Articles

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Doing the Famed Sydney Bridge Climb The Speedy Way

Some 16 years ago, a clever entrepreneur named Paul Cave came up with the idea of allowing tourists to scale the arch of Sydney’s iconic Harbour Bridge (largest single span steel…

Article / Passportable

Eiffel Tower in Paris Unveils New Glass Floor

Paris' Eiffel Tower unveiled its new $37.5 million renovation today, which rehabilitated its somewhat ignored first level by adding shops, places to eat, and a museum that tells the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The World of Travel is Erupting with Totally Unexpected Developments, Both Mechanical and Policy-Oriented

Who would have thought we would someday find robots doing the work of hotel bellmen?  Or wristwatches supplying us with travel directions?  At Starwood Hotels, a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

We're Back on the Air This Sunday, October 5, 12:05 p.m. until 2 pm.

Attention, all you radio fans!  For the past several months, our Sunday "Travel Show" has been pre-empted in the New York/New Jersey/Connecticut area by New York Mets…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Though It May No Longer Be the "City of the Century," As Once It Was Called, London is a Reliable, Rewarding Destination for a Vacation Trip

In the late 1900s, various travel companies ran contests to name "the city of the century"—and London always won.  Today, other capitals have acquired many of the same cultural…

Article / Passportable

How Much Does an Orlando Vacation Cost? A New Tool Does the Math

One of the most common questions for me as the author of Frommer's Orlando is, "How much does a vacation there cost?"Well, a new online tool helps you figure out how much…

Article / Passportable

Hotel Tonight is No Longer Just for Hotels Tonight

The handy and ever-growing booking app Hotel Tonight has officially made its name only somewhat true. From now on, you can book a discounted last-minute hotel room for tonight or you…

Article / Passportable

Not Using Your Vacation Costs America Dearly

Ten points for the always excellent CBS News Sunday Morning for recently airing this pithy commentary by its contributor Faith Salie.Salie calculates how much the American…

Article / Passportable

Icelandair Makes Viral Video to Remind You About Free Stopovers

Budget travelers have long known about Icelandair's competitive deals on airfare to Europe, but the general public could use the good news. If you're willing to make a pit stop in…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Frommer Authors and Frommer Broadcasting Have Received Two Coveted, First Prize, Gold Awards from the Society of American Travel Writers

You'll have to forgive us for "tooting our own horn", as that ancient  saying goes, but we wouldn't be quite human if we failed to pay notice to two remarkable awards and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Sensational Recent Drop in the Value of its Currency Makes Argentina an Especially Attractive Place for American Vacationers This Winter

I recently drew attention to the decline in value of three major currencies--the Australian and Canadian dollars and the Japanese yen--making travel to Australia,…

Article / Passportable

Spirit Airlines Gouges for Checked Bags This December

You call this Christmas spirit, Spirit? The much-reviled airline will renew its nasty regulation this December when it charges passengers even more to check a bag—just because it's…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Days 4 & 5 In The Australian Outback: Adventures in Alice Springs

(Wallabies gather in a parking lot in Alice Springs; yes, that is a baby wallaby peeking out of the pouch!)Had I visited the Northern…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Two More Airlines Start Charging for the First Checked Bag: Will Free Bags Go Extinct?

Sorry, Canada. Your Westjet just decided to start charging standard passengers for the first checked bag. One would think that would give rival Air Canada in an advantageous position…

Article / Cruise

7 Rookie Mistakes First-Time Cruisers Make

If you’re new to cruising, don’t fall prey to these potential pitfalls. Here are the top nine mistakes cruise newbies make and how to avoid them for smooth sailing, from…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Day 3 In the Australian Outback: Experiencing the Traditional Aboriginal Way of Life

Uluru and Kata Tjuta, the massive (and quite beautiful) rock formations that are at the heart of the famed National Park with their names, have been sacred sites for Australia's…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Practice of Causing Giant Orca Whales to Entertain the Public at Theme Parks Across America, May Soon be the Subject of a Courtroom Trial

The changing attitudes towards the use of captive animals in travel-related theme parks is, to me, a fascinating subject, and one for which I have a deep sense of shame.…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Growing Strength of the U.S. Dollar Has Lowered the Cost of Trips to a Number of Popular Foreign Destinations--Here's a Rundown

Although political conditions may have reduced travel by us American tourists to a number of foreign countries (like in the Middle East and North Africa), the picture…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Posts from the Australian Outback: Day 2 in the Northern Territory Means Camels in the Bush

One of my goals in visiting the Uluru area was to explore this eye-poppingly beautiful area in as many ways as possible. But I couldn't, in my wildest imagination, have guessed…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Posts from the Outback: Day 1 of My Northern Territory Adventure in Uluru National Park

You don't know until you go.That could be (and should be) my mantra. Because even destinations I've seen hundreds of times in photos and videos always surprise in…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Two-Step Procedure, Ending With a Direct Phone Call to the Hotel, Is Probably Your Best Way to Obtain the Lowest-Priced Accommodations for Your Next Trip

The evidence seems stronger every day that the best way to get a well-priced, low-cost hotel room is to place a direct phone call to the hotel itself.  But you should do…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Some Major Lawsuits Brought Against Them May Very Well Spell Doom for a Number of Phony Travel Clubs

In recent weeks, a slew of phony travel clubs may have met their doom.  And I'm writing about those many deceptive, despicable and contemptible clubs that are out to…

Article / Cruise

The 5 Best Restaurants on Carnival Ships

Just how far has Carnival come from the days of bland buffets and wan salad bars? Well, if you book a cruise on one of the line’s newer ships, you’re bound to be pleasantly…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Final Day: Innovation, Malls and Glove Puppets

Last full day in Taiwan 1) Went to the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion, the museum where the government showcases the most innovative Taiwanese inventions of the last year. Saw an air…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Day 3: Head Hunters, Selfie Sticks, Women on Top, Flying Lanterns

Aboriginal headdresses (photo by Pauline Frommer)Today in Taiwan.... 1) I discovered that selfies…