The New York Mountain Escape Every Book Lover Needs to Book
Reading doesn’t have to take a backseat on vacation anymore. Book-focused trips are built around it, so you arrive with a shared story that makes conversation easier from the start. Instead of figuring out how to connect with a new group, the common ground is already there.
The pace also feels different. You can spend hours reading without pressure, then join a discussion or an author session when you’re ready. That balance is a big reason these retreats, tours, and festivals are growing across the United States.
The Catskills
Image via Wikimedia Commons/Daniel Case
New York’s Catskill Mountains have become one of the easiest places to see how this works in real life. Resorts in the region have started building entire programs around reading, treating it as part of a broader wellness escape.
One distinct example is in New Paltz. Mohonk Mountain House, a historic resort dating back to 1869, offers reading retreats as part of its seasonal offerings. These stays focus on quiet time, shared discussions, and small-group interaction rather than packed itineraries.
Guests spend hours reading by fireplaces or outdoors, then regroup for book club-style conversations. Daily routines include afternoon tea, workshops, and informal meetups that feel more like gatherings than scheduled events. This has turned reading into a wellness activity, right alongside yoga or spa treatments. It’s less about finishing a book quickly and more about staying present with it.
When A Town Builds Itself Around Books
Image via Wikimedia Commons/WereItNotSoSimple
Keep heading deeper into the Catskills, and the idea expands even further. About two hours north of New York City, the village of Hobart has turned books into its entire identity.
That wasn’t always the case. By the late 1990s, Hobart had slipped into decline, with empty storefronts lining its Main Street. The turning point came in 2000, when Bill and Diana Adams opened Wm. H. Adams Antiquarian Books, filling a former shop with rare titles dating back to the 17th century.
A few years later, local investor Don Dales saw potential in the concept. Inspired by Hay-on-Wye, the well-known book town on the Wales and England border, he began adding more bookstores to the street. By 2005, the idea had momentum.
Today, Hobart runs as a compact book village with roughly six to seven independent shops. Each one focuses on a niche, which keeps the experience varied without stretching beyond a single walkable strip.
A Main Street That Feels Like One Long Bookshelf
The layout is part of the appeal. Visitors move shop to shop without needing a plan, and each stop offers something different.
Wm. H. Adams Antiquarian Books anchors the street with rare literature, art books, and Greek and Latin texts. A few doors down, Creative Corner Books leans into cookbooks, crafts, and hands-on workshops, including knitting circles and art classes. Liberty Rock Books fills a former 1923 garage with a massive mix of used titles, plus jazz records and vintage finds.
Other shops round out the mix with everything from science fiction and mystery to New York-focused history and memoirs. The variety keeps the pace relaxed, since browsing feels more like wandering than shopping.
The town also hosts regular events that bring people back throughout the year. The Festival of Women Writers, usually held in early June or September, draws authors and readers for panels, readings, and workshops.
Smaller gatherings, including book launches and art exhibitions, fill the calendar in between. Hobart’s reach grew further after a 2021 TikTok video went viral, bringing in hundreds of visitors each week during peak summer months.