As I have been knocking some bookish goals off my to-do list, I thought it would be fun to write down what I have done and what I want to do in my literary bucket list for book lovers!
This will be an evolving document over time, so check back and see what I accomplish and what I add to the list.
Literary Bucket List for Book Lovers
Completed Literary Bucket List Goals
- Explored the Central Parkway branch of the Free Library of Philadelphia
- Visited Shakespeare & Co. Bookstore in Philadelphia
- Explored Florence, Italy (From Scratch)
- Explored Washington Square, Philadelphia (Such a Fun Age)
- Explored Rittenhouse Square, Philadelphia (In Her Shoes)
- Visited the set of The Lovely Bones (a movie based on the book) in the Philadelphia suburbs
- Attended a Philadelphia Eagles game at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia (Silver Linings Playbook)
- Started a book blog
- Appeared on “The Today Show’s” Read with Jenna to talk about books
- Visited the Ernest Hemingway house in Key West
- Attended an author event/book signing
- Visited The Oxford Exchange Bookstore in Tampa
- Visited Venice, Italy (The Talented Mr. Ripley)
- Visited Rome, Italy (Four Seasons in Rome/ Eat, Pray, Love / Angels and Demons)
- Shared on Instagram by Oprah’s Book Club and Reese’s Book Club (!!!)
- Was a podcast guest talking about books and book blogger (The Defense Never Rests: Apple / YouTube)
- Promoted literacy in a charitable context (See my “School Library” highlights on Instagram.)
Not Yet Completed Literary Bucket List Goals
- Visit the New York Public Library
- Visit the Books are Magic Bookstore in Brooklyn
- Visit Ann Patchett’s bookstore, Parnassus Books, in Nashville
- Visit the Anne Frank house (Diary of a Young Girl)
- Explore Naples, Italy and Ischia (My Brilliant Friend)
- Visit One World Trade Center (The Only Plane in the Sky)
- Travel Europe on The Orient Express (Murder on the Orient Express)
- Visit the Edgar Allen Poe house in Philadelphia
- Explore Harry Potter locations (and/or Disney)
- Explore Alaska (The Great Alone / The Snow Child)
- Explore Northern Italy (Beneath a Scarlet Sky)
- Visit Oxford University (especially the libraries!) (My Oxford Year)
- Explore (John) Steinbeck country
- Attend the Influenza Pandemic exhibit at the Mutter Museum in Philadelphia (As Bright As Heaven)
- Write a book
- Host a book club at home
- Create a home library/reading room
- Visit the Library of Congress
- Start my own Little Free Library
- Stay at the Library Hotel in New York City
- Visit the Morgan Library & Museum in New York City
- Visit Alice’s Tea Cup in New York City
- Visit Louisa May Alcott’s Orchard House in Concord, Massachusetts
- Visit the Boston Public Library Reading Room
- Attend a book convention
- Visit The Last Bookstore in Los Angeles, California
- Visit the Book Club Bar in New York City
- Explore Monaco (Grace Kelly books)
- Have happy hour with author Brooke Lea Foster in Martha’s Vineyard
That’s my literary bucket list for book lovers. Let me know what I’m missing so I can add it to the list!
Kira Buono Adams says
Great list! If you have a desire to travel to Scotland, Edinburgh has a bunch of Harry Potter locations as well.
My top 5 go-to New England recommendations are:
1. Brattle Bookshop, Boston (one of the oldest used bookstores in America)
2. Trident Booksellers and Cafe, Boston (a place you can get books, coffee, and French fries!)
3. Boston Public Library reading room
4. The Book Barn, Niantic, CT (my favorite place to go growing up—used books in a series of barns/sheds based on genre. There are also a bunch of cats and some goats that live there. Also, a local tip: stop by Hole-in-the-wall beach down the street, which has a cute little free library and a nice boardwalk/reading spots).
5. Savoy Bookshop and Cafe, Westerly, RI
Julianne Buonocore says
Thanks so much for all your thoughtful recommendations!! I am going to look them up!! I hope to do a whole literary themed travel to Boston someday.