Download PDF DK Eyewitness Travel Guide New York City 2019 DK Travel 9781465471628 Books

Product details Series DK Eyewitness Travel Guide Paperback 328 pages Publisher DK Eyewitness Travel (October 2, 2018) Language English ISBN-10 9781465471628 ISBN-13 978-1465471628 ASIN 1465471626

DK Eyewitness Travel Guide New York City 2019 DK Travel 9781465471628 Books Reviews

• I have travelled the world, and always purchased a travel guide to take with me. Over time, I found myself preferring DK Eyewitness guides over other brands for their visual appeal and great layout. While there is a lot of good information, you won't spend your trip buried in paragraph after paragraph - the photos and hand-drawn street-view maps make the text come alive and make it easy to visualize a place to help decide where you want to go. I was even happier to see that DK has updated their cover art and other elements of their guide this year. The photography in this book is also very artful. This book exceeded my expectations and is probably my favorite travel guide ever purchased.
• I was a little disappointed with this new version of DK. Smaller and with regular cover.
• Arrived promptly and as described. Useful for trip planning!
• Great little tidbits of information to give us some insight before our upcoming trip.
• I'm a native New Yorker and am familiar with almost every corner of the city, so I looked at it hoping it would help a visitor see as much as possible.
  When I travel, the public transit system is usually the biggest puzzle. This book includes an updated subway map (some stations don't have a map this up to date!) but the advice on the pull-out map about using the system simplifies things so much that it might not be helpful, since various lines run at only certain times.
  The information about buses is also too general. There's no mention of how to ride a "Select Bus"--the routes which are the busiest--for which one buys a ticket at the curb and then can enter any door. There is vague information about subway schedules which are simply not correct for many lines.
  The body of the book focuses on Manhattan, as one might expect, with a chapter on Brooklyn which covers only the section a few subway stops from Manhattan, and one short chapter about the rest.
  It might be good to have this to scope out the sights one wishes to see, but before actually coming here, despite what the cover says, you *should* travel through lots of websites.
  There is no significant description of the ferries and cruises which are the best way to see the city on a nice day, and there will probably be more ferries by the time a tourist perusing this book visits New York--another reason to use the Web for updated information.
• As a native New Yorker, I thought it would be easy to review the DK New York City. However, New Yorkers and visitors see the city from an entirely different viewpoint. New Yorkers are intent on their destination. They know where they are going and what they are going to do. Tourists may want to take in the sights and be entertained. I have previously reviewed the Lonely Planet New York City. LP serves as a starting point for me.
  
  The DK New York City covers Manhattan and the part of Brooklyn that is closest to Manhattan. This is not the whole city, This may be the right coverage for someone on a first visit with a week to spend, but there is a lot that is omitted.
  
  The guide is skimpy on information on professional sports teams. The location of Yankee Stadium is given, but where the Mets play is a mystery. Another example is the other NBA team that plays in New York City, namely the Brooklyn Nets. They do not get a mention. They play at the Barclay Center in Brooklyn at the intersection of Flatbush and Atlantic Avenues. This intersection is within the DK Brooklyn map, but without an indication of the Nets' arena. (Please see the attached map, found online, not in the DK guide.) The NHL Islanders also play at Barclay's. What are we, chopped liver? (Ethnic expression meaning a side dish, or of little value.)
  
  The guide may be good for people who come from such exotic lands as China, France, or Ohio, and who would like to hit the high points. The guide breaks the coverage into specific neighborhoods. There is a fold-out map with streets on one side and a subway map on the other. The guide provides a few routes for walking tours. However, the walking routes are short and there only a few of them. Following such walking routes can provide unexpected discoveries.
  
  The Upper-Midtown walking route needs an update. It is true that the IBM building has a wonderful atrium. I do like spending time there. However, a quick look at the map is enough to see that the IBM building stands next to the Trump building. As a result, security has been added to the IBM building. People cannot get into the building without proper identification.
  
  About three quarters of the guide is devoted to museums and landmarks. The rest is mostly places to eat. I find that there is little information on hotels. Even though museums are extensively covered, there is no indication of the cost of entry. This is essential information. Some of the entry fees are shocking. For example, MOMA is $25 for an adult. It would be nice to know in advance. I find that the Lonely Planet New York City is a much better guide.
• This beautiful travel guide explores New York City by dividing Manhattan island into 14 geographical regions, adding a section on Brooklyn, and adding a combined section on Queens, The Bronx and Staten Island. Within each region is an orientation to the history and ambience of the neighborhood, a detailed map, then information about two or three truly must-see locations/activities and 5-15 other points of interest. Almost every section includes “A Short Walk” -- usually about a mile, focused on a theme of the area.
  
  The book’s design and style is trademark DK Eyewitness -- with literally a thousand color images, maps and building cross-sections -- except the pages are now of matte paper instead of glossy. It has an excellent tear-out map, laminated and folded and very legibly labeled with neighborhoods, streets, sites and subways. Note that word earlier, “explore” -- this is a guide that will get you out and about. Note also that, with few exceptions, it does NOT include lodging, dining or entertainment (when it does, it’s for sites that are destinations in themselves). It’s a lively, must-read guide for anyone planning leisure time in NYC.
• DK books have always been my go-to for short trips and "first purchase" books because I want to know the highlights and be inspired by what I see with all those photos. Over the last few editions, it seems like the book production quality has gone downhill. The paper is thinner and flimsy feeling, and the photo quality is off. The information is still helpful and gives me ideas on what to see and do when I'm in NYC, but I miss the older editions of the books which felt like a proper book.