I'm leaving for a week-long trip tomorrow.  I'm flying from CA to IL (a 4 hour or so flight) and then driving around the Midwest quite a bit (3 hr drive, 5 hr drive, 4 hr drive, 6 hr drive).  I usually get to read while my husband drives, but he might make me do some of the driving this time. 

I'm just going crazy trying to pick which books to take with me.  How many books should I take ?  Should I take series or go for different authors with stand-alones? Any book suggestions for me? 

How do you pick books when going on vacation? 

BTW, I have an ereader, so book space isn't an issue.

I just got back from vacation, where I had a ten-hour drive each way.  I took seven books, and read five of them. I took three different genres.  Two were a "pair".  I felt like I really accomplished something by knocking off 5 books from my TBR all at once!  They were all light, happy books.  I don't think I would really like something dark or some serious subject on vacation.

I usually try and take a variety.  For a week - I'd take anywhere from 5-10 books.  A couple could be related but like I said - I'd mix it up to take into account my diff moods - funny, light, maybe one serious book, etc.  Have fun!

When I went on vacation last summer for 10 days, I think I only took  4 or 5 books but they were pretty thick ones.  I was the driver and it was a loooong drive.  Most nights while on the road I was too tired to read much.  I took 2 books from a series and then a couple of anthologies.  I like shorter stories when I'm traveling because it may be a day or two between reading time so I don't have as much to remember.

With an ereader, I'd pack it with a big variety of books so you'll have something for whatever kind of mood you're in.

I have to decide this for myself--going on vacation in a couple of weeks so I need to figure out what I want to take with me too.

This is a good topic!  I'm going on vacation at the end of the month and will be gone several weeks, maybe a month.  I'm driving (alone with my kids, so no reading along the way), so I can realistically bring as many books as I want for when we get there, but I have no clue how many that is!!!  lol

if i know i'm going on vacation, i like to save up the newest book by several authors i like and bring an assortment.  a couple of different genres, but several need to be of the light & entertaining variety.

at home i can read a book a day, so i will usually bring a book a day, plus an extra book for each travel day.  of course, i just got back from a 10-day trip not that long ago, and i don't think i even read half the books i took with me.  this time there was a lot more activity, and a lot less lazing around.  for me, having packed extras is better than not bringing enough - which is what i did *last* year  on vacation.  at least with an e-reader, you don't have your husband complaining about the 'brick of books' you pack.  :)  not that he liked it any better last year when i made him take me to several libraries to check out their little FOL shelves since i needed more to read!

When I'm on vacation I like lighter, funnier reads about 60% of the time and 40% I like wise-cracking detective mysteries.  I only occasionally read the grimmer, angsty stuff while I'm gone.  I read a book about every other day - more if they're short.  I don't have an ebook reader, but do keep ebooks on my laptop - and it always goes with me in the US and Canada - but not elsewhere.

I usually take a mix of historical romance, contemporary and romantic suspense.  Then  grab mysteries.  If I take a series, I try and take at least 4 or 5, because I get impatient and will go buy a SECOND copy just t complete it because I can't wait.  Several members here have said the books look brand new.  Well, ummmmmmmm, I have this problem ............................ LOL

I am a fast reader.  I'd finish one very long or two shorter books on a 4-5 hour flights because I sit reading while waiting for the plane.  I try and keep a long book for long flights, but keep at least 2 extras in my carry on..  Usually an action thriller or espionage book or a humorous romance and a mystery.

How many you bring will depend a lot on how fast you read.  My normal reading speed is a 1 page a minute when I'm undisturbed.  A  little slower when I fly because of the number of interuptions.  So given the waiting times to board and then to take off, I'd allow about 300-400 pages.

OK - you need to take a KINDLE and an IPOD both filled with dozens of books/audio books so you have a choice!!!! That's my opinion!! LOL! You can listen to the audio books (with your earphones so the kids can't hear) while you drive, while you lay back with a margarita... Have fun!

I like to have short stories when I travel.  And no erotica on the airplanes.

I would love to take every book I own with me, but if I tried to take my entire collection, I would go crazy!  I already have enough trouble picking a book at home...I need to have a stress-free vacation, including picking my books! :)

I think I have decided on taking the following:

• Jill Shalvis - Sky High Series (I love Jill Shalvis, but haven't read this series yet)
• Susan Mallery - Lip Service (just released in the Lone Star Sisters series), and Bakery Sisters Series (haven't read those and they have been on my list for a while)
• Carly Phillips - Lucky Charm and Lucky Streak
• Harlequin - I have a couple of Blazes (Stephanie Tyler, I think) and some of the NASCAR series - short reads that I can breeze through.
• Misc - I have some Lorraine Heath and Kristin Higgins mixed in there...not series, so I won't get excited to read the next one.

Plenty to pick from, but not too much to distract me.  Most of these (outside of the new ones) have been on my list for a while, so maybe I can knock down my huge TBR list a bit this week!

Ugh...now I have my kindle ready to go and I am pretty well packed, but I am a terrible traveler--I get nervous before we leave.  I'm always afraid of leaving something behind that I need.  Oh, well, at least I will have something to read even if I don't have underwear.

Definitely some kindred spirits on this thread!  I like to keep with the lighter stuff when I travel. And I'm more sensitive to titles and books covers (nothing too sugestive to read in public or around my kids).

If I have a lot of leisure time, I'd read 1-2 books per day, so that really adds up.  I tend to take books I don't care about keeping and can discard when I finish. I also check out my destination in advance to see if they have used book stores or a library (with sale books). If I know I can get my "fix" there, I don't bring quite as many.

I did enjoy a cruise last year where I took a whole series, somehting like 5 books from the same author with repeating characters. It was huge fun to read it all back-to-back without interruptions.

LOL at never read erotica on a plane.  I made the mistake of reading my first ever Lora Leigh book on a plane and I'm sure I was blushing.  Luckily I did have a spare book and switched over.  Damn.  Now THAT was an experience.

I've read the Jill Shavlis and Carly Phillips books and you'll enjoy them.