This Connecticut Literary Road Trip Leads To 5 Incredible Bookstores And Libraries

As a book lover, there's nothing I love more than checking out a bookstore. Sure, I'm well aware that my "to read" list is getting completely out of hand and unless I quit working, socializing, and pretty much all aspects of my life that aren't reading, I have no hope of ever finishing it. Even so, there's no reason not to try! If you feel the same way and are hoping to enjoy a great road trip in the Nutmeg State, we've got the perfect one for you: a literary road trip in Connecticut that will take you to some of the state's best bookstores. Check it out:

In all, the trip requires just under three hours of driving time, though you'll want to set aside plenty of time to explore each bookstore and grab a few new reads.

Check out the full itinerary on Google Maps. It’s customizable, so you can add or remove stops if you like.

1. Scoville Memorial Library

We’ll start our journey at the Scoville Memorial Library in Salisbury. This place is notable for being the first public free library in the United States.

The Scoville Memorial Library opened up back in 1771, and now has more than 30,000 items in circulation.

2. Atticus Bookstore Cafe

Feeling hungry? Don’t worry, our next stop is the delightful Atticus Bookstore Cafe, where you’ll find sandwiches, salads, and coffee here. The location we featured on this road trip is inside the Yale Center for British Art, a free museum that’s got the largest collection of British art outside of the United Kingdom.

3. RJ Julia Booksellers

For our next stop, we’ll travel to the adorable little town of Madison. You’ll find plenty of delightful shops here, but one of our favorites has got to be RJ Julia Booksellers.

This two-story bookstore is considered one of the top independent bookstores in the entire country. Author signings and book club meetings are a regular occurrence here.

4. Bennett's Books

Bennett's Books is one of those delightful little shops that makes you remember the joys of in-person shopping. I think we're probably all guilty of a little too much online ordering, but this place is so cozy and comfortable that it's hard not to fall in love the second you walk in the door!

Bennett's specializes in used books, so you can even save a little money by purchasing your next read here.

5. The Book Barn

No list of bookstores in Connecticut would be complete without mentioning The Book Barn in Niantic, and that's where we'll end our trip. There are actually three separate locations for this massive store, but we're focusing on the main one on this road trip.

This multi-building store houses more than 500,000 books, plus other fun attractions, like art installations and gardens. It doesn't get much better than a visit here!

Before you hit the highway, make sure to get your playlist or audiobook ready and have all the road trip essentials on hand for safety and maximum fun on this literary road trip in Connecticut.

Doesn't this trip look like so much fun? Share your literary recommendations in the comments!