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Time Out: New York
by paulie1975
Now the Time Out City Guides are my favourite travel guides in the world. I purchased a Time Out Guide to New York for £8.99 from WH Smiths but its available from most good book retailers. It really is a great guide to a city based on the contributions of Time Out New York journalists it provides a brilliant accompaniment for any ... traveller.
The book starts giving an in-depth history of the City, explaining how the City was used for Settlers from Europe and the history of Staten Island, the Statue of Liberty, the Rockafellar Centre and anything else you'd associate with the city.
It then describes areas of interest in each region of the city, providing cool guides to areas such as Brooklyn and Harlem as well as the more touristy areas which it covers in more depth. In difference to a country guide, this kind of guide has interesting pages on certain places of interest and sections on things like Maddison Square Gardens or Central Park, explaining the areas with maps, their history and what to do there.
It then follows onto guides on shops, this is really varied covering clothes, electronics, sweets, departments stores, general stores, electronic stores, reviews are totally frank and some places are slated while others receive plaudits, I found it very honest and its opinions of places like Macey's closely matched my own.
Following this are more in depth reviews of Hotels by area, prices are explained, and given $ ratings out of 5 to signify how pricey they are, again, the reviews are frank and honest, there are notes advising the best hotels for romance, business and other interesting factors, overall this section helps you decide where to stay and should be consulted and cross-checked against Lonely Planet guides.
Following this are reviews of restaurants/bars and nightclubs, this is thorough, sectioned into types of cuisine by area, you can then find what you want in the area your staying or what you want by your cuisine. Prices are advised in the $ format again and total honesty is displayed with some highly rated diners being destroyed and some little gems being unearthed, there are pictures and the guide really does shine because of its honesty and its depth. Its essential for any city traveller.
Finally there is a section advising of customs, currency, things like what chargers you'd require, how to tip and any issues with language, transport in the city and guides to temperature and rainfall.
Overall this is a great guide, honest, concise, really cool and well written it helped me find some wicked places to eat and drink and confirmed a few reviews were honest in some of the real landmarks as they were as disappointing as described.
Written in the funky style of someone who has gone to the city for fun and adventure, I love these city guides and have found them the best book to use in every city I have visited.
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Time Out: 1000 Things to Do in Britain
by barbie84
This book is absolutley brilliant, it has 320 pages ram packed full of things that you can do in britain, as the name sugests there are 1000 items listed in this book in no particular order but to make life easier if you are looking for something in particular there is an A to Z listing aswell to make things easily ... findable.
This book is new, it was only published 2 months ago so is very upto date on places and events, it covers every crease and crevis of great britain so you are sure not to miss a single thing.
There is something for every taste and every wallet in this book, there are experiences that will cost an arm and a leg like spas and health resorts but are things that cost you nothing like days out to visit places and great camping places and almost everything you can think of inbetween.
It lists all the castles and stately homes open to the general public to visit, all water sports available, all outdoor sports, all the exciting big fair rides and which attractions they are at, beautiful beaches, cider orchards and much more.
Obviously this is going to depend on your tastes as to what you are interested in doing, i mean i couldnt see me being a non drinker enjoying a day at a cider orchard or my children but the beaches are a different matter.
There are good descriptions of the places and great illistrations in the book aswell, some of the items in the 1000 listed have little info but that is because they are self explanitary but others have vast amounts of info available.
This is a fantastic book for around £10 for anyone who enjoys days out especially for this time of year with the children off school and stuck for some where to go for the day to entertain them, we will certainly be using our book a lot over the next 6 weeks.
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Time Out: 1000 Things to Do in Britain
by pookie_rabbit
Britain. We really don't appericiate its sights, uniqueness, history, humor, and err safaris, buddhist monasteries and bog snorkeling events! Well not according to Time Out that is. Hot on the heals of its 1000 things to do in London, Time Out has published its new sister publication "1000 things to do in Britain".
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As its name suggests the book contains 1000 things you may have done, may have never heard of or even if you had wouldn't have wanted to. As far as the latter goes I can point you straight to item 586 - butchery lessons. Think I will give that one a miss.
The book really does have something for everyone though. Whatever makes you tick. Sport, food, festivals and walks. You name it. And this covers the length and breadth of the country. Ever thought of visiting an Italian chapel in the Orkneys? Maybe watching a Shakespeare play in an outdoor theatre a stones throw from Lands End?
The book is ordered from 1 to, surprise surprise, 1000. However no order is implied. Item 999 may appeal to you just as much as something in the top ten. Most items warrant a few sentences. However features cover a full page or more. Others are split - for instance items 541-550 are "Ride Britain's best roller coasters" which then covers a number of such rides. Finally 10 sections are by guest authors with a list of "A few of my favourite things".
You will no doubt find some "things" you have already done yourself - I can vouch that I have experienced artifical snow in Castleford, done one of the national trails, had a real Devonshire Cream Tea and watched an alternative local derby (that would be Hull FC V Hull KR) amongst others. I haven't yet however holidayed in a pineapple or devoured a real Bakewell pudding. But I may do now. On the other hand to add to the butchery lessons I may give Brighton's Miss Transgender contest a miss.
To help you find your ideal activity the index is handily ordered by county and then major towns, type of activity (accommodation to zoos) and a full A-Z index.
So in summary if you are looking for something new and a little different to do this year then this book may just be for you. You may find that what you find is no longer a hidden gem thanks to the book but maybe thats the only real downside to this read. And when you run out of things to do no doubt someone at Time Out is already compiling the tips you are invited to send at the beginning of the book ready for future editions.
And as for me? Well Im sipping Britain's strongest ale (611). While watching a Penguin Parade. In Edinburgh (219).
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