Six book settings you can actually visit

Discover the settings of your favorite books and learn how a visit to the spot can bring the story to life.

Misty of Chincoteague, by Marguerite Henry

At Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge on Assateague Island, you can stroll miles of sandy beaches and see the descendants of the wild Chincoteague ponies that Marguerite Henry made famous.

Ramona Quimby series, by Beverly Cleary

The books in Beverly Cleary’s beloved Ramona Quimby series were all set in Portland, Oregon, on Klickitat Street. The city has a sculpture garden in Grant Park with life-sized bronze statues of Ramona, Henry Huggins and Henry’s dog, Ribsy, along with a map outlining where events in the books occurred.

Wild, by Cheryl Strayed

One of Cheryl Strayed’s stops on her hike through Oregon along the Pacific Coast Trail is Crater Lake National Park—also featured in the film adaptation. Strayed’s trek also took her to quaint Ashland, Oregon, where shots for the movie were filmed in the downtown plaza, post office and restaurants. Strayed concluded her grueling journey with a well-deserved ice cream cone at popular East Wind Drive-In in Cascade Locks, less than a mile from the Bridge of the Gods.

The Fault in Our Stars, by John Green

One of the most pivotal scenes in this New York Times bestseller and young adult favorite took place at the Funky Bones art installation in 100 Acres: Art and Nature Park at the Indianapolis Museum of Art. Author John Green lives in Indy.

Anne of Green Gables, by Lucy Maud Montgomery

Perhaps Canada’s most loved fictional character, adventurous orphan Anne Shirley of Green Gables still enchants and inspires today. Montgomery may have written her novel in 1908, but there are Anne-related attractions all around Prince Edward Island today, including Green Gables Heritage Place and Avonlea Village, a re-creation of the fictitious village from the book.

The Shining, by Stephen King

The Stanley Hotel in Estes Park, Colorado, was the inspiration for the Overlook Hotel in Stephen King’s ominous 1977 best-selling novel. King and his wife stayed the night in room 217, but in the film it’s room 237.

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