For exploring by car, arm yourself with an up-to-date atlas, such as the Rand McNally Road Atlas or the New York Atlas and Gazetteer by Delorme. Both are widely available from bookshops and filling stations or online purchase. For exploring by bike and on foot, the New York - New Jersey Trail Conference publishes detailed hiking maps and NYC Bike Maps charts the Big Apple's bike paths and lanes online. For getting round cities and towns, pick up a free map from the local tourist office or hotel concierge. For state, city and historical maps, check out the Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection at UT Library online. Not only are maps are a great travel planning resource, they're a great way to get kids involved in a family vacation.

Books are a great way to introduce young children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. We've compiled a list of books about New York and books by New York authors for children of various ages and with varying interests. Find classics, historical novels and fantasies including Building Manhattan by Laura Vila, From the Mixed-up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg, Heat by Mike Ludica, and A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith. What better why to begin a journey that a trip through literature?

New York City is home to four of the ten largest newspapers in the United States - The Wall Street Journal, New York Times, New York Daily News and New York Post. What's more, it boasts a large and diverse ethnic press. What better place than New York to get the skinny on American culture, politics and gossip? The Wall Street Journal is the leading provider of business and financial news in the United States. The New York Times is widely regarded as one of the world's most influential newspapers. The New York Daily News and New York Post are tabloids. El Diario La Prensa is New York's largest Spanish-language daily. The Village Voice is the definitive source for music, art, film and food. All have online editions.