Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Passportable

Eat on Florence's Streets and You Could Be Fined $580

Lots of people choose to visit Italy because they respect the cuisine, but now, eating it with dignity is the law. On September 4, Florence instituted a new penalty for tourists who…

Article / Passportable

Drive to Florida in a Rental Car for Only $7.99 a Day

Winter is coming, and in Florida, so are the tourists. Each year, the major car rental companies shift their inventory to where the business is, and now that summer is ending, Hertz…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

JetBlue Increases Baggage Fee, Leading Way for Copycats

It's like a cautionary fairy tale. There once was a fun-loving, egalitarian airline that wanted to revolutionize the industry. All seats were given personal TVs, there was only one…

Article / Health, Insurance, Security

Do I Need Car Insurance When I Rent a Vehicle? Maybe Not

Should you buy CDW coverage when you rent a car? You may be surprised to learn that you can save the money—because you're already covered.  

Article / Air Travel

Why Airlines Like to Annoy You with Credit Card Pitches—and Why It's About to Get Worse

A researcher has calculated how much money U.S. airlines are making from in-flight credit card sales pitches, and the number isn't good news for peace and quiet.

Article / Hotels

My Hotel Is Overbooked! What Did I Do Wrong?

It happens all the time. Guests with reservations are sent somewhere else because there are no more rooms. Here's how you can avoid getting bumped when a hotel is full.

Article / Money and Fees

Can We Talk About Those Ridiculous Game Show Vacation Prices?

When it comes to the cost of a vacation, the price is not right on TV game shows. 

Article / Passportable

Epic New Zealand Rail Line to Reopen After Quake

New Zealand's gorgeous Coastal Pacific rail service, which runs between Picton and Christchurch on the South Island's east coast, announced it will return on December 1. KiwiRail's…

Article / Passportable

The 'Mamma Mia!' Sequel is a Lie: That's Not Greece!

You may remember—or perhaps you studied it in your Great Achievements of World Cinema class—that the first Mamma Mia! movie was set in Greece. Based on the hit Broadway musical, the…

Article / Slideshows

How Far in Advance Should I Book Flights?

Next to the tax code, there may be nothing more confusing than airfare. Dynamic pricing, capacity-controlled rate tiers, seasonal shifts—how is anyone supposed to know the best time to…

Article / Passportable

A Deadly End for the Yellowstone Daredevils

Two years ago, in the spring of 2016, a few young Canadians created an international scandal by treading into forbidden, protected areas of Yellowstone National Park and recording it…

Article / Slideshows

For These European Sights, You Should Reserve Tickets Ahead

Because travel has become so affordable, the world's favorite tourist attractions have never been more crowded. Some of them are so overrun that you could spend as many hours outside…

Article / Passportable

After 700 Years, Westminster Abbey Opens Secret Attic to Visitors

It took five years and $30.5 million (£22.9 million) to make it happen, but Westminster Abbey in London has just made a spectacular new addition to one of Europe's top tourist…

Article / Passportable

U.S. National Park Fees Leap Higher Overnight

When Americans woke up this morning (June 1), they discovered it would cost them a lot more to enter their national parks.Nearly all the major parks hiked their entry rates by a hefty…

Article / Passportable

Bad News for the Arizona Memorial in Pearl Harbor, Hawaii

Pearl Harbor's world-famous memorial (pictured above) that straddles the submerged wreck of the USS Arizona has been closed indefinitely.The trouble began May 6, when cracks were…

Article / Air Travel

Avoid Extra Bag Fees with This Fiendishly Clever Packing Hack

You don't have to check a second bag. Here's a smart tip for when you've bought more souvenirs than you can fit in your luggage.

Article / Hotels

Can't Find a Cheap Hotel in Europe? Try the Ramadan Trick

For travelers who are not observant Muslims, it's a time of year that may yield surprising deals in non-Islamic vacation destinations.

Article / Passportable

Hello Kitty Bullet Train to Make Japan Even More Adorable

We're just going to leave this right here.On June 30, 2018, a brand-new bullet shinkansen service will make its debut in Japan: a Hello Kitty train. The Hello Kitty Express, as we're…

Article / Passportable

New Ferry Links Spain with Ireland, Thanks to Brexit

Something brand-new happened this month: A new ferry service between Ireland and Spain was inaugurated.Why? Because as the United Kingdom proceeds with Brexit, its half-baked plan to…

Article / Passportable

Thanks (and No Thanks) for the Memories, Bob Hope

The National World War II Museum in New Orleans—truly one of the best, most thorough, and well-funded historic museums in the United States, and deeply underrated—is adding a special…

Article / Passportable

Another Airline to Sell Transatlantic Fares from $200: What's the Deal?

You've heard of Norwegian, XL, and WOW—three low-cost, Europe-based airlines that have made their fame by selling affordable, no-nonsense transatlantic flights from the United…

Article / Passportable

Hugely Popular European Destination Bans Apartment Rentals

Between 2015 and 2017, illegal vacation rentals, fueled by services such as Airbnb, shot up 50%. As a consequence, rent for locals skyrocketed 40%.For a small Mediterranean island…

Article / Slideshows

Symphony of the Seas by Royal Caribbean: A Tour (and the Cheapest Cabins)

When the Symphony of the Seas was launched in the spring of 2018, it was billed as the largest cruise ship in the world. This was true—but only by a very small degree over the previous…

Article / Passportable

Priceline Ends "Name Your Own Price" Car Rentals

Yet another core offering of Priceline has been carved away.The website, which made itself famous beginning in 1997 as a place where travelers could place low bids for various products…

Article / Slideshows

Things to Do on Catalina Island, L.A.'s Island Getaway

Just about everything about Catalina is incongruous. Found 22 miles into the Pacific Ocean southwest of Los Angeles, this rugged isle is a bastion of laid-back calm within sight (on a…