Frommer's NYC Free & Dirt Cheap

I used this book recently on a weekend trip to visit my friend in Manhattan. Not only did I eat very well for very little money but my foodie friend was shocked that I (the visiter) was showing her these amazing hidden gems! I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants to live well on a very low budget.

Even though I was going to NYC for just a few days, I found good info in this book. Inside the cover was a weekly schedule for free entrance to several museums. This was very handy. Actually, to get more use from the book, one should be there a little longer, or, better still, move there. Wonderful advice.

In planning for my first trip to NYC, I was faced with a veritable wall of guide books to pick from at my local library. Because I like to look for the offbeat when travelling, and because, well, I'm poor (hence, the library), this one caught my eye right away. It had me at hello (or, more accurately, the introduction entitled "The Best Things In Life Are Free"). Wolff's prose has the perfect blend of knowledge and wit to really make the places he's writing about come alive, with solid historical insights where applicable (the sections on Coney Island were quick but fun reads, quite informative for a newbie like me) and plenty of reference materials to help you plan out your days (maps, addresses, phone numbers, hours of operation, etc.). Especially handy are the subway map and free events calendars printed on the inside front/back covers--efficient and helpful on the go. I knew the real test would come when my host in Brooklyn took a look at it--she's studying museum education and having lived there her whole life, knows many of the nooks & crannies around town. When I started showing her the listings about places like the Forbes Galleries, the original Winnie the Pooh housed at the NY Public Library, and panorama of NYC at the Queens Museum of Art (all free or very cheap), her eyes lit up. And I knew we had a winner on our hands. If it could impress a city slicker like her, no wonder it had impressed a hayseed like me. If you're looking for a book that can take you off the beaten tourist track, or even if you live in NYC and are looking for some fresh ideas for cheap entertainment, I really can't recommend this highly enough. Good tips, great resource, and a fun read.

This book was an amazing resource for just a few days in New York, but one that I will keep for years. In fact, I bought another copy for the friend that I stayed with in the city. The maps and directions were extremely accurate and well-organized by location in the city. If nothing else, there is an easy-to-read subway map of Manhattan in the back cover. Fantastic book overall.

Just purchased this book and it's amazing. I've lived in NYC for over five years and I can't believe all the free stuff I never knew existed. This is a great resource just to have around the house. I'm sure it'd be cool for tourists too as a lot of the free or "dirt cheap" stuff is pretty cool.