20 Unique Bookish Activities to Do This Summer by Yourself or with Family
- Book Nerd
- Jun 2
- 10 min read
For many, summer is the time for walking the beach, fishing on the lake, lounging by the pool, or hosting backyard barbeques.
Bookish souls are quite different. For us, summer offers more time and opportunity to pursue our literary passions.
Whether the kids are home on summer break or you're an empty nester looking for book-related fun, check out our list of bookish activities to do this summer by yourself or with your family.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #1:
BOOKSTORE CRAWL
While partygoers have infamized bar crawls--the act of traveling from bar to bar with friends in one evening--the solitude-seeking bookworm is only interested in reveling in a new story and possibly getting drunk on love, if she happens to be a fan of clean romance novels.
Map out a list of bookstores, old and new, and make it your goal to visit all of them before the end of summer.
If you Google bookstores near me, however, small, indie bookstores may not appear in search results. The good news is that you can enter your zip code into an indie bookstore finder to generate additional results. You'll not only discover bookstores in your own backyard that you've never heard of, but also, the results will span out over 100 miles.
Indie bookstores may have limited hours, so be sure to check their websites for details before planning your trip.
If you prefer staycations, visiting bookstores around your state during day trips is the ideal way for a bookish person to enjoy summer!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #2:
LIBRARY CRAWL
If your budget is tight and you don't have the funds to buy new books during a bookstore crawl, then try a library crawl, which works the exact same way!
You probably have a favorite library or two near you that you frequent, but there are tons more for you to discover!
To find all the public libraries within 100 miles of your address, enter your zip code into this library finder. You'll be surprised how many exist! Take some time to view the websites for each library and create a list of the ones that are most visually appealing and unique and plan to visit them.
Obviously, you don't want to borrow a book that you would have to drive 100 miles to return in two weeks. Libraries within the same network typically allow books to be returned to any of their branches, but it's something you'd have to inquire about in advance.
Even if you don't want to bother getting a library card for places you'll not likely return to after an initial visit, you'll still be inspired during your travels, picking up ideas for reads that you can look for in libraries closer to home. Plus, you'll enjoy snapping photos of the unique structures, layouts, and displays at each place as you make memories.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #3:
SUMMER BOOK BINGO
Do you like reading challenges?
To avoid reading ruts, some bookworms need motivation to stretch themselves and explore new genres and reading spaces.
One way to avoid a reading slump is to challenge yourself with seasonal book bingo! This game works a little differently than regular bingo because it doesn't require more than one player and has no free spaces. If you'd rather, you can make it a competition between you and your kids or your bookish friends.
Once you complete the challenges, reward yourself with a new book!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #4:
VISIT A LITTLE FREE LIBRARY
Little Free Libraries are EVERYWHERE, and many are adorable!
Create a scavenger hunt for yourself and find all the ones near you. Visit the organization's website. Based on your location, it will pull up all the Free Little Libraries near you. Their website also includes an app you can download that will give you directions, create routes, save your favorites, and track the ones you visit.
Take pictures at each stop and then journal, blog, or post them on social media to inspire your fellow readers!
While you're there, don't forget to take some books to donate and maybe even pick up one for yourself!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #5:
START BOOK JOURNALING
Want to experience a deeper connection to the books you read? Try book journaling! You don't have to be a skilled writer to enjoy penning your thoughts as you read.
Not sure where to start? You can find the simple steps to book journaling here.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #6:
SAMPLE NEW COFFEE SHOPS WITH A BOOK
Specialty coffee shops are popping up everywhere, and nothing pairs better with a book than a steaming cup of java!
A simple Google search will map the coffee shops closest to you. Take time this summer to visit each one and bring a book with you.
Not a fan of coffee? Try new juice, bubble tea, or smoothie bars!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #7:
CELEBRATE A BOOKISH CHRISTMAS IN JULY
Do you read Christmas novels all year long? If so, then ramp up the holiday cheer by planning a bookish Christmas in July celebration!
Start planning your Christmas TBR stack
Make a wish list of the books you hope Santa will bring
Craft Christmas bookmarks
Create bookish holiday decor
Bake Christmas cookies and decorate them like your favorite books
Wrap up new books to gift to your family on July 25
Shop Amazon for bookish ornaments
Share your bookish goodwill by donating your gently used books to charity
Pay it forward--when at the bookstore, hand a fellow shopper a gift card that will cover a portion of their purchase
Maybe even splurge on a new bookish T-shirt for yourself!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #8:
REDESIGN YOUR BOOKSHELVES
You have a mental note to reorganize your bookshelves, but you never seem to find the time to do it.
On a rainy summer day or one that is too hot and humid to be outside, tackle your shelves. Rearrange them however you prefer but attempt to make the final product aesthetically pleasing and don't be afraid to incorporate bookish decor into your design.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #9:
JOIN BOOKSTAGRAM
Do you participate in online bookish communities that abound on Facebook and X?
If you've shied away from Bookstagram, you're missing out. Nearly 84% of Instagram users are younger than 45, so there are many of you who haven't taken advantage of all Bookstagram has to offer.
What is Bookstagram? It's a niche community within Instagram that connects bookworms. Bookstagrammers share book aesthetics, reading recs, book reviews, memes, stylish bookshelves, and so much more! By following other bookstagrammers, your feed will overflow with posts you'll love, and you'll make a lot of book besties along the way who share your love for books.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #10:
GO ON A BLIND DATE WITH A BOOK (FOR A PICNIC)
Summer is a time for picnics, and since many bookstores have a blind date with a book section, grab one that sounds like your "type" and head for a spot in the shade to enjoy some fun food with a potentially great book!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #11:
ATTEND A BOOK SIGNING
The best way to find out what authors are visiting your area for book signing events is to visit the websites of bookstores near you and look for an "Event" tab on the menu bar. You may be asked for your zip code if your local store is part of a chain, but then a list of upcoming events will appear. These events may include children's storytimes, book signings, and even virtual author talks.
Meeting an author provides fun material for you to share with your online reading communities!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #12:
REACH OUT TO YOUR FAVORITE AUTHORS
Do you admire your favorite authors from afar? Bridge the gap!
If you aren't already, follow your favorite authors on social media, subscribe to their newsletters through their websites, post online reviews of their books, and send them an encouraging note through their contact pages. You'll be surprised how many will respond!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #13:
WORK A BOOKISH JIGSAW PUZZLE
Jigsaw puzzles aren't for everyone, but the bookish ones can be very inspiring, especially if you find yourself in a reading slump.
My absolute FAVORITE is White Mountain's "Best Sellers" vintage book cover collage. Mine looks a little different (they've updated the product), but each time I work it, I become ultra motivated to read classic literature.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #14:
EXPLORE READING SPACES
Bookworms tend to withdraw into books and prefer interacting with fictional characters over real people in social settings. That's okay!
At least shake things up a bit this summer by finding new places to read. With the warmer temperatures, your options are plentiful! Take pictures to document your reading spots for fun social media posts or to print and include in your reading journal.
Some places to "travel" to with your book include the beach, pool, park, lake, coffee shop, patio, porch swing, hammock, hiking trail, and campground.
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #15:
READ BOOKS ABOUT YOUR DREAM VACATION DESTINATION & PLAN IT!
What vacation destinations are on your bucket list? Maybe you don't have the time or money for your dream vacation this year, but you can still savor planning it for "someday."
Find books about the area you want to visit and do the online research to find the best places to lodge, eat, shop, and visit.
Document your findings so when you are ready to book your vacation, you'll have all the information you need at your fingertips. All that will be left to do is pack!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #16: BOOKSTORE SCAVENGER HUNT
Plan a deep dive into your local bookstore by exploring sections you normally avoid.
A bookstore scavenger hunt is a fun activity to do as a family. If you don't have time to find all 20 items at once, space out the fun over multiple visits.
Download the free printable and go for it!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #17:
TAKE TIME OFF FOR A BOOKISH STAYCATION
Bookworms often lament, I wish I could just stay home and read all day, or I wish I could get paid for reading books.
There's a solution!
You CAN read all day and get PAID for it if you take a vacation day from work and spend it reading!
There's no rule that says vacation days must be spent on a vacation. Sometimes, the best destination for you, especially if you need to recharge, is your favorite reading chair!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #18:
VISIT GARAGE SALES FOR BARGAIN BOOKS
Garage sale signs pop up in every neighborhood throughout the summer months, so hit some of them in search of gently used books. You'll likely find tons of them at rock bottom prices.
Take your kids with you and let them enjoy shopping for books, especially since the prices will be affordable on their allowance!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #19:
TACKLE YOUR TBR
Book lovers treat their TBR pile as a lost cause. It's assumed that we will continue adding to the pile with no hope of it ever dwindling.
There may be truth to that, but it IS possible to make significant progress. It takes strategy.
If you view your TBR pile as a "menu," it may seem impossible to create a reading plan in advance, since you won't know what you'll be in the mood for when you're ready for a new book.
Appeal to your goal-oriented nature. Gather all of your unread books and consider how many books you typically read in one month. Rearrange your books in a line so you can estimate where the seasonal ones might land. For instance, you would plan for the Christmas novels to be read in December. Once you have them organized in some type of order, type up a checklist. Armed with the checklist, you'll be more motivated to tackle your TBR pile with a strategy that will make it feel "doable."
Inevitably, you'll continue adding new books to your collection before you complete your checklist. That's okay! Revise your checklist to incorporate the new books where they might fit and reprint.
A TBR checklist might seem like a dangling carrot that you will never catch, but with the right organizational strategy, you'll come closer than you thought possible!
Bookish Activities to Do This Summer #20:
DO A BOOK TASTING
If you've ever been to a wine tasting, you know it's a great way to discover new wines that you may never have sampled otherwise. Maybe the wine's name didn't attract you, but once you tasted it, it quickly became a new favorite.
This summer, do a book tasting (just don't bite into any of the pages!)
Visit the library, your local bookstore, or shop online for new books outside of the genre you ordinarily read. Find out what books are topping the New York Times bestseller list and what books are highly-rated on Goodreads, Amazon, or whatever book site you follow.
Pick a book from several genres you haven't sampled in a long time, and by the end of summer, you'll be a Book Sommelier!
Enjoy a Book Lover's Paradise This Summer!
Who says you have to visit an exotic location and spend huge amounts of money on a summer vacation? There are countless places you can travel through the pages of a good book!
Trying several of the 20 unique, bookish activities outlined above will guarantee that your summer will be a book lover's paradise, for both you and your family!
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