Best place to exchange euros for dollars

Pat, what we do is just tuck our extras away for the next trip. That way we have a ready stash to hit the ground running with the next time. Will this be your last trip to Europe?

Well, maybe first question is how much do you have?

If only a couple hundred or less, either hang on to them for the next trip or hold onto them for a while and see if a friend, work mate, or family member will be travelling and either give or sell them to them.

If we are talking a thousand(s), then first advice is maybe to plan better to prevent that, but likely working through your bank at home, even if you have to open an account in a Wells Fargo, would be best.

If not too late, maximizing cash spend (your hotel, dinners, gifts) may be worthwhile as well.

Yep, what Paul said.

Suggestions in order of cost from lowest to highest:

1. Find a friend who will be coming to Europe and wants Euros. Sell at the Google rate. It will make you more and cost them less than any other option. (In the Google home page enter: 100 EUR in USD to get the amount translated (or whatever amount of Euro you have instead of the 100.)) They might even buy coins, which no one else will.

2. Save the Euros for your next trip, as another suggested.

3. Exchange them at your home town bank. Yes, the rate will be bad, but still not as bad as at the airport.

4. Exchange them at the airport in Europe before you leave for home. They have dollars they want to get rid of, the rate may be slightly better.

5. Exchange them at the airport when you get back in the US. Probably worst possible rate, but if you don't plan on going back to a Euro zone country, better than not.

Or you could just go on a spree and spend them all. Some hotels will allow you to pay a portion of your stay in cash and the rest with credit cards. This is a good way to use them up.

As Paul and Michael said, how much?
If you take more than €10,000 in cash (any currency) into or out of the EU you need to declare it to customs, or risk getting it confiscated.
See here (official EU site): https://ec.europa.eu/taxation_customs/individuals/cash-controls/what-are-rules_en

A similar rule applies for the USA (not sure of the amount).

My credit union ATM charges no fee at all (no per-use fee, no currency conversion fee) so I always get my euros in small amounts from ATMs as needed - and never have to come home with many in my pocket. If you are "tired of paying all these fees," I'm guessing you have already paid some just to get the euros in the first place?

Unless you have hundreds of euros left, I would just bring them home and use them as an incentive to plan the next trip! Otherwise, I'd ask at my hotel or the tourist information center about currency exchange in a city vs. at the airport - maybe you'll find a slightly better rate.

In the US, you may bring in any amount, BUT over $10,000 USD (equivalent) must be reported to US Customs upon arrival in the US (they have a form). And that is persons traveling together, not per individual.

Also, if you live in an area that has Travel Group meetings, folks might be interested in buying them from you at a good exchange rate.

We always save a couple hundred euros for our next trip assuming we will go back.

Geez guys!
Do you think someone coming back with $10,000 in Euro would be coming to this site to ask this question?
To carry around that much cash, S/he would either be too crazy or trying to launder some illegal transaction.