Hi everyone—
Making my books is fun. Taking them out into the world and meeting you is even better. I’ve been lucky to visit cities across the country, connect with so many of you, and hear the stories behind where the pictures live.
I still remember opening the first box of BEACHES, pinching myself when it became a New York Times bestseller, and then meeting you line by line, city by city, signature by signature.
Below are a few snapshots from the road, followed by a master list of everywhere we’ve stopped together over the years. If you spot your city, thank you. If you don’t, I hope we’ll add it soon!
The tours have been their own adventure—one long, happy line that’s somehow stretched from coast to coast over the years. I still remember the first BEACHES stops: San Francisco fog lifting right as the signing began, a Dallas crowd (hometown pride!) that wrapped and wrapped, and a Miami night that turned into an impromptu beach party.
From ESCAPE onward, the tours fell into a happy rhythm by kicking things off in LA, quick hops to Boston and Chicago, then on to D.C., Atlanta, Dallas, New York, and a Black Friday stop in Philly. Every city had a personality, but my favorite constant was watching towering stacks of books disappear into your tote bags.
Hosting several signings at Eataly locations on my Italy book tour made for the perfect pairing — art, travel, and Italian culture all coming together in one delicious celebration.
In the fall of 2021, I was thrilled to finally hit the road again for an in-person book tour. After virtual connections, it felt incredible to meet so many of you face-to-face and celebrate together. I was so excited to be meeting everyone that it turned into my largest and longest tour yet, spanning 18 cities across the country!
COASTAL was pure “group trip” energy, Eataly rooftops on both coasts, a two-stop day in Summit and Westport powered by espresso, and Don Julio toasts across SoHo, Darien, Charleston, Chicago, Boston, Dallas, Harbor Springs, and Nantucket.
DOGS invited the mayhem in the best way, actual dogs at the signings! A Frenchie tried to eat my Sharpie; I considered it a rave review. And when we took it virtual in 2021, Zoom turned into a living-room tour with friends like Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, Lauren Conrad, Sarah Levy, and my husband Jeff.
Cities We Visited (by Book/Series)
BEACHES (tour highlights)
San Francisco · Chicago · New York City · The Hamptons · Martha’s Vineyard · Miami · Dallas
ESCAPE (2017)
Los Angeles · Boston · Chicago · Washington, D.C. · Atlanta · Dallas · New York City · Philadelphia
ITALY (2019)
Los Angeles (Eataly) · New York City (Eataly Flatiron) · Summit, NJ · Westport, CT · Boston (Eataly) · Houston · Dallas (St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange; Serena & Lily) · Chicago (Serena & Lily) · Pacific Palisades, CA · Newport Beach, CA · San Francisco, CA · Philadelphia (Anthropologie, Walnut St) · Washington, D.C. (Salt & Sundry) · Atlanta (Serena & Lily)
ESSENTIAL COLLECTION VIRTUAL TOUR (2021)
A four-stop, coast-to-sofa tour hosted online with Katherine Schwarzenegger Pratt, Lauren Conrad, Sarah Levy, and Jeff Richardson.
ESSENTIAL COLLECTION FALL TOUR (2021)
Grand Rapids, MI · Aspen, CO · New York City, NY · Darien, CT · Washington D.C. · Los Angeles, CA · San Diego, CA · Chicago, IL · Miami, FL · Palm Beach, FL · Boston, MA ·Houston, TX · Austin, TX · Dallas, TX · Carlotte, NC · Atlanta, GA · Nashville, TN · San Francisco, CA
COASTAL (2023)
New York City (kickoff) · Darien, CT · Charleston, SC (Juliska) · Los Angeles/West Hollywood (Mecox) · Lake Forest, IL · Chicago (Serena & Lily) · Boston (Whitney + Winston/Crush) · Dallas (St. Michael’s Woman’s Exchange) · Harbor Springs, MI · Nantucket, MA
DOGS (2024)
Westport, CT (Serena & Lily) · Williamsburg, NY (Away) · Boston, MA (Away) · Chestnut Hill, MA (Serena & Lily) · Winnetka, IL (Serena & Lily) · Chicago, IL (Serena & Lily) · Dallas, TX (St. Michael’s Women’s Exchange) · Houston, TX (Biscuit Home) · Denver, CO (The Lark) · Georgetown, DC (Away) · Bethesda, MD (Serena & Lily) · Haverford, PA (Serena & Lily) · Palm Beach, FL (Pure by Hive) · Birmingham, MI (Serena & Lily) · Del Mar, CA (Serena & Lily) · Newport, CA (Serena & Lily) · Pacific Palisades, CA (Serena & Lily)
Looking back on all these tours is a true joy. The personal connection is what makes this journey so special. I'm so incredibly grateful for every one of you who has shown up and shared in these moments with me. These tours are one of my favorite parts of my job, and while we've covered a lot of ground, something tells me there's a new book tour in our near future!
Cheers,
Gray