Books for the Family That Make the Perfect Travel Companions

Just like every traveler is unique, every reader is, too. With varied genres and individual tastes, finding a story to pique the interest of your brood may not be the simplest task. Luckily, reading is also a great solo activity — indulge in some “you” time on your next family trip and maybe inspire the kids to take a page out of your book and do the same.

For anyone looking for a good book to take along on 2020 journeys, this list of tried-and-true reads from the not-so-distant past can help add one or two to your list. Expect a bit of history, a bit of fiction and a bit of self-care.

Travels With Myself and Another by Martha Gellhorn

For literary enthusiasts and intrepid travelers, this biographical page-turner depicts the author’s varied travels, some of which included Ernest Hemingway and Gary Cooper.

The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy by Douglas Adams, Eoin Colfer and Thomas Tidholm

For science fiction and comedy fans, The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy unfolds to a series of adventures filled with comedy and science fiction. Heading on a family road trip? This is a great one to download on audio book and listen on the way. With so much story to tell, you can easily take down the entire series and even find something similar to queue up next.

Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How To Create A New You by Deepak Chopra

For all those self-help promises you made this year, this book can help. Crack open a modern classic like Reinventing the Body, Resurrecting the Soul: How To Create A New You by Deepak Chopra. Take an introspective look within at the person you are today, based on the conditioning you might have subconsciously absorbed throughout your life. It can also be a great read for the growing teens and adult children in the family.

On the Road by Jack Kerouac

Another great one for your moody teens and older children, Jack Kerouac speaks to the restless soul and wanderlust traveler — if you’ve ever read a quote by Jack Kerouac, you know what we mean. His novel On the Road should be on your list. Follow the travels of Kerouac and friends as the 1960s crept in.

If your kids jump onboard and want to read along, there’s a whole slew of like-minded writers they should know about, like Charles Bukowski, Cormac McCarthy, Albert Camus, Hunter S. Thompson, Kurt Vonnegut and Chuck Palahniuk — to name a few. These writers all examine society and convention with a critical, cynical and satirical point of view; sound like any college-age kids you know?