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This summer’s hottest travel accessory isn’t a matching linen set or an overpriced beach club reservation, it’s a paperback page-turner with a cheap bookmark and a little sand stuck in the pages, for good measure.
According to a new summer travel trend report from Vrbo, travelers are increasingly embracing what the company calls “Beach Readaways,” slower-paced vacations centered around reading, relaxing and intentionally doing less. Searches for featured “Beach Readaways” destinations rose more than 30% year over year, while social conversation around the trend surged 213%. Even guest reviews are sounding more literary: mentions of reading-related terms jumped 285%.
While the report included international escapes like Aruba and Lisbon, several U.S. beach destinations are emerging as especially popular for travelers looking to swap packed itineraries for beach chairs and book stacks.
Leading the list is Panama City Beach, which may be the most pleasantly surprising entry of the bunch. Previously well-known for spring break chaos, the Florida Panhandle destination is now finding a softer identity among travelers who are craving Gulf-front mornings and long afternoons with a novel. With 27 miles of white sand and nearly 100 public beach access points, it’s easy to see the appeal. (Plus, unlike many trendy coastal towns, it also remains relatively affordable.)
Then there’s Cape Cod, a destination that practically feels engineered for reading. Between beach cottages, salty breezes and seaside towns, the Cape has long attracted vacationers looking to slow down. Nearby, Nantucket continues to dominate as the aspirational version of the trend. Yes, it’s expensive. Yes, everyone seems to own a striped sweater. But the island’s quiet beaches, hydrangea-lined streets and unplugged atmosphere make it an ideal setting for tucking in with a best-seller.
Over in the Pacific, Maui offers a more tropical take on the reading retreat. While the island is famous for adventure travel and luxury resorts, it also lends itself remarkably well to slower travel days, especially in quieter beachfront areas where the soundtrack is mostly waves.
Taken together, the trend suggests travelers are craving vacations that feel restorative rather than overproduced. Apparently, the new luxury is finally having enough time to finish your book.