Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Passportable

Disney World Now Charges for Parking at Hotels, Decreasing Their Value

Update: Disney Parks finally rescinded fees for self-parking at Walt Disney World resorts in January 2023. Click here to read about that.It used to be one of the great courtesies of…

Article / Passportable

For Tourists, This Is the Last Straw!

Last call! More and more, you're going to have to go without drinking straws.Single-use plastic straws are distinctly unkind to wildlife. Fresh straws choke animals. Then each straw is…

Article / Hotels

Resort Fees Repel Foreign Visitors and Cheat People: They're Destructive for Us All

Americans despise resort fees. But in a shockingly short span of time, we became blasé about them. Appallingly, the people once renowned for feisty individualism and a testy spirit of…

Article / Local Experiences

A Walking Tour Into Los Angeles' Abandoned Speakeasy Tunnels

A walking tour company in Downtown Los Angeles brings visitors into long-forgotten tunnels once used for bootlegging under city streets.

Article / Slideshows

Look at How Different Shanghai Disneyland Is from Other Disney Parks

Shanghai Disneyland may be the sixth Disney resort to be built worldwide, but it's the first of its kind. For one, this resort, which opened in the summer of 2016, is in a size…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Is It Safe to Vacation in Cape Town Once the Water Runs Out?

We have never been here before. A major world city is about to run out of fresh water.  On April 12, the drought-stricken city of Cape Town, on the southwestern tip of Africa, hits Day…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Why Wall Street Doesn't Want You to Have Cheap Airfare

It was a blip in the headlines last week, barely noticed amid a circus of political stories: United Airlines stock plunged 6%. At the same time, Delta dropped 5.4% and Southwest went…

Article / Passportable

The Travel Services That Close in a U.S. Government Shutdown

As the wheels of Washington threaten to grind to a halt yet again, another United States federal government shutdown is a concern. Travel, by and large, is considered a "non-essential"…

Article / Passportable

Now Flying: A Zip Line Over the Grand Canyon

A brand-new zip line has opened on a spur of the Grand Canyon, sending harnessed thrill seekers flying 1,000 feet over the earth.The Zip Line at Grand Canyon West near Peach Springs,…

Article / Passportable

Now You Can Fly Round-Trip to Europe for €399—with a Catch

First, U.S. domestic airlines introduced Basic Economy fares so their rates would appear more competitive with low-cost carriers in Web searches.Now the transatlantic airlines are…

Article / Passportable

Days When You Can Visit U.S. National Parks for Free in 2018

Each year, the National Park system throws open its gates for a few days and spreads the good word by admitting everyone without charging entry fees. It's a great way for low-income…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Want a Cannabis Vacation? Now There's a Whole Town for That

One day after California, America's most populous state, made recreational cannabis consumption legal, the Los Angeles Times reported on an entire town where getting stoned is the…

Article / Passportable

Turkey Fully Resumes Issuing Visas to Americans

For nearly three months, Turkish authorities and the U.S. government have been in a diplomatic spat, resulting in the suspension of visas for American tourists. The quick and painless…

Article / Passportable

Hyatt's Cancellation Rules Worsen for Consumers

Hyatt Hotels has made it more expensive for you to cancel a reservation. At most of the company's 700-odd properties, customers must now cancel at least 48 hours ahead of their planned…

Article / Slideshows

Do These Things Before Going to China—Your Trip Will Go Better

China can feel like a world unto itself—different ATM systems, different methods of paying, even different styles of bathrooms. If you're planning a vacation in China, there are a few…

Article / Slideshows

Great Traditions Worth Experiencing at World Hotels

Hotels can be destinations, too, and sometimes checking into a historic property is reason enough to travel. From afternoon tea at the Ritz in London to the obsessive polishing of the…

Article / Passportable

It's Here: Donald Trump Robot Unveiled at Disney's Hall of Presidents

About six months behind its usual post-election refurbishment schedule, Walt Disney World has unveiled its Audio-Animatronic version of the current president of the United States,…

Article / Passportable

Hotel Earns Guinness Record for Whisky: 1,031 Varieties

Fans of the tipple might want to toddle off to Scotland for their next holiday. The Guinness Book of World Records has officially recognized one hotel there for having the most…

Article / Passportable

Marriott's New Shower Doors Record What You Doodle on Them

This winter, Marriott introduces what it calls "Splash of Brilliance," which are special shower doors that record whatever guests trace onto them and emails an image of it. You…

Article / Passportable

American State Department Simplifies Travel Warnings

Following a long internal review, the United States Department of State is making its travel warnings clearer. Starting in January, its notices on safety situations will be boiled down…

Article / Passportable

Brazil Just Got a Whole Lot Easier to Visit

Hallelujah! Brazil's arms are finally opening wide to tourists.For years, if you wanted to visit the riches of this South American country, you soon found out how difficult it was.…

Article / Passportable

Two New Countries Get Dedicated Eurail Passes

As of January 1, 2018, two more nations will have one-country Eurail passes available for sale to tourists. Starting then, if you're visiting Turkey or Serbia you can purchase a pass…

Article / Passportable

Free National Park Entry on Nov. 11 & 12, But for Which Parks?

This weekend, Nov. 11 and 12, entry to many (but not all) national parks will be free in honor of Veterans Day.The National Park Service has posted a state-by-state list of the free…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Passenger Jets Now Fueled by Food Scraps and Vegetable Oil

At the end of 1985's Back to the Future, Doc Brown opens his Delorean and dumps table scraps and beer into a "Mr. Fusion" tank to generate the power to whisk Marty McFly into the year…

Article / Passportable

Airfare is About to Rise. Here's Why

American and Southwest airlines have both sent signals that their airfares are about to go up.Why? Simple: They're making more money, so they don't need to put flights on sale as…