10 Magical Places to Travel, In Books

Today, I traveled to Coney Island, coastal playground of the greatest city in the world, New York. I explored the amusements of Dreamland on the famous Boardwalk and walked among the Lilliputian village teeming with little people. I marveled at the oddities of the side shows and human zoos with their strange and wondrous sights – mermaids, two-headed goats, and a lady whose beard covered her breasts. I searched the city for a missing girl, unsure if she survived the Triangle Shirtwaist Fire in Greenwich Village, some 14 miles away.

And I managed all that before lunchtime.

And the best part is, I never left my chair! The Coney Island Boardwalk that I visited was in March of 1911. No, I didn’t use a time machine. I explored the sights and stepped into the stories told through the eyes of Coralie and Eddie, the main characters in The Museum of Extraordinary Things by Alice Hoffman.

I have loved reading for as long as I can remember. It was always an escape for me, and now is no different! I can travel to wherever I want without ever leaving my house.

Now if you’re saying, “not me! I hate to read!” I honestly believe that is because you just haven’t found “your book.” We are forced to read whatever we are told is good or good for us in school, and frankly, I can count on one hand the ones that I actually enjoyed. So don’t let that determine your love for reading!

Or maybe it’s not that you don’t like books. Maybe you just don’t like the act of reading. But that is no longer an excuse! Programs like Audible will read it for you. You can just sit back and listen. I know this was particularly helpful for me when trying to read Huckleberry Finn. The number of dialects that Mark Twain used in his masterpiece was much easier to listen to than to read. Many public libraries now even offer audio books that can be downloaded through an app.

So here are our top 10 picks of places to visit through the pages of a book. 11 if you count my trip to Coney Island. (We have no affiliation with Amazon.com, and all links and photos belong to them.)

Narnia – The Chronicles of Narnia is a set of 8 books written by C.S. Lewis. Narnia is a magical land where even animals talk and you can get there simply through the back of an extraordinary wardrobe. With solid characters that are easy to connect with, these stories are loved by all ages. The second book in the series, The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe is probably the best known of the set having been adapted into at least 3 film adaptations, the most recent following with 2 other films taken from the series Prince Caspian and The Voyage of the Dawn Treader.

Middle Earth – In the fantastic world of Middle Earth created J.R.R. Tolkien, “All that is gold does not glitter.” The imagined mythology of the Lord of the Rings series is all about an ultimate ring of power and the fight to destroy it or embrace it. Intense description and untranslated imaginary languages do not necessarily make this an easy read for everyone. But the richness of Tolkien’s imagination and the passion with which he delivers it resonates with comparisons to real life. ***In my opinion, this story is best delivered through the written word and the ability to hold paper in your hand so you can look back easily at illustration.

Westeros – Before we even try to discuss this elaborate continent of seven kingdoms portrayed in A Song of Ice & Fire from the mind of George R. R. Martin, let me state matter-of-factly, right at the start, that this is another series that you really might want to consider holding paper in your hand. Especially if you aren’t at all familiar with the popular running HBO feature Game of Thrones. The complexity of Martin’s seamlessly weaved storytelling is only surpassed by the intricacy of his imagination! With over 2000 named characters interacting over kingdoms, and families, and books… it’s amazing that even the author can keep them all straight! For those of us deeply invested in this world of epic fantasy, we anxiously await the final two books that are still being written, which will eventually be a complete set at book #8. ***as of the time of this post and our recommendation, Mr. Martin has posted that he is utilizing this time of isolation during the COVID-19 pandemic in an attempt to complete the 6th in the series, The Winds of Winter. So you have plenty of time to catch up!

Whoville – Whether I’m 2 or 102, I will always love the people of Who …ville. And that horrible rhyme is why there is only one Dr. Seuss! The characters of this beloved cartoonist have taken on lives of there own, not only in the books, but toys, movies, and all sorts of collectibles. And I dare say that everyone has their very favorite Dr. Seuss book. What’s yours? Tony’s is Green Eggs and Ham, whereas I prefer the lesser known I Wish That I Had Duck Feet. Though fun to read and a delight to view, through the meter and anapestic tetrameter of Theodor Suess Geisel children learn big messages and life lessons.

Derry – With the many stories of Stephen King, you could spend a awful lot of time in Derry! Or if you’re not in Derry, you’ll probably be in Castle Rock. These fictional towns in Maine are great places to visit, but you probably wouldn’t want to live there. Don’t rule out Mr. King just because horror may not be your thing. Yes, some stories are scary, but it is more about human interaction and response than anything else for me. He has an intricate way to creep into your mind and plant little thoughts that bloom later. My personal favorite is IT, which I prefer WAY over the movie version…either one. But Tony seems to prefer the movies. And,, that’s why we balance each other so well.

Oz – Children and adults alike have traveled to Oz for more than a century! Created in 1900 by L. Frank Baum, The Wonderful Wizard of Oz invited travelers to this far away land as the heroine, Dorothy, gets swept away by a cyclone. Of all of the places listed here to visit by book, it is Oz where you could spend the most time. Although the first is by far the best known, there are thirteen others that follow, bringing to life scarecrows, lions, and trees where adventure abounds and trouble might be right around the bend of the yellow brick road.

Neverland – This fantasy land is easy to find. It even comes with directions! “Second to the right and straight on ’til morning.” (***Walt Disney’s version added “star” to the directions.) This wild island is based on the works of J.M. Barre where mermaids rest on sun drenched rocks by the sea, fairies tinker with things and sound like bells unless you know their language, and Lost little Boys live with Peter Pan and never have to grow up.

Wonderland – Possibly the most wondrous of places to venture for a bit is the fanciful place that even boasts it in it’s name. Lewis Carroll‘s stories tell the tale of a girl named Alice and her fall down an anthropomorphic rabbit hole. Published in over 97 languages, you should be able to find a copy readily available. It’s the perfect place to spend a “golden afternoon.” It may even cause you to believe in “as many as six impossible things before breakfast.”

Lilliput – When I started this post I referred to visiting the Lilliputian village. This was a real attraction on Coney Island in the early 1900’s that is mentioned in The Museum of Extraordinary Things. But long before that story, (LONG before, like 1726!) the imaginary world of little people was brought to life in Jonathan Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels. This island of 6-inch inhabitants is only one of the places that Lemuel Gulliver visits in his travels. And he’s happy to take you along for the ride … or sail I suppose, as it were.

Jurassic Park – although considered by many to be one of the best page-to-screen adaptations, the 2 books by Michael Crichton, beginning with Jurassic Park, contain scenes that are mind bending! Maybe they aren’t in the movies because you just can’t top imagination. This cautionary tale makes you think twice about cloning. Well, maybe about genetic engineering in general! You don’t have to be a science nerd or love dinosaurs to get wrapped up in this not so amusing amusement park of thrills.

And that is just the beginning of places you can go! I can’t wait to share more. But hurry now, get on your way! These wonderful places are waiting for you.

We’d love to know your favorite book adventures, so make sure you comment below. Although we love spending our time together on road trips, we agree with Emily Dickinson…

“To travel far, there is no better ship than a book.”

~Dawn