When you take a moment to step back from the instant point-and-click culture of the Internet, you’ll realize that sometimes the best learning can take place behind the book stacks. As with all things, and especially education, balance is key, so take a break once in a while to visit (and support) your local libraries and bookstores who have worked hard to establish themselves as valuable resources for your hobbies, guilty pleasures, life questions, adventures and of course, education. Here’s a list of the 10 coolest bookstores in the United States that you should be sure to visit if you haven’t yet.

1. Strand Bookstore: History buffs appreciate New York City’s Strand Bookstore, which is the only remaining bookstore on the city’s once famous Book Row, which first began to develop in the 1890s. Named for the famous publishing street in London, the Strand opened in 1927 on Fourth Avenue in New York City and has grown to a sprawling 55,000 square feet but is still owned by a member of the founding family. Besides its history and its size, Strand is known for carrying a massive collection of used and rare books, plus new releases at 50% off. They literally order thousands of books every day, some of which are bought or rented by the foot for home decoration, film sets and customized libraries. The Strand has even arranged personal library collections for Steven Spielberg and the Plaza Hotel. You can even shop online.
2. City Lights: City Lights, arguably the most famous bookstore in San Francisco, was founded in 1953 as the country’s first all-paperback store, when it was a gathering place for beatniks. Today, City Lights is still known as a spot for political and literary and debate, and carries books from all genres, from poetry to music to politics to history to philosophy to fiction. In addition to selling books, City Lights has its own publishing company, which releases poetry, prose, fiction and nonfiction.
3. Powell’s City of Books: Portland, OR’s Powell’s Books was founded in 1971 by Michael Powell, who opened his first bookstore a year earlier in Chicago, with the support of friend and novelist Saul Bellow. The Portland store sells used and new books, in hardcover and paperback, and even started selling books online in 1994. There are seven stores in all, including a technical bookstore and a Powell’s Books for Home and Garden. The entire inventory of Powell’s Books is available online.
4. Kepler’s: The independent Kepler’s Books is another favorite bookstore located in the San Francisco Bay Area. It’s famous for its rich history of sponsoring author events, which today brings in novelists, children’s authors and self-help writers, among others. The store was founded in 1955 by the peace activist Roy Kepler, and is still owned by his son, Clark. Kepler’s was named "Bookseller of the Year" by Publishers Weekly in 1990 and even has its own PBS documentary, Paperback Dreams. Because of the popularity of online book retailers like Amazon.com, Kepler’s had to close on August 31, 2005, but reopened by October because of the loyal community of readers that supported it.
5. Tattered Cover Bookstore: Tattered Cover Bookstore, affectionately known as TC, is located in Denver, CO. The first store was founded in 1971 and only employed two people. Today, TC boasts three locations in Denver and offers "a free special event nearly every day," including book club meetings, author events, and more. In fact, TC has a seven official book clubs, a Book Club Happy Hour, book club e-newsletter, and special events just for book club members.
6. Gotham Book Mart: The Gotham Book Mart recently closed in 2007, but it still deserves a spot on this list of the coolest bookstores in the country. The Gotham Bookmart was founded in 1920 near the Theater District in New York City. The store moved locations twice, but still remained a beloved and important gathering place for those in the literary world, including the James Joyce Society, of which T.S. Eliot was a member, and the Finnegan’s Wake Society. During the middle 1900s, the store sold copies of banned books like Lady Chatterly’s Lover and was later frequented by writers Arthur Miller and Woody Allen. The Gotham Book Mart had to close in 2007 due to too much competition from super booksellers in the area.
7. Hue-Man Bookstore: The Hue-Man Bookstore and Cafe, located in Harlem, NY, plays host to a vibrant community of high-profile authors, celebrities and cultural icons, and of course, readers. It carries a rich selection of independent books from authors from all different cultural and ethnic backgrounds and has welcomed Bill Clinton, Gwen Ifill, Tyson Beckford, Dr. Cornel West and others for book signings, children’s hour presentations and more.
8. The Homer Bookstore: The Homer Bookstore, located in Homer, AK, has had several homes since it was founded in the 1970s: a cabin, the Bay Art Center, and a mall. Today, the bookstore independently stands on E. Pioneer Avenue in Homer, about 150 miles from Anchorage. The reason the Homer Bookstore is on our list is because of its significance to preserving Alaskan heritage and culture. Local authors and historians visit the bookstore for signings, presentations and other events, and the bookstore carries an enviable selection of local interest books and resources.
9. Skylight Books: Skylight Books is an independent bookstore located in Los Feliz, CA, that attracts celebrities while maintaining its status as a true local, cultural obsession. Its motto is "what a neighborhood bookstore should be," and Skylight is known for preserving the history of LA neighborhoods like Hollywood and Silver Lake and serving readers who are themselves influential in music, art, literature and other fields. The bookstore, which opened in 1996, is a big supporter of Banned Book Week, features a Section That Shall Not Be Named (it’s full of miscellaneous titles), is home to Franny the cat and mascot, and supports several book clubs.
10. Elliott Bay Book Company: Seattle’s Elliott Bay Book Company was founded in 1973 and has been at its current location since 1976. The store is also home to the city’s first bookstore cafe and welcomes writers from all over the world to meet readers and read from their books. Four different book clubs officially meet at the Elliott Bay Book Company, which sells used, signed, rare and new books.