La Playa Books - San Diego, California

Jessica Parmenter

On vacation in San Diego last week when I had finished the book that I had brought. My husband brought me here to pick out another book. I'm in love with this cute little bookstore. The ladies who work here were super nice and helpful. I found a few books on my wish list, but I only picked one. A perfect souvenir and reminder of what a lovely time I had in beautiful San Diego. This bookstore will definitely be on my list of places to go the next time I visit!

MattTravels S91

Popped in as was in a work trip to San Diego and forgot my book! Lovely shop with a nice selection, friendly staff. Range of new and second hand books. Found something I liked with a few back up options in no time

jwb1883

On a short vacation to San Diego from Los Angeles, I went to La Playa Books. A little background...a couple of years ago I attended an antiquarian book fair in Pasadena and purchased two B Traven novels from them. The young woman who did the selling recommended that if I was ever San Diego I should go to their store on Point Loma. On Tuesday July 30, 2024, I went there. The vast majority of their used book stock was closed off by a curtain. I asked why. The clerk emphatically stated that an appointment was necessary to see those books. There is NO such requirement anywhere on their website. After a couple of minutes I walked out, certainly never to return. Very, very disappointing!

J Lim

Been coming here since I moved to the area 4 years ago. First, it’s small. Second, they have new, used and rare books. I used to love browsing the aisles in search of treasure. They’ve recently remodeled to look less like a used bookstore—put all the new, shiny things front and center and moved everything else to the back behind a curtain, which I’m a little bummed about. But they still put on events for their customers like their Readathon, so the heart of the place is still there.

Caleb Everson

My girlfriend has been coming here to trade books for credit for about a year now. It’s a nice independent bookstore with a really diverse collection. There’s a very distinct ‘old book’ smell which isn’t exactly pleasant as soon as you walk through the doors. There’s also an ok discount book cart outside.

Angie Vallejo

We always try to visit local businesses when we travel and I found this bookstore that was a must-stop. Cute store on the main thoroughfare on Rosecrans. Wide selection considering it is fairly small. Told they carry 80% used and 20% new. Very helpful friendly staff.

Camille McKenna

I recently visited La Playa Books in Point Loma and was blown away by their thoughtfully crafted library. The store had a wide selection of books on a variety of topics, and the staff were incredibly helpful in suggesting new reads based on my interests.

But what really stood out to me was the care that went into curating the collection. It was clear that the owners of La Playa Books have a passion for literature and have put a lot of thought into selecting titles that are diverse, interesting, and relevant.

Overall, I had a great experience at La Playa Books and would highly recommend it to anyone in the area looking for a new read or just a place to browse and discover new authors. This is definitely a Point Loma gem!

gerry furth

I ordered a book from this bookstore via Amazon... and the maze it takes thee days to do so. I already had a good feeling about the store looking at their website, and they were responsive, quick to answer and detailed about my inquiry. It was wrapped neatly and efficiently - but no studio number so I was lucky that my neighbor brought it over. The book was a fair price and in even better condition than they noted, and I received it a week ahead of time. I recommend them 1000%!