NYC was just ranked second best city in the U.S. for book lovers
It is always the right time to celebrate all things literary but today happens to be extra special: it’s National Book Lovers Day!
Given the myriad books set in or about New York and the many bookstores that we claim as our own, it should come as no surprise that the Big Apple is considered one of the best cities in the U.S for book lovers, at least according to a new ranking by travel website Explore.
To come up with its list, the outlet looked at data from the “Top 100 Best American Cities” list by World’s Best Cities and then evaluated towns based on a variety of factors, like the number of bookstores and libraries per 10,000 residents, notable literary landmarks and the availability of literary tours.
Lancaster, in Pennsylvania, came out on top, thanks in part to the region’s annual literary festivals and its “impressive number of independent bookstores,” according to the survey.
New York City followed at no. two, with the study specifically calling out the iconic New York Public Library and legendary bookstores like the Strand.
“Not only that, but New York City is also home to 20 literary landmarks—including iconic spots like the Plaza Hotel from The Great Gatsby, Holden Caulfield’s duck pond in Central Park from The Catcher in the Rye and the Greenwich Village streets from The Bell Jar,” reads the study. “Beyond that, the city’s rich literary history is also evident in its many writer’s haunts—with places the White Horse Tavern and Chelsea Hotel, where literary giants like Dylan Thomas, James Baldwin, Henry Miller, Allen Ginsberg and Jack Kerouac (just to name a few) once gathered.”
Poughkeepsie in New York, which boasts 3.15 bookstores and libraries per 10,000 residents, also made the ranking at no. five. Keep in mind that the Vassar College Libraries, open to the public and home to an extensive rare book collections, are also in Poughkeepsie, a fact that undoubtedly contributes to the city’s position in the study.
Needless to say, we are incredibly proud of being included in the ranking. Books rock!
Top ten best cities for book lovers in the U.S.
1. Lancaster in Pennsylvania
2. New York City in New York
3. Harrisburg in Pennsylvania
4. Pensacola in Florida
5. Poughkeepsie in New York
6. Portland in Oregon
7. Pittsburg in Pennsylvania
8. Birmingham in Alabama
9. Cincinnati in Ohio
10. St. Louis in Missouri