Articles

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Off to the Great State of Oregon Next! Please Come to See Arthur & Pauline Frommer at Powell's Books in Portland on Jan 20 at 7pm

The whirlwind tour continues!On May 20th, my father and I are honored to be speaking at the legendary Powell's in Portland, Oregon (largets bookstore in the world!). What will we…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Joint Appearance! Both Arthur & Pauline Frommer Will Be Speaking in the San Francisco Area on January 19

I write this from the proverbial cloud, having experienced the most extraordinarily warm welcome in Sacramento. Thank you to Time Tested Books for hosting one of the best talks I've…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Sky Dining: A New Study Looks At the Most—And Least—Healthy Airline Foods

It’s that time of year again! And if you’re like most of us, you’re likely going to make the resolution to shed a few pounds. But like the rest of the gang, that resolution could…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Here are Six Ways to Reduce the Cost of Airfares for Your Next Vacation

The greatest threat to your next vacation is the rising cost of airfares.  They have risen so sharply, so remorselessly, that they throw your entire travel budget out of whack.…

Article / Passportable

American Airlines Charges Twice What U.S. Airways Does—For the Same Flight

Buyers beware! The merger of American Airlines and U.S. Airways is not going as smoothly as we were told it would—and it is costing consumers already.Travel Weekly reports that…

Article / Cruise

Which Cruise Line Charges the Most for Drinks? Which One's Cheapest?

When we grab a sensational cruise fare, most of us assume we've saved a bundle. But you may be surprised to learn that often, the least expensive cruise lines get some of that money…

Article / Passportable

Airbnb Gives One Free Night to First-Time Users

Apartment and home rental has been, as most everyone knows by now, one of the booming sectors of the travel industry. And with good reason: It's often much cheaper than renting a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Southern (and Central) California Here We Come! The Frommers to Speak in Sacramento (January 16) and Los Angeles (January 18)

Yes, our  jaunt around the United States continues on thanks to Allianz Travel Insurance, our sponsor on this books tour!This week both Frommers will be hitting the road, to get…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Week on an Unusual Coastal Island of Florida is Not to be Compared with Paris or Bali, But Still Has Its Merits

Slightly more than a year ago, I published a blog in which I listed my own ten favorite vacation destinations.I named them in no particular order, and took pains to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Evidence is Accumulating that It is Not Presently Safe to Travel Independently—On Your Own or with a Single Companion—in Egypt

On a number of occasions this past year, I have been asked my opinion on whether it was now safe to visit Egypt.  And each time, I have answered:  no, based on numerous…

Article / Passportable

Landing at LAX this Month? Look for the 407-Foot-Wide Vinyl Record

Now that you may finally use your smartphone camera on flights, let the marketing stunts begin!All through January, the Forum, a 45-year-old, circular concert venue about four…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Quick Round of Tips for Travelers Stranded by the Polar Vortex (Or In Any Weather-Related Delay)

Its ugly at the airports of America this week with tens of thousands of travelers stranded. If you're one of them, or are scheduled to travel later today or tomorrow,  here are…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Pay $56 a Night to Cruise from L.A. to Japan via Hawaii! Plus 5 More Cruise Deals That Won't Last Long

Princess Cruises' Sapphire PrincessOnce again, we asked the folks at AllThingsCruise.com to fill us in on the best bargains in cruises at the moment. Here's what they…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Polar Vortex Grounds 18,000 Flights! Here's Why That's a Good Thing

It's very cold in America right now. The average temperature in the Lower 48 is lower than 48—it's just north of 23 degrees.As weather reports of the Polar Vortex came out,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Just Two Days Ago, We Learned What It Is Like to Live in a Country Without a Decent Rail Network

Birmingham train depot: First world infrastructure?As I write this, we have gone two days beyond the realization of what it means to have no decent system of rail…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Book-Length Treatment of Touristic Excess is Required Reading for Anyone Interested in the Future of Travel

It isn’t likely that your local bookstore will be selling a copy of Elizabeth Becker’s “Overbooked”, a devastating critique of the impact that travel has on certain major…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Blowing Into the Windy City: Pauline Frommer to Speak in the Chicagoland Area on January 9 and 11

I'm excited--make that thrilled--to announce that the second leg of our book tour, celebrating the launch of the NEW Frommer guidebooks, will kick off in the Chicago area  on January…

Article / Passportable

TSA PreCheck Not So Easy if You Enroll Yourself

Recruitment ad from the TSA websiteIn the first phase of the TSA's PreCheck program, the airlines invited their elite members to enroll. That process worked well, since the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Some Changes, Large and Small, That Will Confront Travelers in 2014

As the recession continues to fade (and that’s a “finger’s crossed” statement), travel companies of all stripes are coming out with new offerings. And more folks are hitting the…

Article / Passportable

Cooking with a Hotel Room Hair Dryer

Slow news week! Here's a little offbeat hotel room cooking tip that has been making the rounds. Both NPR and ABC have aired discussions about how to cook simple foods with a hair…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In this Holiday Season, Shouldn't We at Least Begin to Think of Measures that Will Ensure Proper Vacations for Low-Income Americans?

Although there isn't the slightest chance that the current Congress will pass such legislation, I continue to yearn for the day when we as a nation will assist the poor to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Some Reflections on the Lessons That a Life in Travel Has Taught

The end of the year is a time for reflection, and I've beenthinking of the travel lessons that countless journeys have taught me.Here are a few of the tactics that I…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Pauline Frommer: Lessons I Learned From My 2013 Travels

The more I travel the more I learn. And sometimes the lessons that hit home are about the travel process itself. So without further ado, here are my top head-smacking realizations of…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

And Now, For a Change of Pace, Let's Look at All the Good Things That Are Happening in the World of Travel.

The holidays are here, and for many, that means counting blessings. So instead of devoting a column to the problems of travel—and there certainly are many—I’d like to celebrate…

Article / Passportable

Delta, JetBlue, and Southwest Will Not Allow In-Flight Phone Calls

The people are speaking—and the people don't want the people to speak.Both Delta and JetBlue have stepped forward to tell customers they despite loosened federal restrictions,…