I’ll never encourage anyone who doesn’t want to look like a tourist to pull out a big pop-out map. There’s something to be said for not getting lost, but at the same time, you don’t want to get embarrassed in front of the locals. It’s like the mid-westerners who scream on the subway as if they were on a roller coaster. We all know the NYC subway is like a theme park ride, but we don’t get all excited about it! Jeez! You’re standing out. CONFORM!
Can you tell I’ve had some bleh experiences on the subway before? In any event, though I would never encourage you to use a fold out map, if you ARE going to use one, you can’t do better than Inside Out City Guides. Not only do you get a 64 page guide that actually tells you cool, non touristy places to go, and a pop out map, you also get a pen, and a compass is built into the spine!
I’ll be honest with you: it was the compass that made me post this.
There’s a whole line of books you can get for about $12 each, or you can check out the Popout Travel website to order your own, customized map.
[$12, Barnes&Noble.com]