Thanksgiving is approaching, and with the harried making of grocery shopping lists comes the harried making of travel plans. It's one of the most traveled days of the year with people heading to the homes of friends and family and frequently returning to hometowns. Homecomings can be filled with nostalgia or fraught with anxiety. For some, hometowns inspire such fondness a tribute piece definitely goes on the tattoo bucket list. But a hometown doesn't just have to be rooted in, well, roots, hometowns can also be the town of one's choosing or even one's aspirations. A hometown can be anything that tugs at the heartstrings. Any place can have a home in the heart and as we're about to explore, a place on the body in tattoo form.
Be it a small town, large city, state, or vacation spot, a tattoo can be a permanent way to show the world that this specific corner of it has left a mark on the heart. Specific places have a way of drawing us back over and over again. Even if we can't return there physically, we return in nostalgic daydreams and by imagining future plans. For all the times when a quick jaunt to a favorite place is impractical or even impossible, carrying a tattoo reminder is a great to take a mini trip in the mind and stave off homesickness. Getting a hometown tattoo can even help make connections to others in a community, even far from home. If I were anywhere in the world and saw a Liberty Bell, keystone or Gritty (see slide #2) I would instantly know I had found my people, specifically people that also pronounce "water" like "wooder," fellow Philadelphians bringing a little bit of their hometown everywhere they go. Hopefully, these tattoos help keep nostalgia at bay and inspire one to represent those favorite places.
'Home' With the State Shape as the 'O'
This one may seem like a no-brainer, but there's beauty in the simplicity of this tattoo. Replacing the "o" with the map outline can work with any state or city shape, not just Ohio.
Sports Mascot
A mascot like this Philadelphia Flyers's Gritty is a perfect way to represent hometown pride. Bonus points for noticing the other two Philly-related tattoos in this photo — the Rocky reference and the Wawa logo.
Skyline Tattoo
The outline of a skyline is a beautiful way to pay tribute to a favorite city, like this watercolor-infused Barcelona skyline. Just make sure there's room to add in new buildings to the tattoo, should that fave city have a lot of upcoming construction projects.
Signature Food
From boiled peanuts to piroshkies to clam chowder, certain places are known for their specialty foods. A Chicago dog tattoo like this one will let everyone know about that deep love for Chi-town.
Local Landmark
This Golden Gate Bridge tattoo tells everyone that its owner left her heart in San Francisco. Other local landmarks, like historical sites and famous art, work if the hometown doesn't have its own song-worthy bridge.
State Shape
Home is where the heart is and this tattoo shows off just that. A way to take a simple shape outline of the home state to the next level is by adding where the heart lies with a literal heart.
Local Wildlife Tattoo
State birds or state flowers are excellent tattoo inspiration. This tattoo shows both the Michigan state bird, a robin, and the state flower, the apple blossom.
Public Transit Map
Show love for a favorite city by tattooing a transit map, like this tattoo of the New York City subway system. For a more personal touch, get a tattoo of the specific line that's part of the daily commute.
Area Code Tattoo
What is it about area code pride that is so universal? Whether it's 212, 313 or this San Jose, California, area code 408, those three numbers tell everyone exactly where the person is from.
Signage Tattoo
The Hollywood sign and the Fabulous Las Vegas sign are obvious choices for wearable city representation, but it's possible showcase any place through signage. The welcome sign for any small town would look great as a permanent reminder of where a person is from.
Area Map Tattoo
A topographical map tattoo is a distinctive way to show a specific place some love. Topographical tattoos are an excellent way to show off detailed line work.
Natural Wonders
This gorgeous scenery depicts Conway, New Hampshire, and its owner's love for the outdoors. Any local mountain, canyon, or geological formation would make a beautiful tattoo paying homage to a specific place.
Local Produce
Local produce may sound like a weird tattoo idea, but consider Georgia peaches or Florida oranges as perfect ways to represent a home state. A petite ear of corn or a tiny blueberry is a way to announce to the world a love for Illinois or Maine, for example.
Bodies of Water
This solid black tattoo of Virginia's James River may not be instantly recognizable, but its owner is deeply connected to the place. Waterfalls, lakes, and even ocean formations can be done in this style for an abstract yet still personal design.
Famous Residents Tattoo
What better way to honor a favorite place than by also honoring a favorite hometown hero. This tattoo honoring everyone's (or at least my) favorite Tennessean, Dolly Parton, is a great way to show love to her home state and Ms. 9-to-5 herself.
Map Coordinates
Map coordinate tattoos are a classic. They are a small and subtle way to shout out a place that is near and dear to the heart. And because most people don't have map coordinates memorized, people inquiring about the location is a great way to start conversation.
Scenic View
A scenic view tattoo is one of the most literal ideas on this list, but it's still lovely. This depiction of the Austrian village of Faistenau shows the town in all its quaint splendor.
Locals-Only Reference
Had I not had family in Michigan, I would have never known that they refer to their state as The Mitten and indicate where they're from on their hands as makeshift maps. When figuring out how to pay tribute to a favorite spot, cute insiders-only references like these are the perfect way to denote a specific place.
License Plate Tattoo
License plates are the perfect way to show love for a specific state with plenty of room for further personalization. This license plate can easily turn into a vanity plate by calling out a hometown name or a previous plate owned in the past.
Postal Stamp or ZIP Code
A postage stamp tattoo is a cute way to show where someone is from and look like a piece of stamped mail, but in a good way. As a bonus, they're also a great BFF tattoo idea.
