Sometimes nothing can beat a good book. Whether you're into romantasy, historical fiction, poetry, nonfiction, or any other strain of ink stains, there's plenty of places to page turn across the Tampa Bay area.

Among the books

If you prefer your reads among the smell of parchment, surround yourself with books at a bookshop or library. We're big fans of book + bottle in St. Pete, which describes itself as both "a bookstore with wine" and "a wine bar with books." In Tampa, Mojo Books & Records offers nooks within its shelves, and great cups of joe.

When the weather eases off, Tombolo Books' courtyard offers tranquility alongside fellow bookworms. Or, combine serenity with elegance at one of our area's most beloved destinations: Oxford Exchange.

With a cup of coffee

This section could be Tolstoy-length if we're not careful. With arguably too much choice, let's keep it simple with five quiet coffee caves to cozy up at:

Lady and the Mug, Hyde Park
Paradeco Coffee Roasters, downtown St. Pete
Grove Surf + Coffee, St. Pete Beach
The Attic Cafe, downtown Tampa
Or grab tea at Kaleisia Tea Lounge in the University area

In the great outdoors

In the hotter months, it can be easy to forget one of the best things about living in Tampa Bay — the weather. When it cools down again, grabbing the latest bestseller and finding a shady spot is a recipe for a dreamy afternoon.

Let's start at the beach. We recommend one of TBAY's quieter sandy stretches like Picnic Island, Honeymoon Island State Park, or Indian Rocks Beach.

It can also be hard to choose from our wealth of parks. If you're really looking for some peace and quiet, Eureka Springs Conservation Park could be for you. We're also partial to a reading sesh at Lassing Park in St. Pete, Philippe Park in Safety Harbor, and Tampa's Cypress Point Park.

As always, let us know if we missed your fave.