Articles

Zac Thompson

Article / Passportable

This Country Just Cut Its Sky-High Tourist Tax in Half

Turns out imposing a ludicrously expensive daily fee on tourists isn't great for tourism. Who knew. The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has announced that it is cutting in half the $200…

Article / Passportable

Chip and Joanna Gaines' Hotel Opens This Fall, Cementing Their Waco Takeover

Waco, Texas, takes another step toward becoming Chip-and-Joanna-Gainesville this fall. The married stars of the home-renovation series Fixer Upper have developed and designed their own…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Fall Foliage in New England: What to Expect in 2023

It has been a rainy summer in New England, characterized by flash flooding in Vermont and the second-wettest July on record in Boston. What does that mean for the region's famous fall…

Article / Passportable

Hurricane Season 2023 Could Be Worse Than First Thought, Forecasters Say

UPDATE, August 11: In a new hurricane season forecast released this week by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the U.S. government's offical weather watchers…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Minion Land Now Making Mischief at Universal Orlando Resort: Check Out the Videos

Minions, the animated yellow capsule creatures (think sentient Percocet pills, but adorable) from the Despicable Me cinematic universe, now have their own theme park area at Universal…

Article / Outdoor & Adventure

How to Prep for High Altitude Before Your Mountain Vacation

Headed into the mountains? Here's what medical experts recommend to avoid altitude sickness.

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Don't Scan a Fake QR Code! Scammers Can Steal Your Personal Info

An earlier version of this post has been updated with new information.We know QR codes are convenient, allowing quick access to the website or payment portal of a restaurant, parking…

Article / Passportable

Africatown Heritage House: New Museum About Last Known Slave Ship to U.S.

A new museum dedicated to the lives and legacies of people aboard the last known ship to transport enslaved Africans to the United States has opened in Alabama. Mobile's Africatown…

Article / Passportable

Marie Antoinette's Private Rooms at Palace of Versailles Now Open for Tours

At the Palace of Versailles in France, members of the public may once again step behind the gilded paneling of the Queen's State Apartment and into the two-story suite of rooms used by…

Article / Passportable

The New African American Museum in Charleston: Opening Date, How to Go, What to See

An estimated 40% of all enslaved Africans brought to the United States as part of the international slave trade disembarked in Charleston, South Carolina. On Tuesday, June 27, the new…

Article / Beach & Water Sports

The Best Nude Beaches in the World Named in Ranking

In the 2004 sex comedy EuroTrip, one character cites Frommer's as a reliable source for info about nude beaches, in a scene we can't show you here for reasons summed up in the movie's…

Article / Passportable

Nonstop Flights to British Virgin Islands from U.S. Are Here at Last

For the first time in decades, you can take a commercial flight straight from the U.S. mainland to the British Virgin Islands. Up to now, U.S. travelers aiming for the archipelago's…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Boston’s Prudential Tower Observatory, View Boston, Ups Its Game

Recent visitors to Boston may have noticed a dearth of publicly accessible views of the city from atop its tallest buildings. The tallest of all, the John Hancock Tower (now…

Article / Passportable

How Bad Will the 2023 Hurricane Season Be? Here's What the Forecasts Say

UPDATE, May 26: The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season will be "near-normal," according to the official forecast from the U.S. government. In its annual outlook, the National Oceanic and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

France Bans Short-Haul Flights—but Only a Few Routes Are Affected

This week France became the first country in the world to enact a ban on short-haul domestic flights. According to the new law, airlines may not operate flights between two French…

Article / Passportable

Cannabis-Friendly Hotel with Top-Optional Pool Coming to Las Vegas

This post, originally published January 18, has been updated with new information.The doors will soon open at what's being billed as the first "cannabis-inclusive" hotel in Las…

Article / Passportable

A New Trail Connects the Best Waterfall Hikes in a Region with Hundreds of Them

If you ask us, spotting a waterfall is one of the best reasons to go on a hike, ranking right up there with breathing pristine mountain air and sampling all the latest innovations in…

Article / Passportable

When Free Flights to Hong Kong Become Available in the U.S.—and How to Apply

An earlier version of this post has been updated with new information.Earlier this year, Hong Kong hatched a tourism-boosting plan to give away more than 500,000 airline tickets to…

Article / Passportable

Lyft Airport Pickup Just Got a Lot Easier for Some Riders

The tricky task of timing pickup at the airport from a ride-hailing app is getting easier for a lot of Lyft users this summer. The company has launched a new feature that lets you…

Article / Passportable

These New Hikes in Switzerland Are Led by a "Mountain Air Sommelier"

Plenty of travel experiences focus on showing you the sights, but how many specialize in sniffing the scents? To help address the sensory imbalance, Switzerland's Graubünden region…

Article / Passportable

New Travel App Rates Accessible Hotels, Restaurants, and Attractions

For people with disabilities—a group making up an estimated 26% of the U.S. adult population—travel planning in great detail is essential. Trouble is, great details are hard to come…

Article / Passportable

Natural Bridge Caverns Near San Antonio Opening Huge Hidden Cave for the First Time

The considerable charms of the Texas Hill Country, which include bluebonnet-blanketed meadows, natural swimming pools, and vineyards, even extend underground. In the region's elaborate…

Article / Passportable

Money-Saving Travel Trick: Join AARP Even if You’re Under 50

When it comes to reaping AARP travel benefits, 30 is the new 50. The advocacy group, formerly known as the American Association of Retired Persons but now officially just AARP, focuses…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Why Getting to JFK Airport in NYC Could Be a Nightmare for Years to Come

Getting to and from New York City's John F. Kennedy International Airport by car, public transit, taxi, and ride-hailing services will soon get a lot more difficult—and the situation…

Article / Passportable

Amelia Earhart Museum Celebrates Aviation Trailblazer

A museum dedicated to the life and legacy of Amelia Earhart celebrates the pioneering aviator in her hometown.In 2023 the Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum began welcoming visitors in…