From quirky corners to magical maze like shelves, these are the bookshops that make reading (and traveling) an adventure.
Beacon Hill Books & Cafe: Where Stories Meet Coffee
Of all the bookshops we’ve visited, this one had to come first. Beacon Hill Books & Cafe in Boston is so special it deserves its own page.
Beacon Hill Books & Café in Boston is one of those places that feels like it was designed for book lovers to linger. Opened in 2022, it sits in a beautifully restored townhouse on Charles Street, right in the heart of the historic Beacon Hill neighborhood. Each floor is filled with carefully curated books, there are five floors to explore, each with its own character. On the ground floor, new releases, bestsellers and staff picks are waiting to tempt you the second you walk in. The first floor is lined with beautifully curated fiction and poetry, the kind of shelves that make you want to curl up and stay awhile. Non fiction fills the second floor biographies, history and travel, top floor, a cosy space with armchairs gives you the feeling that you’ve been let in on a secret hideaway. Up in the Attic you’ll find the children’s section, complete with a tiny little door for kids (and the young at heart) All those cosy nooks and elegant design touches that make browsing feel like a treat rather than a rush. It’s already become a Boston landmark for readers, not just for the atmosphere inside but also for the cafe. On the garden level is a space serving proper coffee, buttery pastries and light lunches. It’s the kind of place where you might pop in “just for a quick break” and then realise an hour has flown by. The cafe itself is every bit as charming as the bookshop above.
When I visited with my teen daughter, we ended up spending at least two hours inside. She loved exploring the different rooms, each with its own feel and I don’t think either of us wanted to leave. The cafe underneath made the visit even better the kind of place where you can sit with your new book and a coffee and really settle in. Out of all the bookshops we’ve visited so far, this one easily takes the top spot for us.
We wanted to buy a book in Bostons iconic bookstore and rather than just any book, we wanted one that connected us to Boston itself, so we choose a copy of Little Women by Louisa May Alcott, who was born just outside the city in Germantown and later lived in Concord, Massachusetts. Reading it after buying it in Boston gave the experience an extra layer of meaning.
Little Women by Ella Bailey
Little Women is a classic for a reason. It’s heartfelt, warm and beautifully captures family life and the ups and downs of growing up. My daughter and I both agreed that even if it feels a bit old fashioned the whole vibe of independence, ambition and sisterhood still totally works today . Buying it in Boston, where Alcott lived and wrote, made the story feel that much more special.
Wicked Good Books, Salem
Wicked Good Books is a small independent shop right in the heart of Salem. It may not be big, but it’s packed with local character and plenty of Salem themed titles that immediately catch your eye. We wanted to buy something with meaning to remember our visit, so I picked up Six Women of Salem, while my daughter found the loveliest tote bag. They even slipped in a free bookmark, which felt like such a thoughtful touch.
Six Women of Salem by Marilynne K. Roach
Six Women of Salem turned out to be a fascinating, if at times heavy, read. It tells the true stories of six women caught up in the 1692 Salem witch trials, giving them a voice and humanity beyond the history books. It’s detailed and sometimes unsettling, but it felt right to take home a book so rooted in Salem’s past.
The Notting Hill Bookshop London
The Notting Hill Bookshop is best known for its cameo in the film Notting Hill and the blue frontage has become a photo stop for visitors from all over the world. Inside, it’s a small but tidy space, with a modest travel section and shelves of fiction and gifts. I’ll be honest it wasn’t quite what I expected. It felt more like somewhere to snap a picture than a shop to spend hours browsing in, but it was still fun to step inside such a well known spot.
To keep the London theme, I picked up a copy of Mrs Dalloway by Virginia Woolf, one of the city’s most iconic authors. I’ll be honest, It’s not the easiest book to get into. The book follows Clarissa Dalloway over one single day in London, showing her thoughts, memories and encounters. It’s not action packed but the way it captures everyday life made it surprisingly powerful once I got the flow
Asia Books, Thailand
Asia Books is one of the biggest English language bookshop chains in Thailand, and you’ll spot branches in major cities and even in airports. The shops are modern, bright and well stocked with both international bestsellers and books that connect you to Thai culture and history. It doesn’t have the quirky, independent feel of some of the smaller bookshops we’ve visited, but it’s a reliable place to find something meaningful to take home from your travels.
Ladyboys by Susan Aldous and Pornchai Sereemongonpol
I picked up Ladyboys while in Thailand, and it turned out to be a fascinating read. It mixes interviews, photography and history to give a real sense of the lives and challenges of Thailand’s transgender women and performers. Some parts are tough and thought provoking, but it gave me a much deeper understanding of a side of Thai culture you often only glimpse on stage. Reading it while traveling through Thailand made it feel even more powerful and relevant.
Escapes with teens 
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