Reading Retreats Are the New Way to Unplug and Socialize

Packing a book or two in your suitcase isn’t anything new; we’ve all looked forward to thumbing through pages on a sunny beach, or while tucked into exceptionally fluffy hotel bedding. But now—perhaps thanks to a buoy from #booktok and a longing for analog living—people are creating entire weekends and getaways centered specifically on reading.

What Are Reading Retreats?

Reading retreats are immersive getaways designed specifically for book lovers in mind. They can take all sorts of forms, including choosing a destination with a deep literary history, gathering friends to read whole books throughout a cozy weekend staycation, or attending a multi-day structured retreat. Hotels even have entire programs dedicated to the concept, from The Book Butler Program at The Ben in West Palm Beach to the Lion in the Bedroom package offered at Manhattan’s Andaz on Fifth Avenue.

People are also flocking to group events ranging from intimate "read out loud" hangs to big festivals complete with author talks, book launches, and local bookstore tours. “They’re part vacation, part intellectual feast, part sanctioned disappearing act,” says Adrienne Brodeur, executive director of Aspen Words, which produces the Aspen Literary Festival. “Sometimes they revolve around an author or literary festival; sometimes it’s just a stack of books and the radical luxury of uninterrupted time.” 

At their core, though, she says reading retreats are about stepping outside the daily grind long enough to think deeply again—an opportunity to escape digital-everything and reconnect with yourself and other like-minded people.

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Why Are They Booming?

With the widespread popularity of book clubs and viral appeal of book podcasts, book influencers, and related social media content, reading retreats feel like a natural, continued extension of how book lovers express, share, and consume. “As someone who’s spent 30 years in the literary world, I’ve watched reading evolve into something far more communal. Readers don’t just want the book anymore; they want the atmosphere around it,” Brodeur says. 

Experienced retreat coordinator and author Zibby Owens agrees. She says reading retreats ultimately tap into our need for connection and community. “Being taken care of in an environment with like-minded readers who all share a respect for stories and authors is rare, fun, and cherished,” she says. “I like to say that no two people who have read the same book are really strangers. We bring people together through stories.” 

How to Plan a Reading Retreat Getaway or Staycation

The beauty of reading retreats is that they come in a multitude of forms. That means you can plan and experience whatever iteration works best for your schedule, your friend group, or your budget. 

Staycation Reading Retreats

For a staycation, the key is intentionality. “Most of us already have books at home. What we lack is permission to engage with them without simultaneously answering emails, folding laundry, or glancing at our phones every six minutes,” Brodeur says. “A reading staycation is about creating temporary boundaries around your attention.” 

Whether going solo or hanging with your book club, plan the day around reading the way you might build a trip around museums or long walks. Put your phone down and create a schedule that involves themed food and drinks, perhaps an outing to a bookstore, literary destination, or an author meet-and-greet—and carve out time to read quietly or out loud.

Reading Retreat Getaways

A reading retreat getaway combines your love of reading with the experience of a new location. Owens says that her group retreats typically feature four to six authors and partnerships with local bookstores. You stay at a lovely hotel, and every detail—down to the daily menu—is planned for you. They’re sort of like a yoga retreat or wellness getaway, but all centered around reading and books. 

A reading retreat could also look like attending a literary festival where you travel somewhere inspiring and spend the day in conversation with writers and readers, or booking a hotel with the intention of reading all day. 

Or, it might look like renting a cozy cabin with a group of friends where you each read your own book (or the same one) and plan some bookish events for your “non-reading time.” It could even be a solo getaway where you do the same. Whatever the case, the goal is to unplug from life and absorb yourself into the pages of a great book.