NORTH BEACH. The first all-paperback bookstore in the US, City Lights was born out of the "Beat Generation" in 1950s San Francisco, when young authors and poets raised voices against politics and societal norms. The bookstore still offers beatnik-influenced selections but also provides European titles, books on movements like Dada and Surrealism, and much more. Three floors and a knowledgeable, interested staff make City Lights a great meeting place for the literary-minded. Featured authors include William S. Burroughs, Allen Ginsberg, Bob Kaufman, and Jack Kerouac. The store also has its own in-house publication department and holds special literary events regularly.

EMBARCADERO. Pick up the latest copy of the International Herald-Tribune, or browse through local San Francisco magazines to find out what's happening while you're in town. Not only can you stay in touch with the print world at downtown's best newsstand, but you can also put your finger on the pulse of the City by the Bay.