diff --git a/spatialpandas/io/parquet.py b/spatialpandas/io/parquet.py
index 839b670..4d6dc8a 100644
--- a/spatialpandas/io/parquet.py
+++ b/spatialpandas/io/parquet.py
@@ -8,6 +8,7 @@
 
 import fsspec
 import pandas as pd
+import pyarrow as pa
 from dask import delayed
 from dask.dataframe import (
     from_delayed,
@@ -107,6 +108,7 @@ def read_parquet(
     filesystem: Optional[fsspec.AbstractFileSystem] = None,
     storage_options: Optional[dict[str, Any]] = None,
     engine_kwargs: Optional[dict[str, Any]] = None,
+    convert_string: bool = False,
     **kwargs: Any,
 ) -> GeoDataFrame:
     engine_kwargs = engine_kwargs or {}
@@ -139,7 +141,11 @@ def read_parquet(
 
         columns = extra_index_columns + list(columns)
 
-    df = dataset.read(columns=columns).to_pandas()
+    # References:
+    # https://arrow.apache.org/docs/python/pandas.html
+    # https://pandas.pydata.org/docs/user_guide/pyarrow.html
+    type_mapping = {pa.string(): pd.StringDtype("pyarrow"), pa.large_string(): pd.StringDtype("pyarrow")} if convert_string else {}
+    df = dataset.read(columns=columns).to_pandas(types_mapper=type_mapping.get, self_destruct=True)
 
     # Return result
     return GeoDataFrame(df)
@@ -332,6 +338,13 @@ def _perform_read_parquet_dask(
         dataset_pieces = sorted(fragments, key=lambda piece: natural_sort_key(piece.path))
         pieces.extend(dataset_pieces)
 
+    # https://docs.dask.org/en/stable/changelog.html#v2023-7-1
+    try:
+        from dask.dataframe.utils import pyarrow_strings_enabled
+
+        convert_string = pyarrow_strings_enabled()
+    except (ImportError, RuntimeError):
+        convert_string = False
     delayed_partitions = [
         delayed(read_parquet)(
             piece.path,
@@ -339,6 +352,7 @@ def _perform_read_parquet_dask(
             filesystem=filesystem,
             storage_options=storage_options,
             engine_kwargs=engine_kwargs,
+            convert_string=convert_string,
         )
         for piece in pieces
     ]
diff --git a/spatialpandas/tests/test_parquet.py b/spatialpandas/tests/test_parquet.py
index ab1a14c..a575321 100644
--- a/spatialpandas/tests/test_parquet.py
+++ b/spatialpandas/tests/test_parquet.py
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 import pytest
 from hypothesis import HealthCheck, Phase, Verbosity, given, settings
 
-from spatialpandas import GeoDataFrame, GeoSeries
+from spatialpandas import GeoDataFrame, GeoSeries, geometry
 from spatialpandas.dask import DaskGeoDataFrame
 from spatialpandas.io import read_parquet, read_parquet_dask, to_parquet
 
@@ -440,3 +440,31 @@ def test_read_parquet_dask(directory, repartitioned):
     assert partition_bounds["multiline"].index.name == "partition"
     assert ddf["multiline"].partition_bounds.index.name == "partition"
     assert all(partition_bounds["multiline"] == ddf["multiline"].partition_bounds)
+
+
+def test_parquet_dask_string_conversion():
+    from dask.dataframe.utils import pyarrow_strings_enabled
+
+    assert isinstance(pyarrow_strings_enabled(), bool)
+
+
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("save_convert_string", [True, False])
+@pytest.mark.parametrize("load_convert_string", [True, False])
+def test_parquet_dask_string_convert(save_convert_string, load_convert_string, tmp_path):
+    with dask.config.set({"dataframe.convert-string": save_convert_string}):
+        square = geometry.Polygon([(0, 0), (0, 1), (1, 1), (1, 0)])
+        sdf = GeoDataFrame({"geometry": GeoSeries([square, square]), "name": ["A", "B"]})
+        sddf = dd.from_pandas(sdf, 2)
+        sddf.to_parquet(tmp_path / "test.parq")
+
+    if load_convert_string:
+        dtype = pd.StringDtype("pyarrow")
+    elif save_convert_string:
+        dtype = pd.StringDtype("python")
+    else:
+        dtype = np.dtype("object")
+
+    with dask.config.set({"dataframe.convert-string": load_convert_string}):
+        data = read_parquet_dask(tmp_path / "test.parq")
+        assert data["name"].dtype == dtype
+        assert data.compute()["name"].dtype == dtype