Articles

Jason Cochran

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Alamo in San Antonio Wins UNESCO Status, And It Couldn't Come at a More Embarrassing Time

The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas, has just been inscribed with one of the most prestigious designations in international tourism: It and the four other San Antonio Missions now…

Article / Passportable

After an Incident, Disney Bans Selfie Sticks

Leave them at home.Disneyland and Walt Disney World—and Disney parks around the world—have banned selfie sticks. This means that the most popular theme parks on the planet have…

Article / Passportable

Popular Orlando Water Park to Close Forever

A few weeks ago, when Universal Orlando announced it was building a lavish new water slide park, Volcano Bay, for a 2017 opening, it was all over for Wet 'N Wild.The seminal…

Article / Passportable

Teachers Get 25% off B&Bs This Summer

BedandBreakfast.com, an established one-stop booking site for family-run B&Bs, has launched its annual discount program for teachers on summer break.The site has collected…

Article / Passportable

Rome's Colosseum Gets Its Lion Elevator Back

Two thousand years ago, the famous Colosseum was the biggest gathering place in the seat of the Roman Empire. In fact, it was the world's biggest amphitheatre. Over time, much of the…

Article / Passportable

South Africa's Handy Mandela Vacation App

It has been a year and half since Nelson Mandela died at the impressive age of 95, but there's no way his influence will be forgotten anytime soon. People traveling to South Africa…

Article / Passportable

Forget Bringing Your Own Bottles on Carnival

In a move touted as a measure to control contraband alcohol, Carnival Cruise Lines is banning bottled beverages of all kinds at the pier.Bringing your own alcohol aboard a major…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Airline Industry's Call for Smaller Carry-Ons Will Hit You in the Wallet

The International Air Transport Association, an industry group comprised of commercial airlines, has decided it's time to come up with a global standard for what size a carry-on…

Article / Passportable

Free Stay in Tahiti If You Go to New Zealand

The thing that stops most people from going to French Polynesia is the cost. It can cost as much to fly midway across the South Pacific to Tahiti as it can to go all the way across…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Beware the Hotel Room Pizza Delivery Scam! They Could Steal Your Credit Card Info

You just arrived in town after a hellish 10-hour battle with the U.S. airlines. You're worn out, you're hungry, and all you want is an easy bite to eat before bed. Good fortune!…

Article / Passportable

LGA Tries to Fix Lousy Transfers with App

Largely for political reasons, New York City has failed to link one of its three airports to the city by rail. The airport that processed some 111.6 million passengers in 2013 is…

Article / Passportable

New Free Trolley Rolling in Palm Springs

Palm Springs has launched a free trolley service, Palm Springs Buzz, enabling visitors to more easily visit without a car—or after more sangrias.Buzz runs Thursday through Sunday…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

This Haunting Record of Georgia's Forgotten Country Churches Could Inspire an Unforgettable Road Trip

Friendship Baptist, cir. 1831, Wilkes County, Georgia, from HRCGA.orgNow and then, we discover a homegrown website that celebrates a topic we'd never thought about much before,…

Article / Passportable

Unrest Makes Puerto Vallarta a No-Go

Royal Caribbean, Disney Cruise Line, and Celebrity have all cancelled port visits to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, following a wave of crime in the tourist city and the surrounding…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Hotel Mini-Bar Is Dying Out. New Figures Reveal a Chill in Its Popularity

When was the last time you bought something from the hotel mini-bar?For most casual vacationers who aren't billing hotel charges to a business expense account, the answer…

Article / Cruise

Why You Have Probably Never Heard About Europe's Largest River Cruise Brand

For a long time, river cruiser CroisiEurope didn't seem to care if U.S. vacationers sailed with them, but now this family-run company aims to raise its image.

Article / Passportable

Royal Caribbean Limits Last-Minute Deals

Royal Caribbean has been enjoying a lot of publicity for the christening of its latest megaship, Anthem of the Seas, which is bound for service out of New York Harbor next year, but…

Article / Passportable

When Airbnb Goes Wrong

We love Airbnb. We do. It has the power to transform the way travelers interact with local culture and make expensive destinations affordable. It also strips the power out of the…

Article / Passportable

Elite Flyers Lose Access to TSA Pre

Today, American Airlines sent a warning to its AAdvantage frequent flyer club members: You've been downgraded.Said the airline, "The Transportation Security Administration…

Article / Passportable

DogVacay is now CatVacay, Too

There are no figures for this, but I wonder how many people decide they can't travel because they don't want to (or can't afford to) leave their animals behind. Kennels are expensive…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

After Germanwings: Are the Budget Airlines Less Safe than the Others?

On Thursday morning on ABC's The View, Michelle Collins, one of the show's revolving co-hosts, suggested that because the European cut-price airlines are tough on customers…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Don't Buy the Hype! $10 Flights to Europe Will Never Be a Reality, And Here's Why

Anyone who has ever been on Facebook knows what click bait is. That's when some website—it used to be one you'd never heard of, but now everyone's doing it—writes a sensational…

Article / Passportable

CityPASS Adds One City But Drops Another

In our estimation, CityPASS is one of the only multi-attraction tourist passes that's worth its salt. Countless ticket packages marketed to tourists have a very short lifespan—often,…

Article / Passportable

Travelers Carrying AmEx Face Tough Changes

It's been a tumultuous month for American Express, and that turbulence is about to be transferred to travelers who use the credit cards. Many travelers choose the card because of its…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

As Disney World Tickets Break $100, There Are Signs Disney Vacations Are Now Only for the Rich

Disney raises its prices every year in advance of the big school holidays, and this year, its price hike has broken a barrier that seems impossible. As of today, a single day at…