Travel has held the fascination of generations of readers, with books giving us a window into the lives and culture of cities around the world. Though because nothing compares to the real thing of traveling to visit a new city, we’re making that easier and more accessible with our hotel day stay booking options.
The best books to read while you’re on the road are the ones that focus on travel and inspire you to learn more about the local culture of the city that you’re visiting. These books are a great way to kill time on a long plane ride or relax by the pool during your hotel day stay. So whether you’re headed to London or Los Angeles, throw one of these titles in your carry-on bag before you take off.
Check out our four favorite travel books, from HotelsByDay!
1. On the Road
Jack Kerouac’s signature opus, On the Road is a love letter to wanderlust on the American road. The Beat generation author continues to be an iconic figure in the public imagination, with his unquenchable desire to get out and go, long term planning not required. Traveling through San Francisco, New Orleans, Chicago, New York City and more, Kerouac’s on-page persona, Sal Paradise encounters a fever dream of wild joys, devastating lows, and everything in between.
2. Travels with Charley
A few years later, John Steinbeck published Travels with Charley, the story of how the author travels the country with his companion, a standard poodle named Charley. Seeking the answer to the question, “What are Americans like today?” Steinbeck travels through New York, Maine, through the Midwest, Pacific Northwest, and down through the California coast. He continues on through Texas and New Orleans before making his way back toward his home in New York.
3. Eat, Pray, Love
While many of us know the story from the hit movie starring Julia Roberts, Eat, Pray, Love is a memoir by the author Elizabeth Gilbert. The American woman goes through a divorce and decides to embark on a yearlong trip around the world.
Spending four months eating in Italy and living freely, three months in India praying and finding her inner spirituality, and closing out the trip with a few months finding balance and love in Bali, Gilbert gives herself a life-changing experience we can all admire.
4. Into the Wild
Another non-fiction book with a major film adaptation, Into the Wild is a fascinating story of a young man, Christopher McCandless, who leaves everything behind to travel across the Western US following his graduation from Emory University. Taking only a few basic supplies like a rifle, ten pounds of rice, and a camera, McCandless travels through Arizona, California, South Dakota, and eventually the Alaskan bush.
Check the HotelsByDay blog for more travel stories and information about the hospitality industry. If you’re feeling inspired by these travel novels and want to start planning your next trip, check out our intra day hotel stay options today!
