Kerouac's "On the Road" Trip

Another bohemian favorite, the White Horse Tavern started gaining notoriety in the literature scene when Dylan Thomas drank himself to death here in 1953. Kerouac and Ginsberg hung out together here, and Hunter S. Thompson was also a regular. Pro tip: over the urinals in the men's room, you'll likely find graffiti that reads "Jack, go home!" which is a tribute to the fact that Kerouac was drunkenly thrown out of here more than a few times. The original writing is gone, but people keep writing it there!

Kerouac spent some time in Chicago, so while you're in town, head to one of the few jazz bars from his day that's still kickin', the Green Mill. A favorite of Al Capone and Frank Sinatra, they still feature live jazz, swing, and big band music, and even host a slam poetry night once a week.

Beat poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti and Peter D. Martin founded City Lights Bookstore, a shop and indie publishing house that has been a favorite of San Francisco residents for generations. Ferlinghetti won an important court case here, arguing that Ginsberg's poem "Howl" was free speech. The top floor is entirely dedicated to beatnik authors, so poke around and grab a copy of a Kerouac classic.

This European-style coffee house and bar was a favorite hangout of Kerouac and his crew... it's across the street from City Lights. Neal Cassady, the real-life Dean Moriarty put this place on the map when he stopped here before a poetry reading, and Kerouac was known to spend many a long night drinking here.

The Beat Museum is a veritable shrine to the beatnik generation. Located in North Beach, the neighborhood frequented by beats like Kerouac, Cassaday, Ginsberg, and more, it contains original manuscripts and first editions, letters, personal effects and cultural ephemera from famous and world-changing writers.