One of my favorite types of books to read are the ones where the setting becomes a character in the story. I just love flipping through a book that makes me want to walk through the setting and experience it all first-hand. Sometimes I end up not really caring for the book that much, but the setting can be presented in such a way that I don’t even care; just let me visit!
Top Ten Places Books Have Made Me Want To Visit:
London – Honestly, who hasn’t wanted to visit London because of a book they read or a movie they saw? London is the setting for so many stories over so many different time periods, the city itself has become timeless. I believe you can make London the setting for nearly any genre (except for maybe Westerns) and it would work. The book that made me want to visit London so badly was Meant to Be by Lauren Morrill. She does a fantastic job making London an actual character that I could practically imagine myself walking around a city I’ve never visited. Can’t wait to actually go there one day!!
Bath – I’m just going to cut right to it. Jane Austen makes me want to visit Bath. Even though Jane hated living in Bath, her final two novels, Persuasion and Northanger Abbey, are set there. I would love to visit this city and tour each of the areas Austen mentions in her novel. And then I would pretend to be Anne Elliot chasing down Captain Wentworth in front of The Royal Crescent ;)
New York City – I feel the same way about NYC that I do about London: it’s timeless. I love reading stories and watching movies that take place in the City. The one that’s popping up in my head at the moment is the movie You’ve Got Mail. We get to see all the seasons, but I love what Meg Ryan says: “Don’t you love New York in the fall?”
Neverland – I don’t know what I love most about Peter Pan’s Neverland: the waterfalls, the mermaid lagoon, the Lost Boys’s tree house… I would be totally content living there forever. Each time I visit Disneyworld/Disneyland I just want to ride Peter Pan’s Flight all day.
North Carolina – This is the current place Matt and I are looking to relocate to. Even though I visited multiple times when I was younger, the reason I want to live there now is because last Christmas I read at least 3 or 4 Nicholas Sparks novels. But hey! That state is gorgeous, whether you like Sparks novels or not (I happen to like them).
The 1800s American West- Along with Nicholas Sparks novels I also have a soft spot for Historical Fiction novels that take place in the American West. I love everything about them & the west. When I was a sophomore in high school I visited Colorado for two weeks and fell in love. I’m trying to convince my husband to look for jobs there, but at least he’s on board with North Carolina ^
Omaha – Ok, I’ve never visited Omaha, or any other place in the Midwest, and I don’t really know what would be attractive about Nebraska, but the reason I want to visit is because of every single Rainbow Rowell novel. The way she talks about her city makes me want to go there and visit all of the places her characters have visited.
Sherwood Forest & Nottingham – I have a huge literary crush on Robin Hood. Everyone who knows me in real life knows this. I want to marry Robin Hood, but even more than that I want to be him. Can’t you just see me walking down this pathway with Little John, singing “Oo-de-lally, oo-de-lally, golly what a day!”?
Washington State – Okay, I’m slightly embarrassed to admit the reason why I’d like to visit Washington…it’s because of Twilight. I’m not a fan of the books, even though I went through that period freshman year of college, but I really did like the setting of the series. I wouldn’t necessarily want to live in a place where it rains nearly every day, but I would like to visit Washington and maybe go camping there.
Prince Edward Island – This should come as no surprise to any of you who regularly read my blog. Anne Shirley’s beloved Prince Edward Island is the place I want to visit more than any other in the whole world. Every time I read or watching Anne of Green Gables I immediately imagine myself walking along next to Anne as she braves the Haunted Wood or strolls down Lover’s Lane and especially when her and Diana visit Miss Lavendar! *sigh* I’m hoping to finally visit next year. Each summer in Charlottetown they host “Anne of Green Gables–The Musical”, and I WANT TO SEE IT SO BADLY!!! Until then I’ll just keep the soundtrack on my playlist ;)
What are some places–fictional or real–that you have wanted to visit because of a specific book you read? Would you like to visit any of the places on my list?
macarons & paperbacks 
Great list. I’d love to visit most of these places too.
My TTT
Thanks!
Great list and good luck with convincing your husband to move to Colorado ;)
My TTT
Haha thanks :)
Aw Neverland! I wish I could visit there too!
Nicole @ The Quiet Concert
I know, right?!
Paris! And NYC can be so different than book descriptions since it changes all the time. New Orleans because of Laura Childs.
Paris is another great city I love to see featured in books :)
Eeek I love your list! Doesn’t Bath look breathtaking?
Cora @ Tea Party Princess
Thanks! Yes it does :)
I love your list! There are some great places on here! It would be so fun to visit Neverland.
Thanks! Neverland seems so magical and carefree, doesn’t it?
What a great post! I’m “with you” on London and New York City; they fascinated me as such integral parts of books I read … and, although not extensively, I’ve been fortunate enough to visit both.
Washington State fascinates me for the same embarrassing reason you list. ;) But living on the west coast of Norway, I experience a lot of it’s weather and scenery …
But the place that really book-captured me was Savannah. I was consumed with Eugenia Price’s Savannah series back in the late 80’s/early 90’s when we lived in Atlanta, and I felt as if I was living the books when I visited Savannah the first time … and that got stronger with every visit. For the future, I hope to get anywhere that Sharon Penman writes about — particularly Wales and the Aquitaine area of France (you’ve probably been there?!). (Obviously, I enjoy historical fiction!)
In which part of North Carolina are you and your husband hoping to settle? It’s such a gorgeous State!
I’m glad I’m not the only one fascinated by Washington State :) I’ve actually been dying to visit the entire West Coast since I was a little kid. I’m sure you’re very familiar with the wetter weather. I don’t know if I’d want to live in that weather year round, but it would be fun to visit. I’d love to spend the summer in a cabin over there.
And Savannah is one of my all-time favorite cities. I love how visiting there makes you feel surrounded by history (I love D.C. for that same reason). It’s like you can be transported back centuries in time just by walking down the streets.
The Aquitaine region of France is breathtaking. My favorite area of France, the Périgord, is located within that region. Some of France’s most beautiful castles can be found there. I visited this one just before I came back to the States :)
We are partial to the Wilmington area of North Carolina, but I would be happy living closer to the mountains as well. It is definitely gorgeous there!
I forgot to mention another place I wish I could visit — Hogwarts!! And I’ve discovered it might not be mythical! :)
Bloggers I follow just published a great post about it. (Dina/Hanne — a nurse in Bonn — is Norwegian, married to Klausbernd, a German author; they split their time between England and Germany.)
Yes of course I want to visit Hogwarts too! I just didn’t put it on my list because it felt like the obvious choice–everyone wants to go to Hogwarts! :)
What part of NC are you looking at? My parents moved to the Brushy Mountains of NC when I was 12, and they live there still. It’s a beautiful and enchanting part of the country. The coast is nice too, but I infinitely prefer the mountains.
We’re looking into the Wilmington area, but I’d love living near the mountains just the same :)
Home of the Cucalorus Film Festival! Ooooooh! Very nice. Lots of beaches too.
Lots of beaches and film events! I had no idea until recently how many movies are filmed there.