Jun 06, 2024

The Traveling Reader: Essential Accessories for Reading on the Go

by Sydney Stevic

Person packing a suitcase with jeans, headphones, a hat, and a passport, preparing for a trip, with other travel essentials scattered around.

We don’t go anywhere without a book and when it comes to those longer vacations, trust us, half our bags are filled with books! We love traveling because it's an experience filled with new places, adventures, lots of great food, and plenty of down time to catch up on all those books we’ve been longing to read.

As all bibliophiles on vacation know, you’re definitely going to need more than sunscreen and a fancy bathing suit, and we can’t wait to share our must-have travel accessories that will make your bookworm life so much easier!

Person wearing a light green hat and carrying a purple backpack with multiple compartments, walking in a suburban neighborhood.

The Bookish Backpack

This fabulous purple backpack is perfect for the adventurer, weekender, or to-the-coffee-house-er! Yes, going to your local coffee house counts as a trip! We know you will love the custom patch on the front featuring an open book and the words "Book Lover.” The backpack features two large pouches with interior pockets, a USB port for internal wiring, two drink compartments, and a zipper locking mechanism. As an added bonus, it includes a surprise gift: a silk scrunchie, so you're always ready for whatever adventures come your way.

Voila! And now as you all know, traveling and reading are serious activities, which is why every literary traveler needs the ultimate water bottle — and we have just the one for you!

Two water bottles, one white and one navy blue, with hexagonal designs and the text 'Once Upon a Book Club' displayed on a wooden table.

The Ultimate Bookish Water Bottle

You may be wondering why this is the ultimate bookish water bottle—well, it's the perfect way to show off your monthly collectible stickers from your favorite book club! Collectible stickers you ask—you may have noticed something new in your paper pack that hasn’t been there before!

Each month’s box now includes an exclusively designed, water-resistant vinyl sticker inspired by the cover art of the month’s featured book! Each sticker also has the book title and author printed on it to make it easy to pair if they get separated, and to remember once they’re stuck to their permanent homes.

These metal, insulated water bottles are ideal for staying hydrated on the go and sharing your reading accomplishments simultaneously! Each bottle includes a black, screw top lid with rubber handle and is currently offered in two colors: dark blue and white.

Rubáiyát Journal with an ornate cover design in gold and white, featuring intricate patterns and a brown band, on a beige background.

Bookish Journal

Every bookworm needs a journal and they are a must-pack for any trip! Our gorgeous, custom designed moleskin notebook inspired by the Rubaiyat from our January 2023 Young Adult box featuring A Million to One by Adiba Jaigirdar is perfect. Fill the pages with your adventures, special quotes from your latest read, or perhaps it will be the start of your first novel!

Green portable book light with three buttons, shown in two positions: standing upright and clipped onto an open book, illuminating the pages.

Reading Light

One of the best things about being a bookworm is that you don’t need much besides a great book and good enough light to read by. But sadly, not everyone will be on your side when you want to read late at night (don’t they know there is a murderer to be found?) — in comes your much needed travel companion, the clip-on, rechargeable reading light!

Rainbow-colored, crescent-shaped Book Beau reading pillow with a gradient of pink, orange, yellow, and blue hues on a white background.

The Book Beau

Whether you're on the move or relaxing on the couch, escaping into your current read has never been more comfortable than with this incredible reading pillow! Made from the softest flat minky fabric, the Book Beau Reading Pillow is the ultimate cozy companion you didn't know you needed. Be warned – it might just become your all-time favorite essential — did we mention that it doubles as a travel pillow? What more could a traveling book lover want?

Wireless earbuds set in a floral patterned case with a charging cable, extra ear tips, and packaging box featuring a minimalist line drawing of a woman on a beige background.

Audiobooks and Earbuds

Audiobooks are great for long journeys—sometimes we just want to sit back and listen to the words! Make sure to download your favorites – platforms like Audible and the free option Libby offer a wide range of books to choose from.

If you love listening to a good audiobook, we definitely recommend getting a pair of earbuds! Whether you’re in a crowded airport, busy coffee shop, or simply want to relax without having people ask you questions, these headphones will ensure you can enjoy your audiobook in peace!

Kindle

eBooks definitely lighten the load; it’s far more practical than trying to find a place for those ten or so books you plan on reading while on vacation. Kindles on the other hand can hold thousands and thousands of books and they are our favorite companion in those long lines!

Travel Time

So, pack your bags, grab your favorite reading accessories, and set off on your next adventure. Books are the ultimate traveling buddy, they are always ready to whisk you off to exciting places and introduce you to some very interesting people. And they never moan if you put them down for a while!

Happy traveling and reading from all of us at Once Upon a Book Club. If you love bookish gadgets, you may just want to check out our blog—The Bibliophile’s Toolkit!

Looking for the latest releases to take on vacation with you? Relax, we’ve got you covered with our blog June Releases.