It's easy to get lit in Calgary – no need to pack your TBR pile. In the revitalized, buzzing neighborhood of Marda Loop, two genre-specific bookstores sit side by side inside charming, redeveloped wartime homes. At Slow Burn Books, readers will find the steamiest romance novels. Run by a sister duo, this bookstore hosts author signings, book clubs, and writing workshops that unite romance readers and writers. Next door, Nocturne Books offers a darker twist. Owned by a husband-and-wife team, the shop specializes in horror and dark fiction, with a carefully curated selection designed to thrill and reimagine what scares you.

Stories come to life with Flawless, the first of the hit five-book series in Chestnut Springs by Elsie Silver. Now in the early stages of being adapted as a Netflix show, it blends high-stakes rodeo drama with heartfelt romance. Inspired by the foothills' countryside and Calgary's western spirit, readers can set jet to a getaway that feels straight from the page. Travelers can experience family ranches, open prairie skies, and a chance to step into Summer Hamilton's boots at the Calgary Stampede.

For a stay that fully leans into the narrative, The Dorian hotel offers a One Michelin Key experience rooted in classic literature. Inspired by Oscar Wilde's The Picture of Dorian Gray, the hotel weaves literary details and Easter eggs throughout the property, including in-room novels and an interactive digital portrait of Dorian Gray that changes from handsome to decrepit in the hotel lobby based on guests' anonymous confessions.

Once you've read the last page, Calgary keeps the story going. Betty Lou's Library offers a fitting end to your read-away. Pick up the phone on arrival and share the secret password. Like something out of a novel, a bookshelf will swing open, revealing an underground world of burlesque and jazz, with walls lined with books from the Prohibition era. The 'Librarian' will check you in before you settle into a menu of literary-inspired cocktails. Try The Anais Nin, The Hugh MacLennan, The Jane Eyre, and the cocktail on tap, Wuthering Heights Margarita.