Articles

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

But I Usually Prefer Paris to Everywhere Else on Earth. Why is That?

It always happens.  Towards the end of every TV, radio or newspaper interview, I am asked, "If you could vacation in only one  place in the world, where would it be?"…

Article / Passportable

Sydney Gets Lit: Vivid Sydney 2014 Brightens Up the Harbour

Even on the dullest day, Sydney is a vibrant city. But from May 24 to June 10 Sydney will get “Vivid.”The annual winter (yes, it's winter in Australia now) Vivid Sydney…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Multitude of Americans Will be Traveling to Italy this Summer and Fall, and I've Been Prompted to Remember the Reasons Why

The appeal of Italy to American vacationers is one of the greatenduring phenomena of travel. Although it costs considerably more to flyto Rome than to London or…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

T-Mobile's Simple Global International Roaming: Should Travelers Switch?

T-Mobile has been working to publicize its new no-contract Simple Choice plans of late, and perhaps with good reason: There are still a fair number of travelers who are not aware…

Article / Passportable

Bikini (And Speedo) Ban To Be Instituted On One of Spain's Balearic Isles

And if you guessed Ibiza, you're dead wrong.But before I reveal which island, a bit of history: In 1838 writer George Sand and her lover, composer Frederic Chopin decided to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Bevy of New Exhibits Explore the "Art of Creation" in Washington, DC

German chancellor Otto van Bismarck famously remarked: "There are two things you don’t want to see being made—sausage and legislation.” And though visitors to Washington, DC get to…

Article / Passportable

Minions, Mayhem and Universal’s Godzilla-Sized “Footprint”

Universal Studios Theme Parks & Resorts, flush with funds from its gajillionaire owner Comcast is going mano a mano with Disney in an all out bid to own the theme park…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Guidebook Sales in the Bookstores Are An Unscientific Method of Predicting Travel Patterns, But They Seem as Good as Any Other Test

We are approaching the summer high season, when tens of millions of Americans head for vacation to the mountains and lakes within an hour or two of their homes.  But a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Travel Here, Not There: Why Choosing a "Secondary" Destination May Lead to a Better Vacation

There’s a reason tourists don’t flock to Akron, Ohio. And no, it’s not just because Goodyear decided to close its “World of Rubber Museum” in 2011. (The town’s only real tourist…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Isn't It Time for Someone With a Bit of Imagination to Take Over at Universal Studios Florida?

The internet is full of news this past week about a major new attraction coming to the theme parks of Orlando in the coming year:  the world's steepest water slide.  The stories…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Tired of My Gripes About Cruises? I Have a Few More--But Also Some Positive Suggestions

It may well be that America's infatuation with the ocean cruise is beginning to wane a bit.  Recent studies show a fair amount of worry about the safety of cruising.  People are…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

There's Been a "Sea Change" in the Character of Ocean Cruises, and the Only Remedy Seems an Increase in What You Spend for a Cruise

Cruises are no longer what they used to be.  They are today so different as to make you consider several all-but-astonishing recent developments, as follows:…

Article / Passportable

Now We Are Free: Paris Says “Merci” on Anniversary of Liberation

August 19, 1944 began the “Battle for Paris” that culminated in the City of Light being liberated from occupation when the final German troops left on August 25th.This 70th…

Article / Passportable

Where in the World is Godzilla? Hint: It's Not Tokyo

The web is abuzz with talk of the remake of the Toho classic film, Godzilla, premiering around the country in May.  Advance word is the remix (this time with Bryan Cranston) is as…

Article / Passportable

Three American Express Credit Cards Drop Foreign Transaction Fees

For years, most travel experts recommended Capital One for its industry-bucking policy of not charging a foreign transaction fee every time customers made a purchase outside the…

Article / Cruise

4 Things You Need to Know About Getting a Bargain on Your Next Cruise

Booking a cruise is complicated — prices change based on cabin availability, and determining whether you’re getting the best deal is tough. Here, our best advice for…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Here are Recent Travel Questions that Mirror the Concerns of American Vacationers--and Our Answers to Them

Although the questions we receive from readers deal with their own specific travel concerns, they should be of value to others.  So here are a recent batch:Q.…

Article / Passportable

Salem Still Bewitches: What to See In MA's Historic Town

If you’ve been watching TV trailers you may have seen the promos for the new WGN America series Salem.  Taking a page from the popular show American Horror: Coven, which was…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

"Mangia! Mangia!" May Soon No Longer Be Italy's Unofficial Slogan. The Changing Face of Italian Cuisine

The Italians are eating very differently today. And so, too, will the visitor when he heads to “The Boot”.That was the surprising revelation when I discussed Italian cuisine…

Article / Passportable

Free National Park entry April 19 and 20

The National Park Service and its supporting charity, the National Park Foundation, are once again throwing the gates open to the United States' national parks. The weekend of April…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In the Wake of Economic Recovery, and a More Recent Brutal Winter Up North, the Resorts of Florida Have Enjoyed Remarkable Prosperity and Growth by Leaps and Bounds

The remarkable growth of coastal resort towns in Florida is a big travel development.  Twelve years go, when I last visited the town of Delray Beach between Fort Lauderdale…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Here's a Number of Varied Developments in Travel That May Affect Your Next Vacation; Consider Them Well

You're stuck at an airport because of a delayed or cancelled flight, and you urgently need assistance from the airline in question.  But there's a line of eighty other…

Article / Passportable

Hot Type to Go: Is the Print Travel Magazine Dying? Two Editors See Open Horizons

The future of the physical, non-virtual travel magazine is on travelers’ talking lists lately.  The recent shake-ups at Condé Nast Traveler and its subsequent high profile…

Article / Passportable

A Tip on Digital Safety for Travelers: Always Look for the "S" in http. Here's Why

Identity theft is a growing problem, especially for travelers. That’s because criminals tend to congregate in hotel lobbies, cafes and other areas with free wifi, because they know…

Article / Passportable

Game On: As the HBO Series Returns, Travelers are Being Lured to Game of Thrones Destinations

They’re back.  Jaime Lannister and his twisted sister Cersei, Tyrion the wise, Joffrey the awful, the Mother of Dragons and the whole crew (minus some key family members that were…