Product Description

Not For Tourists Guide to New York City features clear, easy-to-read maps and graphics, as well as listings of key services, restaurants, shops, schools, entertainment venues, public transportation, parks, and more. NFT Guides detail everything residents take advantage of, placing a wealth of local services at their fingertips, in a convenient size.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #439818 in Books
• Published on: 2006-09-15
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 451 pages

Customer Reviews

the most valuable thing I've bought in months!
A few weeks ago, I received my acceptance to NYU and I have decided to go there. After visiting the university (and the city for the 3rd time) I decided that it would be one of the greatest opportunities of my life and I was very excited. Once I made this difficult decision, I knew that one of the most important things would be for me to buy a simple easy-to-read guide to NYC so that I could learn my way around the city and get used to my new environment. So, I went to the bookstore and after browsing through at least 50 guides on NYC I bought this one.

It's been a few days, and I have already read the entire thing twice. I have looked at all the maps and all the information and have declared that this book is my bible. I know that once I move to NYC, this book is going to be the most useful of my posessions.

It has comprehensive maps of all 25 districts of Manhattan and each district has three maps: one with the essentials (ATMs, fire departments, hospitals, landmarks, libraries, 24hr pharmacies, post offices, supermarkets, etc.), one with sundries/entertainment (24 hr copy shops, bars, coffee places, gyms, hardware stores, movie theatres, restaurants, shopping, video rental, etc.) and one with transportation (subways, bus lines, car rental, gas stations, parking, etc.). There are also comprehensive maps of all of the outer boroughs.

It has maps and descriptions of all the Parks & Places (Battery Park, Central Park, Lincoln Center, Rockerfeller Center, Times Square, Union Square, etc.) and sports complexes (Madison Square Garden, Shea Stadium, Yankee Stadium, etc).

It contains information on all kids of transit, including biking, staking, ferries, airlines, maps of JFK airport and La Guardia airport and Newark Liberty airport, bridges and tunnes, driving and parking, bud linrd, Amtrack, Penn station, Grand Central Terminal, etc.

It also has general information on New York City, including NYC media, a calendar of events (I found this particularly lovely), Practical Info, Police, Fire Departments, Hospitals, Libraries, Gay & Lesbian, Landmarks, Post offices, Shipping Locations, Hotels, etc.)

Also, there is a wonderful Arts & Entertainment section, which includes Art galleries, bars, bookstores, clubs & cabarets, movie theatres, museums, restaurants, shopping, & theatre.

In the end, there was a fold out subway map of Manhattan and the outer boroughts!

All in all, I feel that this book is the most valuable thing that I have bought in months because it has tremendous amounts of useful information. Whether you've lived in NYC your whole life, just moved there, are planning to move there, or even are a tourist... this book is the most perfect collection of everything there is to know in NYC and everything there is to do there!

Even locals need help getting around sometimes
I've lived in Manhattan for several years, and I still can't get around the village without this book. For the reviewer who complained about the lack of restaurants/shopping/entertainment: go buy a Zagat's or something. Like the other reviewer said, it's not a restaurant guide. It's for getting around as quickly and painlessly as possible and locating little things like ATMs and bus stops. It accomplishes this beautifully, and in fact, while the other guides may tell you where the best calzone in Little Italy is, they very rarely tell you how to get across the Lower East Side without a taxi (without getting mugged is your own problem). It's discreet color and size save you from mortification on the subway. Besides, nothing screams, "Screw with me" like a big unweildy map.

Bottom line: find out where you want to go with a culture or dining guide, and then let NFT actually get you there without accidentally ending up in Queens (I've done that. It's like Mars or something).

The Indispensable Book
I live in Manhattan. I work in Manhattan. I know this city fairly well. This book is my sacred text. I don't leave home without it in my bag.
Sure, it may not have the most comprehensive listings of restaurants (www.menupages.com) or the hippest shopping, but that's one of the main reasons that it's Not For Tourists! (Although I always arm my visiting friends and colleagues with a copy, and they seem to find it invaluable.) But it sure is handy to have this book nearby when you find yourself beyond the borders of your own neighborhood and decide you need a supermarket, a cafe that's not Starbucks or the nearest library branch.