With Summer comes travel.  Finally, the opportunity presents itself to hit the open road, fill a rucksack with a few essentials, and leave the city glow faltering behind. Inevitably, a journey’s beauty, adventure, and satiated sense of curiosity is accompanied by missed connections, delayed flights, and flat tires. To ensure the downtime of your Summer travel is well spent, invest in these faithful paged companions for the road. We’ve even taken the leg work out of it, and paired our favorite travel stories with a fitting final destination as well. The sun will only stay high for so long, so get out there, and remember, “The world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.” – St. Augustine

1. Travels with Charley: In Search of America by John Steinbeck. Bring on a Coast to Coast road trip.

“What good is the warmth of summer, without the cold of winter to give it sweetness.”

Thoughtful, well-detailed, and neither too dark nor light, Steinbeck’s account of his cross-country travels with his Poodle, Charley, is the perfect road trip read. Eloquently delivered, Steinbeck manages to turn a critical eye toward hot-button issues of the 1960s — dissatisfaction with the frantic growth of America, racial hostility, and the quandary of how progress can lead to a sense of loneliness—without falling into despair. The relationship between Steinbeck and Charley is timeless and heart-warming, and the detailed description of nature and the far-reaching influence it has on American life make this novel a travel mainstay.

2. A Walk in the Woods: Rediscovering America on the Appalachian Trail by Bill Bryson. Read on a hike, near or far from the arduous Appalachian Trail.

“Hunters will tell you that a moose is a wily and ferocious forest creature. Nonsense. A moose is a cow drawn by a three-year-old.”

Bill Bryson delivers the classic tale of two wayward companions on the daunting 2,100 mile trail connecting Maine to Georgia. The distinctly different ‘guides’ for this multi-month trek are the focus of this masterfully-written story, as well as the myriad characters they run in to along the way. While describing chance encounters in hilarious detail, penning adoration for flora and fauna with ease, and inspiring an appreciation for adventure, Bryson solidifies his place among the country’s great travel writers. Make room in your pack for this one.

3. The Art of Travel by Alain de Botton. Read while enduring an 8-hour layover.

“The pleasure we derive from journeys is perhaps dependent more on the mindset with which we travel than on the destination we travel to.”

Part philosophy treatise, part travel tome, The Art of Travel delivers endearing perspectives on the reasoning behind why we travel. Abstract, yet easy to read and understand, Alain de Botton’s work pries at the inner journey that we all hope to take along with our literal trip, and encourages readers to see the beauty in the cultures, people, and mundane that exist both at home and abroad.

4. In Patagonia by Bruce Chatwin. Read on a trip through South America.

“I pictured a low timber house with a shingled roof, caulked against storms, with blazing log fires inside and the walls lined with all the best books, somewhere to live when the rest of the world blew up.”

Starting with a simple telegram to his editor at London’s Sunday Times Magazine stating “Have gone to Patagonia,” author Bruce Chatwin charted a course through the then little-known South American landscape. Rife with historic anecdotes intertwined in Chatwin’s personal storyline, the novel unfolds effortlessly and highlights the past, the people, and the geography that shaped this mysterious locale.

Are we missing something? What are your favorite travel novels? Make sure to leave your ideas in the comments section below.

Tin Cloth Medium Duffle

A duffle designed for hauling in any condition, perfect for all your summer camping essentials. This tough, water-resistant oil finish Tin Cloth duffle is sturdy and quick-drying.

Sportsman Shorts

A go-to short for hiking and camping that’s exceptionally comfortable and breathable for summertime.

Outfitter Shirt

This lightweight, long-sleeve shirt will protect you from the sun during the day and keep you warm at night.

Redwood Anorak

A shorter and lighter version of our 1922 Parka that is great for summer wear. As the sun goes down or the rain comes in, this anorak is a summer camping essential.

Kettle Luggage Tan Boots

These warm weather appropriate boots feature Filson’s wind, water, and abrasion resistant, oil-finish Tin Cloth and Sebago’s waterproof leather.

Fly Rod Case

The Rod & Reel Day Trip Case is a summer camping essential if your trip involves fishing. Lining and padding keeps your rod dry and scratch free.

Stanley Classic Original Vacuum Bottle

Built like a battleship, this Classic Vacuum Bottle will keep your morning coffee hot or water cold for up to 24 hours.

Jeff Thrope of outdoor lifestyle blog, Cold Splinters, is always on the road looking for the next adventure and oftentimes the adventure finds him. His love and adoration for the great outdoors has made him the avid hiker and camper he is today. For those of you looking to load up the car and head out on a camping trip this summer, Jeff recaps his favorite camping spots in the nation.

As I’m sure most of you will agree, telling someone the whereabouts of your favorite campsite in the woods/desert/canyon etc. is like sharing a treasure map with a pirate. Sort of. You just don’t do it. It’s your spot. In any case, here are a few of my favorite places to camp that aren’t really that secretive. Anyone can find them, and because they’re so handsome, that makes me happy. Just make sure you don’t leave your trash there so the rest of us can have just as good of a time when we roll through.

Enjoy it out there.

SOUTHWEST THREE (BIG BEND NATIONAL PARK, TEXAS)
This is the campsite to get if you’re going to be doing any backpacking in Big Bend. It’s a pretty mellow hike up the Chisos Mountain Trail (Edward Abbey’s “emerald isle in a red sea”) to the edge of the South Rim, which has one of the best national park views I’ve ever seen. Southwest Three is a secluded campsite right near that grand ol’ view, so it’s easy access for sunrises and sunsets. And the campsite is also right on a cliff, so your second (!) balcony looks over the Rio Grande and Mexico. Not bad. Reserve it at the visitor center as soon as you arrive.

MIDDLE CAPE (EVERGLADES NATIONAL PARK, FL)
Paddling around the Gulf of Mexico is one of life’s great – not to mention hot – pleasures. Mangroves and undeveloped beach for miles, fires in the sand when the sun sets, and sharks that swim right next to your canoe as you set sail from Flamingo, FL. Middle Cape is a hard and long paddle for your first day, but it’s worth it. And whatever you do, don’t forget your Crazy Creek.

TEN MILE RIVER LEAN-TO (APPALACHIAN TRAIL, CT)
This one is a sentimental choice. Sure, it’s an amazing campsite. There’s a river, a big field, a lean-to so you don’t have to pack a tent. But it’s also two hours from the city and you can take the Metro North train to get there. I’ve spent many many nights at that lean-to, sometimes as a last minute decision on a Saturday morning to escape the concrete. No matter how much planning is involved, I always have a great night, feeling refreshed and ready to head home to Brooklyn. Argh.

49 PALMS OASIS TRAIL (JOSHUA TREE NATIONAL PARK, CA)
This is one of the best nights I’ve ever spent in a national park, hands down. The trail to 49 Palms is inundated with tourists during the day, which is fine, I suppose. It should be, right? It’s beautiful so lots of people want to see it. But very few of those people will have packs on their backs, so take yours with you and, when it feels right, veer of the trail at least 500 feet (park rules) and set up camp behind the rocks. Even a few feet from the trail, hidden behind giant boulders of red, is a different world. The trail starts emptying out as the sun is setting, so after your tent is up, get your ass down to see 49 Palms, then hurry home for dinner and whiskey.

ALAMO CANYON CAMPGROUND (ORGAN PIPES NATIONAL MONUMENT, AZ)
Unfortunately, there’s no backcountry camping in Organ Pipes anymore. Too many dangers from the drug trafficking that runs rampant in the area. A ranger was shot a few years back, so there’s a reason for the strict rules. Either way, the primitive Alamo Canyon Campground isn’t the worst thing in the world. It’s a little secluded from the big campers that can fill up the parking lots, and since it’s Organ Pipes and that means miles and miles and miles of desert, you still get the feeling of being in some backcountry. Because, as you’ll realize as soon as you get a few miles out of Phoenix, Organ Pipes is not Yellowstone. There’s nothing there. And THAT is why you go, of course. It doesn’t really matter where you sleep.