The “Readaway” sounds like heaven. You’re telling me I can book a beautiful hotel and my main activity is reading?

Finally, a sport I excel at.

The “Readaway”—essentially a vacation built around slowing down and actually finishing your book—has officially caught my attention.

There are no museums you have to squeeze in before closing. Nobody is waking up at 6 a.m. because the tour bus leaves at seven.

It’s just you, a good book, and hopefully an excellent chair.

What Exactly Is a Readaway?

If you’ve never heard of a “Readaway,” think of it as the opposite of the aggressively scheduled vacation.

Instead of choosing a destination because it has 27 things you want to see, you choose somewhere that gives you a nice place to simply be.

That could mean a cabin in the mountains, a little coastal inn, or a hotel with a balcony you have every intention of sitting on for several hours.

You can still explore. You're not under house arrest.

The difference is that you're deliberately leaving room in the trip to read, rest, and stop treating every vacation like a scavenger hunt.

Pick the Right Place

This is one trip where the hotel matters. If I'm planning to spend more time there than usual, I want somewhere cozy enough that staying in doesn't feel like I'm wasting the trip.

Look for comfortable common areas, a porch, a fireplace, or a room with a view. A soaking tub certainly isn't going to hurt the situation.

I'd also pay attention to what's within walking distance. A tea shop and a good dinner nearby? Perfect. I have everything I need.

Bring a Book You're Actually Excited to Read

A readaway is not the time to bring the 600-page book you've been forcing yourself to finish since March. Pack something you can't wait to open.

Personally, I'd bring one physical book and load a few backups onto my e-reader because apparently I believe choosing the correct vacation book requires emergency contingency planning.

And yes, buying a new book specifically for the trip is allowed. I checked.

Don't Schedule the Relaxation Out of It

I know what happens when I visit somewhere new.

First, I find a cute restaurant. Then, I discover a nearby trail. At some point, I've created a color-coded itinerary and we're leaving the hotel at 8:15 AM sharp.

Not this time. Choose one thing you genuinely want to do each day, then leave the rest open. Take a morning walk. Browse a local bookstore. Have a long lunch. Then go back and read.

The empty space is the point.

Make It Feel Like an Occasion

You could technically have a readaway on your own couch, but changing your surroundings makes it feel different.

Bring the pajamas you love. Pick up a pastry from the local bakery. Order room service, if that's an option.

If you're staying in a cabin, bring your favorite tea and something ridiculously easy for dinner so you aren't spending half your reading retreat washing dishes.

The goal is cozy, not complicated.

You Don't Have to Go Far

A readaway doesn't require an international flight or even much vacation time. Book somewhere an hour or two from home on Friday night and come back Sunday afternoon.

You get the psychological reset of going somewhere without spending half the weekend getting there.

Honestly, I'd even do this alone. A solo hotel room, nobody asking what we're doing next, and an entire afternoon to read?

Don't threaten me with a good time.

Maybe We Need Less Vacation on Our Vacations

I love sightseeing. I love exploring a new city and coming home with 300 photos of buildings I will absolutely never look at again.

But sometimes I don't need more stimulation. I need somewhere pretty, a comfortable chair, and enough uninterrupted time to remember why I bought all those books in the first place.

Pack your book. We're going nowhere—and that's kind of the point.