With summer now in full swing, for many Americans that means it’s time to travel. Whether jumping on a singles Mediterranean cruise, or lounging on a Caribbean beach, or taking the family on a trek through the national parks, many of us catch travel fever as the days warm up.
Still not sure where you want to head this year? Then find some inspiration in one of these unique travelogues!
Part travel guide, part memoir, part something more, these six books give readers a unique insight into the profound wonders of traveling. Whether you’re an armchair traveler, an occasional tourist or a seasoned adventurer, everyone will surely find something they love in this collection.
You Deserve Good Gelato by Kacie Rose
In 2021, social media star Kacie Rose decided to leave her life as a pro dancer in New York City and move to Italy – and she never looked back. Okay, that isn’t strictly true… In You Deserve Good Gelato, Kacie reflects on everything from travel fails and homesickness to the joy of culture shocks and the power of doing the s*** that scares you. By sharing her personal stories of life under the Tuscan sun, Kacie explains how travel is a privilege, why cultural differences are the coolest things in the world, and how there’s a positive you can take away from literally any situation.
Looking for Legends by Scott and Tarantino
Married travelers Scott and Tarantino spanned the globe over 25 years and discovered that travel is more than anticipating the journey, the mechanics of reaching the destination, or even the sights they encountered. It’s about the people. Now they share stories of the incredible individuals they befriended along the way — the towering legends who lived life out loud. Complete with original, hand-drawn maps and more than 150 images, Looking for Legends delivers you to destinations from your wildest dreams. Walk through the desert sands with T.E. Lawrence, dance the tango with Ricardo Guiraldes, conquer the Seven Summits with Reinhold Messner, hunt a man-eating tiger with Jim Corbett, and many more great adventures. (Check out the BookTrib review.)
World Travel by Anthony Bourdain
Writer and television host Anthony Bourdain has seen much of the world — from cosmopolitan Buenos Aires, Paris, and Shanghai to Tanzania’s utter beauty and the stunning desert solitude of Oman’s Empty Quarter. In World Travel, a life of experience is collected into an entertaining, practical, fun and frank travel guide that gives readers an introduction to some of his favorite places — in his own words. Featuring advice on how to get there, what to eat, where to stay and, in some cases, what to avoid, World Travel provides essential context that will help readers further appreciate the reasons why Bourdain found a place enchanting and memorable.
Ten Years a Nomad by Matthew Kepnes
After meeting some travelers on a trip to Thailand in 2005, Matthew Kepnes realized that living life meant more than simply meeting society’s traditional milestones. Over 500,000 miles, 1,000 hostels, and 90 different countries later, Matt has compiled his favorite stories, experiences, and insights into this travel manifesto. Filled with the color and perspective that only hindsight and self-reflection can offer, these stories get to the real questions at the heart of wanderlust. Travel questions that transcend the basic “how-to,” and plumb the depths of what drives us to travel ― and what extended travel around the world can teach us about life, ourselves, and our place in the world. (Check out the BookTrib review.)
The Pilgrimage by Paulo Coelho
In many ways, The Pilgrimage paved the way to Paulo Coelho’s international bestselling novel The Alchemist. Step inside this captivating account of Coelho’s pilgrimage along the road to Santiago. This fascinating parable explores the need to find one’s own path. In the end, we discover that the extraordinary is always found in the ordinary and simple ways of everyday people. Part adventure story, part guide to self-discovery, this compelling tale delivers the perfect combination of enchantment and insight.
Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson
In the early seventies, Bill Bryson backpacked across Europe — in search of enlightenment, beer and women — accompanied by an unforgettable sidekick named Stephen Katz (who will be gloriously familiar to readers of Bryson’s A Walk in the Woods). Twenty years later, he decided to retrace his journey in the affectionate and riotously funny Neither Here Nor There. With his unique brand of humor, Bryson takes in the sights, dissects the culture and illuminates each place and person with his hilariously caustic observations.
