City Lights Booksellers, a funky bookstore founded by beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, serves as a literary meeting place in San Francisco. Stop in and have a look around this independent bookstore/publishing house established in 1953 and famous for the obscenity trial it faced after releasing Allen Ginsberg's "Howl" in 1956. Located between North Beach and Chinatown, this bookstore became a historic landmark in 2001. You can also shop the unique book collection here, which focuses on world literature, arts, and politics. With our online itinerary creator, San Francisco attractions like City Lights Booksellers can be center stage of your vacation plans, and you can find out about other attractions like it, unlike it, near it, and miles away.
City Lights Booksellers reviews
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I'm a book lover and when I travel I must visit local/indie bookstores. City Lights is a well known so of course I had to visit. There are 3 floors, each with it's own theme. It's in an older...
I'm a book lover and when I travel I must visit local/indie bookstores. City Lights is a well known so of course I had to visit. There are 3 floors, each with it's own theme. It's in an older... more »
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Full of nooks and crannies and great books. A magical place to visit and buy books! A great span of subjects in a unique setting. My only gripe - I love mysteries and that section was not robust...
Full of nooks and crannies and great books. A magical place to visit and buy books! A great span of subjects in a unique setting. My only gripe - I love mysteries and that section was not robust... more »
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This legendary bookshop lived up to its reputation. The store presents three floors of closet squeezed, tall bookshelves, except for the top floor, the poetry room. The sections are stuffed with unique volumes that you might not find elsewhere, and there are odd and entertaining figures, artwork, and photos in every nook and cranny.
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What a wonderful tribute to beat poets, Chicanx authors, and a way to give visibility to new and minority authors. I am in love with this bookstore, next to Kerouac’s alley. It is a Magical place, a lovely place a hard place, and everything wonderful if you love books, diversity and good poetry❤️
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