Do You Know About New York’s Magical Book Village?

There's a remarkable secret hiding in a sleepy town in upstate New York... have you been to the Book Village?

Even in 2024, books hold a sense of mystery, magic, and even comfort. For me, just the smell of a book-filled room is enough to make me happy. That's why I was so fascinated to learn about a town that has a literal book village. Here's how you can visit.

Hobart Book Village in Hobart, NY

"For Those Who Love Books" is the slogan of Hobart Book Village in Hobart, NY (population 440). While the population of people is low, the amount of bookstores in Hobart is what makes the area so special. It was no accident, either. From the official page of Hobart Book Village:

In 2005, Don Dales established the only book village east of the Mississippi in historical Hobart, NY. Today there are 7 independent bookshops as well as Art Galleries, Home Embellishment, Vintage Clothing and Antiques shops in the village. There are also many other established booksellers within a 50 mile radius making the Hobart Book Village a not-to-be missed terminus for book lovers everywhere.

New York Road Trip to Hobart Book Village

There have been plenty of road trip ideas in the past, but a weekend book cruise around New York state sounds like one of the more romantic ideas I can think of. Luckily, many of the stores also stay open during the dead of winter.

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Hobart Book Village Business Schedule

Book Village was not only intentionally created, but they strive to make visits from out-of-towners as easy as possible. A full schedule (below and here) lists the full hours of every bookstore, making your trip easier to plan than ever.

So grab your favorite bibliophile and start planning one of the most unique weekend trips in New York state. To make things even more interesting, make sure to stop at some of the coolest (and strangest) New York landmarks below.