I’m addicted to travel reads. Not in the cute “haha I read on vacation” way. I mean, the I-can’t-afford-a-plane-ticket-but-my-library-card-is-burning-hot kind of way.
And honestly? Travel books have saved my sanity more than once. (Like that winter when my car battery died twice in the same week and I thought I’d never see daylight again. Thank you, Eat, Pray, Love, for making my frozen pizza feel like an Italian getaway.)
The wild thing is—travel reads really do take you places. You can sit in sweatpants, wrapped in a blanket burrito, crumbs in your hair (don’t lie, we’ve all been there), and suddenly… boom. You’re in Patagonia. Or wandering a spice market in Morocco. Or stuck in a bus with chickens in rural India.
Magic. Pure magic.
Why Travel Reads Hit Different
Here’s the thing: you can scroll through Instagram “wanderlust inspo” all day. Gorgeous beaches. Perfect sunsets. Influencers somehow hiking in white linen pants without a single sweat stain (how??).
But when you read someone’s messy, detailed, personal travel story? You’re not just seeing the highlight reel but smelling the questionable hostel bathroom and tasting the noodles that were way spicier than expected. You’re feeling that weird mix of awe and terror when a stranger insists on giving you directions in a language you don’t speak.
That’s what travel reads do—they give you the whole messy package, and honestly, that’s the good stuff.
My Go-To Travel Reads (a very non-definitive list because my nightstand is basically a library)
1. The Geography of Bliss by Eric Weiner
This book is like if Anthony Bourdain and your sarcastic uncle had a baby. Eric literally goes around the world trying to find the happiest places on Earth (spoiler: it’s not Disney World).
I read this while eating a depressing tuna sandwich and suddenly felt like I was drinking vodka in Iceland with strangers who definitely know more about life than I do.
2. Wild by Cheryl Strayed
You’ve probably heard of this one, right? It’s like the Beyoncé of travel memoirs. Cheryl straps on a backpack that’s basically the size of a small car and hikes the Pacific Crest Trail after her life falls apart.
Do I want to hike 1,000 miles? Absolutely not. Did I buy hiking boots after finishing this book? Yes. Did I ever wear them? No. (But it felt symbolic, okay?)
3. Turn Right at Machu Picchu by Mark Adams
This guy is not exactly Indiana Jones. He’s a magazine editor who basically decides, “Hey, I’m going to retrace the original expedition to Machu Picchu.”
The result? Hilarious. Informative. Also a reminder that sometimes adventure starts when you’re wildly unprepared.
(Like that time I went “light hiking” in flip-flops. Worst decision of my life. Still have the scar. Long story.)
4. A Year in Provence by Peter Mayle
You know those books where you can literally smell the bread baking and hear the cicadas? That’s this. Peter buys a farmhouse in the south of France and writes about his chaotic, hilarious, beautiful life there.
Reading it made me want to move to France immediately. Instead, I just bought more brie and pretended my Target patio chair was a vineyard terrace. Close enough.
5. Travels with Charley by John Steinbeck
Old but gold. Steinbeck literally road-tripped across America with his dog, Charley. And it’s so dang relatable. It’s not glossy or overhyped—it’s just him noticing stuff, talking to people, eating diner food.
And honestly, who doesn’t want to road-trip with a dog?
The Weird Little Side Effects of Travel Reads
Here’s something nobody tells you: reading travel books can mess with your brain in the best way.
- You start craving foods you’ve never tasted. (What even is yak butter tea? And why do I want it?)
- Your Google Maps becomes a graveyard of places you “swear you’ll visit one day.”
- You suddenly feel like your life is both way too small and also kinda perfect.
Like, yes, I want to go to Japan and eat ramen at midnight. But also? Sitting here with my microwave popcorn and a novel is giving me life.
Do Travel Reads Replace the Real Thing?
Short answer: nah. Nothing beats actually being there—sweating through your clothes, awkwardly fumbling for currency, realizing you should’ve learned at least three words of the local language.
But… sometimes the real thing isn’t possible. Money. Work. Kids. A global pandemic. Life gets in the way.
And travel reads? They’re the bridge. They remind you the world is bigger than your grocery store parking lot. They give you little pockets of wonder when your days feel same-old.
My Couch Passport: How I Read Travel Books
I’ve actually made a ritual out of it:
- Snacks: Always. (Bonus points if they kind of match the book. I ate naan while reading about India once. Felt fancy.)
- Playlist: I’ll queue up music from whatever country the book is set in. Totally changes the vibe.
- Blanket fort: Yes, I’m a grown adult. Yes, I build forts. Try it, you’ll thank me.
A Few “Underrated” Travel Reads You Probably Haven’t Heard Of
Because everyone talks about Eat, Pray, Love. But let me throw some curveballs:
- The Sun is a Compass by Caroline Van Hemert — an insane 4,000-mile journey by canoe, ski, and foot through Alaska.
- Full Tilt by Dervla Murphy — solo woman biking from Ireland to India. In the ‘60s. Wild.
- Blue Highways by William Least Heat-Moon — driving the backroads of America, meeting the most random (and fascinating) people.
Wrapping Up Before I Ramble Forever
So yeah, travel reads that take you on a journey without leaving your couch are kinda my lifeline. They remind me that the world is out there—even if I’m stuck in sweatpants on a Tuesday.
And maybe someday I’ll actually go to half the places I’ve bookmarked. But for now? Pass me another book. And maybe some snacks.
Because honestly, isn’t that what travel’s about anyway? Curiosity, stories, flavors, laughter? And a little bit of chaos thrown in?
