A Bookish Afternoon in NYC
In this post are some bookstores and landmarks I visited in New York City that I would recommend to very book lover!
A few weeks ago, I accompanied my husband on a trip to New York City. He was going for work, so I was left with a free afternoon to explore. I decided to take this time to check out some of the city’s bookstores and the public library. We were staying in Manhattan, and I am not brave enough to attempt the subway on my own, so I found some spots within walking distance from our hotel that looked interesting. I think I ended up finding some of the best and most iconic stores, and I absolutely had to share them with you! So, here is my guide to a bookish afternoon in New York City.
(As important as I think it is to support libraries and independent bookstores, I understand this is not a possibility for everyone. So, I’ve included links to purchase the books mentioned in this post through Barnes & Noble and Amazon. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases, which is the best way you can support this blog. Ultimately, please choose the method that works best for you!)
New York Public Library
My first stop was the New York Public Library on 5th Avenue. Knowing next to nothing about this library, I thought I’d be walking into a huge room of high ceilings filled with old books, sort of a Hogwarts-style library. While it did have high ceilings, this building was MASSIVE and had many, many rooms with galleries and exhibits. It’s very museum-like. The architecture of the building was impressive, and I found myself looking in all directions, spinning around, just so I could take everything in.
I did not allot myself enough time for this visit, and should have been more prepared. The library offers tours, which you can do with a group and tour guide, or use their app for a free audio and digital self-guided tour. If you ever go, do not do what I did and just wander around the hallway, feeling lost. Even though the halls themselves are magnificent, you will miss out on a lot! I did manage to find the gift shop to poke around in. Even the gift shop is huge.
Probably the most iconic things about the NYPL building are the stone lions out front of the building, Patience and Fortitude. They are absolutely beautiful, and being in their presence felt unreal.
I do plan to go back to the library to take a tour the next time I’m in the city and have more time!
Rizzoli
My next stop was Rizzoli, an independent bookstore on Broadway. Rizzoli is celebrating 60 years of bookselling this year (2024), while their publishing arm, Rizzoli New York, is celebrating 50 years of publishing. They call themselves “the most beautiful bookstore in NYC”, and I totally agree, with my limited knowledge! Walking into this bookstore is like walking back in time. The black and white-tiles floors and heavy wooden bookcases are pristine. There are unique wallpaper designs above different sections of the collection. And there are chandeliers, people! I loved the elegant design of this bookstore. It makes you feel very fancy and scholarly while you shop for books!
The collection of books in this store is unique. While they carry a selection of fiction, they mainly carry books on “illustrated subjects”, such as interior design, cooking, fashion, photography, and art. They also have music CDs, movies on DVD, and stationary. Rizzoli hosts events for authors, artists, and musicians regularly. If you’re ever in Manhattan, definitely pop into Rizzoli and have a look around!
Harry Potter New York
On the way to my next stop, I happened to be passing Harry Potter New York, so I went in! I honestly forgot this store existed, so this was a very happy surprise for me as a Harry Potter fan. This store was absolutely incredible, as they have each room designed as scenes from the Harry Potter movies. The store is multiple floors, and there are tons of different rooms. I had so much fun walking through each area and seeing the different themes!
The designers put so much thought into each detail of the building. I’m also happy I got to go in November because they had tons of themed Christmas trees around the store!
The shop offers a few interactive activities to do while you’re there. You can get on a broomstick and have a souvenir photo/video taken while you fly over Hogwarts. There is also a wand shop where you can chose your wand and use a Pensieve to learn more about your wand’s origins.
Probably the most fun thing about Happy Potter New York: The Butterbeer bar. Enjoy a mug of Butterbeer or Butterbeer ice cream and pretend you’re in the Three Broomsticks with your schoolmates. I intend to do this next time, with a book in hand!
Harry Potter fans, you’ll never want to leave this store. I certainly didn’t!
Books of Wonder
My next stop was Books of Wonder, which is an independent children’s bookstore (they had a little construction going on out front while I was there). I had two reasons for wanting to visit this store: The first is that I love children’s literature - picture books specifically. The second reason is that this store was Nora Ephron’s inspiration for The Shop Around the Corner bookstore in You’ve Got Mail, which is one of my all-time favorite movies! I just had to have a Kathleen Kelly moment while in New York.
Books of Wonder has a fantastic selection of children’s books as well as old, rare copies of books! What was most exciting for me was looking at all the signed copies of books they carry - and there are a lot! Seeing the signatures of some of my favorite authors was surreal. This bookstore hosts author events often, and authors also come to sign copies of their books regularly. While I was in the store, Brendan Wenzel was signing copies of his books. Celebrity sighting in New York: Check!
I purchased a signed copy of one of my favorite picture books, The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore, written by one of my favorite authors, William Joyce. I read this story to my family a few years ago as a way to celebrate graduating with my MLS. It’s very precious me, and I will treasure this signed copy of the book. Thank you so much, Books of Wonder!
The Fantastic Flying Books of Mr. Morris Lessmore
By William Joyce (2012)
My last stop on the list was Barnes & Noble (This was my Fox Books replacement, for those of you tracking with You’ve Got Mail!). The location I went to is the Guinness world record holder as the largest bookstore in the world (based on floor space)!
B&N always has well-curated table displays to inspire every reader (and “non-reader”)! There were tons of them on each floor of this store. They are so fun to browse!
This particular store is four stories high, and each floor is huge, so book nerds could definitely spend a few hours there. Here is what’s on each floor:
1st floor: Newer adult fiction, bookish gifts, stationary, music & movies
2nd floor: Toys & games, Harry Potter books & gifts, children’s books, young adult books
3rd floor: Starbucks café, adult nonfiction
4th floor: Adult fiction (by genre)
This B&N store holds lots of author events, so it’s worth checking their schedule while you’re in the area.
There was, of course, a New York section, where I almost grabbed the recently-published book Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman by Stephen Bruno. I like to buy books about the area I’m visiting when I travel, especially when they offer a unique perspective. Unfortunately, this book cost more than I was willing to spend, so it went back on the physical shelf and was added to my TBR shelf instead. I’ll either get it from the library or wait until the paperback version comes out. Maybe it’ll be available the next time I visit NYC!
Building Material: The Memoir of a Park Avenue Doorman
By Stephen Bruno (2024)
B&N Amazon (commission earned)
I really enjoyed my afternoon in New York, and every place I visited felt magical. Next time, I will allow myself more time to visit the library and Barnes & Noble. Going to all these places in one afternoon may not give you a chance to fully enjoy all they have to offer. But if you’re up for a lot of walking and just want to check landmarks off your list, it’s definitely an option!
Hopefully at least one of these bookish spots appeals to you to explore on your next visit to NYC. If you have a favorite bookstore in the city, please tell us about it in the comments below. :) Thanks for being here!