Fall in love with books, food, coffee, and San Francisco during a reader weekend inspired by EJ Hopps’ Chef’s Kiss series. Explore the neighborhoods and real-life locations connected to the books, browse beloved independent bookstores, indulge in San Francisco’s culinary scene, and enjoy exclusive readings, conversations, and creative sessions with EJ Hopps.
From discussing favorite romance tropes over a picnic in Dolores Park to plotting a brand-new love story together, this weekend brings readers inside EJ’s world while leaving plenty of time for coffee, cocktails, incredible food, and the kind of conversations only fellow book lovers truly understand.
Or, as EJ puts it:
“Read books, talk about books, buy books we don’t need, EAT EVERYTHING, drink a little, make new friends, and try to behave.”
This literary getaway was created for readers who:
Love romance novels, unforgettable chemistry, favorite tropes, and happily ever afters
Are fans of EJ Hopps and the Chef’s Kiss series
Believe books, coffee, and incredible food are the foundation of a perfect weekend
Want more than a traditional author event or book signing
Would love to discuss romance, characters, tropes, and the writing process directly with an author
Enjoy discovering the real places and experiences that inspire fictional worlds
Love independent bookstores and adding more books to an already unmanageable TBR
Want to explore San Francisco through its neighborhoods, cafes, restaurants, parks, and waterfront
Enjoy connecting with fellow readers in a fun, relaxed, and personal setting
Would jump at the chance to help EJ Hopps build a brand-new romance short-story
Whether you arrive with a friend, a book club, or on your own, you’ll leave with new friends, new books, unforgettable memories, and possibly a fictional relationship you helped create.
Land Only Package
(Airfare and transportation to San Francisco, CA are not included.)
Double Occupancy:
$1,458.00 per person
Based on two guests sharing one room.
Guests registering together may request either:
One shared bed
Two separate beds
Room configurations are based on availability and will be confirmed as part of the registration process.
Traveling Solo?
Many of our guests join La Belle Route experiences on their own, and we welcome solo travelers.
If you are traveling independently but would like to share a room, you may request to be paired with another solo traveler. We will do our best to match interested guests; however, roommate pairings are not guaranteed and depend on availability.
If a roommate match is not available, the single occupancy rate will apply.
Single Occupancy:
$1,969.00 per person
Includes your own private room throughout the weekend.
A limited number of rooms are available. Early registration is recommended to secure your preferred room type.
Thursday, September 9, 2027
Friday, September 10, 2027
Saturday, September 11, 2027
Sunday, September 12, 2027
Begin your literary getaway with a warm welcome to San Francisco!
Arrive in San Francisco and enjoy free time to settle in, relax, and pretend we’re going to bed early.
Kick off the weekend with an evening mixer alongside your fellow book lovers! Come meet everyone and immediately start nerding out about books! Is this going to be THE conversation topic all weekend? Yes. Is that going to stop us from diving in right away? Certainly not.
Please note that itinerary details are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to ensure the final itinerary remains as close as possible to what is outlined here.
Fuel up with breakfast at the hotel or as I like to call it, coffee.
Begin the day’s literary adventures at Love Potion Library, where you can explore and shop for your next TBR.
Fuel the fun with a mid-morning stop at Ritual Coffee Roasters because coffee is life and I will accept no arguments to this fact. There is a reason my FMC’s are all obsessed with the beverage, they take after their mother!
Make your way to Dolores Park so we can feel like Evie, Shannon, Ben, and Harper on their day off.
Settle in for a reading from Refire. Let’s start at the very beginning of the Chef’s Kiss journey with an excerpt from book #1.
Let’s Talk About Romance - EJ Hopps will lead a discussion on the romance genre, tropes, favorite authors, and common themes.
Gather with the group for a picnic lunch in the park.
Spend some free time wandering the shops and neighborhood along Valencia Street.
Cool off with an afternoon stop at Salt & Straw for ice cream because gabbing about books and sweetened, frozen dairy go hand in hand.
Head back to the hotel for “Ask The Author The Q’s You Wouldn’t Ask In Public,” a Q&A session with EJ Hopps.
Take some time to relax and get ready for a night on the town!
Enjoy dinner at La Taqueria because you can’t go to San Francisco and not eat here.
Keep the conversation going with drinks and social time at The Morris because no literary weekend should end at dinner.
Fuel up with breakfast at the hotel — starting the day with carbs as nature intended.
Head to Lincoln Park to explore and Build a Romance Novel with EJ Hopps.
Gather with the group for lunch.
Take in the city during a brief guide-led driving tour of San Francisco - Look out the window, point at things, and say “I could live here…”
Recharge with an afternoon stop at Saint Frank Coffee because we will simply never be done with caffeine.
Browse City Lights Bookstore for another book that your TBR will sigh about.
Spend some free time exploring the Ferry Building and waterfront with visit to Book Passage for more books
Head back to the hotel for time to relax and get ready for dinner.
Gather for a final group dinner at The Progress — our last night of eating, drinking, and making the kinds of memories that turn into stories.
End the night with after-dinner drinks and social time at Hotel Biron, a real life bar that inspired a fictional one from Refire.
Enjoy breakfast at the hotel before the final reader experience of the weekend.
Join EJ Hopps for a private book signing and embrace your creative side with a special activity during the signing.
Say farewell as our literary getaway comes to a close.
Depart at 12:00 PM for the transfer to the airport.
E. J. Hopps is a restaurant-obsessed, perpetually dehydrated romance writer hailing from the Northern California coast. When she’s not spinning her daydreams into written word, you can find her pouring sake at the restaurant she runs alongside her husband, or cozied up with a good book and her dog, Dozer.
With her heart firmly rooted in both the world of fine dining and the promise of happily ever afters, Hopps seeks to captivate readers with steamy restaurant romances, inviting them to savor the magic of her world with every turn of the page.
Please note that itinerary details are subject to change and cannot be guaranteed. Every effort will be made to ensure the final itinerary remains as close as possible to what is outlined here.