Annette Mire had been a part of many book clubs throughout her life, but she always felt like there was something missing. In 2007, she had the idea to start a travel book club, where the group would read books about a certain location and then travel there. Teaming up with friends Sondra Pilgreen and Gypsye Bryan, among a host of other charter members, the Ramblin’ Readers book club began.

Composed of female educators, the group reads 5 to 6 books per location and takes two trips each year, with one accessible by car and one by plane. The books are as diverse as the destinations, with the group reading everything from fiction to history to art to cookbooks, all to get acquainted with everything a place has to offer. Once they arrive, they immerse themselves, meeting with authors, touring museums, visiting historical buildings and eating local cuisine.

For each destination, the women rotate responsibilities. For example, two members become the “tour guides” and are responsible for researching the location, choosing the books and planning the trip. With the work divided up evenly and efficiently among the women, they are able to open each other’s eyes to new books and new ideas.

The Ramblin’ Readers has amassed an impressive list of locations visited, including New York City in 2014, where they went backstage at Lincoln Center before a New York City Ballet performance and enjoyed a food tour in the West Village with the mother of actress Marisa Tomei. They met The Righteous Brothers in Las Vegas in 2018. And last spring, the group took its first international trip to Québec City, Canada. Importantly, these are not vacations with spa days, but educational trips filled with activities. “Like an adult field trip,” Mire notes.

“The most interesting places can also be the smallest,” explains Pilgreen. And starting as classroom teachers, the group began—and has continued—with a desire to never stop learning.

Through their educational lens, they say Louisiana cities like St. Francisville, New Iberia and Natchitoches have been some of the most fascinating of all their trips, with the group gaining a new appreciation for the history, art and culture that is so close to home. “And we have learned where the best food is,” Bryan says. “It’s Louisiana!”

“This club keeps us young by keeping our minds active and keeping us on our toes,” Pilgreen adds. “It’s been a blessing in our lives.”

Embracing their love for reading, traveling and learning, the women have grown together while creating countless memories and close friendships. And with no signs of slowing down (Alexandria, Louisiana, and Fort Worth, Texas, are slated for this year), the Ramblin’ Readers have no plans to stop searching for more knowledge. “We are eternal teachers,” Bryan says. “We cannot help it.”