Articles

Miscellaneous

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Australia Will Stay Closed to Travel Until 2022

In a surprise move, Australia Finance Minister Simon Birmingham told The Australian today that the country would likely not reopen its borders until well into 2022. The previous target…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Will a Gasoline Shortage Kill Summer Road Trips? Advice From An Expert

Toilet paper shortages? That's so 2020. This year, sources have been warning about an issue that chills the blood quickly: not enough fuel at gas stations. "It's been a bit of a…

Article / Passportable

Follow These Tips to Cut Down on Long Wait Times with Airline Phone Reps

Travel is returning, but the road back to normal will be a bumpy one. I have already told you about rental car shortages and airlines canceling flights that don't sell enough…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Masks Will Be Required on Planes, Trains, and Buses Into September

Masks aren't going away anytime soon, at least not on public transportation in the United States. The Transportation Security Administration has extended its mask mandate through…

Article / Passportable

The Best Time to See the Great Smoky Mountains’ Magical Firefly Spectacle

For a roughly two-week period each spring, fireflies put on a magical light show at Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee. After dark, lightning bugs in the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The European Union’s Plans to Reopen to Vaccinated Travelers by Summer

Just in time for summer travel, the European Union plans to reopen borders to fully vaccinated foreign visitors, no matter where in the world they are from. According to news reports,…

Article / Passportable

Why Uber May Be the Best Way to Rent Cars This Summer

Last week Uber announced it was expanding its reach in yet another industry. The tech giant, known for its ride-hailing and delivery services, has partnered with the major rental car…

Article / Passportable

Another U.S. Airline to Charge for Checking Your Oversize Carry-On at the Gate

There's a moment in most movie westerns when the hero walks into town and everybody on the street slowly turns to give him a beady stare. I had that experience when I flew Ryanair in…

Article / Passportable

Almost Fully Assembled, Legoland New York to Open This Summer

Legoland New York Resort, a 150-acre theme park devoted to colorful plastic bricks in the Hudson Valley north of New York City, was supposed to open on July 4, 2020. But like an older…

Article / Passportable

New Photo Book Captures the World's Beautiful Beaches from Above

Showing off views ordinarily reserved for seagulls and parasailers, the aptly titled new book Bliss: Beaches (Cameron + Company) features aerial images of gorgeous shorelines around…

Article / Passportable

A "50% Off" Flash Sale for Amtrak's 50th Birthday

America's national railway is turning the big 5-0, and in celebration, Amtrak is halving the cost of most journeys for the coming months. But there are significant exceptions,…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

What’s New at D.C.’s Zoo and 7 Smithsonian Museums, Reopening in May?

Next month, members of the public will get their first chance to see the new panda cub at Washington, D.C.'s National Zoo in all his adorable, bamboo-nibbling glory. The zoo and seven…

Article / Passportable

Which Countries Are the Best—and Worst—for Digital Nomads?

When the pandemic turned all of our lives upside down, a bunch of people opted to rotate the wheel another 180 degrees and move somewhere new. Suddenly able to work remotely, they were…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Another Mediterranean Destination Says It Will Subsidize Tourist Visits

Last year, the Italian island of Sicily announced that it was creating a fund to pay for half of vacationers' costs. It was a powerfully attractive promise, to be sure, but considering…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Pandemic Forces a 19-Month Delay in Real ID Enforcement at Airports

Many notorious fibs have been told to modern travelers: High-speed rail is coming soon. Competition will make airline service better. Mergers will give travelers more choice. But among…

Article / Passportable

A Brazilian Town Is Building a Christ Statue Even Bigger Than Rio’s

Brazil is already the world's undisputed capital of very-tall-Jesus tourism, thanks to the Christ the Redeemer statue on Mount Corcovado overlooking Rio de Janeiro. Now an even taller…

Article / Car Rentals

Can't Find an Affordable Rental Car? Try These Alternatives You May Not Have Thought Of

When mainstream rental car companies don't come through, you might have to get creative. These other ideas for rented wheels could save you money.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Why You Shouldn't Freak Out Over the U.S. Adding 116 Countries to the "Do Not Travel" List

Early this week, the U.S. State Department, as it often does, updated its list of travel advisories—and the resulting headlines sparked some consternation. On the surface, headlines…

Article / Passportable

Washington, D.C.'s National Mall Finally Has a World War I Memorial

More than a century after World War I ended, the nation's capital has opened its first official government memorial devoted to the Americans who served in that conflict. The U.S. flag…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Will TripAdvisor's New Subscription Service Alter Its Hotel Search Results?

There’s a term in marketing known as the “Ikea Effect.” It comes from a study that showed that when customers had to invest time and effort into a product—such as building an Ikea…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

What to Expect at the Newly Built Resorts World Las Vegas, Opening in June

The ginormous Resorts World Las Vegas has set an official opening date. The 3,500-room, $4.3-billion behemoth will begin accepting guests on June 24. The property is situated within…

Article / Passportable

See the Stunning Photos That Were Just Named the World’s Best in 2021

Eye-catching images from the U.K., Zimbabwe, India, and many other places took home top honors in the highly regarded Sony World Photography Awards last week. The online galleries…

Article / Passportable

New Airline Connects Los Angeles with Many Western Cities At Low, Low Airfares

Launching a new airline in 2021 takes chutzpah, cojones, and courage. But that's just what Avelo Airlines has done by debuting a small network of flights from a home base at Hollywood…

Article / Passportable

Two Terrific New Visitor Centers Coming to the San Juan Islands in Washington

Washingtonians have been known to argue about just how many San Juan Islands there are. Officially, there are 172 named isles in the archipelago located off the coast of Washington…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Hawaii Set to Make Entry Easy for Vaccinated Visitors This Summer

As tortured and as controversial as Covid-19 safety measures have been across some parts of the United States, the rules for Hawaii have been even more intense—by necessity. From the…