Books · North Beach
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers
on North Beach, with 6 more shops within a short walk
Bookstore and publisher co-founded in 1953 by Lawrence Ferlinghetti, first publisher of Howl, with new and used fiction, poetry and politics.
Hours
Daily 10am–10pm
Checked October 2026. Holiday hours can differ.
On the map
Near Transamerica Pyramid (6 min walk) and Coit Tower (8 min walk).
Good to know
- Parking
- No garage or lot was named on the pages loaded. Muni buses 8, 10, 12 and 41 stop near City Lights, the 30 runs along Columbus past Molinari and XOX Truffles, and the 39 bus and cable cars reach the hilltop viewpoints.
- North Beach shops
- Hours were rarely posted on loaded pages; Graffeo's shop keeps Mon–Sat 9am–5pm and closes Sundays, so weekday daytime is the safest window.
Like City Lights Booksellers & Publishers? try these
Every books shop in SF →Shops a few minutes away
All of North Beach →- Asia Star FantasyGifts · 1126 Grant Ave1 min walk
- Vital Tea LeafSpecialty · 1044 Grant Ave2 min walk
- Al's AttireMenswear · 1300 Grant Ave3 min walk
- SFOGFashion · 1314 Grant Ave3 min walk
- Biordi Art ImportsHome · 412 Columbus Ave3 min walk
- Scott Richards Contemporary ArtGalleries · 501 Pacific Ave4 min walk
Before you go
What are City Lights Booksellers & Publishers's hours?
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers is usually open Daily 10am–10pm. Hours can change on holidays, so check the shop's site before a special trip.
Where is City Lights Booksellers & Publishers?
City Lights Booksellers & Publishers is at 261 Columbus Ave in North Beach, San Francisco. It's near Transamerica Pyramid (6 min walk).
Where can I park near City Lights Booksellers & Publishers?
The closest option for North Beach is No garage or lot was named on the pages loaded. Muni buses 8, 10, 12 and 41 stop near City Lights, the 30 runs along Columbus past Molinari and XOX Truffles, and the 39 bus and cable cars reach the hilltop viewpoints.. Most of the district is also an easy walk from Muni.
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