16 Unforgettable Trips Inspired by Your Favorite Books

Grab your library card, bookmark your favorite online store or plan a trip to the closest chain or independent, because you'll want to read many of the bestsellers and classics we've found. Some are set in fascinating places across the U.S., while others center on international destinations, so update your passport, too. Authors like Nora Roberts, Liane Moriarty and J.R.R. Tolkien will make you want to pack your suitcase and take an unforgettable trip inspired by your favorite book.

We've listed more than a dozen don't-miss fiction and non-fiction titles that are among the best in thrillers and suspense, romance, history, culture, ecology, small-town life and more. (And no, we didn't forget those of you who love a good scare.)

Known for his macabre stories, Stephen King has a secluded winter home on a barrier island near Sarasota, Florida, shown here. It reportedly inspired his 2008 novel, "Duma Key," a spin on the terrible injuries and difficult recovery he faced after being struck by a minivan in 1999. Duma Key isn't a real place, but the book is set on Florida's Gulf Coast.

King wrote about the area's stunning beauty, glorious sunsets and breeze-ruffled palm trees. Visitors don't have to worry about any supernatural elements; those came from the author's imagination. The real barrier islands, like Siesta Key, have sugary-white sands and uncrowded spots like Casey Key and Manasota Key are some of Florida's hidden gems.

Travelers come to the Sarasota Keys to rest, relax and unwind, or comb the beaches for shells and sharks' teeth, kayak through mangrove tunnels, dine at waterfront restaurants, snorkel, fish, swim and soak up the scenery. Nothing scary about that, but if you're looking for more of Florida's best beaches, click here.

Once known by a Native American word that meant "grassy waters," the Everglades draw visitors from around the world to see these incredible tropical wetlands. In 1947, Marjory Stoneman Douglas' bestseller, "The Everglades: River of Grass," drew attention to what most people thought was worthless, bug-infested swampland. Her popular, influential book prompted Congress to authorize 1.5 acres that same year to create the Everglades National Park, which protects the Florida panther, American alligator, mangroves, wild orchids and other rare and endangered wildlife and plants. The book is a classic in environmental literature.

Tourists take the west gateway into the park from Florida's Paradise Coast, which includes the white-sand beaches, natural beauty and attractions, shopping and dining experiences in Naples, Everglades City, and Marco Island. Airboats, kayaks and guided tours trace Douglas' literary path through sawgrass marshes, winding waterways and channels. The Marjory Stoneman Douglas Visitor Center, a Gulf Coast Gateway to the park, opened in 2025.

Cooking is more than sifting flour and cracking eggs in author Laura Esquivel's 1989 debut novel, "Like Water for Chocolate." Adapted into a film in 1992, the story, set in northern Mexico during the Mexican Revolution, follows a young Mexican woman, Tita, who's forbidden to marry the man she loves. Her emotions are magically infused into the foods she prepares, so anyone who eats them feels what she feels. Each chapter opens with a recipe for a traditional dish, like Quail in Rose Petal Sauce.

We won't spoil the ending for anyone who hasn't read it, but this international bestseller still inspires culinary trips to Mexico. Road Scholar's Flavors of Mexico: A Culinary Adventure in Oaxaca & Puebla combines food, history and culture, and features activities like chocolate tasting, a hands-on cooking class and more. Road Scholar is a leading, not-for-profit organization that offers educational travel and experiential learning, especially for older travelers.

Two novels with the same title, "Black Hills", motivate travelers to visit the rugged beauty of South Dakota. Published in 2010, Dan Simmons' book is a supernatural thriller that follows a young Lakota warrior, Paha Sapa, who's haunted by the ghost of General George Armstrong Custer. Paha Sapa, who works with explosives on the Mount Rushmore carving, wants to reclaim the sacred Black Hills of his people.

Also set in the Black Hills, Nora Roberts' book is a suspenseful, romantic drama. Her heroine, Lil, wants to open a wildlife refuge, but an attack on her animals drives an old friend, Coop, to act. Readers of the books often visit in September to watch the annual round-up of buffalo at Custer State Park, shown here, or come in warm weather to explore the Mount Rushmore National Memorial, the Crazy Horse Memorial, the Badlands and more. Road Scholar's Best of Mount Rushmore, the Black Hills and Badlands offers trips and talks from experts about Indigenous history, wildlife, Western heritage and geology.

Did you know that 1960's "Island of the Blue Dolphins", written by Scott O'Dell, and the winner of a prestigious Newbery Medal, was set on a real island? Today, the U.S. Navy owns remote San Nicolas, which is closed to the public, but you can explore the wildlife, history and environment of other California Channel Islands, sometimes called the Galapagos of North America.

If you've forgotten the book, which is a children's classic, dive back in to refresh your memory of Karana, a young girl who's stranded on an island for 18 years, and her encounters with sea otters, wild dogs and birds as she forages for food and struggles to survive in a house made of whale bones.

Road Scholar's Wildlife & Wonders of Channel Islands National Park program takes visitors by boat from Ventura to join local naturalists and discover the region's history, which begins with the native Chumash people and continues to the time of fur traders, scientists and others. Visitors also look for plants and wildlife like Torrey pines and the island fox that aren't found anywhere else in the world. There's also a Grandparent-Grandchild Trip on the Channel Islands tour that focuses on the book and the true story behind it. It offers snorkeling in a protected cove and watching for dolphins, whales, pelicans and other wild creatures, among other adventures and experiences.

Probably written by Homer in the 7th or 8th century BC, "The Odyssey" is one of the most important works in Western literature. It follows Odysseus, King of Ithaca, who makes a perilous journey home more than a decade after the Trojan War. A staple of high school reading lists, this epic resurfaced in 2026 as a film starring Matt Damon as the hero and Anne Hathaway as Penelope, his wife.

"The Odyssey" is filled with mythical monsters, Greek gods and descriptions of the Mediterranean, and while the original story motivated many travelers, the new film has renewed interest in visiting Greece and Turkey. Road Scholar's Greece & Turkey: Island Life, History & Culture starts in Athens at the Acropolis; then, travelers board a small ship to island hop in the Aegean and journey to sites like the Temple of Poseidon, Delos (shown here) and Samos. Experts led tours to Ephesus, Ikaria and other destinations using myths and history to evoke a long-past world.

Book lovers can't stay out of bookstores, even when they're on vacation, and beyond Jackson, there's more to enjoy in in Oxford, Mississippi, our pick as one of the top small towns in America. Kathryn Stockett's "The Calamity Club" was published in 2026 and immediately shot to the top of the New York Times bestseller list; she visited Oxford for the book's release and discuss about how the college town inspired her story. Pick up a copy of the town's guide, Step Into the Pages of The Calamity Club in Oxford, Mississippi, to find her fictional characters' hangouts, like Neilson's Department Store and the Oxford Welcome Center.

There's more for literary buffs, like Rowan Oak, the home of Nobel Prize winning author William Faulkner, and Square Books, considered one of the country's best independent bookstores.

Author Stephen King is a big name in horror fiction for adults, but R.L. Stine is one of the biggest names in horror fiction for kids. He grew up in Columbus, Ohio, where the entire city was decorated in 2025 to celebrate Halloween and the 10th anniversary of the film adapted from his "Goosebumps" books. Columbus made our 2026 list of the best small town Halloween celebrations in the U.S. (Read on. Boone, North Carolina, also made the cut, along with Baton Rouge, Louisiana.)

Pick up a copy of R.L. Stine's Hometown Guide to check out Stine's favorite "haunts," so to speak, like Rubino's Pizza; reportedly, he has the pies overnighted, half-baked and kept on dry ice, to his apartment and second home, both in New York.

A trip to Columbus doesn't have to end with Halloween, as "Conde Nast" Traveler Readers' Choice Awards proved in 2025, naming it a Top 10 Best City, One of the Best Food Cities, and One of the Friendliest Cities in the U.S. Fans can use Stine's guide to browse at The Book Loft, one of the country's largest independent bookstores, located in the historic German Village & Brewery District. The acclaimed humorist James Thurber also rented a home in Columbus for a few years in the early 1900s. Built in 1873, the home has been restored and is open to the public, serving as a historic museum and non-profit center for the literary arts.

Book lovers can't stay out of bookstores, even when they're on vacation. In Jackson, Mississippi, they can find a large collection of Southern literatures in Lemuria Books, a popular, independent bookstore. While Lemuria isn't mentioned in "The Help," author Kathryn Stockett's 2009 novel, it's hosted her for signings and other events. Set in Jackson in the 1960s, during the Civil Rights Movement, "The Help" sold over 15 million copies and stayed on the New York Times bestseller list for over 100 weeks.

After you've collected a basketful of new books, drop into Brent's Drugs, a neighborhood diner and soda fountain favorite since 1946, or head to the Mayflower Cafe for fried green tomatoes and other dishes. Both places appear in the novel.

Tour the Eudora Welty House & Garden while you're in Jackson. The Pulitzer-Prize winning author of "The Optimist's Daughter" and other works loved to entertain, and this museum hosts live music, story times and other events in her honor.

Robert Morgan's "Gap Creek," a 1999 New York Times bestseller, was a popular pick for Oprah's Book Club. It captivated readers with its setting in the rugged High Country of the Blue Ridge Mountains and the story of a young Appalachian couple living there in the late 19th century.

Gap Creek takes place near the North Carolina and South Carolina border, and visitors can escape to beautiful Boone, North Carolina, for the same breathtaking views, hiking trails through deep forests, shops filled with handmade crafts, Southern cuisine (think speckled trout and hush puppies) and museums that lovingly preserve the region's history, culture, music and traditions.

A literary bonus: Look for Forrest Gump's Curve on Grandfather Mountain in nearby Linville, North Carolina. That's where Forrest, the protagonist of "Forrest Gump," Winston Groom's 1986 novel, started running. Just stop before you go as far as he did. He ended up in Utah.

If you loved HBO's "Big Little Lies," based on Liane Moriarty's novel of the same name and filmed in Monterey County, California, you'll want to see more book-inspired films and shows shot in the area. Netflix filmed a limited-run series in California's Salinas Valley, near Monterey; it's adapted from John Steinbeck's classic, "East of Eden," and premieres in October, 2026. Steinbeck, who was born and spent part of his childhood in Salinas, returned to it again and again in other works, like "The Red Pony" and "Of Mice and Men."

Author Daniel Kraus featured the central California coast in his 2023 sci-fi and fantasy bestseller, "Whalefall: A Novel." A film version is scheduled to open in theaters in the fall of 2026. Liane Moriarty revisited the Monterey Peninsula for her follow-up novel, "Big Little Truths." It'll be dramatized in HBO's third season of "Big Little Lies," which is expected to air in mid-to-late 2027.

But don't wait. Visit Monterey County to see the glorious Pacific coast, paddleboard, kayak, hike, shop, explore museums and galleries, taste wines and discover historic Cannery Row, immortalized in Steinbeck's 1945 novel of the same name.

Talk about a bestselling author: Nicholas Sparks has sold over 130 million copies of his books worldwide, and some have been made into films. "Dreamland," published in 2022, blends romance and suspense in a tale that about Colby, a young man who gives up his dream of becoming a musician to run a small family farm. Can he continue a relationship with the woman he loves, Morgan, who's determined to go away and become a star in Nashville?

"Dreamland" opens with Colby on the beach in St. Petersburg, Florida, in front of the historic hotel The Don CeSar, nicknamed the Pink Palace and shown here. After he and Morgan start spending time together at the luxurious hotel, it becomes a kind of symbol for a place where different dreams can co-exist. Sparks has called the Pink Palace one of his favorite vacation spots.

Fans can stay at this iconic landmark, which is celebrating its 98th anniversary, and stroll on the sandy shore as the sun dips over the Gulf. The Tourism Sentiment Index named St. Pete-Clearwater as one of the world's 100 most-loved travel destinations, thanks to its watersports, museums, aquarium, nightlife and don't-miss events and festivals. It really does seem like a place where dreams come true.

Nicknamed "The Kingfish," Huey P. Long, Jr. served as Louisiana's governor from 1928 to 1932, where he used his charisma, position and loyal supporters to wield power. He advocated for populist social reforms, but his foes accused him of running a dangerous and corrupt political machine. He was assassinated in 1935.

Author Robert Penn Warren won a Pulitzer Prize for "All the King's Men," a novel about a fictional governor, Willie Stark, based on Long. Long's influence is still felt around the state capitol, Baton Rouge, shown here. Visitors can view the Mississippi River from the observation deck of the 34-story state capital building, pictured here. At 450 feet high, it's the tallest state capital in the U.S. and the site of Long's grave.

Long's legacy lives on. He helped turn a small, regional college into Louisiana State University, a major educational institution, by increasing funding, expanding the campus, and even helping create memorable halftime shows for the LSU Tiger Marching Band.

There's more to see and do for travelers who are fascinated by power, history and politics, including visits to historic neighborhoods, restaurants with cuisine like beignets and shrimp po' boys on their menus, art and science museums, live music and more.

Step into Middle-Earth when you travel to Te Anau in New Zealand. Many scenes in "The Lord of the Rings" films were shot here; the movies were based on J.R.R. Tolkien's three beloved novels, "The Fellowship of the Ring," "The Two Towers," and "The Return of the King," all published between 1954 and 1955.

Picturesque Te Anau is a gateway to the Fiordland region, known for the stunning wilderness in Fiordland National Park; it's also a jumping-off point for popular trails known as the Great Walks. Visitors can follow this guide to 23 more "Lord of the Rings" filming locations.

Road Scholar offers a variety of New Zealand adventures; click on the link for detailed itineraries. On the Active New Zealand Tour: Hike and Bike the South Mountain program, travelers can river-raft, cycle and hike valleys and trails like those in the books and movies and cruise through a sound carved by glaciers, among other adventures.

It's been over three decades since "Ceremony," by Leslie Marmon Silko, was published, and it's still acclaimed as a classic in Native American literature. Silko writes about Tayo, a wounded veteran of WWII, who returns to the Laguna Pueblo Reservation to heal from trauma, but he feels disconnected and alienated there. The novel becomes Tayo's quest to underrstand the ancient traditions and stories of his people, hoping to find a ritual — a ceremony — to cure his pain and despair.

Travelers to the American Southwest can experience Indigenous culture and history through Road Scholar's program, Ancestral Homelands: Hopi, Navajo and Chaco Canyon. The trip starts in Flagstaff, Arizona, and goes on to meaningful destinations in the Hopi and Navajo Nations. Chaco Canyon Culture National Historic Park, in northwestern New Mexico is shown here.