Every time I travel, I like to check out local comic book stores, game stores, or other local geek spots. I like supporting local businesses, and it gives me some familiarity in case I visit again in the future. I wanted to save this post until after I came back from Austin, so I could have my most up-to-date list. These are all of my favorite geek spots throughout the US.

Austin Book & Comics – Austin, Texas

Austin Books & Comics is one of the best comic book stores I have ever visited. This is a big statement to make since I have been to a lot of different shops. Austin Books & Comics was well organized. There were signs over each section that helped make the store easier to navigate. There was also a big manga section, which was impressive. I ended up purchasing two different manga that I’m looking forward to reading.

I have a few friends who want to visit Austin, and if I were to come with them, I would make it a point to visit Austin Books & Comics.

Comicopia – Boston, Massachusetts

Comicopia is a comic book shop right near Fenway Park. It’s located in a beautiful New England-style building. Additionally, they had a local comics section from illustrators and writers from the area. I love it when local stores feature local artists. I also purchased my Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. Phil Coulson shirt from this shop that I still wear all the time. This was such a neat store.

Gods & Monsters – Orlando, Florida

Gods & Monsters is a comic book store located near Universal Studios in Orlando. Besides being a comic book store, there’s a bar located in the back called Vault 5421. The above Beholder picture was taken at Vault 5421. I could see Gods & Monsters being a fun place to visit after playing a DnD session with friends. I will say that Vault 5421 isn’t very big, so I could see this place getting crowded. When my brother and I visited, we visited a bit earlier, so we had plenty of room to have a drink before it became busy.

Nerdheim – Savannah, Georgia

Nerdheim is a comic book and game store located in the historical shopping district in Savannah, Georgia. Nerdheim has one of my favorite logos that I have seen from a comic book store. Nerdheim, similar to Austin Books & Comics, is a big retail store. There were several large shelves filled with graphic novels. There was also a pretty significant DnD miniature display along with a section of t-shirts towards the back of the store. Both my husband and I loved visiting Savannah, so we may be back in the future.

Owlbear Cafe – Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

OwlBear Cafe is a board game cafe located in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina, which is east of Charleston. I found this place on a whim and was pleasantly surprised. It’s located in this cute shopping area. We stopped here for breakfast before we began our day. I had a breakfast sandwich while my husband had a waffle. In the back is their board game selection. I found Arkham Horror sitting on the shelf, which is one of my all-time favorite board games. I normally don’t buy hoodies from stores, but I couldn’t resist buying a hoodie with the logo on it.

The more I travel, the more likely I am to write a part #2 to this post. If you’re looking for local recommendations, I recommend using Atlas Obscura or typing into Google Maps “comic book store” or “game store,” which is how I found these shops.