The Best Literary Tours and Destinations in The USA

Looking to embrace your inner Jack Kerouac, Harper Lee, or Louisa May Alcott?

We’ve rounded up the best bookish destinations and tours across the US, to light that literary spark inside all of us!

The Great American Novel… an elusive thing, but one we supposedly have in all of us. Many of history’s greatest writers were not only from the United States, but made it a central focus of their work. From Kerouac writing about eating every apple pie he could find in the U.S. to Harper Lee pondering the nature of humanity and prejudice within the legal system, the spectrum of what it means to be American has been explored by many of our literary heroes.

What if you could dive inside the pages of your favorite novel? Paddle the river with Huckleberry Finn, or party with Gatsby?

Okay… we may not have a time machine, or the ability to travel to fictional worlds. But one thing we do know is that tour guides have a lot in common with our favorite authors. They use their creative flair for storytelling to transport you to a different time and place, so you feel like you’re really there.

We’ve rounded up our favorite literary tours across the United States… so, dear reader, look no further for your ultimate literary guide.

Mad Men Cocktails Tour of Manhattan - $159

We know we’re stretching the brief a little with this Mad Men Cocktails Tour, because it is technically a TV show… but the universe of Mad Men is so vast and sprawling, it feels like a great novel – to say nothing of the themes of creativity and writing woven through the storylines.

With this guided Manhattan tour, you’ll be taken straight into the real world of Mad Men to feel just like Don Draper, Peggy Olsen or Roger Sterling. 

Starting at Grand Central, you will learn about the ad industry during the 1960’s as you enjoy some of New York’s most legendary watering holes featured on AMC’s Mad Men. Highlights of this NYC Tour include Grand Central Station, the Oyster Bar, the Roosevelt Hotel, PJ Clarkes, the locations of the offices of Sterling Cooper and Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce, the real life home of Conrad Hilton and more!

Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl - $35

Everyone knows that Greenwich Village has long been the place that creative types live, work and make their art. Like most NYC boroughs, The Village has become gentrified and expensive over the years – but it’s still hung onto its literary routes.

No literary trip to New York City would be complete without a Greenwich Village Literary Pub Crawl – so why not let these expert tour guides take you on a journey through history and culture that you’ll never forget? 

Learn about how Greenwich Village became the place to be for the New York Literati throughout the years, and bred jazz musicians, poets, activists, and artists of all kinds. Your local tour guide is an expert on literature throughout the ages, so feel free to ask them any questions you might have. 

Mark Twain House and Museum - $22

How could we possibly write a literary experiences guide without mentioning the Mark Twain House?

Whether you simply want to see where Twain lived and worked, or are keen on flexing your own writing muscles, a visit to the Mark Twain House and Museum is a must-do. 

Are you looking to write your own Huckleberry Finn in productive, inspiring surroundings? You could do a lot worse than a writing session in Mark Twain’s library. Groups are kept small, just eight per session, and admission is $50. This buys you three glorious hours of uninterrupted writing time in the very place where Twain penned some of his own masterpieces. For an aspiring writer, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Just looking to explore the grounds? Whether you’re just interested in the period architecture or are keen on learning more about the man himself, there’s so much to be discovered inside this impressive old structure.

There are so many options for a Mark Twain enthusiast. Opt for a guided house tour priced at $22 per adult, or for something a bit different, try a history tour led by a costumed actor from $27 per adult. For those of you with a spooky side, why not book a place on the Graveyard Shift Ghost Tour ($29.50 per adult)?

New Orleans Hotel Monteleone - Various

Officially registered as a literary landmark, the Hotel Monteleone in New Orleans has been a character in many of the American literary great’s stories and lives. 

Truman Capote even claimed that he was born in the hotel – don’t worry, he wasn’t; his mother just went into labor there before being rushed to the hospital. (Also, we’re pretty sure it’s been cleaned since then.)

Along with Capote’s dubious birth story, many literary icons have stayed in the hotel including Ernest Hemingway, Tennessee Williams, and William Faulkner. 

Not content with being a main character in these famous authors’ lives, the Hotel Monteleone has also featured heavily in their work – catching a mention in Williams' The Rose Tattoo, Stephen Ambrose's Band of Brothers, and Hemingway's Night Before Battle, among many others.

If you yourself feel like following in their famous footsteps, you can even book one of their literary suites.

Choose from suites dedicated to William Faulkner, Truman Capote, Tennessee Williams, Ernest Hemingway, or Eudora Welty. These illustrious accommodations will set you back anything from $259 per night – you better sell that book!

J.R.R. Tolkien Collection - Various

Although J.R.R. Tolkien himself was English, The Marquette University Library in Milwaukee houses his prestigious collection of original works, along with a selection of materials produced by Tolkien enthusiasts. A must-visit for any fantasy fan!

Poe House - from $10

Edgar Allen Poe is the master of dark literature, so for those of you who favor the darker side, your next trip to Baltimore will not be complete without a visit to the Poe House. Admission costs $10, and inside you’ll find a variety of artefacts from Poe’s life while you wander around this historic building.

Fitzgerald Museum - from $5

Who doesn’t love the Roaring 20’s? Well, not everything about them of course – but the literature, art, fashion and architecture are all mainstays that people are still attempting to replicate today.

If The Great Gatsby is your favorite book, you’re guaranteed to love The Fitzgerald Museum. Dedicated to Scott and Zelda Fitzgerald, this historic building in Montgomery Alabama was where the power couple worked on their novels Save Me The Waltz and Tender is The Night.

Admission to the museum is $5 per person – but if you really want to push the boat out and live like your favorite writers, you can book the Scott or Zelda suites through Airbnb. Complete with vintage furnishings and literature-inspired works of art, you’ll feel like you’ve stepped back into the jazz age.

Emily Dickinson Museum, Amherst - $15

The Emily Dickinson Museum in Amherst is a must-visit for anyone passionate about poetry – whether Dickinson’s dark writings are for you or not.

Growing up in an age when women were seen and not heard, Dickinson’s poetry was an act of rebellion – and despite having been dead for over a hundred years, her work is still an inspiration to aspiring poets across the world. 

Now you can follow in Dickinson’s footsteps at the Emily Dickinson Museum. Enjoy a 60-minute guided tour of the poet’s home in Amherst led by an expert guide, learning all about the work she created there and the surroundings that inspired it.

Walden Pond

Fans of Henry David Thoreau’s ode to nature and the great outdoors Walden should not miss the opportunity to visit the real pond that inspired it. Located in Concord, Massachusetts, this idyllic pond attracts literature-loving visitors every year – as well as those who simply appreciate nature. Can you blame them?

Thanks for reading!

Thanks for reading this guide to Literary Destinations and Tours Across The USA. If you’re a lover of contemporary or classic literature, there are so many great places to explore across the states. And if you’re still hunting for inspiration, check out all our tours and activities here. 

Got a question, or a place you think we’d missed? Feel free to leave a comment; we’d love to hear from you!