these when they are beautiful watercolor or fun geometric).

An oar tattoo. (Alone or as part of a larger rowboat tattoo).

A compass tattoo.

An astrolabe tattoo. (Or other vintage nautical equipment).

A tattoo of a boat in a glass bottle. (This is a great way to showcase a really gorgeous vintage ship).

An anchor tattoo.

A wooden helm tattoo.

Adventure Tattoo Ideas

If you love going on adventures like backwoods camping, multi-day hiking, rock climbing, etc, these are some ideas for adventure tattoos:

A mountain tattoo from a mountain you climbed. (Or a similar geographic landmark you’ve traversed etc).

A tattoo of a pair of running shoes. (Hiking shoes, climbing shoes, etc).

A tattoo of the coordinates of an important point on your adventure.

A number tattoo that’s important to your adventure. (Think 26.2 for a marathon tattoo, the height of a mountain, or the distance of a multi-day trek).

A tattoo of something that’s important to your kind of trip. (Think a carabiner tatoo, an oar tattoo, a runner’s bib tattoo, a hot air balloon tattoo, etc).

Study Abroad Tattoos

Studying abroad can be a really magical and formative experience, and it makes sense that an adventure this big would make you consider getting a commemorative tattoo. Here are a few ideas for getting a study abroad tattoo:

A beautiful campus building tattoo. (Especially if the campus has a famous landmark building or an especially beautiful one).

A tattoo of a beautiful word in the local language. (This is great if the place where you’re studying abroad speaks a different language than your native tongue. If the country uses a different alphabet than your own, make sure you know what the word means and exactly how it should be written).

A quote tattoo from a local author. (This is perfect for anyone studying literature abroad).

A number that is meaningful to you. (Maybe your apartment number, the room number of your favorite class, or even your flight number from your incoming flight).

A tattoo that represents the city. (Think landmarks, symbols, plants, airport code, etc. There are endless possibilities here).

Funny Travel Tattoos

If you want to have your travels inked with a little bit of levity, consider getting a funny travel tattoo.

A funny travel pun tattoo. (I have a giant list of travel puns here, plus articles on puns for many cities and countries that you can use for inspiration).

A tattoo of your favorite travel food. (Even better if it’s had a bite taken out of it. Think a gelato from Italy or a slice of apple pie from the USA).

A cartoon character from the country you’ve visited.

A tattoo of a funny word or joke in the local language.

A tattoo that commemorates a hilarious adventure you had. (If something especially funny happened on your trip, get a tattoo to remember it by. Then you can tell the story whenever someone asks you about the tattoo).

Camping Tattoos

If you love camping, get a camping tattoo to celebrate your hobby. Here are some ideas for camping tattoos:

A tent tattoo. (It doesn’t have to be the kind of tend you actually own. You can get a tent that’s a little more vintage or Wes Anderson-inspired).

A campfire tattoo.

A camping scene tattoo. (Think the tent, the campfire, a mountain or lake, etc).

A water canteen tattoo.

A bow and arrow tattoo. 

A trail map tattoo.

An RV tattoo. (Or a camper van tattoo. You can get a tattoo of your real motorhome or a vintage one. Alternatively, if your RV has a name, then you can get the name tattooed instead.).

A boy scout or girl scout tattoo. (If you were one, obviously).

A sleeping bag tattoo.

Pilgrimage Tattoos

Whether you go on a religious, spiritual, or personal pilgrimage, these kinds of trips can result in a lot of soul-searching.

It’s common to come out on the other side changed, and a tattoo to solidify that progress or celebrate the experience is a great idea.

Of course, not every religion allows tattoos. If you do want to get a pilgrimage tattoo, here are a few ideas:

A religious tattoo. (Like the Jerusalem cross I mentioned above, there are sometimes special religious symbols for specific pilgrimages. These make great tattoos as long as they are done with respect).

A journey tattoo. (If you’re going on a walking pilgrimage like the Camino de Santiago, there are lots of special symbols about the journey, from the seashell that marks pilgrims on the road to the waymarkers on the path).

A landmark tattoo. (If your pilgrimage is about the destination and not the journey, why not get a tattoo of an important landmark in your destination city or village?)

A significant number tattoo. (It could be the date of your trip or the distance you walked).

A short prayer tattoo. (If your pilgrimage has a specific prayer associated with it, you can get this as a tattoo if it’s short enough, or get a quote from it if it’s longer).

Latin Travel Tattoos

People love tattoos in Ancient Latin and Roman Numerals. An unlike significant tribal tattoos and symbols in foreign languages that you don’t speak, a tattoo in Latin is neutral since it’s a dead language. Here are a few ancient Latin tattoos ideas:

A tattoo in Roman Numerals. (It could be the date of your trip or another significant number from your trip).

A tattoo of a famous Latin phrase. (Think Carpe Diem or Vini Vidi Vici).

An ancient Latin pun or joke tattoo. (Just make sure you are 100% sure of the meaning or you’ll have Latin nerds making fun of you the rest of your life).

A tattoo of an inscription. (If you love a particular ancient Roman building or statue, get the Latin inscription tattooed).

The Latin name for your favorite pace. (For example, I could get a Serdika tattoo to celebrate Sofia since that’s what the city was called during the Roman Empire).

Travel Tattoo Sleeves

If you love to travel and you do it often, you can get an entire sleeve. Great themes for sleeves include passport stamps, state flowers, landmarks, etc. Just think about what you want to do ahead of time so there’s some sort of cohesive plan.

A great tattoo artist can make it work, but it’s nice to go in with a plan. You can get the tattoos as you travel or get them done all at once after you’re back home.

Some cool travel tattoo sleeves that I’ve seen are a Route 66 themed sleeve, an  Oklahoma tattoo sleeve, and a sleeve of postcard tattoos.

Should You Get a Tattoo in Every Country You Visit?

This can be really fun, but it can end up being quite a large area if you do a lot of traveling!

If you want a small area then pick a minimalist travel tattoo for each country. Make sure it’s something that looks good as you’re getting it done and will also look good as you add more countries.

World Country Tattoos

Here are a few suggestions for travel tattoos from every country and major territory.

Afghanistan Tattoo Ideas

An Afghan Hound tattoo.

A pomegranate tattoo.

A Rubab tattoo.

Albania Tattoo Ideas

A Berat house tattoo.

An Albanian Bunker tattoo.

A tattoo of your favorite piece of Tirana street art.

Algeria Tattoo Ideas

A Ghardaia skyline tattoo.

A Fennic Fox tattoo.

An Oran architecture tattoo.

Andorra Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo of the Andorra Coat of Arms.

A skiing-inspired tattoo.

A Coma Pedrosa tattoo.

Angola Tattoo Ideas

An Ilha do Cabo tattoo.

An Angola Flag tattoo.

A tattoo of Kalandula Falls.

Anguilla Tattoo Ideas

An Anguilla Crayfish tattoo.

An Anguilla Catholic Church tattoo.

A Sandy Island tattoo.

Antigua & Barbuda Tattoo Ideas

A Rum Punch tattoo.

A Wadadli Beer tattoo.

A tattoo of the view from Shirley Heights.

Argentina Tattoo Ideas

A Ceibo Flower tattoo.

An El Sol de Mayo tattoo.

An Aconacqua tattoo.

Armenia Tattoo Ideas

An Armenian monastery tattoo.

An Armenian alphabet tattoo.

A Mount Ararat tattoo.

Australia Tattoo Ideas

An Australian animal tattoo. (For example a kangaroo tattoo or a koala tattoo).

An Acacia flower tattoo.

A 12 Apostles tattoo.

Austria Tattoo Ideas

A Prater tattoo.

A Klimt tattoo inspired by his colors and style.

An Edelweiss tattoo. 

Azerbaijan Tattoo Ideas

A fire tattoo. (This could be literal or something like the Flame towers).

A tattoo inspired by the tilework at the Palace of the Sheki Khans.

A petroglyph tattoo from Gobustan.

Bahamas Tattoo Ideas

• A flamingo tattoo.

An Exuma pig tattoo.

A Blackbeard or pirate tattoo.

Bahrain Tattoo Ideas

A pearl tattoo.

A Bahrain Coat of Arms tattoo.

A Bahrain-style tattoo. (Think the beautiful Bahrain-style henna tattoos, but tattooed in permanent ink).

Bangladesh Tattoo Ideas

A Bangladesh flag tattoo.

A Bengal tiger tattoo.

A Bangladesh Coat of Arms tattoo.

Barbados Tattoo Ideas

A Rhianna song tattoo. (Perhaps an…umbrealla tattoo?)

A trident tattoo.

A flying fish tattoo. 

Belarus Tattoo Ideas

A colorful wooden house tattoo.

A Polesie moor tattoo.

A tattoo of the National Library of the Republic of Belarus.

Belgium Tattoo Ideas

A Magritte tattoo based on your favorite work.

A Chimay beer tattoo (or another great Belgian beer).

An Atomium tattoo.

Belize Tattoo Ideas

A Black Orchid tattoo.

A Laughingbird Caye tattoo.

A Rio Frio Caves tattoo.

Benin Tattoo Ideas

A leopard tattoo.

A Benin flag tattoo.

A tattoo based on your favorite bronze or wood carving.

Bermuda Tattoo Ideas

A Bermuda skink tattoo.

A Bermuda cedar tattoo.

A Gibbs Hill Lighthouse tattoo.

Bhutan Tattoo Ideas

A Bhutan Dragon tattoo.

A Jakar Dzong tattoo.

A Himalayan Blue Poppy tattoo.

Bolivia Tattoo Ideas

A Llama tattoo.

A Salar de Uyuni tattoo.

A traffic control zebra tattoo.

Bosnia & Herzegovina Tattoo Ideas

A Stari Most tattoo.

A Visegrad bridge tattoo.

A Sarajevo rose tattoo.

Botswana Tattoo Ideas

A Seven Sisters tattoo.

A Lilac-breasted Roller bird tattoo.

A Matsieng Footprints tattoo.

Brazil Tattoo Ideas

An Oscar Niemeyer tattoo based on your favorite of his buildings. 

A Brazil flag tattoo.

An Escadaria Selarón tattoo.

Brunei Tattoo Ideas

A Kota Batu tattoo.

A Simpor flower tattoo.

A National Emblem of Brunei tattoo.

Bulgaria Tattoo Ideas

A Buzludzha tattoo.

A Kopitoto tattoo.

A tattoo based on the colors and patterns of Rila Monastery.

Burkina Faso Tattoo Ideas

A White Stallion tattoo.

A Burkina Faso flag tattoo.

A mask tattoo.

Burundi Tattoo Ideas

A Karera Falls tattoo.

A Burundi Flag tattoo based on the 1962 flag.

A Tanganyika fishing boat tattoo.

Cambodia Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo of a tree taking over a temple. (Though if you aren’t Hindu or Buddhist then I would make the temple non-descript as I do not advocate coopting a religion that’s not your own).

An Angkor monkey tattoo.

A Romduol flower tattoo.

Cameroon Tattoo Ideas

A Cameroon flag tattoo.

A Mount Oupay tattoo.

A tattoo of the silhouette of the Monument de la Reunification. 

Canada Tattoo Ideas

A Maple Leaf tattoo.

A Canada Goose tattoo.

A Nova Scotia lighthouse tattoo.

Cape Verde Tattoo Ideas

A Cape Verde star flag tattoo.

A Cabo Verde map tattoo.

A tattoo of the view from Calhau beach.

Cayman Islands Tattoo Ideas

A Grand Cayman Parrot tattoo.

A stingray tattoo.

A tattoo of one of the dive sites. (Great for scuba diving enthusiasts)

Central African Republic Tattoo Ideas

An elephant tattoo.

A Bouar megaliths tattoo.

A Boali Falls tattoo.

Chad Tattoo Ideas

A Gala Beer tattoo.

A Nile Crocodile tattoo.

An Emnedi desert tattoo.

Chile Tattoo Ideas

A Copihue flower tattoo.

An Easter Island tattoo.

A Hand of the Desert tattoo.

China Tattoo Ideas

A panda tattoo.

A peony flower tattoo.

A Ginko tree tattoo.

Colombia Tattoo Ideas

A Fernando Botero tattoo.

A Wax Palm tree tattoo.

An emerald tattoo.

Comoros Tattoo Ideas

A Comoros map tattoo.

A Humpback whale tattoo.

A Mount Ntingui tattoo.

Congo Tattoo Ideas

A mango tattoo.

A Nabemba Tower tattoo.

A Republic of Congo flag tattoo.

Costa Rica Tattoo Ideas

A Parque Francisco Alvardoa tatto.

A Pura Vida tattoo. (But try to come up with a unique angle since this is the most common Costa Rica tattoo).

A La Guaria Morada orchid tattoo.

Croatia Tattoo Ideas

A lavender tattoo.

A Podgaric monument tattoo.

A maraschino cherry tattoo.

Cuba Tattoo Ideas

A Cuban flag tattoo.

A White Mariposa flower tattoo.

A vintage Cuban car tattoo.

Cyprus Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo based on your favorite piece of Cyprus street art.

• A Cyclamen flower tattoo.

A halloumi tattoo. 

Czech Republic Tattoo Ideas

A Czech beer tattoo.

A Lime tree tattoo.

A Bohemian Paradise tattoo.

Democratic Republic of the Congo Tattoo Ideas. 

A DRC flag tattoo.

An Okapi forest giraffe tattoo.

A Mount Nyiragongo tattoo.

Denmark Tattoo Ideas

A Little Mermaid tattoo.

A Carlsberg tattoo.

A Danish Modern furniture tattoo.

Djibouti Tattoo Ideas

A Lac Assal tattoo.

A Djibouti flag tattoo.

A Lake Abbe tattoo.

A Sisserou parrot tattoo.

A sea turtle tattoo.

A scuba diving tattoo.

Dominican Republic Tattoo Ideas

A mahogany tattoo.

A baseball tattoo

A mangrove tattoo.

Ecuador Tattoo Ideas

A Cotopaxi tattoo.

An empanada tattoo.

A Galapagos turtle tattoo.

Egypt Tattoo Ideas

A Hatshepsut tattoo.

• A lotus tattoo.

An ankh tattoo.

El Salvador Tattoo Ideas

• A camel tattoo.

A Dahlak Islands tattoo.

A tattoo based on the Gama cave petroglyphs.

Equatorial Guinea Tattoo Ideas

A Silk Cotton tree tattoo.

A Malabo skyline tattoo.

A Colobus monkey tattoo.

Eritrea Tattoo Ideas

An Eritrean flag tattoo.

A Fiat Tagliero service station tattoo. 

Estonia Tattoo Ideas

A cornflower tattoo.

A Walls of Tallinn tattoo.

A barn swallows tattoo.

Eswatini Tattoo Ideas

A lion and an elephant tattoo.

A Coddia flower tattoo.

A rhinoceros tattoo.

Ethiopia Tattoo Ideas

A Calla Lily tattoo.

An Ethiopia coat of arms tattoo.

An Erta Ale volcano tattoo.

Fiji Tattoo Ideas

A Tagimaucia flower tattoo.

A Fijian Druras boat tattoo.

A Fiji map tattoo.

Finland Tattoo Ideas

A whooper swan tattoo.

A Crusell Bridge tattoo.

A ladybug tattoo.

France Tattoo Ideas

A fleur-de-lis tattoo.

A Gallic Rooster tattoo.

A Pont du Gard tattoo.

French Guiana Tattoo Ideas

A Lily tattoo.

An Ariane 5 Rocket tattoo.

Les Roches Gravées Petroglyphs tattoo.

Gabon Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo based on Gabon’s green, yellow, and blue national colors.

A tattoo based on the poetry of Maurice Okoumba-Nkoghe.

A Pathers football tattoo.

Georgia Tattoo Ideas

A Khinkali tattoo.

A tattoo of your favorite piece of kitsch at the Dry Bridge Market.

A Borjgali tattoo.

Germany Tattoo Ideas

A funny Germany tattoo. (You can use one of these Germany puns ).

A German castle tattoo. (One fo the palaces in Potsdam would work nicely).

A poem based on the works of Herman Hesse.

Ghana Tatoo Ideas

A Ghana flag tattoo.

A Golden Eagle tattoo.

Kintampo Waterfall tattoo.

Great Britain Tattoo Ideas

A Union Jack tattoo.

A tattoo based on Great Britain’s great children’s literature.

A British Isles map tattoo.

Greece Tattoo Ideas

A Greek Island house tattoo.

An olive tree tattoo.

A Temple of Delphi tattoo.

Grenada Tattoo Ideas 

A Grenada Dove tattoo.

A Bougainvillea tattoo.

A Cricket tattoo.

Guadeloupe Tattoo Ideas

A Gallic rooster tattoo.

A Guadeloupe flag tattoo.

A La Grande Soufrière volcano tattoo.

Guatemala Tattoo Ideas

A Quetzal tattoo.

A coffee tattoo.

A marimba tattoo.

Guinea Tattoo Ideas 

A Mount Nimba tattoo.

A Tinkisso Falls tattoo.

A turtle tattoo.

Guinea-Bissau Tattoo Ideas

A  Guinea-Bissau flag tattoo.

A Bissagos Islands tattoo.

An Orango National Park tattoo.

Guyana Tattoo Ideas

A Jaguar tattoo.

A water lily tattoo.

A Kaieteur Falls tattoo.

Haiti Tattoo Ideas

• A Hibiscus tattoo.

A Hispaniolan Trogon bird tattoo.

A Port-au-Prince Houses tattoo.

Honduras Tattoo Ideas

A Scarlet Macaw tattoo.

A Roatan tattoo.

A Honduras coat of arms tattoo.

Hong Kong Tattoo Ideas

A Giant Panda tattoo.

A Hong Kong orchid tree tattoo.

A Hong Kong skyline tattoo.

Hungary Tattoo Ideas

A Turul tattoo.

A Hungarian wine tattoo.

A paprika tattoo.

Iceland Tattoo Ideas

An Icelandic horse tattoo.

A Gyrfalcon tattoo.

A Northern Lights tattoo.

India Tattoo Ideas 

An India train tattoo.

A tattoo inspired by the colors of the Meenakshi Amman Temple.

A Vallam boat tatoo.

Indonesia Tattoo Ideas

A Komodo Dragon tattoo.

An Ubud monkey tattoo.

A Bali swing tattoo.

Iran Tattoo Ideas

A Mount Damavand tattoo.

An Azadi Tower tattoo.

A tattoo based on the colors or tilework of the Nasir al-Mulk Mosque (the Pink Mosque).

Iraq Tattoo Ideas

An Ishtar Gate tattoo.

An Eagle of Saladin tattoo.

A Lion of Babylon tattoo.

Israel Tattoo Ideas

A tattoo based on the architecture of Tel Aviv

A Hoopoe bird tattoo.

Italy Tattoo Ideas

• An Italian coffee or drink tattoo.
• An Italian wolf tattoo.
• A Vespa tattoo.

Ivory Coast (Cote d’Ivoire) Tattoo Ideas

• An African elephant tattoo.
• A Baobab Flower tattoo.
•  A Cascade in Man tattoo.

Jamaica Tattoo Ideas

• A Red Stripe tattoo.
• A Jamaican boat tattoo.
• A Dunns River Falls tattoo.

Japan Tattoo Ideas

• A tattoo based on the artwork of Hokusai. 
• A traditional Bamboo tattoo.
• A Chery Blossom tattoo.

Jordan Tattoo Ideas

• An Amman Citadel tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the artwork in Petra.
• A Wadi Rum tattoo.

Kazakhstan Tattoo Ideas

• A Nomad’s Land tattoo.
• A Big Almaty Lake tattoo.
• An Emblem of Kazakhstan tattoo.

Kenya Tattoo Ideas

• A Mount Kilimanjaro tattoo.
• A Maasai Market tattoo.
• A lion tattoo.

Korea Tattoo Ideas 

• A Korean magpie tattoo.
• A Siberian tiger tatoo.
• A Kimchi tattoo.

Kosovo Tattoo Ideas 

• A Newborn monument tattoo.
• A Stone Bridge tattoo.
• A Balkan lynx tattoo.

Kuwait Tattoo Ideas

• An Arfaj dessert flower tattoo.
• A Kuwait Towers tattoo.

Kyrgyzstan Tattoo Ideas

• An Epic of Manas tattoo.
• A Komuz tattoo.
• A Peregrine falcon tattoo.

Laos Tattoo Ideas

• A Plumeria flower tattoo.
• An Asian elephant tattoo.
• A Kuang Si waterfall tattoo.

Latvia Tattoo Ideas 

• A White Wagtail bird tattoo.
• A Freedom Monument of Riga tattoo.
• An amber jewel tattoo.

Lebanon Tattoo Ideas

• A Cedar of Lebanon tattoo.
• A Ruins of Tyre tattoo.

Lesotho Tattoo Ideas

• A Black Rhinoceros tattoo.
• A tattoo based on iconic Lesotho textiles.
• A Lesotho map tattoo.

Liberia Tattoo Ideas

• A Liberian flag tattoo.
• A Pepper flower tattoo.
• A Pygmy Hippopotamus tattoo.

Libya Tattoo Ideas 

• A Barbary Lion tattoo.
• An Afzejare Arch tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the Tadrardt Acacus rock art.

Liechtenstein Tattoo Ideas 

• A Jägerndorf shield tattoo.
• A Vaduz Castle tattoo.
• A Yellow Lily tattoo.

Lithuania Tattoo Ideas

• A Lithuanian flag tattoo.
• An iron wolf tattoo.
• A White Stork tattoo.

Luxembourg Tattoo Ideas

• A Goldcrest bird tattoo.
• A Vianden Castle tattoo.
• A Bofferding beer tattoo.

Macau Tattoo Ideas 

• A Macau flag tattoo.
• A Morpheus tattoo.

Madagascar Tattoo Ideas

• A Ring Tailed Lemur tattoo.
• A Baobab tree tattoo.
• A Tsingy de Bemaraha tattoo.

Malawi Tattoo Ideas 

• A Thomson’s Gazelle tattoo.
• A Lake Malawi rocks tattoo.
• A Chongoni Rock Art tattoo.

Malaysia Tattoo Ideas 

• A Petronas Towers tattoo.
• A Malayan tiger tattoo.
• A Gunung Mulu tattoo.

Maldives Tattoo Ideas

• A Yellowfin tuna tattoo.
• A Maldives map tattoo.
• A Pink rose tattoo.

Mali Tattoo Ideas

• A Tomb of Askia tattoo.
• A Firefinch tattoo.
• An ancient Timbuktu skyline tattoo.

Malta Tattoo Ideas 

• A Maltese balcony tattoo.
• A Maltese fishing boat tattoo.
• A Pharoah Hound tattoo.

Martinique Tattoo Ideas

• A large Madnina flower tattoo of the different flowers on the island.
• A manicou opossum tattoo.
• A Trois Rivieres  rum tattoo.

Mauritania Tattoo Ideas

• A White Antelope tattoo.
• An Atar Stone Circles tattoo.
• An Oulata architectural detail work tattoo.

Mauritius Tattoo Ideas

• A Mauritius flag tattoo.
• A Dodo bird tattoo.
• A Star and Key tattoo.

Mayotte Tattoo Ideas

• A seahorse tattoo.
• A Mayotte map tattoo.
• A ylang-ylang flower tattoo.

Mexico Tattoo Ideas

• An eagle holding a snake tattoo.
• A Nopal cactus tattoo.
• A dahlia flower tattoo.

Moldova Tattoo Ideas

• An Eternal Flame monument tattoo.
• A Struve Geodetic Arc tattoo.
• A cognac tattoo.

Monaco Tattoo Ideas

• A Hedgehog tattoo.
• A Barbagiuan tattoo.
• A Monaco skyline tattoo.

Mongolia Tattoo Ideas

• A Przewalski horse tattoo.
• A seabuckthorn berry tattoo.
• A falcon tattoo.

Montenegro Tattoo Ideas

• An Our Lady of the Rocks tattoo.
• A Sveti Stefan tattoo.
• A mimoza tattoo.

Montserrat Tattoo Ideas

• A Montserrat Oriole tattoo.
• A Heliconia tattoo.
• A pribby tattoo.

Morocco Tattoo Ideas

• A Barbary lion tattoo.
• A Chefchauouen tattoo.
• An Ait Benhaddou skyline tattoo.

Mozambique Tattoo Ideas

• A Mount Panda tattoo.
• A Maputo railway station tattoo.

Myanmar/Burma Tattoo Ideas

• An Inle Lake boat tattoo.
• A Chinthe tattoo.
• An Indo-Chinese tiger tattoo.

Namibia Tattoo Ideas

• An oryx tattoo.
• An Ecola tattoo.
• A red sand dunes tattoo.

Nepal Tattoo Ideas

• A Madal tattoo.
• A Peepal tree tattoo.
• A Khukuri tattoo.

New Zealand Tattoo Ideas

• A kiwi tattoo.
• A silver fern tattoo.
• A Wanaka tree tattoo.

Nicaragua Tattoo Ideas

• A Sacuanjoche flower tattoo.
• A motmot tattoo.
• A five volcanoes tattoo.

Niger Tattoo Ideas

• A Dama Gazelle tattoo.
• A Maraadi architecture tattoo.
• A Dabous giraffe petroglyph tattoo.

Nigeria Tattoo Ideas 

• A Red Eagle tattoo.
• A Nigerian flag tattoo.
• A Y tattoo.

North Macedonia Tattoo Ideas

• A Skopje statues tattoo.
• A Macedonian pine tattoo.
• A Lake Ohrid boat tattoo.

Norway Tattoo Ideas

• A moose tattoo.
• A purple heather tattoo.
• A cod tattoo.

Oman Tattoo Ideas

• A Khanjar dagger tattoo.
• The Giant Incense Burner tattoo.
• An Oman roundabout tattoo.

Pakistan Tattoo Ideas

• A jasmine tattoo.
• A markhor tattoo.
• A Himalayan Cedar tattoo.

Palestine Tattoo Ideas

• A West Bank Separation Wall tattoo. (If you want to make a political statement).
• A Banksy hotel or street art inspired tattoo. (Another good political tattoo idea).
• A Palestine sunbird tattoo.

Panama Tattoo Ideas 

• A Holy Ghost Orchid tattoo.
• A Panama beer tattoo.
• A Panamanian Golden Frog tattoo.

Papua New Guinea Tattoo Ideas

• A Dugong tattoo.
• A Sepik Blue Orchid tattoo.
• A Tree Kangaroo tattoo.

Paraguay Tattoo Ideas

• A Pink Lapacho tattoo.
• A Pampas fox tattoo.
• A Paraguayan harp tattoo.

Peru Tattoo Ideas

• A vicuña tattoo.
• A Cantuta flower tattoo.
• A Peruvian panflute tattoo.

Philippines Tattoo Ideas

• A Jeepney tattoo.
• A Sampaguita jasmine tattoo.
• A Phillippine pearl tattoo.

Poland Tattoo Ideas 

• A Warsaw dragon tattoo.
• A Red Corn Poppy tattoo.
• A Pierogi tattoo.

Portugal Tattoo Ideas

• A Portuguese tilework tattoo.
• A Barcelos Rooster tattoo.
• A Portuguese University Robes tattoo.

Puerto Rico Tattoo Ideas

• A Coqui frog tattoo.
• A Puerto Rican flag tattoo.
• A Cuatro tattoo.

Qatar Tattoo Ideas

• A Limonium tattoo.
• A Museum of Islamic Art tattoo.

Reunion Tattoo Ideas

• A Reunion map tattoo.
• An Ile Bourbon tattoo.
• A Piton de la Fournaise volcano tattoo.

Romania Tattoo Ideas

• A Bran Castle tattoo.
• A Romanian egg tattoo.
• A Great White Pelican tattoo.

Russian Federation Tattoo Ideas

• A Russian bear tattoo.
• A Cosmonaut tattoo.
• A Cheburashka tattoo.

Rwanda Tattoo Ideas

• A Sprinbok tattoo.
• An Inanga tattoo.
• A Rwanda flag tattoo.

Saint Kitts and Nevis Tattoo Ideas

• A map tattoo of the islands.
• A poinciana flower tattoo.
• A Saint Kitts and Nevis flag tattoo.

Saint Lucia Tattoo Ideas

• A Saint Lucia flag tattoo.
• A Saint Lucian parrot tattoo.
• A Gros Piton tattoo.

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines Tattoo Ideas

• A map tattoo.
• A St. Vincent Parrot tattoo.
• A Soufriere Tree tattoo.

Samoa Tattoo Ideas 

• A manumea bird tattoo.
• An Alofaaga Blowholes tattoo.
• A Fuipisia Falls tattoo.

Sao Tome and Principe Tattoo Ideas

• A  Sao Tome and Principe flag tattoo.
• A Sao Tome shrew tattoo.
• A Cao Grande Peak tattoo.

Saudi Arabia Tattoo Ideas

• An Arabian horse tattoo.
• A Mada’in Salih tattoo.
• A Royal Jasmine tattoo.

Senegal Tattoo Ideas

• An African Spoonbill tattoo.
• A Green star tattoo.
• A Kora tattoo.

Serbia Tattoo Ideas

• A Lily of the Valley tattoo.
• An Ada Bridge tattoo.
• A Golubac Fortress tattoo.

Seychelles Tattoo Ideas

• A Striped Dolphin tattoo.
• A Seychelles flag tattoo.
• A Triangle instrument tattoo.

Sierra Leone Tattoo Ideas

• A Lion tattoo.
• A Charlotte Falls tattoo.
• A Hoddu tattoo.

Singapore Tattoo Ideas

• A Merlion tattoo.
• A Singapore skyline tattoo.
• A Supertree Grove tattoo.

Slovakia Tattoo Ideas

• A  Čumil, Man at Work tattoo.
• A Linden tree tattoo.
• A Most SNP tattoo.

Slovenia Tattoo Ideas

• A Lippizaner horse tattoo.
• A Špičnik 1 heart road tattoo.
• A Ljubljana Dragon tattoo.

Solomon Islands Tattoo Ideas

• A Conch shell tattoo.
• A Five Stars tattoo.

Somalia Tattoo Ideas

• A Leopard tattoo.
• A durbaan drum tattoo.
• A King Protea tattoo.

South Africa Tattoo Ideas

• A Capetown skyline tattoo.
• A King Protea flower tattoo.
• A Blue Crane tattoo.

South Sudan Tattoo Ideas

• An African fish eagle tattoo.
• A Suddia grass tattoo.
• A tattoo of Juba from above.

Spain Tattoo Ideas

• A Camino de Santiago tattoo.
• A Bull tattoo.
• A Spanish guitar tattoo.

Sri Lanka Tattoo Ideas

• A blue water lily tattoo.
• A Sri Lankan birdwing butterfly tattoo.
• A Columbo Lotus Tower tattoo.

Sudan Tattoo Ideas

• A Sudan Cheetah tattoo.
• A Rose Mallow flower tattoo.
• A Nubian pyramid tattoo.

Suriname Tattoo Ideas

• A Faja Lobi flower tattoo.
• A Paramaribo architecture tattoo.
• A Sipaliwini Savannah Petroglyph tattoo.

Sweden Tattoo Ideas

• A Swedish horse tattoo.
• A  Swedish cabin tattoo.
• A Stockholm skyline tattoo.

Switzerland Tattoo Ideas

• A Matterhorn tattoo.
• A Swiss Flag tattoo.
• A Swiss Chocolate tatoo.

Syria Tattoo Idea

• An Olive Tree tattoo.
• A Palmyra tattoo.
• A Syrian Bear tattoo.

Tajikistan Tattoo Ideas 

• A Rising Sun tattoo.
• An Iskanderkul tattoo.
• A Tajikistan flag tattoo.

Tanzania Tattoo Ideas

• A Giraffe tattoo.
• An African Blackwood tree tattoo.

Thailand Tattoo Ideas

• A Siamese Fireback Pheasant tattoo.
• A Thai elephant tattoo.
• A Long-tail boat tattoo.

The Gambia Tattoo Ideas

• A Gambia River & Canoe tattoo.
• A Jul Brew tattoo.

The Netherlands Tattoo Ideas

• A windmill tattoo.
• A wooden shoe tattoo.
• A funny Amsterdam tattoo. (You can use one of these Amsterdam puns if you want).

Timor Leste Tattoo Ideas

• A Hibiscus flower tattoo.
• A Mount Ramelau tattoo.
• A Sia Maubara tattoo.

Togo Tattoo Ideas

• A Hippopotamus tattoo.
• A Togo flag tattoo.
• A plantain tattoo.

Trinidad & Tobago Tattoo Ideas

• A Chaconia tattoo.
• A steelpan tattoo.
• A Scarlet Ibis tattoo.

Tunisia Tattoo Ideas

• A Tunisian door tattoo.
• A tagine tattoo. 
• A Cape Angela lighthouse tattoo.

Turkey Tattoo Ideas

• An Ottoman house tattoo.
• A tattoo based on Turkish tilework.
• A Cappadocia hot air balloon tattoo.

Turkmenistan Tattoo Ideas

• An Akhal-Teke horse tattoo.
• A Darvaza Gas Crater tattoo.
• A Turkmenistan TV Tower tattoo.

Turks & Caicos Tattoo Ideas

• A Turk’s Head Cactus tattoo.
• A conch shell tattoo.

Uganda Tattoo Ideas

• A Crested Crane tattoo.
• A Lake Bunyonyi tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the poetry of Okot p’Bitek. 

Ukraine Tattoo Ideas

(Please do not get a Chernobyl tattoo unless you have more of a connection to it than just a tourist).

• A Kyiv tattoo.
• A Nightingale tattoo.
• A Batkivshchyna Maty tattoo.

United Arab Emirates Tattoo Ideas

• A Burj Khalifa tattoo.
• A Tribulus Omanense tattoo.

United States of America Tattoo Ideas (USA)

• An American Flag tattoo.
• A Statue of Liberty  tattoo.
• A Route 66 tattoo.

Uruguay Tattoo Ideas

• A La Mano tattoo.
• An Uruguayan sun tattoo.
• A Mercado del Puerto tattoo.

Uzbekistan Tattoo Ideas

• A Plov tattoo.
• A tattoo inspired by the colors of Uzbekistan tilework.
• An Amir Timur Museum tattoo.

Venezuela Tattoo Ideas

• An Orinoco river tattoo.
• A Flor de Mayo tattoo.
• A Venezuelan troupial bird tattoo.
• A Ha Long Bay tattoo.
• An egg coffee tattoo.
• A bamboo sling tattoo.

Virgin Islands Tattoo Ideas

• An oleander tattoo.
• A Mourning Dove tattoo.
• A Bananaquit bird tattoo.

Yemen Tattoo Ideas

• A tattoo inspired by the poetry of Waddah al-Yemen.
• A Yemen National Library tattoo.
• A Socotra Dragon tree tattoo.

Zambia Tattoo Ideas

• A Victoria Falls tattoo.
• A Zambia Flag tatoo.
• A  Lukusuzi National Park tattoo.    

Zimbabwe Tattoo Ideas

• A Flame Lily tattoo.
• A Sable Antelope tattoo.

World City Tattoos

If you want to rep your favorite city to travel to (or even your home city), these are tattoo ideas for some of the world’s major cities.

Tokyo Tattoo Ideas (Japan)

• A Tokyo Skytree or Tokyo Tower tattoo.
• A tattoo of your favorite plane or scene at Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden.
• A geometric tattoo based on Shibuya Crossing.

Jakarta Tattoo Ideas (Indonesia)

• A Thousand Islands tattoo. (The islands outside of Jakarta, not the salad dressing).
• A Monas Tower tattoo.
• A tattoo of a dragon with pearls in its mouth. (Based on the ones at Jin De Yuan).

Delhi Tattoo Ideas (India)

• An India Gate tattoo.
• A tattoo of your favorite scene, plant, or tomb in the Lodi Gardens.

Seoul Tattoo Ideas (South Korea)

• A  Gyeongbokgung Palace tattoo. (You can pick something based on the colors, patterns or architecture).
• A Dongdaemun Design Plaza tattoo. (This would be especially cool as a minimalist tattoo of just the shape).
• A tattoo of a scene from Bukhansan National Park.

Manila Tattoo Ideas (Philippines)

• A seal of Manila tattoo.
• A Manila skyline tattoo.
• A Coconut Palace tattoo.

Mumbai Tattoo Ideas (India)

• A Gateway of India Mumbai tattoo.
• An Elephanta Island tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the Bandra–Worli Sea Link Bridge.

Shanghai Tattoo Ideas (China)

• A tattoo of the Oriental Pearl tv tower.
• A tattoo of your favorite plant or scene from the Yu Garden.
• A Shanghai Disneyland tattoo.

New York City Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• The quote “I’m in a New York State of Mind” tattoo. (Or pick another New York City quote or pun ).
• An art deco tattoo from the Chrysler Building or Empire State Building.
• An “I Heart NY” tattoo. (It’s not just for NYC souvenirs )!

Beijing Tattoo Ideas (China)

• A Forbidden City tattoo. (Take inspiration from the colors, designs, and architecture).
• A Drum Tower or Bell Tower tattoo.
• A tattoo of a boat on Kunming Lake.

Mexico City Tattoo Ideas (Mexico)

• A Frida Kahlo-inspired tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Palacio de Bellas Artes.
• A Chapultepec Castle tattoo. (It is one of the most beautiful castles in the world after all).

Moscow Tattoo Ideas (Russia)

• A St. Basil’s Cathedral tattoo. (You can go literal or pick some of the colors and patterns for a more abstract interpretation).
• A Bolshoy Theater tattoo. (You can pick the building or something from the inside of the opera house or something inspired by a performance you saw there).
• A Shukhov Radio Tower tattoo.

Cairo Tattoo Ideas (Egypt)

• A Pyramids of Giza tattoo.
• A Nile River tattoo.
• A tattoo of a scene or plant from the Orman Botanical Garden.

Bangkok Tattoo Ideas (Thailand)

• A Skytrain tattoo.
• A tattoo of a boat on the Chai Phraya River.
• A scene or symbol from the  Chatuchak Market.

Los Angeles Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A tattoo of the Hollywood sign. (Bonus points if you make it say ‘Hollywoo’ instead).
• A Santa Monica pier tattoo.
• A Disneyland tattoo.

Buenos Aires Tattoo Ideas (Argentina)

• A Caminito Tattoo. (Great if you want a really colorful tattoo from Buenos Aires).
• A  Centro Cultural Borges  tattoo.
• A Kavanagh Building tattoo.

Istanbul Tattoo Ideas (Turkey)

• A Galata Tower tattoo.
• An Istanbul cat tattoo.
• A Bosphorus Bridge Tattoo.

Lagos Tattoo Ideas (Nigeria)

• A Lagos Bridge tattoo. (The city has a few great ones to pick from).
• A National Arts Theatre tattoo.
• A DANFO tattoo.

Rio de Janeiro Tattoo Ideas (Brazil)

• A Sugarloaf Mountain tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Escadaria Selarón.
• A Cable Car tattoo.

Lima Tattoo Ideas (Peru)

• A Park of Love tattoo.
• A Lima coat of arms tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the work of Mario Testino.

Paris Tattoo Ideas (France)

• An Eiffel Tower tattoo. (Yes, it’s cheesy, but you can find ways to make it original).
• A funny Paris tattoo. (Feel free to borrow a Paris pun ).
• A tattoo of a detail from the artwork or architecture of one of Paris’s churches.

London Tattoo Ideas (United Kingdom)

• A Big Ben tattoo. 
• A funny London tattoo. (Feel free to borrow a London pun ).
• A tattoo of a sign or symbol from your favorite London tube station.

Ho Chi Minh City / Saigon Tattoo Ideas (Vietnam)

• A tattoo of your favorite flower or scene from the  Saigon Zoo And Botanical Garden  
• A Mong Bridge tattoo.
• An abstract tattoo based on the colors and designs of the  Temple Goddess Mariamma.  

Bogota Tattoo Ideas (Colombia)

• A tattoo based on your favorite piece in the Gold Museum.
• A Monserratte tattoo.
• A Guadua Bridge tattoo.

Chicago Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A Chicago Dog tattoo. (If you want a funny Chicago tattoo but don’t want food, you can use a Chicago pun).
• A Chicago Bean tattoo.
• A tattoo based on your favorite piece or art at the Art Institute of Chicago.

Johannesburg Tattoo Ideas (South Africa)

• A Johannesburg skyline tattoo.
• A Nelson Mandela Bridge tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the amazing Johannesburg street art.

Taipei Tattoo Ideas (Taiwan)

• A tattoo based on the colorful village of Jiufen
• A Xiaolongbao tattoo. 
• A Bubble Tea tattoo. (It was invented in Taipei ).

Hanoi Tattoo Ideas (Vietnam)

• A  Pont Thê Húc Bridge Tattoo. 
• A tattoo based on the beautiful architecture of the Hanoi Old Quarter.
• A Train Street tattoo.

Kuala Lumpur Tattoo Ideas (Malaysia)

• A Petronas Twin Towers tattoo.
• A tattoo based on your favorite piece in the Kuala Lumpur City Gallery.
• A Batu Caves inspired tattoo.

Santiago Tattoo Ideas (Chile)

• A street art tattoo based on your favorite piece in the  Museo Cielo Abierto .
• A tattoo based on a sculpture at the Sculpture Park Museum
• A Calicanto bridge tattoo.

Madrid Tattoo Ideas (Spain)

• A Real Madrid tattoo. (I would only get this if Real Madrid is your favorite team).
• A Madrid landmarks tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the Chrystal Palace.

Toronto Tattoo Ideas (Canada)

• A CN Tower tattoo.
• A tattoo inspired by Nathan Phillips Square.
• A Lake Ontario inspired tattoo. 

Miami Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A Miami lifeguard station tattoo.
• A Cape Florida Lighthouse tattoo.
• A street art tattoo from your favorite piece of Miami street art.

Dallas Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A Dallas Cowboys tattoo. (If they’re your favorite team).
• A Reunion Tower tattoo.
• A kitschy Dallas tattoo based on your favorite item in the International Bowling Museum.

Houston Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A NASA tattoo. 
• A Kemah Boardwalk tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Beer Can House.

Philadelphia Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A South Street tattoo based on the works of Isaiah Zagar.
• A Ben Franklin or Walt Whitman Bridge tattoo.
• A Love Park tattoo.

Barcelona Tattoo Ideas (Spain)

• An LGTB tattoo inspired by the monument  Barcelona’s Monument to Trans History
• A Flor-de-Barcelona tattoo.
• A Gaudi tattoo based on your favorite work.

Atlanta Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• An ATL tattoo. 
• A tattoo of your favorite piece from the High Museum of Art (one of America’s best art museums ).
• A vintage Coca Cola tattoo.

St. Petersburg Tattoo Ideas (Russia)

• Your tattoo inspired by the Hermitage museum.
• An Aurora Cruiser tattoo.
• A Neva River or Dvortsovyy Most tattoo.

Washington DC Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A tattoo of your favorite piece or art of historical artifact in the Smithsonian.
• A tattoo based on the portraits of Michelle Obama or Barack Obama. (I’d go with colors and symbols over something literal).
• An American Beauty Rose tattoo.

Sydney Tattoo Ideas (Australia)

• A Sydney Opera House tattoo (though I personally would do something geometric or based on the shape as opposed to realistic here).
• A Sydney Harbour Bridge tattoo.
• A Vintage Sydney Olympics tattoo.

Boston Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A Boston Tea Party tattoo.
• A Boston Terrier tattoo.
• A Beacon Hill tattoo.

Melbourne (Australia)

• A Flinders Street Railway Station tattoo.
• A Melbourne Skyline tattoo.
• A Luna Park tattoo.

Phoenix Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A Camelback Mountain Tattoo
• An actual Harry Potter-style Phoenix tattoo.
• A tattoo of your favorite plant from the Desert Botanical Garden.

Montreal Tattoo Ideas (Canada)

• A  Pont Jacques-Cartier tattoo.
• A Habitat 67 tattoo.
• A La Plateau house tattoo.

Vancouver Tattoo Ideas (Canada)

• A Vancouver Skyline tattoo.
• A tattoo inspired by your favorite hike near Vancouver.
• A Van City tattoo.

Prague Tattoo Ideas (Czech Republic)

• An  Astronomical Clock tattoo.
• A Charles Bridge tattoo.
• A tattoo based on the works of Kafka.

Budapest Tattoo Ideas (Hungary)

• A funny Budapest tattoo. (Feel free to use one of these Budapest puns ).
• A Danube River Bridge tattoo.
• A tattoo inspired by the artwork in the Gellert Spa and Bath.

Berlin Tattoo Ideas (Germany)

• A Brandenberg Gate tattoo.
• A tattoo of a piece of Berlin street art.
• An Ampelmann tattoo. (I have an explanation of these here ).

Venice Tattoo Ideas (Italy)

• A Gondola tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Giant Hands of Venice.
• A tattoo based on the maze of canals and houses in the city.

Athens Tattoo Ideas (Greece)

• A Parthenon tattoo. (Or another building on the Acropolis ).
• A laurel wreath tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Mask of Agamemnon.  

Nashville Tattoo Ideas (Tennessee)

• A Grand Ole Opry tattoo.
• A tattoo of your favorite piece of Nashville street art.
• A Nashville Hot Chicken tattoo.

Rome Tattoo Ideas (Italy)

• An SPQR tattoo.
• A Bernini-inspired tattoo.
• A Spanish steps tattoo.

Edinburgh Tattoo Ideas (Scotland)

• A tattoo of your favorite flower or plant in the Royal Botanic Garden.
• A  Greyfriars Bobby tattoo.  
• A tattoo based on your favorite piece in the Scottish National Gallery.

Dublin Tattoo Ideas (Ireland)

• A Ha’Penny Bridget tattoo.
• A tattoo of your favorite artifact in the Little Dublin Museum. (I vote for the James Joyce death mask myself).
• A colorful Georgian door tattoo.

Las Vegas Tattoo Ideas (United States)

• A tattoo of the iconic Las Vegas sign.
• A casino-themed tattoo.
• A Las Vegas skyline tattoo.

Lisbon Tattoo Ideas (Portugal)

• A tattoo of a Pasteis de Nata from Belem .
• A Lisbon tram tattoo.
• A Pont 25 de Abril tattoo.

Amsterdam Tattoo Ideas (The Netherlands)

• An Amsterdam Canals tattoo.
• An Amsterdam houses tattoo.
• A bicycle tattoo with Amsterdam tulips.

US State Tattoo Ideas

Here are a few ideas for tattoos of American states.

Alabama Tattoo Ideas

• A University of Alabama tattoo. (Think cute elephants, the Roll Tide motto, etc).
• A camellia tattoo.
• A Sweet Home Alabama tattoo.

Alaska Tattoo Ideas

• A tattoo of Alaska from the water. (Think mountains and whales and beautiful waves).
• An Alaskan animal tattoo. (Think bears, moose, seal, puffins, etc).
• A tattoo of the Alaskan state motto “North to the Future.”

Arizona Tattoo Ideas

• A Grand Canyon tattoo.
• A saguaro cactus tattoo.
• An Arizona flag tattoo. (Love the stars and colors on the Arizona flag).

Arkansas Tattoo Ideas

• An apple blossom tattoo.
• A Thorncrown Chapel tattoo. (This would be a great opportunity for a cute geometric tattoo).
• A tattoo of a scene of Hot Springs.

California Tattoo Ideas

• A tattoo of the word Eureka!
• A cable car in San Francisco tattoo.
• A funny California tattoo. (Feel free to borrow one of these California puns ).

Colorado Tattoo Ideas

• A Colorado flag tattoo.
• A Rocky Mountain tattoo.
• A Pikes Peak sign tattoo.

Connecticut Tattoo Ideas

• A Mystic Lighthouse tattoo.
• An American robin tattoo.
• A Stars Hollow tattoo. (Yes it’s a fictional town, but it lives in our hearts forever.

Delaware Tattoo Ideas

• A peach blossom tattoo.
• A Kalmar Nyckel tattoo.
• A tattoo of Delaware state motto “Liberty and Independence”

Florida Tattoo Ideas

• A Disney World tattoo.
• An orange blossom tattoo.
• A pelican tattoo.

Georgia Tattoo Ideas

• A Georgia peach tattoo.
• An Eastern Tiger Swallowtail tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Fountain at Forsyth Park in Savannah. (If you’re a fan of the book or movie Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil, note that the statue is actually in Illinois).

Hawaii Tattoo Ideas

• A pineapple tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Hawaiian archipelago.
• A volcano tattoo (especially if you fell in love with Hawaii Volcanoes National Park )

Idaho Tattoo Ideas

• A tattoo of a scene from Idaho’s magnificent landscapes. 
• A potato tattoo. (Especially if you’re looking for funny Idaho tattoos).
• A mountain bluebird tattoo.

Illinois Tattoo Ideas

• A Frank Llyod Wright tattoo. (You could go minimalist with a geometric pattern from his work or something bigger inspired by the houses in Oak Park).
• A cardinal tattoo.
• A monarch butterfly tatoo.

Indiana Tattoo Ideas

• A Hoosier pun tattoo.
• A peony tattoo. 
• A tattoo of Indiana’s flag.

Iowa Tattoo Ideas

• A geode tattoo.
• An acorn tattoo.
• A goldfinch tattoo.

Kansas Tattoo Ideas

• The tattoo of the state motto “Ad Aspera Per Aspera.”
• A Jayhawk tattoo.
• A sunflower tattoo.

Kentucky Tattoo Ideas

• A honeybee tattoo.
• A banjo tattoo. (Or another Bluegrass-inspired motif like an Appalachian Dulcimer).
• A Viceroy butterfly tattoo.

Louisiana Tattoo Ideas

• A green treefrog tattoo.
• A Pirogue boat tattoo.
• A magnolia tattoo.

Maine Tattoo Ideas

• A lobster tattoo.
• A Portland Head Lighthouse Tattoo.
• The tattoo of the state motto “Dirigo.”

Maryland Tattoo Ideas

• A Baltimore Oriole tattoo. (The bird or the baseball team).
• A crab tattoo.
• A Baltimore Checkerspot butterfly tattoo.

Massachusetts Tattoo Ideas

• A cranberry tattoo.
• A Dr. Seuss tattoo.
• A Norman Rockwell tattoo. 

Michigan Tattoo Ideas

• A Lake Michigan tattoo.
• A Pictured Rocks tattoo.
• A Model-T tattoo.

Minnesota Tattoo Ideas

• A blueberry muffin tattoo.
• A tattoo of the state motto “L’Etoile du Nord.”
• A North Star tattoo.

Mississippi Tattoo Ideas

• A Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly tattoo.
• A Gulf of Mexico-inspired tattoo.

Missouri Tattoo Ideas

• A St. Louis Arch tattoo.
• A silver dollar tattoo.
• A flowering dogwood branch tattoo.

Montana Tattoo Ideas

• A Going-to-the-Sun Road Tattoo (or another scenic road or beautiful Montana landscape).
• A Montana seal tattoo.
• A bitterroot tattoo.

Nebraska Tattoo Ideas

• An ear of corn tattoo. (Or another corn theme).
• A goldenrod tattoo.
• A Kool-aid Man tattoo.

Nevada Tattoo Ideas

• A Hoover Dam tattoo.
• A Desert Tortoise tattoo.
• A Seven Magic Mountains tattoo.

New Hampshire Tattoo Ideas

• A Red-Spotted Newt tattoo.
• A Ladybug tattoo.
• A Purple Lilac tattoo.

New Jersey Tattoo Ideas

• A Boardwalk tattoo.
• A Cape May Lighthouse tattoo.
• A Dogwood tattoo.

New Mexico Tattoo Ideas

• A hot air balloon tattoo.
• A Dusty Roadrunner tattoo.
• A New Mexico state flag tattoo.

New York Tattoo Ideas

• A Niagara Falls tattoo.
• A Lilac tattoo.
• A Montauk Lighthouse tattoo. (Or other motifs from small towns in New York ).

North Carolina Tattoo Ideas

• A Whirligigs tattoo.
• An Outer Banks lighthouse tattoo.
• A wild Spanish Mustang tattoo.

North Dakota Tattoo Ideas

• A Wild Prarie Rose tattoo.
• A Western Meadowlark tattoo.
• A Flickertail March tattoo.

Ohio Tattoo Ideas

• A bullfrog tattoo.
• An Ohio Buckeye tattoo. (The tree or the university).
• A Hocking Hills waterfall tattoo.

Oklahoma Tattoo Ideas

• A Redbud Tree tattoo.
• A bison tattoo.
• A scissortail flycather tattoo.

For more, check out my guide to Oklahoma tattoo inspiration.

Oregon Tattoo Ideas

• A Mount Hood tattoo.
• A tattoo of the Oregon state motto “She Flies with Her Own Wings.”
• A Crater Lake tattoo.

Pennsylvania Tattoo Ideas

• A Hershey Kiss tattoo.
• A Fallingwater tattoo.
• A firefly tattoo.

Rhode Island Tattoo Ideas

• A Castle Hill Lighthouse tattoo.
• A Rhode Island Red tattoo.
• A Harbor Seal tattoo.

South Carolina Tattoo Ideas

• A South Carolina Flag tattoo.
• A Yellow Jessamine tattoo.
• A Loggerhead Sea Turtle tattoo.

South Dakota Tattoo Ideas

• A Sylvan Lake tattoo.
• An American Pasque tattoo.
• A Triceratops tattoo.

Tennessee Tattoo Ideas

• A Smoky Mountains tattoo.
• A Dollywood or Dolly Parton tattoo.
• A Raccoon tattoo.

Texas Tattoo Ideas

• A San Antonio Missions or Alamo tattoo.
• A Bluebonnet tattoo.
• A Texas Longhorn tattoo. (The animal or the university.

Utah Tattoo Ideas

• A Rocky Mountain Elk tattoo.
• A tattoo based on one of Utah’s National Parks.
• A cherry tattoo.

Vermont Tattoo Ideas

• A Red Clover tattoo.
• A Sugar Maple tattoo.
• A Vermont Flag tattoo.

Virginia Tattoo Ideas

• A Shenandoah tattoo. (Especially views or trees on Skyline Drive ).
• A tattoo of the state motto “Sic Semper Tyranus.”
• An Oyster tattoo.

Washington Tattoo Ideas

• A Seattle Space Needle tattoo.
• A Public Market Sign tattoo. (Or another landmark in Seattle tattoo).
• A Mount Rainer tattoo.

West Virginia Tattoo Ideas

• A West Virginia state tartan tattoo.
• A New River Gorge Bridge tattoo.
• A Golden Delicious apple tattoo.

Wisconsin Tattoo Ideas

• A Milwaukee Art Museum tattoo. (Think geometric tattoo or something inspired by it rather than a literal version).
• A Wisconsin Badger tattoo. (The animal or the university).
• A cheese tattoo. (If you want a funny Wisconsin tattoo, I have a giant list of cheese puns you can use).

Wyoming Tattoo Ideas

• A Bucking Horse and Rider tattoo.
• A Horned Toad tattoo.
• An Old Faithful tattoo.

More Travel Resources

If you’re looking for more information on traveling, check out how to travel solo , how to make friends while traveling solo, and where to find dates when you travel.

5 Things to Pack for Your Trip

The   Lonely Planet   guidebook. It can be kind of a pain to find the major guidebooks once you land, or you’ll find them overpriced. I always like to pick mine up ahead of time.

An Unlocked  Cell Phone   so that you can use a local sim card while here to help navigate public transportation and when you’re on the road. (For people without local cell phone plans).

Backup Charging Bank  for your cell phone since you’ll be using it as a camera, GPS, and general travel genie.

A Camera  since you’ll want to take a million pictures on your trip. I use a mix of my  Nikon D810  and my  Samsung8  smartphone these days.

A Great Day Bag   so you can carry what you need with you (like your camera, snacks, water, sunscreen, cash, etc). My current favorite is the  Pacsafe Citysafe , which is especially great for travel because it has many anti-theft features designed to deter pickpockets. It also transitions to a night bag more easily and won’t embarrass you if you go to dinner directly after sightseeing all day or cities with pickpockets. 

Don’t Forget About Travel Insurance!

Before you leave for your trip make sure you have a valid  Travel  Insurance Policy  because accidents happen on the road. I pay for  World Nomads,  and I happily recommend them. It’s especially important to get travel insurance if you’ll be hanging enjoying time in the beautiful (but occasionally slippery) outdoors.

I have been a paying customer of  World Nomads  for travel insurance for three years, and I happily recommend them.  If you get sick, injured, or have your stuff stolen, you’ll be happy to have the ability to pay for your medical bills or replace what’s stolen or broken.

Pin this Guide to the Best Travel Tattoos & Travel Tattoo Ideas for Your Next Trip!

In this Article:

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Enjoy the Journey Tattoo Ideas

Travel is an unforgettable experience that broadens your perspective of life. It can motivate you to face your fears head-on.

If you are passionate about travel, getting an expressive tattoo commemorating your experience is the ideal way to celebrate it forever. It is the ideal way to celebrate it forever. Check out some of our favourite wanderlust tattoo ideas now.

No matter where life takes you, these journey tattoo ideas will help keep you inspired and on track. Regardless of setbacks or re-routing, remember that your journey is still ahead of you. Remember that you won’t get lost.

Mountains make for an impressive travel tattoo, as they’re both visually pleasing and symbolic. They symbolize many things. Such as perseverance, reaching goals, and conquering difficulties.

Mountain tattoos can range in complexity from minimalist to detailed. You can use various colours to make them stand out. Dark shades like black work best for minimalist Tattoos . Light shading and fine lines create more realism.

Getting an aeroplane Tattoo is a great idea if you’re an adventurer. It will show your passion for travel and serve as a constant reminder that no matter where life takes you. The home will continuously be sitting tight for you when you return.

A moderate plane layout Tattoo can be great for a voyager. An explorer who appreciates traveling to new spots. It represents your obligation to advancing and never abandoning your objectives.

In the event that you need your tattoo plan to stick out, add a few mathematical shapes behind the scenes. It will make the design appear more realistic and captivating.

If you’re a traveller, this Tattoo is for you. A well-placed piece of artwork on your body can be a gentle reminder that it’s important to pause and take in each moment as it comes along the way.

This tattoo idea will last a lifetime, making it the ideal gift for an optimist. Plus, its window design on your forearm makes it stand out. You can also have this design inked on other areas of your body. Like the shoulder or other parts that will highlight its best features.

Hot Balloon

Travellers realise the journey is the greatest part. You may encounter new cultures, people, and things. Vacation’s favourite part!

Travelling may be stressful and difficult. Enjoy yourself. Remember your destination will never change to keep sane on the travel. Every moment will be worth it.

If you love travelling and don’t give up. Consider this tattoo. It represents your love of travel and adventure.

Related Posts

Spartan Tattoo Sleeve – Patriotism and Courage

Arrow Tattoos – A Meaningful Tattoo That Will Last Forever

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

55 Meaningful Travel Tattoo Ideas to Inspire Wanderlust

Do you love to explore the world? If so, you may be thinking about a way to commemorate your wanderlust experiences—some other way than just sticking some photos in an album or posting about it on social media. Getting a meaningful travel tattoo that celebrates your love of adventure may be the answer.

There are many different tattoo designs to choose from, and each idea is unique. Below, you’ll find some of our favorites.

These Meaningful Travel Tattoo Design Ideas Will Inspire Your Wanderlust

Why should you get a travel tattoo.

A travel tattoo is the perfect way to collect beautiful, meaningful memories of your journeys. It can commemorate a special moment or remind you of an experience that had a lasting impact. Going through the process of choosing a design and getting inked will help make it even more meaningful as you’ll be actively participating in adding something unique to your life story.

Additionally, having something tangible like this is more memorable than just taking pictures or simply keeping souvenirs; you’ll have something that carries with it its own meaning and serves as an instant reminder of where you’ve been and what you’ve done.

Remember, tattoos are permanent, so this is not a decision you should take lightly.

If you’re not committed to a forever tattoo just yet, then check out  Etsy’s temporary tattoos  to test one out, (I personally LOVE WearFINK’s simple  mountain range .

How Should You Pick What Type of Meaningful Tattoo to Get

If you’re considering getting a meaningful tattoo, then consider what it is about the design that resonates with you. Ask yourself why you want to get it, if it has special meaning for you and if there’s any story behind the idea. It’s important to be sure that this type of tribute to something means something to you before moving ahead with the idea—think about if you will still feel proud when pointing at your ink many years down the line? It will be with you forever, so choose wisely!

What are Some Travel Tattoo Ideas

Everyone feels inspired when they travel, whether it’s conquering a fear of heights by trekking through the mountains or finally exploring that place you’ve been dreaming about for years. That experience is something you’ll never forget—so why not mark it forever with an inspiring travel tattoo?

That experience is something you’ll never forget—so why not mark it forever with an inspiring travel tattoo? From language-based pieces to honoring your ancestral home, there are countless ways to symbolize your journey with a special tattoo. Why not get an image of the city skyline or the country flag of the place where you had your transformative experience? Or even a design that incorporates important dates and personal mementos from your journey?

Whether it’s a quote from a local language, the coordinates of somewhere meaningful or an image that symbolizes the experience, travel tattoos can be a great way to commemorate special memories from your travels. Here are some of our top picks:

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Kostya Maestro (@mstrtattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Taker ✴︎ 제주타투 서울타투 (@taker_tattooer)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by John Green Tattoo (@johngreen.tattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by GIO Adventures (@gio_adventures)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Masa_tattooer (@masa_tattooer)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by @stardusthang

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Justravelstuff (@justravelstuff)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Knuckle Up (@knuckleup.budapest)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Rosiu Tattoo (@rosiu_tattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Thiago Freitas Tattoo (@thiagofreitastattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by 顧曦薇 (@lady_boobik)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Viagem Digital (@viagemdigital)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Tatteo 💉 #tattooartistwanted (@hellotatteo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Marquinho André |BLACKWORK (@marquinhoandretattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Pangolin Arts (@pangolin_arts)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by FRASER PEEK (@fraserpeektattoo)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Vilmārs Marks (@magneticmark)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by The_InkMan_tattoo_studio (@alok_netturan)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by Tattoo & Design (@pmtsketch)

          View this post on Instagram                       A post shared by alicjakotevicz (@alicjakotevicz)

How Should You Prepare for Getting a Tattoo

Getting a tattoo is a big decision! It’s not just about getting some ink; it’s about making sure you get the quality and design you’re looking for, and that you find a safe place to get it done.

When prepping for your first tattoo, take time to research good studios with experienced artists who are reliable and have positive reviews. Make sure the shop is sanitary and that all needles are single-use and sterilized before each use. Also consider what kind of design you want: think about which artist’s style speaks to you, if you want something custom or pre-drawn, what size would work best, and even where on your body its placement could be perfect.

These are all things that can help make sure your experience goes well and that you leave with an unforgettable piece of art.

How Should You Take Care of Your Tattoo After Getting It

Taking care of a new tattoo properly is essential for maintaining its vibrancy and minimizing the risk of infection. Immediately after getting a tattoo, your artist should cover it with a layer of petroleum jelly and gauze to help protect it.

To keep your tattoo looking good, gently wash it twice daily with an antimicrobial soap, ensure that it stays moisturized by applying an authorized ointment several times each day, and avoid exposure to sunlight or the chlorine in swimming pools.

Furthermore, try not to scratch or pick at scabs as they form since this can damage the tattoo. Lastly, be sure to follow any other instructions given by your artist since their advice is tailored specifically to you and your healing process. Taking care of a new tattoo may require some extra effort but will pay off in making sure your design looks great for years to come.

If you’re looking for ways to honor your travels with ink, there’s no shortage of meaningful travel tattoo ideas to inspire wanderlust. A classic and simple world map is always a great option with lots of personalization choices, but as you can see there are many other great designs to choose from. No matter which idea you go for, travel tattoos are a great way to show off your love for exploring the world and make sure you never forget those incredible experiences!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you make a purchase through my links, I earn a commission that helps to keep this blog running—at no extra cost to you. For more information read my full disclosure .

You might also like.

UNESCO Bucket List: 100 Top World Heritage Sites to See Travel Bucket List: 100 Best Places to Visit & Destination Ideas Life List: 100 Amazing Things to Do Before You Die

18 thoughts on “55 Meaningful Travel Tattoo Ideas to Inspire Wanderlust”

Great tips, I’m going to check them!

Wow! All of these tattoos are so cool. :)

So awesome tattoos and stunning photos you shared.

Wow some of these are really intricate! I’d love an outline of the world map that I could colour in as I visited a new country… though visiting Russia or China will be painful! >.<

Russia and China would definitely take a little bit longer than Fiji or Belize!!

I loved some of those tats, for some reason the little boat was my fav :) My travel tattoo is an elephant head that I got at the Elephant Nature Park in Thailand. I got it done at the park by a woman who volunteers full time there. Amazing tattoo, amazing experience. You can read about it if you’d like: https://travellingcrone.com/2013/01/25/travelling-crone-takes-home-a-permanent-souvenir/

Wow! What a way to remember an incredible experience. I have been to the Elephant Nature Park and it was AMAZING!

There’s always a story behind all tats. That hiking tattoo has to be the coolest for me because I love the outdoors.I love being on mountain tops. I love the intimacy of the outdoors.

I agree, there is always some story behind a tattoo!

These are fantastic tattoos! I love it when tattoos share a story of someones vacation. It is my dream to travel to a Buddhist temple to be tattooed by a monk. I believe that that is the ultimate travel tattoo! :)

Cool designs. I never thought that travel tattoos can be this awesome. Thanks for sharing.

A full sleeve tattoo is on my bucket list and is nearly completed now. You can see the first part of my lion portrait which is a work of art at https://www.thesonofthom.com/lion-tattoo/

Wow! That looks really cool!

Sounds like the well-known swearing that starts with f…Anyway, the best reason against getting a tattoo seems to be that the skin is a living organ and a butterfly that one has had painted today can become in several years a moth! Besides, isn’t the human body beautiful enough without ink on it? Just a thought–or two.

Fantastic article…Thanks for sharing such a great information with us.You are really an amazing writer.Good job.Keep it up.

Lost of good information here.Thanks so much for share this article.

I read your full blog and it was very informative, and helped me a lot. I always look for blog like this thanks for sharing

Fantastic blog. Thank for sharing this wonderful website with us. I’ll share this blog with my colleagues. I’m sure this info will be useful to those who need it.

tattoo designer in mumbai

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Hey Bucket Listers! I'm Annette .

I’m a goal obsessed mid-lifer, traveler, experience collector, fear crusher, digital marketer and author with big bucket list dreams. Let's Connect!

Want Inspo To Your Inbox?

I’m giving you practical tips, exclusive tools and the inspiration to stop dreaming about your bucket list and start living it.

Whatcha Looking for?

Home About Blog The Shop Partnerships Contact

Bucket list ideas travel achieving goals money & biz.

• Ariana Grande
• Kylie Jenner
• Kendall Jenner
• Selena Gomez
• Bella Hadid
• Maddie Ziegler
• Hailey Baldwin
• Mackenzie Ziegler

Journey Tattoos

Cheryl cole.

Cheryl Cole got this little swirl tattoo on the center of her chest from artist Nikko Hurtado in April 2016. The design is a Buddhist unalome which represents enlightenment. If the top of the tattoo symbolizes the destination, the swirls symbolize the journey — which is often indirect but gets more refined as you get closer to the goal. It shows that you are making progress even when it feels like you’re treading backwards.

The artist wrote on instagram: “Always honored to tattoo my friend @cherylofficial did this little Buddhist symbol on her chest about a month ago. @cherylofficial & @fakeliampayne are class acts and always treat me very well. Thank you guys for trusting me tattooing you. ?? honored.”

(more…)

Similar Products:

Skylar Grey

Skylar Grey has a tattoo of a wolf on the inside of her right forearm with the words “The Journey is the Reward.” She got the tattoo done by artist Tye Harris in September 2013.

Page 1 of 1

101 Best Self Love Tattoo Ideas You Have To See To Believe!

Table of Contents

Reviewed & fact checked: December 27, 2022 by Jamie Wilson (BA)

If you’re currently working on your self-love or you’ve already crossed the finish line of loving yourself, self-love tattoos might remind you of the journey.

Every person is unique and beautiful in their own way.

With different bodies, personalities, minds, emotions, every person is built different. But oftentimes most of us fail to realise our own worth and capabilities.

We fail to love ourselves and often scrutinise every small detail in us. All the things you hate about yourself might be loved by others. But why care about others’ opinions in the first place. Those small imperfections make you so distinctive and perfect. The world criticizes us enough, criticism from our own is something we do not need. Spare yourself. Instead, focus on the small details you love about yourself. Most importantly learn to appreciate yourself. We know it is easier said than done, because we all have the insecurities that engulf us into the deep dark hole but every tiny change you add to your routine could help you push yourself towards the light on the other end. You can always start this journey of yours with self-love tattoos and this list might help you find your inspiration.

Heart Self Love Hands Tattoo

This beautiful ink tattoo shows a person’s two hands hugging its own figure in a form of loving one’s own self. The most amazing bit about this tattoo is the fact that the hands are in the shape of a heart. Most of the time hugs signify the love that goes unsaid as words are insufficient. It is an intimate emotional warmth of love and comfort transferred to someone. And hence this hugging yourself tattoo that too in the shape of a heart is a way of promoting self-love.

Flower Head Tattoo

This tattoo with four different flowers Carnation, Rose, Gladiolus and aster as a head is a beautiful concept. Both the rose and aster are known as the symbols for love as well as wisdom, faith and colour. Gladiolus is a known symbol for the strength of a character, faithfulness and persistence, while Carnations most of the time symbolize embracing the idea of love and fascination. These flowers put together as a head could represent loving and being faithful to oneself which becomes a strength of a character and hence your persistence for self-love.

Rebirth Of Self-Worth And Self Love Tattoos

It is a very meaningful yet simple self-love tattoo and means exactly what it seems without giving it a second thought. This colourful tattoo depicts the death of self-doubt and rebirth of yourself spiritually after realising your self-worth. The colours and the flower details bring the essence and the quote “self-doubt” written on a gravestone while “I am worthy” written on a paper which looks like a birth certificate helps the tattoo deliver the message.

Flower Head Scarred Body Tattoo

Life sometimes gives us scars but we try to hide them when instead we should be flaunting. Scars show the things we have been through which in turn displays our stories and strength. This meaningful tattoo is the epitome of the message of self-love and that every person’s figure is an art. Decide the location of the scar that reflects you individually and add your chosen colour to the scar. And use the tattoo as a symbol of finally learning to accept your build.

Bts Love Yourself Journey Tattoo

If you belong to the Bts fandom and the group has played a huge role in your self-love journey, then I think you just found your match. A whole four-part series with three albums and one video series dedicated to only self-love and its journey by the Korean group is an inspiration to not only their fans but also locals. The symbol of this tattoo is the symbol of one of the trilogy albums “Love Yourself: Answer” that specifically talks about Epiphany as the name of the album’s Intro itself suggests. Adding the tiny plane to the intricate design of the heart adds the journey to the meaning.

Geometrical Love Yourself Tattoo

This self-love tattoo on the wrist is absolutely the most aesthetically pleasing one. To anyone who is obsessed with geometrical designs, this might be the absolute satisfaction to your eyes and the plant details add to the calming effect. This tattoo is quite hard to replicate so make sure to find yourself the best professional tattoo artist who is capable of this art.

Nurturing Yourself Self Love Tattoo

Every plant or child or just born beings need nurture and only good nurturing in life could lead to growth. The skeleton watering itself is the part of the nurture asking for growth spiritually. This is a very beautiful, delicate tattoo concept that says everyone deserves to be loved. Specifically, the skeleton which usually symbolises death could be mean everyone who is dead inside deserves some love to be alive again as the flower. Hence the nurturing is slowly helping the skeleton grow.

Self Love Club Tattoo

The Self Love Club is a community build to open people about their mental health as well as to advocate and encourage people to their journey of self-acceptance. It promotes the concept of loving oneself, hence this wonderful minimalistic tattoo with hands and body made into the heart with sparkles is perfect for promote and celebrate the sparks in you.

Self Love Tattoo Small

This tattoo is small, subtle but meaningful. No complications just saying what you preach. If you are a simple person who loves minimal yet meaningful tattoos, this one is just for you. You can get it on your arm, ankle, wrist or anywhere you want as this design looks good anywhere.

Self Love Quotes Tattoo

This tattoo quotes about self-love as it’s a letter to oneself that asks to let them love themselves. Our heart often doesn’t let us in. The brain messes up our feelings and brings us to find only the hateful details about ourselves. This tattoo is very meaningful and sad, if you think about it. Often we are the ones who stop ourselves from self-love and this letter to our own self is to remind us of self-love.

Self Love Symbol Tattoo Ideas

Admire yourself in the mirror, compliment yourself, wear whatever you feel like wearing, do whatever makes you happy, get a self-love tattoo and little by little you will grow to appreciate yourself.

Unique Self Love Tattoo

Unique Self-Love Tattoo

Self-Love Symbol Tattoo

feature image from Pinterest

What is a self love tattoo?

A self love tattoo is a tattoo that you get for yourself, to remind you to love and appreciate yourself. They can be small and simple, or large and elaborate – it’s up to you!

Why might someone get a self love tattoo?

There are many reasons why someone might get a self love tattoo. Maybe they’ve been through a tough time and need a reminder to love themselves, or maybe they just want to show the world that they appreciate and respect themselves.

How can a self love tattoo help someone heal?

A self love tattoo can be a reminder to love and appreciate yourself, no matter what. It can help you heal from past hurt and pain, and help you move forward in life with a positive attitude.

What are some ideas for self love tattoos?

There are endless possibilities for self love tattoos! Some ideas include a heart, a rose, the word “love”, or a phrase that is meaningful to you.

How do I care for my self love tattoo?

As with any tattoo, it’s important to keep your self love tattoo clean and moisturized. Be sure to follow the aftercare instructions provided by your tattoo artist.

What tattoo symbolizes strength and resilience?

Many people choose tattoos that symbolize strength and resilience, such as anchors, lion heads or wings. These symbols can serve as a reminder of your personal strength and courage in the face of adversity. Other ideas include quotes or mantras like “She believed she could so she did” or “I am strong”. Whatever you choose, it should be meaningful to you and help you stay strong on your journey.

Jamie Wilson

Jamie Wilson (BA) is a professional tattooist, blogger and passionate photographer! After graduating with a BTEC Level 4 in tattoo design he has gone on to work for both private clients in tattoo parlours across the UK, Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. He is also the editor in chief at Outsons. The brains behind the brand: a veteran of the industry working for some of the biggest fashion and grooming brands in the UK. Jamie has been writing for Outsons tattoo section since the beginning of 2017, providing informed and passionate content about the fascinating world of inked body art. If you would like to know more about Jamie or further details on our editorial policy then just click the links in the footer.

You may also like

Tattoo apprenticeship: what to expect and how to..., 22 amazing mother-son tattoo ideas to inspire you..., 22 amazing queen crown tattoo ideas to inspire..., 22 amazing forearm cross tattoo ideas to inspire..., 22 amazing vikings runes tattoo ideas to inspire..., 101 masculine men’s floral tattoo sleeve ideas to..., 22 amazing black band tattoo ideas to inspire..., 22 amazing thin cross tattoo ideas to inspire..., 22 amazing ekg tattoo ideas to inspire you..., 22 simple hand tattoo ideas to inspire you....

24 Stunning Symbols of Travel Tattoos and What They Mean

Table of Contents

1. world map , 2. globe , 3. hot air balloons , 4. coordinates , 5. airplanes , 6. paper airplane , 7. boats , 8. oceans and waves , 9. footprints and boot prints  , 10. cars and motorbikes , 11. compass , 12. pine trees , 13. palm trees , 14. mountains , 15. wildlife , 16. skylines , 17. landmarks , 18. camping gear , 19. quotes , 20. luggage and visa stamps , 21. letters or characters from different languages , 22. signposts , 23. stamps , wrapping up.

For most of us, the traveler’s life is always a dream and a fantasy. So even if we can’t live freely without a care in the world, we can still capture the essence of wanderlust by watching camping/traveling videos on YouTube or cherishing our own memories. 

Another method where we can keep the spirit of our past memories alive and still remain hopeful for the future is through tattoos. If you’re up for it, getting inked is always a great idea to mark your journey and remind yourself to keep working on your travel goals.  

Let’s take a look at 24 stunning tattoo ideas to symbolize travel and wanderlust. 

The World Map is one of the most common tattoos many travelers sport on their bodies. Traditionally, a World Map symbolizes the ultimate goal of the traveler: The freedom to go anywhere around the world. 

It can also signify the end of one’s journey, branding a traveler as one who’s visited many countries and has had their fill.  

A detailed black and gray World Map tattoo, — or a simple outline of any map you want, whether that’s your favorite island or home country — can signify your wanderlust and yearning to explore.  

If the flat canvas of a World Map isn’t to your liking, a Globe tattoo can also fit the bill. Just like a World Map, the Globe can symbolize the entirety of your journey or your desire to keep traveling the world .  

For extra emphasis, you can add an airplane, boat, or paper plane circling the Globe or make it look like a palm is holding it (implying that you’ve got the entire world in the palm of your hand). 

Standing in for freedom and the slow and deliberate journey of traveling around the world (ideally in 80 days), Hot Air Balloons are always synonymous with the archetype of the world traveler. 

In that same regard, Hot Air Balloons represent freedom and lightheartedness: they highlight your emotions where you are free from rules and responsibilities: a state where you actually begin to live in the present and cherish your journey.  

There are also dozens of variations to portray the carefree and joyous nature of hot air balloons. These variations strip the basket entirely and represent a globe or a pack of balloons hoisting luggage or a human. 

If you want to be discreet and mysterious while keeping a personal reminder of the best places you’ve visited, Latitude and longitude coordinates make for awesome travel tattoos.  

Coordinate tattoos can have a more personal meaning and represent more than just a beautiful location.

You can pick whatever font you want or even pair it up with a personal quote, date, or an image of the scenery or event you associate it with. 

As a stand-in for the most common mode of transportation, Airplanes are extensively used by many travelers to embody the idea of travel and wanderlust.  

Although Airplanes may not represent freedom or respite from the humdrum of everyday life, as a vehicle of navigation, they represent the ability to traverse the world. 

There are tons of options for Airplane tattoos. You can get a simple outline or minimalist design or add a globe and dotted trail with a heart shape.  

If you’re looking for a little extra variety, you can also get a tattoo of an airplane seat with your favorite landscapes of landmarks off in the distance. 

Paper Airplanes take a more playful and lighthearted approach to airplanes and can be a great substitute if you feel the former is too complicated. Much like the hot air balloon, the Paper Airplane is free to roam the Earth and embodies the free spirit of the traveler.  

Besides that, a Paper Airplane also signifies randomness and living in the moment. No matter how much you try to direct it, the Paper Airplane seldom travels the intended path.

Instead, it chooses to explore, frequently stumbling across locations and people others rarely get to experience.  

With meanings similar to airplanes (and traversing the world), Boat tattoos can also represent your wanderlust, especially if you’re a sailor or casually into “Yachting.” 

Boats are synonymous with navigation, exploration, the oceans, and freedom.

As such, it represents the free spirit of the traveler and your potential as an “Ocean Citizen,” open to exploring the seven seas and the lands that exist around it.  

An ocean represents many things; few among these are tranquility, mystery, life, and unlimited potential: essential characteristics of a curious tourist. As such, the Oceans and the Waves can stand in for your desire to travel and explore.   

Just like the endless sea, the tattoo options available to represent the oceans are limitless. You can go for a minimalist wave, seashell, or a detailed scenery of a sunset with boats in the distance.  

Standing in for exploration and expedition, tattoos of Footprints or Boot prints can often leave a cheerful reminder that you’re not afraid to create new paths or retread old paths to revisit your favorite locations.  

Although primarily used to denote the birth and growth of a child, simple footprints with no inscriptions can represent the desire to travel, hike and leave a mark on this Earth.

Boot prints are directly synonymous with outdoor living and signify the never-ending wanderlust of the hiker, camper, and wilderness adventurer. 

Apart from airplanes and boats, land vehicles such as cars, camper vans, off-road vehicles, and motorbikes can also represent the opportunity to travel.  

In most cases, these tattoos represent freedom in the context of camping, hiking, and outdoor living.  

So, if you’re exploring the highways in a car, traveling from beach to beach in a camper van, or climbing mountains with an off-road SUV, a tattoo to remind yourself of your land vehicle will always be a great choice.  

One of the most common subjects in tattoos, the Compass stands for direction, navigation, purpose, and exploration.

It’s the fundamental symbol for travel and represents the explorer’s ability to collect their bearings and resume their journey, whether an actual road trip, hike or spiritual enlightenment.  

There are tons of variants for Compasses, with the majority being highly realistic, or alongside a world map, globe, landscape, or other elements.  

Newbies might find them cliche, but with universally-acknowledged symbolism, the Compass has always remained a timeless staple of the tattoo community. 

Another heavily used subject in tattoos, the Pine Tree represents virtue and immortality in the spiritual sense, while on tattoos, it represents freedom, travel, and the great wilderness.

Hikers are particularly fond of pine trees or evergreens, which represent the forest in all its glory.  

A stunning landscape of a forest laden with Pine Trees or intricate artwork depicting elk, wolves, mountains, lakes, and the sun will always make for great tattoos.

That said, a minimalist Pine Tree tattoo to symbolize your travel experiences and wanderlust will also suffice. 

Considered the de facto symbol representing vacation, freedom, tranquility, and the carefree travel lifestyle, Palm Trees make for great tattoos.

You can’t deny that whenever you imagine Palm Trees, it reminds you of the joyous times you vacationed on a beach or, at the least, saw others having the time of their lives.  

Throughout pop culture and media, we’re made to symbolize palm trees with feelings of wanderlust, abundance, and good times so getting a tattoo of them will surely help you and others get a sense of its serene nature. 

It’s no surprise that mountains symbolize nature, freedom, and adventure . Apart from the conventional symbolisms of eternity and stillness, the mountains and the surrounding landscape often stand as potent reminders to get out there and explore.  

A tattoo of the mountains can be a potent reminder and inspiration: encouraging you to climb those hills, trek through footpaths, camp outdoors, and witness the beautiful scenery through your own eyes. 

Elk, Wolves , and Bears , these woodland creatures are most often associated with camping and hiking.

As a result, tattoos incorporating these animals and scenes in nature can often represent travel, wanderlust, and the beauty of the natural world.  

Besides that, you can also use tattoos of exotic animals to remind yourself of your favorite country or mark your previous travels.  

For tattoos of Skylines, there are only two options: minimalistic or fully photorealistic, and no in-between.

Whatever the case, these tattoos are great options to commemorate your trip to a famous city or country or even mark the end of your travel journey.  

One of the best ways to commemorate your trip to a famous city or country is to get a tattoo of their most-recognizable landmarks.

These include skyscrapers, bridges, statues, and ancient or natural locations.

You can collect these tattoos with each trip and use them to signify each milestone during your travel journey. 

Utilizing camping gear (such as Hiking boots, bonfires, backpacks, and tents) for the main subject of a tattoo can help symbolize travel, freedom, and the wilderness.

Often adorned with coordinates, quotes, compasses, or natural landscapes, these tattoos can stand as an eternal reminder: letting you cherish those brief moments when you explored freely to your heart’s content.   

Most tattoos will look great and add context whenever coupled with a fitting quote.

That said, Quotes on their own also make for great travel tattoos, inspiring yourself and others to live life on their own terms and work towards your goal of travelling the world.  

Almost always representing the need to travel, Luggage, particularly travel suitcases, make for tattoos that can signify your wanderlust.

These types of tattoos are depicted as suitcases filled with memorabilia from around the world or with various stickers and stamps.  

Another fitting alternative to commemorate your journey across the world (and prove it to others) is to get tatted with characters, words, or quotes from the local language.

These types of tattoos are great on their own or with other elements but regardless, there’s no denying that various letters from around the world definitely add some variety and an artistic appeal. 

Like compasses, signposts help us gather our bearings and find where we want to go. Ever since medieval times, signposts were used to guide travellers.

As such, their representations in tattoos can help symbolize your journeys and stand as a beacon of inspiration, reminding you never to give up on your dreams or your destination. 

Even if they aren’t the most aesthetically pleasing, tattoos of stickers or Visa stamps can make for great reminders. In most cases, tourists prefer to get tattooed with a replica of their Visa stamp (expiry date included).

Others might prefer a more tame approach with the names of the countries they’ve visited or the passport covers of different countries.

Whatever the case, these will always have a personal meaning to the wearer and inspire others to travel more. 

As we’ve seen through this list, there’s a good number of elements that you can incorporate for your next travel-inspired tattoo.  

Like most tourists, you can opt for an airplane or compass tattoo (coupled with a quote) for a more obvious interpretation or be more personal and mysterious, with coordinates and letters from other languages.  

Whatever the case, you’ll have more design choices and a better understanding if you go through this list and understand the different symbols associated with travel and wanderlust.  

Similar Articles:

26 Meaningful Tattoos for Women (with Photos)

25 Unique and Meaningful Tattoos for Men

25 Small Tattoos With Big Meanings

Greek Mythology Tattoos – Ideas, Designs and Meaning

Inspiration and Ideas for Protection Tattoos

Tags: Ancient Symbols

Dani Rhys has worked as a writer and editor for over 15 years. She holds a Masters degree in Linguistics and Education, and has also studied Political Science, Ancient History and Literature. She has a wide range of interests ranging from ancient cultures and mythology to Harry Potter and gardening. She works as the chief editor of Symbol Sage but also takes the time to write on topics that interest her.

15 Meaningful Symbols of Christmas and What They Mean

15 Important Thanksgiving Symbols and What They Mean

9 Halloween Symbols and Why They Represent the Holiday

Traditional Reiki and Its Four Symbols: Power and Controversy

Find Us On Social Media

Quick links.

• Privacy Policy
• Terms of Use

Latest Posts

• What Were the Eleusinian Mysteries Really About?
• 8 Powerful Sacred Geometry Symbols for Tattoos & Why
• Djed Symbolism: Was It the Backbone of Osiris?

© Copyright Symbol Sage, 2023. All Rights Reserved.

CONFIDENCE, COMMUNITY, AND JOY

• Skincare Ingredients A-Z
• Skin Concerns
• Hair Removal
• Moisturizers
• Tools and Techniques
• Hair Concerns
• Hair Styling
• Fashion Trends
• What to Wear
• Accessories
• Clothing and Apparel
• Celebrities
• Product and Brand News
• Trends and Innovation
• Amazon Picks
• Gift Guides
• Product Reviews
• Mental Health and Mood
• The Byrdie Team
• Editorial Guidelines
• Editorial Policy
• Terms of Use and Policies
• Privacy Policy

By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.

• Tattoos & Piercings

15 Collarbone Tattoo Ideas For Every Aesthetic and Style

@giahi / Instagram

If you're on a tattoo journey, we're right there with you. Whether you turn to tattoos as a form of therapy or to display a piece of art, there's something about them we will never get sick of.

The "why" of getting a tattoo is only one element; another is the "where." And while we love and appreciate all tattoo placements , we have a particular affinity for the collarbone. It's unexpected and sexy, and regardless of your preferred style , there's bound to be a design you'll love. Into traditional tattoos? Fine-line tats? Stick-and-pokes? There's a collarbone tat that fits the bill. Continue below for 15 of the best collarbone tattoo ideas for every aesthetic.

Script Tattoo

@humblebeetattoo / Instagram

If you're looking for something simple, you can't go wrong with some script on your collarbone in a stunning cursive font. Whether you go for "honey," "love," a name, or any other word that holds importance to you, we love how it looks placed on the side of the collarbone. Just make sure you go for a thinner font to avoid ink bleeding in the future.

Heart Tattoo

@little.tattoos / Instagram

Who doesn't love love? Small and dainty hearts tattooed on the collarbone are exceptionally swoon-inducing and a great way to wear your heart on your sleeve. Here, the wearer has a heart for each of her children, which is beyond adorable.

Peony Tattoo

@giahi / Instagram

This tattoo demonstrates how beautiful the peony (which represents prosperity and good fortune) can look on the collarbone. In shades of green and pink and placed on its side in line with the collarbone, this delicate tattoo is so romantic.

Stick-and-Poke Tattoo

@blackninked / Instagram

Stick-and-poke tattoos aren't everyone's cup of tea, but if you find an artist who can do it (and do it well), we say go for it. This specific tattoo shows the outline of a UFO with three tiny aliens, giving off a whimsical and out-of-this-world vibe. Our favorite element has to be the small details surrounding the UFO, with small dots and lines in true stick-and-poke fashion.

Constellation Tattoo

@tinytattooinc / Instagram

Reach for the stars with a constellation tattoo delicately placed on your collarbone. With fine-line detailing and dainty work, this magical tattoo is truly what dreams are made of. Imagine the compliments you'll get with such an otherworldly piece.

Cherry Blossom Tattoo

@tattoosbytorysa / Instagram

Looking to make a statement? This larger-than-life tattoo depicting branches of cherry blossoms belongs on your mood board. With artwork starting on the collarbone and cascading down the shoulder and side of the arm, it's eye-catching and alluring.

Large Leaf Tattoo

Foliage, but make it black. Leaves symbolize growth and fertility, and if that's something you'd like on your body, we think these stunning large leaves are the way to go. With simple outlines and intricate shading, they look quite pleasing placed on the collarbone.

Micro Tattoo

@inked.bydani / Instagram

Celebs like Hailey Bieber and Selena Gomez are huge fans of micro tattoos , and if you want to adopt the aesthetic, might we suggest opting for a small tat on your collarbone? From mini crosses to hearts (and geometric shapes like this one), it's an unassuming style that looks fabulous on the collarbone.

Youthful Tattoo

Whether you take a drawing from your childhood or one etched by your little one, we love the idea of placing that art on the center of the collarbone. Here, we can see a fresh and youthful depiction of mountains , the moon, and clouds.

Angel Wings Tattoo

@tinytattoos_feathertouch / Instagram

Name something more angelic than literal angel wings—we'll wait. If it speaks to you spiritually or you're missing a loved one, this sentimental tattoo deserves a spot on your body. When placed on the collarbone, it gives off feminine energy and would look pretty amazing peeking out of tanks and dresses.

Statement Floral Tattoo

We realize a statement chest piece isn't everyone's cup of tea, but we think this large floral tattoo is incredible. Whether you already have a collection of tattoos or want to go big for your first , we love how this looks draped across the chest and collarbone area. Keeping it simple in black ink, all eyes will be on your brilliant tattoo.

Fine-Line Tattoo

Fine-line tattoos are true works of art, and we love this display of the method across the collarbone. Using micro needlework with a light hand, the matching leaves on either side of the collarbone are beautiful and would look amazing popping out of any shirt style.

Colored Berries Tattoo

@gentle_jaz / Instagram

Into traditional tattoo styles? Take note of this colorful berry tattoo. With vibrant greens and purples, it's fun, statement-making, and would look amazing on just about anyone.

Symmetric Plant Tattoo

@girlknewyork / Instagram

When we first saw this symmetrical plant artwork placed on the collarbone, we immediately added it to our mood boards. We adore the way the black ink and detailed shading layer underneath the stack of necklaces.

Dot-Work Tattoo

Dot work is a tattoo aesthetic we constantly find ourselves drawn to, and the placement of this particular tattoo—right in the center of the collarbone—is perfect. With small dots and geometric shapes, you have total freedom when it comes to how big or small you want to go.

Related Stories

10 Cute, Dainty Tattoo Ideas for the Modern Minimalist

55 Crescent Moon Tattoo Ideas for Perpetual Night Owls

27 Bird Tattoo Ideas for Every Aesthetic

31 Matching Tattoo Ideas For Best Friends

Behold: All the Tattoo Inspiration You Need

The Best Astrology Tattoos to Get for Every Sign

55 Word Tattoo Ideas and Designs That Are Anything But Boring

40 Arm and Forearm Tattoos Ideas for Every Personality Type

A Comprehensive Guide to Every Type of Tattoo

30 Small Wrist Tattoo Ideas That Are Subtle and Chic

14 Behind the Ear Tattoo Ideas That Are Creative and Cool

19 Neck Tattoo Ideas for Women, From Simple to Statement

29 Pretty Finger Tattoo Design Ideas, From Minimalist to Maximalist

40 Rose Tattoos We Can't Stop Staring At

41 Celtic Knot Tattoo Ideas (and Their Meanings)

Getting Your First Tattoo? Read This Before Your Appointment

15 Eye-Catching Love Yourz Tattoo Design For Men And Women To Get Inked This Season

Last Updated on March 22, 2023

Love has always been a popular tattoo subject. By getting matching tattoos, we cement a passionate relationship. Love, however, is not usually shared by two individuals. The love we have for ourselves may be the most precious of all. So, below is a collection of outstanding Love Yourz tattoo designs.

They will either alter the way you perceive yourself, motivate you to embrace who you are, or motivate you to put your needs first. Use these tattoos as a roadmap as you start or continue your path toward self-love.

The phrase “Love Yourz” is frequently inked as a tattoo to serve as a reminder to love and value oneself.

The saying promotes self-love and acceptance, urging the wearer to put their own pleasure and well-being first rather than evaluating oneself in relation to others or looking for approval from others.

The ink can be a source of inspiration and motivation for the user, serving as a constant reminder to value and cherish their individuality.

The ink also acts as a reminder for the user to love and accept themselves for who they are while also serving as a sign of personal empowerment and strength .

Music has helped to further publicize the tattoo and its message by helping to popularise the term “Love Yourz,” mainly thanks to the rapper J. Cole and his song of the same name.

Why Is The Tattoo Love Yourz So Well-Known?

The “Love Yourz” tattoo became well-known due to its message of self-acceptance and love, which connects with a lot of individuals.

The message of “Love Yourz” is a potent reminder to concentrate on one’s own happiness and well-being in a society where there is frequent pressure to conform to cultural ideals as well as where self-doubt and negative self-talk are common.

The rapper J. Cole used the expression in his song “Love Yourz” from his 2014 album “2014 Forest Hills Drive,” further popularising it through music.

The song is a celebration of self-love and encourages listeners to celebrate their uniqueness and to be proud of who they are, despite hardship. The tattoo and its message became more well-known because of the song’s success.

1. Traditional Yourz Tattoo

Credit: dreamingbigart

The “Love Yourz” tattoo is not a conventional tattoo style or pattern, and it has no historical antecedents in conventional tattooing societies. It’s a contemporary tattoo with a personal meaning of self-acceptance and love for oneself.

Although it may be created in a range of fonts and sizes to fit the choice of the user, the word “Love Yourz” is frequently written in a straightforward, sans-serif typeface. The tattoo pattern is carried by the wearer on both knees, and it looks fantastic.

2. Stylish Red Color Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: yukas_tattoos

Look at this lovely tattoo that was done in red ink. The wearer’s skin tone is wonderfully complemented by this tattoo, which looks fantastic on the wearer’s arm .

Like with any tattoo, the “Love Yourz” tattoo’s design and location should be chosen depending on what has the most personal importance for the wearer. Additionally, this represents your distinctive individuality in the crowd.

RELATED: 31 Striking Love Heart R Tattoo Ideas For Men and Women

3. Crown Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: morethenasquare

The “Love Yourz” phrase and the crown symbol are combined in a “Crown Love Yourz” tattoo to convey the message of self-acceptance as well as love. The concept that one is the master of their own life and destiny is sometimes represented by the usage of the crown, which is a symbol of authority, sovereignty, and monarchy.

A crown may be included in the design in a number of different ways, such as by enclosing the “Love Yourz” phrase within one or by making the phrase’s lettering look like a crown.

4. Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: verydopeart

A tattoo with the words “Love Yourz” on it serves as a constant reminder to cherish and love oneself. Due to its message of self-acceptance and self-love, which encourages individuals to put their happiness and well-being first rather than looking for approval from others, this form of tattoo has grown in popularity.

Depending on the person’s preferences, this sort of tattoo can be created in a number of sizes and designs. The tattoo serves as a powerful reminder to accept and love oneself and to take responsibility for one’s own happiness.

5. Small Font With Red Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: alternativeartistry

For tattoo enthusiasts, the wrist is their preferred location for tattooing. Despite being tiny, the wrist has an open area and generally straight lines, making it a convenient location for practically any design.

Wrist tattoos seem a little more private than other tattoos since they are on a portion of the body that is sometimes concealed, so they are an excellent place for ink that is special to you. This sort of tattoo will give you a decent appearance and make you more attractive than other people.

6. Roses Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: broadwaytattoos

A tattoo design known as “Roses Love Yourz” combines the words “Love Yourz” with the symbol of roses . Roses can give the “Love Yourz” design a creative and erotically charged touch, as they are a well-known representation of love, elegance, and power. The love Yourz tattoo design is integrated into the many flowers in this tattoo design.

The application of delicate shading enhances the beauty of this tattoo design. The word “Love Yourz” combined with the roses serves as a potent reminder to love and value oneself while also representing the elegance and power that come from self-love.

7. Small Crown Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: arizona.artistry

With the words “Love Yourz” and a little crown symbol, this tattoo conveys the concept that the person is the master of their own happiness and life.

It may be worn in a number of places, including the wrist, behind the ear, or on the finger , and because of its size, it is a discreet and unobtrusive method to convey the message of self-love and self-acceptance.

A distinct and individual statement of self-love and self-empowerment, the crown emblem lends the design a sense of regality and authority.

RELATED: Amazing Lion With Crown Tattoo Ideas To Try Right Now

8. Right Hand Wrist Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: gracedoestattoos

Try this tattoo design if you’re looking for something a little more subtle but still powerful. Although this tattoo pattern is small, the varying lengths and ascending arrangement give the tattoo some extra appeal.

This tattoo, whether it is made in a tiny or large size, serves as a potent reminder to put one’s attention on one’s own pleasure and well-being as well as to love and accept oneself just as one is.

9. Red Heart Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: goofyinks

The best wrist tattoos are those that stand out while being modest and can be reduced to a few basic pieces. This beautiful tattoo has a slight heat to it, which enhances the attraction of the tattoo pattern.

Depending on the person’s preferences and desired body location, this sort of tattoo may be created in a number of sizes and designs. For a more attractive appearance, keep the typefaces simple and straightforward.

10. Bold Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: mtjtattoo

The wearer’s bicep is covered by this striking and colorful love Yourz tattoo design. This tattoo has a more attractive appearance because of the use of jet-black ink.

Considering that tattoos are permanent, it’s crucial to pick a design and font style that you adore and will keep adoring for many years to come.

It’s always a good idea to conduct some research and select a qualified and experienced tattooist who can assist in bringing your concept to life before getting a tattoo.

11. On Throat Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: jenyas

Someone has probably decided to have the tattoo “Throat Love Yourz” inscribed on their body. The word tattoo could be a reference to a song or another cultural artefact, or it might have a personal meaning for the person who uses it.

Persons use tattoos as a means of self-expression and to remember special occasions, times, or people in their lives. The person who received the tattoo decides whether or not it has a special meaning.

12. Dark Black Stylish Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: kreeptonite_tattoo

A dark black trendy typeface might be a terrific approach to make the word “Love Yourz” stand out as a tattoo. The tattoo may seem bold and stunning by using a dark black typeface that will make it pop out on the body.

This tattoo may act as a reminder for the user to love and value oneself for who they are while also serving as a sign of self-growth and strength. The phrase “Love Yourz” can be tattooed in a variety of fashionable font styles. The ultimate decision will be based on personal desire, tattoo size, and placement.

13. Style Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit:  tattoo_mo_53

A range of awesome-looking typefaces is available for you to choose from while designing your tattoo. You can make an incredible design with it, and it will look beautiful. This minimalist tattoo design is an excellent choice for those who prefer modest, discrete tattoo designs and basic, clean lines.

A “Love Yourz” tattoo design can also be made using other fonts, and these designs can occasionally be utilized to produce a romantic, feminine, or elegant appearance.

14. Simple Font Style Love Yourz Tattoo

Credit: catsushii_tatttoo

A basic font style might work well for this kind of tattoo design when the word “Love Yourz” is utilized as the ink. A straightforward typeface may give a tattoo a timeless, classic appearance, making it a design that works well with many different tattoo styles.

Serif, sans-serif, script, and handwritten are just a few of the simple font choices available. The ultimate decision will be based on personal desire, tattoo size, and placement.

RELATED: 144 Amazing Letter Tattoo Designs For Men And Women

15. Band Style Love Yourz Tattoo

If you love music and want to include it in your tattoo, this band-themed tattoo can be a fantastic option. Additionally, you can consist of things in the design like musical symbols, lyrics, and instruments.

This kind of tattoo may be a unique and entertaining way to display your love of music, and it can be created in a number of different ways to fit your preferences and aesthetics.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does the phrase “love yourz” mean.

 A phrase that promotes self-acceptance and love of oneself is “Love Yourz.” It serves as a reminder to celebrate your own traits and to accept and appreciate yourself.

What Variations Of The “Love Yourz” Tattoo Font Are There?

For the tattoos, a variety of font types may be employed, including script, cursive, sans-serif, serif, and handwritten. Personal taste, as well as the size and placement of the tattoo, will determine the ultimate decision.

What Variations Exist Among “Love Yourz” Tattoo Designs?

This tattoo can be designed in a variety of various ways, such as minimalist, watercolor, script, and cursive. The ultimate decision will be based on personal desire, the size, and the location of the tattoo.

What Is The Price Of A “Love Yourz” Tattoo?

Several elements, including the size, intricacy, and position of the tattoo as well as the expertise and experience of the tattooist, can have a significant impact on the price of this tattoo. Before picking an artist, it’s usually a good idea to do some research on them and request quotations from a few. This will help you obtain the best deal possible.

Where Can I Get A “Love Yourz” Tattoo The Easiest?

Wherever you are most at ease, and self-assured is the ideal location for tattoo. Options for placement that are often used include the forearm, wrist, back of the neck, upper arm, and inner bicep.

How Long Does It Take A Tattoo To Recover?

The tattooed area of the skin’s outermost layer typically recovers in 2 to 3 weeks. Despite the fact that it may seem and feel healed, it may take up to 6 months for the skin beneath a tattoo to fully recover, so you can be inclined to skip the aftercare.

• Recent Posts

• 165 Moon Tattoo Designs to Inspire Your Lunar Journey - August 3, 2023
• 135 Back Tattoos for Men: Masterful Artwork for the Modern Man - July 30, 2023
• 55 Sun and Moon Tattoo Concepts Celebrating Celestial Unity - July 29, 2023

Terms and Conditions - Privacy Policy

Find anything you save across the site in your account

50 Matching Couple Tattoo Ideas That Aren’t Cheesy

Couple tattoos can be a polarizing topic: Some people cringe at the idea of matching tattoos for couples, while others think there’s no better way to cement, embrace, and enthusiastically show off their love for their partner. But the truth is, it doesn’t matter what anyone else thinks: Each couple knows what's best for them. 

That said, you might have some questions about the phenomenon. Why do so many couples opt to get matching relationship tattoos in the first place, and therefore, why should you? 

Why do couples get matching tattoos?

According to Rachel Wright , MA, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist specializing in sex and relationships, matching tattoos can serve as a physical and permanent reminder of a person, commitment, care, experience, feeling, or moment. “When we see a tattoo on our body , it elicits some sort of feeling, and with a matching couples tattoo, it can illicit a feeling of belonging, joy, commitment, or something else," Wright explains.

Some couples might even feel that the experience brings them closer together. “A shared experience, such as getting a tattoo together, can bring a couple closer,” Wright says, though she notes that matching tattoos aren’t a cure-all either. “Like anything else, depending on what’s going on in the relationship, it may or may not have the effect that the person or people are wanting,” she says. “It all depends on the hope and meaning of it.”

What do matching tattoos represent?

While tattoos’ meanings always come from your personal connection to them, some tattoo artists think matching tattoos have evolved in recent years. “Historically, it was something that was very possessive and territorial, but today I see a lot of friends forging their friendship through tattoo storytelling as a celebration of what they mean to each other,” California tattoo artist Saem Kim tells Glamour . 

“Sometimes this is in the form chain welded to each other, like what you see in jewelry trends , such as a forever bracelet, or letters connecting,” she says. “On the other hand, it can also reflect hardship and bonding that moment onto your body.”

Instagram content

This content can also be viewed on the site it originates from.

What should I consider before getting a matching tattoo?

As for what advice experts have for individuals and couples considering matching tattoos? Be sure to ask yourself a few questions. What if this relationship winds up not being what it is now in a few years—how will you feel about seeing this on your body? “What is your ‘why’ for getting this tattoo? Why this tattoo together? What does this mean to you?” Wright asks. And of course, do you have any questions for your partner(s) before you do this together?

If you’ve answered all of the above and are eagerly seeking a permanent way to celebrate that one-of-a-kind love, you’ve come to the right place. From classic designs like flowers and puzzle pieces to whimsical ink like wine bottles and pizza slices, there’s a matching couples tattoo for everyone (and their other half). 

Ahead, see some of the best couple tattoos that will make you and your partner smile every time.  

1. Always and Forever

Simple and to the point, this gorgeous scripted tattoo says what you’re thinking every time you gaze deeply into your partner’s eyes and remember why you decided to commit to the future together.

2. Mismatched Tattoos

By Laura Hampson

By Hanna Lustig

By Brie Schwartz

Cute and cheeky, this smiley face and “OK” are a playful way to capture the joy of spending time together. This is one of those matching tattoos for couples that looks good in simple black and also a range of colors. Experiment and have fun with it. That’s what couple finger tattoos are all about. 

3. The One True Love

Who doesn’t love an adorable bunny? And who knew carrots could look so good? For those looking for cute couple tattoos, we’ve found your answer. 

4. A Minimalist Set

If symbols are more your thing, this impeccably executed Maya letter tattoo is definitely worth exploring. For a minimalist look opt for black or a steely gray that will pop against the skin.

Love is truly one of the most powerful, unifying forces. Like two halves of a heart, this tattoo will serve as a reminder of what brings you together every day.

6. Send Noods

Love ramen like you love each other? Maybe it was your first-date meal or the one you go back to time and time again for comfort. Getting these delicious bowls inked on will be a delicious feast for heart and eyes.  

7. Share Your Culture

If you’re looking for a way to share your culture on a deeper level, then look into a tattoo design that has symbolic significance. Your partner will appreciate learning more about your heritage and being able to share a piece of it. 

8. For the Love of the Game

Gamers, rejoice! Whether you two like to battle it on the soccer field or tag-team it on an out-of-this world adventure, this tattoo is the perfect way to celebrate your love for the many pixelated universes out there. 

9. A Fairytale Dream

Love couple tattoos that will make any romantic swoon? The delicately curved vines and shiny matching key and lock are what fairy tales are made of.

10. It’s in the Stars

If you have a special place in your heart for Studio Ghibli, these matching Susuwatari unique couple tattoos are such an adorable way to show off your romantic side. Each dancing figure holds half of a star—cue the puppy eyes. 

11. Let Your Fandom Inspire You

Another anime-inspired tattoo for the OG Dragonball Z fans. 

12. A Sea of Love

There are many moving parts to this ship called love. Memorialize it with a matching anchor and wheel set—one steers, while the other anchors to destination bliss. You can decide who gets which, although we know it’s really a tag team effort.

13. You Are My Sunshine

Some might describe their partner as a light in their life, as nourishing and invigorating as the sun above. The thing about matching couple tattoos is that they don’t have to match exactly—maybe you opt for slightly different designs or placement, like this groovy pair above. 

14. For the Slytherins

A set of snakes to capture how entwined you are with each other. 

15. Guiding Star

This is another charming set that is simple yet poetic—let the love you share with one another lead you like a compass or guiding star.

16. My Other Half

Obviously, not all love is romantic. Matching tattoos are also a great way to share your bond with your mother, siblings, and dear friends. These tiny avocado tattoos are great for big-time foodies.

17. A Classic

No frills yet very romantic—these matching outlined hearts are simply divine for those who prefer simple couple tattoos.

18. Couple Tattoos for a King and Queen

For those who rule the hearts of their beloved, check out these tattoos, which are fit for royalty.

19. When Live Gives You…

If you’ve done the traditional love symbols and want to cover them up with something a little more unique to avoid removing your tattoos , this sweet (yet sour) style is for you. When life gives you lemons, and a partner you love, make lemonade…and get a tattoo. 

20. Full Circle

For a fun twist on the couple tattoo, explore varying sizes that could “fit” into one another. It’s a subtle yet powerful way to show off how enamored you two are.

21. Sweet Like Cherries

These juicy cherries are such a great way to play with color while keeping it romantic and sweet. You could each go for a single cherry to make a pair or double up. 

22. You Give Me Butterflies

Butterflies can represent rebirth and transformation, so they make a powerful symbol for the impact a strong relationship can have on us. Keep it simple with an outlined set or go for detail with added color.

Who doesn’t love pizza? If we’re being honest, we might love it more than humans…. Share the amor with these matching cuties.

24. My Cup of Tea

When you’re in love, it’s fair to say your partner is your cup of tea. Add some smiley faces to increase adorable levels by 1,000%.

25. Simple and Sweet

This is a cool twist on the butterfly tattoo. Butterflies landing on top of gorgeous flowers is the picture of serenity and rest. Splitting up the two between you and your partner can be an extremely poetic piece.

26. A Matching Set

Love royalty but prefer not to go down the route of The Crown ? Check out these playing-card-inspired matching tattoos that are discreet but speak volumes.

27. Opposites Attract

Let’s be real—sometimes you and your partner can feel like day and night. It’s not always a bad thing, though. Who wants to date a mirror copy of themselves? Celebrate the differences that bring you together with complementary tattoos like this moon and sun pair.

28. Something Cosmic

Alternatively, if you both want the sun and the moon, simply opt for matching cosmic ink and swap the order to artistically embrace your differences.

29. Out of This World

This super-cool astronaut connects to a moon. Out of this world, like you two lovebirds.

30. Simple Letters

This ultrachic minimal tattoo is reminiscent of the charm necklace you’ve come to expect on holidays and anniversaries. Except you two won’t have to ever take this one off. 

31. Sunrise Over the Mountains

Minimalist couple tattoos can still be about big feelings. Being in love is like entering a universe where everything is new, exciting, and ready for exploration, much the way the sun sheds light on the natural beauty of a mountain range. 

32. A New Tradition

Rings are a cute spin on the tradition for wanting married couple tattoos. Go for ornate designs or a classic band.

33. It’s Science

If you two feel your love at a subatomic level, check out this identical pair.

34. Can I Have This Dance?

Okay, seriously, look at how cute these dancing kittens are. If you’re not getting these to represent a mutual obsession with the furry little animals, then get it for the little ball of joy they’ll bring every time you glance down.

35. Drinks Are on Me

Maybe you both enjoy a martini or neither of you can contain your enthusiasm for a good SATC reference. Either is perfectly fine and deserves a tat.

36. We Finish Each Other’s Sentences

Finish each other's sentences with this sweet split “love” style.

37. In Paradise

Does every day feel like paradise with your partner? Make it official with some palm tree ink.

38. Luck of the Irish

This small couple tattoo idea is perfect for showing your partner for how lucky you feel to have met them and have them in your life.

39. Tic-Tac-Toe

His and hers tattoos don't have to be boring. In fact, they can be a game in progress, like this unique style in the form of tic-tac-toe.

40. Making Waves

Marriage and long-term relationships can feel monotonous and long, but that doesn’t mean they’re without love or beauty. Think of the ocean: Waves come and go and come and go, but we’re never not amazed when looking at the horizon.

41. (Wine) Lovers

Whether you married a sommelier or just both really love wine, this wine and wine glass make the perfect pairing (perhaps with a plate of cheese).

42. Roman Numerals

Honor your most meaningful date, whether that’s your significant other’s birth date, the date you met, or your wedding anniversary.

43. Make a Wish

If you and your other half equally love numerology or making a wish when the clock strikes 11:11, this tattoo is for you. 

44. Perfect Fit

Literal tattoos deserve love too. Puzzle piece ink is a charming way to say that you and your hubby go perfectly together. 

45. You Make Me Smile

This is another small couple tattoo idea that’s so minimal and discrete, yet simultaneously good, that there’s almost no excuse not to get it.

46. Lightning Bolts

Does your spark feel like lightning in a bottle? Matching lightning bolts should do the trick.

47. The Game of Love

Whether you had your first date at an arcade or have a silly sense of video-game-inspired humor, this Pacman tattoo is sure to be a conversation starter.

48. Cosmic Cuties

Is there life on Mars? We may never know, but we do know this alien-inspired aesthetic is so funny and cute.

49. Patterned Seashells

For another “matching tattoo” that'’s not exactly matching, consider seashells with slightly different patterns on each. 

50. Forever and Ever…and Then Some

And of course, no symbol is more strongly associated with long-lasting and enduring love than the infinity sign, which can be inked as large or as minimalist as you and your partner like.

Glamour Beauty

By Whitney Perry

By Sarah Y. Wu and Michella Oré

By Lauren Chan

By Jake Smith

Wild Tattoo Art

250 matching couples tattoos that symbolize your love perfectly.

Being in love is a magical experience, and for keeping the fire alive, couples try out unique ways to showcase their love and affection for each other. If you want to add in some creativity when it comes to expressing love for your partner , you can do that by getting matching couple tattoos. These tattoos help you achieve a unique look and make your bond stronger with your other half. From animal tattoos to hearts to quotes and cute illustrations, there are different types of matching tattoos you can get.

So, if you are looking for some romantic matching couples tattoo inspiration, you are in the right place. Read further below and come across some unique and adorable tattoos that will help to symbolize your love perfectly.

The King& Queen of Hearts

You can try out this creative King& Queen of hearts tattoo, and achieve a royal yet straightforward effect tattoo. This tattoo includes two mini black outlined European-Style crowns placed on the hand. Both the crowns have minor differences that distinguish them as the Queen and King crown.

This tattoo is a great symbolism of love, and it also represents responsibility and power. The crown reminds you that both of you are responsible for making the bond and relationship stronger. Since this is a European-style crown, the eight golden arches on the crown represent eternal life. This symbolizes your unconditional love and everlasting life that you will spend together with each other forever.

The best place for this tattoo would be on your hand , as the tattoo is small, and this way, you can easily match it together. You can also choose to get it tatted on your neck, wrist, or face, especially if you want to make the tattoo more prominent.

Infinity Rose

Infinity tattoos have been quite a popular trend in the tattooing industry, and they help you give a unique and flattering touch to your body. This infinity rose tattoo includes a black-inked infinity sign, which shows a red-inked rose and green-inked leaves growing on the infinity sign. This tattoo is unique and helps you achieve a symbolic and romantic touch.

Infinity tattoos symbolize the everlasting love for each other and how your love has no boundaries when it comes to loving your other half. The rose growing on the infinity sign symbolizes hope and new beginnings in this romantic journey.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your wrist , as it is a small size tattoo. You can also get it on your ankles or shoulder.

The Missing Jigsaw Piece

Jigsaw puzzle tattoos are another fantastic matching couple tattoos that contribute fun and cute romantic vibe. This tattoo includes a black outline of two puzzles on each partner’s hand, and once you bring your hand closer, the tattoo looks as if it connects both of you, which is not only stunning and creative but also romantic.

This tattoo symbolizes the deep connection you share with your beloved and showcases how you both complete each other. Also, this tattoo represents the ‘whole picture’ of the couple’s journey and how they are trying to improve and build their journey and relationship together.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your wrist; with the jigsaw tattoo, you can show off the missing piece concept in pictures and to others whenever you both are together.

The Sun & Moon

If you want to add a bit of color to your couple tattoo, you should try out this watercolor sun and moon tattoo . This tattoo includes a black outlined filled with yellow and pink colored ink and a black outlined moon with a splash of blue ink. The sun gives a more feminine touch, so it’s perfect for the girl, while the moon is perfect for the man.

This tattoo is perfect for those couples who have completely different personalities. The moon represents calm, dark, and cold, while the sun means energy, light, and heat – this tattoo also symbolizes how the earth needs both the sun and the moon to survive. And just like this, you need each other to survive.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your wrist, hands, shoulders , or even back.

The Yin Yang Tattoos

Yin Yang tattoos are popular couples matching tattoos that portray the perfect concept of love and being together. This tattoo includes a black outlined yin, which represents a feminine vibe and black inked yang that displays a masculine vibe. When both these tattoos join together, they create a perfect circle.

This tattoo shows artistically shows how different you two are, but also portrays how the differences one way or another complement each other. The inking also represents how a couple balances each other out in a relationship.

The ideal place a couple can get this tattoo tatted on is the wrist or hand. In this way, it’s easier to make the perfect circle visible to others.

Swallow Tattoo

The swallow tattoos are among the over the top tattoos that include a unique and mind-blowing design. This tattoo indulges a black and white inked swallow bird sitting on each couple’s hand. The detailing and shading in this tattoo is remarkable and makes the overall image breathtaking

Sailor Jerry, a famous artist, made this illustration for sailors who drowned in the sea and showcase that swallows help carry their soul. These fantastic birds also represent the struggles of long-distance relationships and showcases coming home to each other. So if you’re in a long-distance relationship, this tattoo will help remind you that no matter how far you are from your real love, you will always be close, and gives you the hope that you two will meet soon.

The perfect placement for this tattoo would be on your forearm or back, as the imagery perfectly fits both these places.

‘Till Death do us Apart.’

Skull tattoos may not be a typical way to showcase your love and bond with your other half, but if you go deep within the meaning, it does make sense. This tattoo includes a black inked outline sketch effect skeleton with a small crown on top. The female version has studs in the crown, while the male version has a simple crown.

Skull tattoos mainly symbolize death, but they also indicate optimism and protection. This tattoo represents how you are willing to grow old with your other half, and that even after death, in another life, you will still be together. It also showcases how you protect each other, and the bond created can never be broken because of its strength.

You can choose to get this tattoo tatted wherever on your body. But the best place would be on your wrists, shoulder, or forearm.

Cartoon Tattoos

One is never too old to watch cartoons or animated movies. If you and your beloved love watching cartoons or like the same cartoon character, you can portray it by getting couples’ cartoon tattoos. These tattoos usually include a couple from your favorite cartoon or animated series. For example, you can choose to tattoo your favorite couple from Harry Potter, Scooby-Doo, or the iconic Mickey and Minnie Mouse. This tattoo includes a black outlined image of the fictional couple, Mario and Peach, from the famous super Mario games. Most of us grew up watching these iconic cartoons, so it would be quite cute and exciting to get these cartoon couple tattoos.

These cartoon tattoos symbolize that you should never let your inner child die. Also, it represents that you and your other half share the same love as the couple in the fictional world.

The perfect place for this tattoo is your forearm or back, depending on the size of your cartoon. Since these tattoos include characters, it is best to keep them medium-sized. In this way, they are more viewable.

The Circle of Love

This circle of love tattoo is simple but holds quite a strong meaning. This tattoo includes two parts of the circle, in which the male part consists of a black inked curve, and the female version consists of a watercolor circle inked with splashes of different colors like yellow, red, pink, and more. When the couples bring their hands together, it showcases a circle.

The dark part of the circle symbolizes the darker side of the partner where he/she is lonely, angry, and empty, while the colorful part signifies brightness, love, and good luck. So when both the sides meet, the dark and lonely side of the partner fades away. It also showcases how your other half brings color into your life.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be your forearm. In this way, you can showcase the whole shape of the circle better.

Put a Ring On It!

Ring tattoos are simple, but the cutest matching couples tattoos that remind couples of the bond they share. It is the best way to achieve a permanent ring tattoo, especially if you are not fond of jewelry, and is perfect for married couples. This tattoo includes two simple black inked rings tatted around the finger. You can change up the design if you want something fancier.

The wedding ring tattoos signify and remind couples about the life-long commitments they have made to each other or will make. Since this is a permanent tattoo, it also symbolizes that your love is everlasting, and can never end any time soon.

‘Pour Me Some Love’

If you’re looking for a unique and over the top couples tattoo, look no more as this wine pouring tattoo is the perfect tattoo for lovebirds. This tattoo includes a green inked wine bottle tattooed on one arm with a little red-inked wine pouring into a wine glass that appears on the other partner’s arm. The detailing and shading in this tattoo give it a realistic touch, making it creative and breathtaking. With such a beautiful meaning and mesmerizing imagery, you and your other half should get this tattoo right away.

This tattoo has a deep meaning to it as the wine symbolizes the value of the relationship. The longer you keep your wine untouched in a cellar, the more valuable it becomes. The pouring of the wine represents how your relationship is continuously growing and the different experiences that keep filling each other.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your arms . The bottle is more masculine, and the glass gives a feminine touch.

The Lock & Key

This lock and key tattoo is the perfect matching couple’s tattoo that will allow you to showcase your love for your other half. This tattoo includes a black inked vintage key on one partner’s hand, and lock on the other partner’s hand. For an additional touch, you can get your anniversary date or each other’s initials tatted near the lock and key in black ink.

This tattoo has a beautiful and straightforward meaning. It symbolizes how only two people in love can genuinely access each other. It also shows that without your other half (which is the key), you’re just a closed-door (the lock).

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your arm or wrist.

Colored Origami Birds

If you and your other half are looking for something simple that holds a romantic meaning, you should get this origami bird tattoo. This tattoo includes two black ink outlined origami birds, one on each partner’s hand with two colors. The blue inked bird is more masculine, and the pink one is feminine.

Origami birds derive from the Japanese culture, and they symbolize peace and happiness. The Korean culture views this tattoo as a representation of purity and long-life. This tattoo helps symbolize the peace, happiness, and purity in your relationship and also signifies the everlasting love that will continue to blossom till you die.

 The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your wrists or collar bone . As this tattoo is small in size, you can get it tatted anywhere where it’s more visible.

Shine Bright Like a Diamond!

Just as Rihanna made us realize in her song that it is important to shine bright like a diamond, many people started getting diamonds tatted on their bodies, especially couples. This tattoo includes black inked diamonds , and if you want to twist things up a bit, you can ask your tattoo artist to add in some colored ink to make the tattoo more visible.

Diamonds symbolize inner beauty and power. This tattoo represents the powerful bond with your other half, and how you both fell in love with each other’s inner beauty and not the physical appearance. This shows that your relationship reflects upon the saying ‘’true beauty is found on the inside.’’

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your finger, as this way, you can match it with your partner, and it compliments well with the small size of the tattoo.

This tattoo includes a black inked flock of birds flying away in one direction and appears on both the couple’s hand. For a masculine touch, males can get darker inked birds, and females can get lighter shading. This tattoo is truly mesmerizing and helps you achieve that subtle romantic touch.

This tattoo symbolizes freedom and a new beginning in your life. In this case, the new stage in your life is starting a relationship with your one true love and invokes good hope in your relationship.

They are many places you can get this tattoo tatted on. One of the best places would be on your collar bone or your forearm. You can also get it tatted on your back, but for a more visible option, your hand and collar bone is an ideal spot for this tattoo.

Robotic Love

If you want to try out a tattoo that uniquely reflects your love life, you should get this robot tattoo. This tattoo includes a black outline of a robot. The male robot consists of a red bow and a rose in his hand that leans towards the female robot. The female robot includes red hearts with a small red-inked bow on the head.

Robots mainly represent humanity and actions carried out without feelings. However, your strong relationship can change the prominent symbolism of this tattoo, showcasing that you were a robot once, but love found its way to you, and you’ve finally opened up. This showcases that no matter how calculative and mechanized a person is, they also can find love.

The perfect place for this tattoo would be on your forearm or back. The forearm is best as it showcases the act of giving the rose better.

Turtle Love Tattoo

If you’re looking for the perfect small tattoo that will help symbolize your relationship with your one true love, you should get this turtle love tattoo . This tattoo includes a little black inked outlined turtle, with a unique design inside the turtle.

Turtle tattoos symbolize love, courage, and patience. This tattoo showcases how these important symbols reflect in your relationship and how patience and courage play a big part in the success of a relationship.

The perfect place you can get this tattoo would be on your ankles , as it complements well with this tattoo as the turtle showcases moving together. You can also get it tatted on your wrist or fingers.

Heart Skips a Beat

Heartbeat tattoos are among the most common tattoos that couples get tatted together and help portray a romantic vibe. This tattoo includes a black inked heartbeat line that ends in a black outlined heart. For an additional touch, you can get your true love’s initials along with yours’ tatted near or below the heartbeat.

This tattoo symbolizes love, passion, life, endurance, and powers. This tattoo helps portray all the main attributes present in your relationship and the strong bond you have with your true love. This tattoo also showcases how both partners cannot live without each other, as when the heart stops beating, the connection to life ends.

You can get this tattoo inked on many places such as your forearm, collar bone, back, or near your stomach . No matter where you get this heartbeat tatted, it will still showcase the intense and everlasting bond with your other half.

Why should I avoid getting couples tattoos?

Until you’re a hundred percent sure that you’ve found the love of your life and ready to take a significant step in your relationship, only then get matching tattoos. Sometimes relationships don’t work out, and you may regret getting a couple’s tattoo, especially if you have your partner’s name tatted on. It’s best to go for symbols or objects.

Are wrist tattoos painful?

Getting a tattoo on your wrist comes with a fair share of pain as there is very little fat and muscle in that area. It is bonier, which is why it is more likely to cause pain than other soft areas. Your veins and arteries start to become sensitive during the tattooing process, causing you to feel more pain.

How long does getting a wrist tattoo take?

The maximum it takes to achieve a wrist tattoo is 5 hours in one session. The length of the sessions differs from each tattoo parlor and the skills of your tattoo artist. The longest it may take to complete is seven hours, especially if you have a low tolerance to the pain.

Final Thoughts

These matching couple tattoos mentioned above not only help you achieve the perfect creative artwork on your body but also allow you to showcase your love for your one and only in front of the whole world. It portrays the strong emotional connection you share with the love of your life. So try out this small act of romance, and share it with your better half.

Related Posts

175 Stunningly Hot Sun Tattoos

150 King and Queen Tattoos that Radiate Royalty

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Moscow Tattoo Company

Services Offered

Virtual Consultations

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

1404 S Blaine St

Moscow, ID 83843

Amenities and More

5 More Attributes

About the Business

Moscow Tattoo Company features some the greatest tattoo artists in the northwest. Niko Carter, our piercer, also does stellar work. We love our North Idaho (and nearly Eastern Washington) community. We're thrilled to meet the tattoo and piercing needs of Moscow, Pullman, and the surrounding areas. University of Idaho (U of I) and Washington State University (WSU) students are welcome, we love when students stop in for a piercing or tattoo! …

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Got a question about Moscow Tattoo Company ? Ask the Yelp community!

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

This place was so great and I am so glad I came here to get pierced!! Such a great, professionally done piercing! It is a laidback, easygoing environment that makes you feel comfortable coming in to get your piercing done, and great customer service too! Everything was sterile and I have no worries that this will heal nicely!

second lobe piercing

I have Never gotten a tattoo and didn't know how to go about scheduling an appointment. So I walk into the shop, they were friendly, but referred me to their Facebook page, where I then was left on read. Not going to try to schedule an appointment again.

I went in for a tattoo with Ian and let me tell ya it was one of the best experiences I've had. Ian walked me through everything, was extremely professional and clean. He was an all around awesome guy, I will definitely be going back and be sending everyone I know Ian's way!

This Is an awesome Tattoo shop,everybody is chill and relaxed and makes you feel comfortable and welcome to the shop.I had my awesome first Tattoo done by Ian Ripley and could not have asked for a better Tattoo.If you want a tattoo done this is the place to do it.

Both me and my boyfriend got our septum's pierced here, it was the most painful and unprofessional piercing I've had! My boyfriend's is crooked and not even in the right spot in the nose!! Mine was painful too but the piercer seemed like he just wanted us to get out of the store. Would NOT recommend getting a piercing here. I've heard they do great tattoos though.

This was the best piercing experience I've had. The piercer got me out within 10 minutes, it was virtually painless, and he was very friendly. Would definitely return again!

I went in with a bit of a scattered idea of what I wanted. The owner was very patient, he drew a few things directly on my arm so that I could test a few ideas out. I eventually landed on some freehand work. I am amazed at the ability to freehand something on someone's skin. For such a small tattoo, this has a lot of detail. I'll be back for more! I should also mention of the shop is very clean, all of the staff is very friendly, and they have such a unique design. I've been in many tattoo shops in larger cities and I have never seen another shop like this.

5 other reviews that are not currently recommended

People Also Viewed

Blood Diamond Ink

Swan Family Ink

Bitterroot Tattoo

Skin Deep Design

InkLife Tattoo

Eclips Salon and Day Spa

Nail Art Spa

Simply Nails

Exuviate Salon

Browse Nearby

Restaurants

Things to Do

Nail Salons

Body Piercings Near Me

Tatoo Shops Near Me

People found Moscow Tattoo Company by searching for…

Ear Piercing Moscow

Tattoo Shops Moscow

Other Places Nearby

Find more Piercing near Moscow Tattoo Company

Find more Tattoo near Moscow Tattoo Company

Service Offerings in Moscow

Last updated on 10/28/2022

• Fashion Trends
• Accessories
• Lifestyle News
• Home & Decor
• Entertainment
• Love Stories
• Relationship
• Valentine’s Day
• Prom & Homecoming
• 4th of July
• Thanksgiving Day

© Copyright Glaminati 2023

Wanderlust Inked: Compass Tattoo Inspirations for Travel Enthusiasts

The tattoo world is full of surprising designs but there are those classic ones that we all love and appreciate. A compass tattoo is one of them. With its deep meaning and beautiful appearance, it is a great choice for those who are not afraid to show the world what they have in their heart in such a creative way. There are so many details and meanings that you should definitely know before getting it inked into your skin. Let`s look at the tattoo ideas we have prepared and choose something perfect that will reflect your ideas and thoughts. We will be happy to help you with finding your perfect image.

ADVERTISEMENT

Compass Tattoo Meaning

Credit photo: Instagram.com/mini_tattooer

Credit photo: Instagram.com/tattooist_banul

Credit photo: Instagram.com/chenjie.newtattoo

Before going deeper into the meaning of compass tattoo, we should understand what it is. A compass is a magnetic device that shows you the directions. Many people have used it in the past and it is still a great helper for those who travel a lot. Before, sailors, explorers, travelers couldn`t start their new adventure without it as it would have helped them to travel to the right place in a safe way.

Of course, getting such a tattoo would have different meanings to all of the people and we completely get that. Tattoos can get personal and it is the best thing about them, in our opinion. However, some typical meanings can be also implied. For example, if you get a compass tattoo you may show the world that you are an outgoing person as the compass has usually been used by those who seek new impressions and discoveries. Another major meaning is about the love of travelling due to those reasons as well. If you love opening new places for yourself, you can show that with the help of that tattoo. Another idea about a compass tattoo we have come across is that some people get them to show appreciation for the member of their family who was in the Navy.

Do you need guidance in your life at certain moments? Do you usually rely on yourself to make important decisions? Why don`t you put that deep message to go with your compass tattoo?

Popular Designs

Credit photo: Instagram.com/paulhumphreystattoo

It is an understanding that there are some designs that people choose more often than others. Would you like to look through them and maybe find something that your heart desires? There is a big variety of compass tattoo designs. Most of them only look different by their appearance not by their meaning. There is such a huge choice. Different colors, designs, and techniques can be chosen for you to be in your skin.

A simple compass tattoo is an ideal idea for those who love minimalism in everything they do. Two lines that form a cross and initials that point to the directions of North, West, South, and East. A minimalist compass tattoo for you.

Those who want a compass tattoo design connected with the Navy can choose a gyrocompass tattoo. This device is not the one we all are used to imagine in our heads when we hear the word compass. It is the one that shows only where the North is. It is a non-magnetic compass that relies on the gyroscope that spins continuously. It also has an axis which is parallel to the axis of the Earth.

Haven`t you noticed how extremely popular are the rose compass tattoos? It is the most frequently used compass kind that we see in school books. It may look alike the first compass tattoo idea we described but with its own details. Instead of plain arrows or lines, it has points from 4 to 32. They form the appearance of the star`s sides. Why is it called the rose compass? Well, simply it looks like the petal of the rose flower.

Ideal Placement

Credit photo: Instagram.com/thugpaiva

There is no doubt that you can fit such a tattoo design to any part of your body where you want it to be and it will look stunning. However, there is a belief that such kind of tattoo should be better placed on the right side of the body. So the right emphasis on your tattoo is given. Of course, it is your own piece that will go on your body so the worries that people may not see it shouldn`t be among your problems. In addition, you should be comfortable with the place where it is placed and that is the most important detail about the tattoo you are getting.

A small compass tattoo can easily be put onto your wrists. It is a great placement for little designs that will look really stylish and will look effortlessly beautiful when you move your hands and your sleeves go up. The back of your neck is another sexy place idea for a tiny compass tat.

Often people choose their shoulders and legs, especially thighs, for the medium sized tattoos. It is understandable that for bigger designs a bigger space will be needed. Do you like wearing short sleeves and shorts? If yes, then this tattoo will be your piece of cake.

The chest and back will be perfect for large tattoos. Imagine how good your compass design will look there. We see it perfectly. Of course, it is not necessary to use the whole space of these areas and you can choose where exactly you would like to put it. Having it on the right or left side of the back is the perfect option as well.

Would you like to see some examples that can inspire you and help you make the right choice? Well, we have collected them for you so that your choice can be done easier. Are you ready to see wonderful compass tattoo ideas?

Average Cost of Compass Tattoo

The cost of a compass tattoo can vary based on factors such as size, design complexity, and the artist's expertise. On average, a small compass tattoo may cost around $50-$100, while a medium-sized tattoo can range from $150-$300. Larger and more intricate compass tattoos can cost $300 or more. Remember to choose a reputable artist based on their skills and portfolio, as quality is paramount.

Creative Compass Tattoo Ideas

We love that a compass tattoo design can look so different and be so meaningful. It is a perfect option for all of the tattoo lovers as the meaning and the appearance of the designs can be so powerful and good-looking at the same time.

Compass Tattoo Care and Aftercare Tips

Credit photo: Instagram.com/handitrip

Credit photo: Instagram.com/kelmonsterrr

Credit photo: Instagram.com/tattoosbyjerrycross

Proper care and aftercare are essential for your compass tattoo. Follow these tips to ensure optimal healing and longevity:

• Keep the tattoo clean and moisturized using a fragrance-free, gentle cleanser and a tattoo-specific aftercare product.
• Avoid direct sunlight, swimming, and excessive sweating during the healing process to prevent fading and infection.
• Wear loose clothing to prevent friction and irritation on the tattooed area.
• Resist the urge to scratch or pick at the tattoo, as it can disrupt the healing process and cause scarring.
• Follow any additional instructions provided by your tattoo artist for personalized aftercare.

Remember, taking care of your compass tattoo will help maintain its vibrancy and keep it looking its best for years to come.

FAQ: Compass Tattoo

What does a clock and compass tattoo mean.

A combination of a clock and compass serves as a reminder that we have only finite time on earth and we got to travel and explore while we can. That there are no limits until we follow a clear path and the compass aims to guide and protect us along our lifetime journey.

What does a wind rose tattoo mean?

A Wind rose tattoo represents infinite possibilities, the present, the past, and the future. Those getting a compass rose tattoo usually want to render the meaning of guidance and readiness to follow their true destination. Moreover, it represents spiritual awakening and discovery.

What does a Viking compass tattoo mean?

The Viking compass, also known as a Nordic compass, depicts “runes” that symbolize will power and determination. Another meaning to it is that same as of any compass tattoo: protection and guidance. There are various designs of that tattoo.

Was this article helpful?

40 Heartbreakingly Beautiful Joy Division Tattoos

Neo-Traditional Creature Tattoos by Brando Chiesa

Brando Chiesa knows some fantastic beasts and he'll show you where to find them — in his neo-traditional tattoos.

Watercolor Daydream: The Fine Line Pastel Tattoos of G. NO

Tattooist G. NO gracefully blends South Korean fine line tattoos with beautiful watercolor washes to create lovely designs.

Think Outside the Box with Charley Gerardin's Contemporary Box Tattoos

Charley Gerardin encases his striking dotwork portraits and blackwork tattoos in edgy, boxed frames.

• Buy 2 or More, Get 30% off Sitewide. Auto Applied at Checkout Details
• 20% Off + Free Shipping On Your First Order! Details
• Free Shipping & Returns on Every Order for Red Tab Members Details
• The Best Of Levi's® - Now On Our App Details
• See What’s New At Our Stores Details
• Find Stores & Services
• United States
• Sustainability
• Covid-19 Updates

HOW DO YOU SHOW UP?

Community /  may 2023.

At Levi’s®, authentic self-expression is behind everything we do—our clothes, for sure, but also our values. So for this year’s Pride campaign, we set out to champion self-expression with a greater purpose. We wanted to celebrate how being able to show up as yourself—in the ways you dress, act, love, create, make people feel—empowers you to show up for others. And you’ll find a beautiful demonstration of that truth in the lives of our Pride 2023 cast: six inspiring LGBTQ+ individuals from around the globe and across the spectrum of self-expression. What do they all have in common? Living as their most authentic selves and helping others do the same. In their own words, here are their stories—and images, as captured by photographer Liam Woods, a trans and non-binary image maker based out of LA, whose work is characterized by the candid, intimate storytelling of queer people and other marginalized communities.

(They/Them)

A textile artist in Mexico City who specializes in upcycled, gender-inclusive clothing designs.

• SHOP DALZELL'S LOOK

My name is Dalzell and I consider myself non-binary. My family is from Guerrero and now I live in Mexico City. I experiment with textiles and use leftover materials to make art and clothes. Sometimes, I make clothes for other non-binary people. It’s really beautiful to see people loving and interacting with your art. My aunt and grandmother taught me to hand sew when I was five. I started modeling so I could afford a sewing machine and made my first shirt in sixth grade. In 2020, I wasn’t feeling connected to my body and the way people saw me. I lost weight—a lot—because of horrible expectations of what I thought non-binary was supposed to look like. The thing that saved me was sewing my own clothes because you don’t have to think about, “What size am I?” Or, “This is for men and this is for women.” You just make it for yourself. Clothes are made for people, not people for clothes.

''I hope that me being me and doing what I do inspires other people to feel like they don’t have to fit anyone’s standards but their own.''

I show up as “brave.” And “vulnerable.” I think the two go together because you have to be brave to be vulnerable. I hope that me being me and doing what I do inspires other people to feel like they don’t have to fit anyone’s standards but their own.

DO YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE FOR PEOPLE STRUGGLING TO LIVE AS THEIR AUTHENTIC SELF IN A WORLD THAT DOESN’T ALWAYS MAKE THAT EASY OR SAFE TO DO?

Focus on feeding your internal world—finding ease in yourself and things that make you feel safe and good. That’s what’s gonna help you to survive this world and feel more secure about yourself. For me, it’s being in the woods or around certain people, music, even smells.

(She/Her & She/Her)

Cake & britt.

Co-founders of Girls Only, a New York City creative collective that provides meaningful experiences through tattooing and community outreach.

Cake: I’m Sam, but friends call me Cake. Someone gave me the name as a teenager because I’m sweet. I’m a Puerto Rican princess, Coney Island’s finest, and now I live in Brooklyn with my wife, Britt. We have a collective called Girls Only, and do tattooing and community outreach. Britt: For us, the name “Girls Only” is inclusive because everyone can be “the girls,” you know? Regardless of gender. I’m from Maryland, but I’ve been in New York for eight years. I like to call myself the people’s champ by profession. I work in HR for my 9–5, and with Girls Only, I’m the people connector—the behind-the-scenes person. Cake: We do community work in a way that’s personal to us. I come from a loving family and always had super big birthdays, so one time we threw a party for kids at a women’s shelter. I remember one little girl said…I’m going to cry thinking about this…“I feel like a princess.” That stuck with me. Britt: That’s real work, you know? During the pandemic, we put out a fridge and gave away food to families in Coney Island. That’s a moment you can pinch yourself and feel human. In terms of how we show up, the word that resonates with us is “real.” Girls Only feels truly organic. We have this natural way of bringing folks in—friends, family, people we have no idea who they are—and allowing them to leave feeling part of the team. We are incredibly grateful for the lives we get to live, but it’s incredibly humbling. You have no idea until you step out. The more we continued to grow as individuals, the more we realized how important the spaces we make for others felt.

''You don't gotta understand me, just respect me.''

Cake : If you can, pick up and go to a city. I grew up in NYC with about a million gay people in my Puero Rican family. But I feel like in places where it isn’t safe, I’m not mad at you for being in the closet. You only got one life, and you just gotta live it. There’s gonna be things you do that make people unhappy, but you gotta live true to who you are. Your happiness is number one. That’s it. Britt : Embrace who you want to become and start showing up as that. For me, it wasn’t until I started embodying exactly who I saw myself as fully—the piercings, tattoos, my hair, everything—that I started expressing that. And the other piece is: journal through the journey. Because that’s part of your self-expression, too: to see and recognize your growth along the way, to be able to look back and reflect on how far you’ve come.

HOW WOULD YOU LIKE PEOPLE TO SHOW UP FOR YOU? AND THE LGBTQ+ COMMUNITY AS A WHOLE?

Cake : As an ally, the best thing you can do is listen. Even to people you don’t agree with, as long as they’re not being harmful towards anyone. A lot of issues in the world right now have to do with people not hearing each other out. We all have unconscious biases, even the queer community. But you don’t gotta understand me, just respect me. Britt : Pause before you pass judgment. You never know someone’s life experience. That’s it. Point blank period. And actively listen. There’s a difference between listening and actively listening. This allows you to visualize yourself in someone else’s shoes.

''Pause before you pass judgment. You never know someone’s life experience. That’s it. Point blank period.''

A poet and mental health first aider in London who gives facilitation workshops on autonomy and self-expression.

• Shop Tanaka's Look

My name is Tanaka, from and in London. People call me a spoken word artist, but I just call myself a poet. During the pandemic, I became a mental health first aider. I give facilitation workshops on writing, self-expression and autonomy—ways to find yourself and emotionally regulate and articulate how you feel every day. Coming to terms with my transness and being in a space where that wasn’t accepted, I started writing as a release from tension and self-doubt. I show up “compassionate.” Judgment is easy to have, and everyone can have it because it’s free. But compassion we make people pay for and it should be free. I know what it’s like to have to hide so much of yourself the minute you go through a certain door and how hard that can be. So, I share my poems for other people as much as I share them for myself—because I am the other people. I see myself in the people who listen to me. I think it’s important to show up as a storyteller because who else will share the stories that others are too afraid to or can’t?

''I think it’s important to show up as a storyteller because who else will share the stories that others are too afraid to or can’t?''

If you can’t be your truest self on an internal level, I recommend just once a week writing down how you feel for one minute. Time it. And then that one minute is going to go to five, to ten, because you’re going to be like, “Wait, for these minutes, I didn’t have to care about anyone else’s opinion. Just me and my pen or my notes app, we kept a secret.” Because that’s what journaling is, really—keeping your own secrets. I also recently found comedy clubs. Being a comedian is one thing I’m really scared of doing, but finding solace in other people’s bravery—that helps.

The founder and CEO of Tokyo Rebels, the only gay-founded modeling agency in the city, working to make the Japanese fashion industry more inclusive.

• Shop Toshi's Look

I’m Toshi. I’m from Nagoya, Japan, but based in Tokyo now. I’m the owner of Tokyo Rebels, Inc. As a Japanese modeling agency owner, people expect me to look and dress a certain way. But I don’t like to be put in a box. So, I just show up with a mohawk and people are like, “Whoa! Who is she?” When I was young, being gay and yourself was NOT okay. I didn’t have a safe space. So, I wanted to create my own. Modeling was the perfect way to bring diverse, rainbow people from all over to Tokyo, and create a world I wish I’d had as a queer kid in Japan.

''I don’t like to be put in a box. So, I just show up with a mohawk and people are like, “Whoa! Who is she?”

I show up “rebellious.” I’m 110% my queer self, and showing up a queer woman who doesn’t dress ‘traditionally’ femme in Japan is already making a statement because in my culture, people assume if you’re a woman you must dress and act a certain way. I want to break all those rules. I thought the fashion industry in Japan would be more open, but it’s not. I want to be out there pushing boundaries to open people’s minds—showing them we exist, it’s natural and everyone should be included.

Cut off people who judge or make you unhappy. It’s hard sometimes, but that’s what I did. Not living as you truly are or trying to change will never make you happy, so create your own safe space of people who love and appreciate you for who you are.

Protests aren’t really a thing in Japan, so I wish people would speak out more. Straight men especially, because the culture here is male-dominated. In Japan, we don’t have rights as a LGBTQ community. We cannot even get married. It’s hard to be open and come out. Some people find it very difficult to just be themselves. But men have so much power. They’re the ones who can change things.

A line dance instructor for Stud Country in Los Angeles, committed to keeping the queer line dancing community kickin’ even after they lost their homebase bar during COVID-19.

• Shop Sean's Look

My name is Sean. I’m from San Bruno, California, and now I’m an instructor with Stud Country, a line dancing social club that travels around to different venues in Los Angeles. The history of queer country dancing is really interesting to me, and I want to keep it alive by allowing it to change and grow. I never meant to be an instructor. When I moved to LA, someone told me about Oil Can Harry’s, this gay bar that opened in 1968 and did line dancing nights twice a week. I fell in love instantly and showed up every day for five years. Then, sad story: Oil Can Harry’s closed during Covid. Trying to fill that void, a friend with a dance studio asked if I would teach. All these people who had never line danced before showed up, and it created this whole new community.

“All you have to do is show up every day. Sometimes you show up halfway and that’s enough.”

When you find a safe place, it’s important to hang on. Whether it’s an activity, community, work, being able to regularly go to that thing that gets you through the week and makes everything feel okay… That’s what line dancing was for me when I started and now I get to share that with other people. If you don’t have that yet, find a friend and try something new. And imagine all the good things that could come from it. I was so afraid of teaching dance. But instead of worrying about how it could go wrong, I was like, “How can this go right?”

• SHOP THE PRIDE 2023 COLLECTION

• Cast & crew
• Episode aired Feb 8, 1993

Wally is angered when Jack's traditionalist views force him to disapprove of her new tattoo. Wally is angered when Jack's traditionalist views force him to disapprove of her new tattoo. Wally is angered when Jack's traditionalist views force him to disapprove of her new tattoo.

• Peter Bonerz
• Diane English
• Shannon Gaughan
• Joanna Gleason
• See production info at IMDbPro

• Wallis 'Wally' Porter

• Nadine Berkus

• Kip Zakaris

• Abe Johnson
• (as Charlie Robinson)

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

User reviews

• February 8, 1993 (United States)
• See more company credits at IMDbPro

Technical specs

• Runtime 25 minutes

Related news

Contribute to this page.

• IMDb Answers: Help fill gaps in our data
• Learn more about contributing

More to explore

Recently viewed

Cookie banner

We use cookies and other tracking technologies to improve your browsing experience on our site, show personalized content and targeted ads, analyze site traffic, and understand where our audiences come from. To learn more or opt-out, read our Cookie Policy . Please also read our Privacy Notice and Terms of Use , which became effective December 20, 2019.

By choosing I Accept , you consent to our use of cookies and other tracking technologies.

My Quest to Visit Every Single Taco Time, Washington’s Most Mysterious Chain

I’ve been to nearly 80 Taco Times, starred in a commercial, and have a Taco Time trophy

Share this story

• Share this on Facebook
• Share this on Twitter
• Share All sharing options

Share All sharing options for: My Quest to Visit Every Single Taco Time, Washington’s Most Mysterious Chain

Taco Time is like jazz — if you have to ask why people love it, you’ll never know. The decidedly non-authentic local Mexican chain (not to be confused with the identically named Mexican chain from Oregon) was founded in White Center by Frank Tonkin Sr. in 1962 and has nearly 80 locations across Western Washington. If you didn’t grow up around here you probably don’t get the appeal. What is a “crisp burrito”? Isn’t it basically a taquito? Why are tater tots (formerly called Mexi-Fries) on the menu at all? But there are plenty of born-and-bred Washingtonians who swear by it — not least Randy Coté, co-host of the Talkin’ Taco Time podcast, who has visited nearly every Taco Time and may be the biggest Taco Time fan in the world. Here’s Randy on why he loves it:

The first time you go to Taco Time you should order a chicken soft taco. It’s a classic enigma of Taco Time. It’s a taco the size of a burrito, but there’s no beans in it. And why is there ranch dressing? It takes you on the whole journey of, Is this Mexican food? And it’s so good!

I had Taco Time as a kid, then went away to college. But my love of Taco Time was rekindled when I worked in Interbay, which was a food desert 10 years ago. In my office at lunchtime, there was always someone saying they were going to Ichiro Teriyaki in Magnolia and asking who wanted to come. Or they’d say, “I’m going to Other Coast in Ballard, who wants to come?” Or, “I’m going to Taco Time, who wants to come?” So you went, that’s when I realized, Taco Time is solid .

Then (local sports podcast) the Peltoncast started a spinoff, Talkin’ Taco Time. I think their first episode was about the ice. Taco Time ice is perfect. You can crunch it in your mouth, you can eat it, it absorbs and holds just the right amount of pop. I don’t drink pop, but I will go out of my way to drink it at Taco Time. I felt like the podcast was speaking directly to me.

And it was around that time I looked at the Taco Time app and realized I had been to 15, maybe 20 percent of the Taco Time locations in the app alone. I love a quest — I have a spreadsheet tracking the state capitols I’ve visited — and I said to (Peltoncast host) Kevin Pelton, “I’m going to start a quest to visit every Taco Time.” I put it out into the world, and it became real. There’s a line in my Taco Time spreadsheet, July 14, 2018: official start of the quest .

Pre-2020, I didn’t have a car, and Taco Time owns the suburbs, so when I had a rental car I knocked out a bunch at once. One week I was doing a staycation and I visited 13 in seven days. I was playing hockey a lot and I figured I could eat whatever I wanted.

In summer 2021, Taco Time put out an all-call looking for Taco Time super fans, and every coworker I’d ever had tagged me on Twitter. My reaction was: First of all, how dare you. Second of all, here’s a map of every Taco Time I’ve ever been to — at that point I had been to 66 of the 79.

So I was invited to be in a commercial and I met the other super fans. There was a 90-year-old guy who credits his longevity to Taco Time hot sauce — he drinks like a cup of it every day. There’s a woman who has an amazing Taco Time tattoo, and a guy who did his senior pictures at Taco Time. And then there’s me, I’m on a quest to visit every Taco Time. The art department had made me a map with a bunch of stickers pointing out the Taco Times I visited; I’m a geography nerd, so of course I looked at it and I’m like, those are in the wrong places. It aired when I was at home watching Jeopardy! They gave me a trophy, too, that says Randy Cote: superfan. I don’t know if the other people got trophies, but I don’t think they did?

I’ve been to 78 of the 79 Taco Times. The last one is the Rainier Avenue one in south Seattle. I’ve been through the drive-thru many times, but I only consider it official if I’ve been inside and ordered and had the whole experience. Sometime soon, podcast is going to get together at that last one. The Taco Time people have asked that we let them know when I’m making my final visit. I assume they’re going to do something? But I don’t think, like, a statue has been made in my honor.

My love of Taco Time is not ironic, but I get that it’s kind of silly. It’s not my life. I know people who are “Disney people” and they go to Disneyland every year and they have Mickey Mouse tattoos and Disney is their life. It’s not like that for me. But I do think we’re lucky to have Taco Time. The workers there take such great care of this thing we love — they’re friendly, and they make sure the food is quality. The food is good. It’s nostalgic. It’s convenient. It’s relatively healthy. Well, it’s healthy if you order the right things.

Advertisement

'The Upstairs Delicatessen' tells of Dwight Garner's lifelong love of reading and eating

Copy the code below to embed the wbur audio player on your site.

<iframe width="100%" height="124" scrolling="no" frameborder="no" src="https://player.wbur.org/hereandnow/2023/11/13/the-upstairs-delicatessen-dwight-garner"></iframe>

If ever a book was meant to be savored, it’s Dwight Garner ’s new memoir “ The Upstairs Delicatessen: On Eating, Reading about Eating, and Eating While Reading .”

In it, the New York Times literary critic takes readers on a journey through his food and book-obsessed childhood, infusing it along the way with the words of the great writers who have moved him from his childhood in West Virginia and Naples — where he ate his father’s legendary peanut butter and pickle sandwiches — to his marriage to chef who grew up bringing leftover frog legs to school in her lunch box.

Garner joins host Robin Young to talk about his new book and his lifelong passion for reading and eating.

Book excerpt: 'The Upstairs Delicatessen'

By Dwight Garner

When I was young, growing up in West Virginia and then in southwest Florida, I was a soft kid, inclined toward embonpoint, “husky” in the department-store lingo, a brown-eyed boy with chafing thighs because I liked to eat while I read—and, reader, I read whatever was handy. George Orwell described his childhood self as having a “large, rather fat face, with big jowls, a bit like a hamster.” This was my look, too, so much so that my friends presented me with a hamster as a joke gift. I regret to inform you that I named it Holden, after J. D. Salinger’s hero. Holden ate lettuce and, probably despairing of his diet, staggered backward theatrically on his hind legs one day and croaked, like Lee Marvin in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance .

I was eight when we moved south. My parents were in flight from West Virginia’s long, isolating winters. They were done carrying pots of boiling water out to dump over ice-sealed car doors. I spent my first week in Naples miserable, uprooted, in exile, missing my friends, intermittently weeping, sometimes performatively, and listening nonstop to the first record I’d ever asked for: John Denver’s new one, Poems, Prayers & Promises , with “Take Me Home, Country Roads” on side two. Here was my plight, articulated exactly, a rare thing at any age. I already missed West Virginia’s mountains and the way the weather boiled up from them. I missed the way the light is dealt out through the peaks. I was even homesick for Charleston’s paper-mill reek and the stacks of rusted cars and refrigerators in the valleys that one politician called “jumbled jungles of junkery.” Naples, on the other hand, popped like a postcard. I didn’t trust it. There was something predatory (all those alligators eyeballing you from the ponds) and flimsy about every sun-splashed, underground sprinkler–mined, golf course–adjacent acre. Cynthia Ozick would write, “The whole peninsula of Florida was weighted down with regret. Everyone had left behind a real life.”

I attended Saint Ann, a middle school with a Catholic church attached. The girls wore plaid skirts and short-sleeved white dress shirts; boys wore dark trousers and strangely casual teal T-shirts. It took me a long time to find friends. When classes began, so did a daily ritual that became the most important thing in my life. I’d bicycle home under the Gulf Coast sun, sizzled crisp and pink with sweat, gather an armload of newspapers and magazines and library books and paperback novels, and heave this bundle onto the carpet of the living room floor. My family’s ranch-style house had jalousie windows but no air-conditioning; a ceiling fan churned overhead; mosquitoes, hell-bent little fuckers, vectored in the downdraft. Their blood— my blood—blotted the spots where I smashed them.

Reading material acquired, part two of my ritual fell into place. I’d toddle into the kitchen. Ten minutes later I’d return with a sandwich, sodden with mayonnaise, cheese slices poking out like a stealth bomber’s wings, as well as vertiginous piles of potato chips and pretzels and a cold red drink made from powder mix. To this day, I find the cuboid bits of crunchy salt at the bottom of certain pretzel bags almost unholy in their deliciousness, worthy of cutting on a mirror, snorting, and rubbing on the gumline. I’d read on my stomach, chin cupped in my right hand, the pages pushed out in front of me. It was important that the food not run out before the newspapers and books did. I’d return for more chips so I could make a clean sweep of the Miami Herald sports pages. That newspaper’s sports columnist, Edwin Pope, was the first critic who mattered to me. I’d stagger back to the kitchen for a sleeve of Hydrox cookies and milk, enough to propel me through half of a crime novel by Boston’s Robert B. Parker. His hero, Spenser, was a hard guy with a soft touch in the kitchen, a rare combo platter back then. “Spenser’s the name,” he’d say, “cooking’s the game.” He tangled with bad guys yet knew his way around knobs of ginger and paws of garlic. Sometimes, too, after school, I’d flip through a skin magazine, Club or Chic or Oui , found in the weeds by the side of the road; someone no doubt had tossed it from a car window and probably regretted it later. I read these alone in my room, not eating a bite. I remember a Penthouse Forum letter in which a woman described doing things with mashed potatoes, gravy, and her grateful boyfriend that made me look at side dishes with fresh eyes.

Hermione Lee, the English biographer, has distinguished between two types of reading, “vertical” and “horizontal.” The first is “regulated, supervised, orderly, canonical and productive.” The second and more intimate variety is “unlicensed, private, leisurely, disreputable, promiscuous and anarchic.” Our real reading tends to be of the latter variety. On that living room floor, I turned from Parker, for whom I maintain a real fondness, toward more ambitious writers, the kind that slowly put me at a certain distance from my family and peers. I’d tattoo the pages with greasy fingerprints. My bouts of afternoon grazing could last three or four hours. They were irritating to my father, who like most fathers would have preferred to see his son outside in shoulder pads. I was big enough for football, but I didn’t have the nature for it. I’d be sure to finish eating and reading before he returned from work. If I heard him approaching, I’d devour the last cookie with a pelican jerk of my neck. I learned a lesson that’s crucial to misfits of every stripe: the way to keep a secret is to eat the evidence. My father did not, as the historian Garry Wills’s father did, offer to pay me to read less. In his memoir, Outside Looking In , Wills writes that he took the money and used it to buy more books.

Reading and eating, like Krazy and Ignatz, Sturm und Drang , prosciutto and melon, Simon and Schuster, and radishes and butter, have always, for me, simply gone together. The book you’re holding is a cry for help product of these combined gluttonies. While reading, I’m helpless: I always (a) wish I were also eating and (b) notice the food. In this book’s five chapters—breakfast, lunch, shopping, drinking, and dinner—I’ll walk through a day in the life of an omnidirectionally hungry human being (me), with attention paid to what writers have thought and said about what we put in our mouths and why. I’ll rely on my own perceptions, but also on those of the minds whose appetites have informed my own. Autobiography, for me, quickly edges into bibliography. The great critic Seymour Krim liked to refer to his memory as “that profuse upstairs delicatessen of mine.” It’s a phrase I’ve always loved. The upstairs delicatessen! We all have one. This book is in no small part about the contents of my own.

I’ve been happy, over time, to find confirmation that I wasn’t alone in my combinatory passion for reading and eating. Rita Dove, in “In the Old Neighborhood,” writes about how

Candy buttons went with Brenda Starr,

Bazooka bubble gum with the Justice

League of America. Fig Newtons

and King Lear, bitter lemon as well

for Othello, that desolate

conspicuous soul.

Frank Conroy, in his memoir Stop-Time , recalls lying in bed after his father’s early death “with a glass of milk and a package of oatmeal cookies beside me.” For consolation he read “one paperback after another until two or three in the morning.” Dorothy Allison’s Bastard Out of Carolina is a reminder that summer is when whole forests can fall to the buzz saw of a young person’s reading. Allison’s narrator recalls, “When school let out for the summer, I found a hiding place in the woods near Aunt Alma’s where I could camp for hours with a bag of Hershey Kisses and a book.” The critic Albert Murray described a friend who cut school to binge-read Faulkner’s Light in August, holing up “Sherlock Holmes style with it and a jug.” I’ve never nursed a jug while reading, but in high school I did find a used bookstore that didn’t mind if you sat on the floor with a six-pack between your outstretched legs and slowly ingested its contents.

Excerpted from "The Upstairs Delicatessen" by Dwight Garner. Copyright © 2023 by Dwight Garner. Used with permission of FSG Books. All rights reserved.

This segment aired on November 13, 2023.

More from Here & Now