Travel is amazing for SO many reasons. It can open your eyes and heart to brand new experiences, teach you invaluable life skills that you can use at work and even help you learn a ton about yourself. Are you trying to travel more this year, but can’t seem to make it happen anytime soon? Help fight your cravings for adventure by busting out a travel-themed journal, catching up with your fave wanderlust YouTube vloggers and flipping through some gorgeous travel books. They just might inspire your next trip. Read on for our 12 handpicked faves.
1. Journey of a Lifetime: 500 of the World’s Greatest Trips by National Geographic ($17): Need inspiration for an adventure? National Geographic produced this gorgeous book just for people like you. Full of 500 truly amazing trips, you’re sure to find a few exotic adventures to add to your growing bucket list.
2. Humans of New York by Brandon Stanton ($17): Humans of New York has beautifully captured the world’s attention with sartorial photos and personal stories that speak to the heart of human nature. In the book, Brandon Stanton paints a picture of what life in the Big Apple — one of America’s most beloved places… very crowded with humans — is really like.
3. Paris in Color by Nichole Robertson ($12): If you’ve ever doubted whether visiting Paris was a good idea, you’ve got to snap up this book. See the City of Light in living color through gorgeous photos that take you through Paris’s quaint alleys, bright doorsteps and picturesque cafes.
4. Conde Nast Traveler: 25 Years of Photography by Luc Sante and Klara Glowczewska ($82): A coffee table must, this collection of photographs spans more than two decades and showcases beautiful works of destinations loved around the world.
5. How We Live by Marcia Prentice ($40): Go inside homes across the globe with this beautiful book, which displays spaces from apartments to villas and the collections people keep inside them. From homes in creative and highly-designed cities to modern digs in grittier urban areas, you’ll get a true taste of how humans are different from each other — and how we’re the same.
6. New York Times: 36 Hours in the USA and Canada by Barbara Ireland ($19): The New York Times‘ 36 Hours column has provided people with expert itineraries for hotspot destinations for years, and this book includes all the best articles on the US and Canada. Absolutely perfect for planning your next long weekend away, this is something everyone prone to bouts of wanderlust (and paralyzation over the number of options) should own.
7. Where Chefs Eat: A Guide to Chefs’ Favorite Restaurants by Joe Warwick ($16): Foodies take note — this book is about to become a trusty fave. Visit new restaurants with Joe Warwick as your expert guide by using his impeccably edited inside knowledge to know about the best food wherever you’re going. Not a high-end type of diner? Know that this fab book covers local haunts and late-night hangouts too.
8. Los Angeles: Portrait of a City by Jim Heimann ($45): Los Angeles is more than Hollywood and celebrities, and this photography book proves it. Flip through photos that capture the art, urban life, beaches and so much more of the City of Angels. Then, book your ticket and see it all for yourself.
9. 100 Places to See Before You Die by Patricia Schultz ($10): More bucket list inspiration, this book is a worldwide bestseller and must-read on our list. The updated and much-loved edition features more than 200 new entries, which cover far-flung places like Croatia and Nicaragua. Let the vacation planning commence.
10. Beaches by Gray Malin ($26): Beach bums will obsess over this collection of shots by well-known photographer Gray Malin, whose unique aerial work is crazy popular on Instagram and hangs in the homes of celebs. Treat yourself on a dreary day in order to daydream — and figure out where you want to dip your toes into the sand next.
11. 100 & One Beautiful Small Towns in Italy by Paolo Lazzarin ($18): Who hasn’t dreamed of living la bella vita? Forget the big touristy cities in Italy and treat yourself to an inside look at some of the country’s most charming small towns. Among the rolling hills, vineyards and castles, you’ll spy some cafes and cute cats too.
12. The Southerner’s Handbook: A Guide to Living the Good Life by Editors of Garden and Gun ($17): The South does NOT have a shortage of fabulous things to celebrate. From the Kentucky Derby to comfort food, music, style and rich culture, this cool guidebook covers it all. We bet that you’ll be itching to book a trip once you start flipping through the pages.
Which travel book speaks to you? Show us on Instagram @BritandCo!
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(Featured photo via Getty)
