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Article / Passportable

Too Soon? Jacksonville, Florida, Already Reopening Beaches

Jacksonville, Florida, is among the first locations in the United States to loosen social distancing restrictions—the city's beaches reopened to the public Friday at 5pm. According to…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Stranded in Peru: A Remarkable Journey Home

In March 2020, the world shut down with surprising speed. Americans who were abroad then either got home just in time, got stuck where they were, or undertook journeys that would have…

Article / Passportable

Emirates Airlines' Boarding Procedure Now Includes a Coronavirus Test

Though testing is not widespread in the United Arab Emirates yet, the country's flagship airline rolled out testing for passengers at its Dubai hub yesterday. Before boarding a flight…

Article / Passportable

How to Celebrate Massachusetts Patriots' Day Events Online

Each year on the third Monday of April, Massachusetts commemorates the start of the American Revolutionary War with Patriots' Day. The statewide celebration includes a parade in…

Article / Passportable

Faroe Islands Launch Wild Idea: Control a Live Guide Like a Video Game

The Faroe Islands has come up with a new way to let people explore this isolated and starkly beautiful destination that has been gaining popularity as an alternative to Iceland. Each…

Article / Passportable

Delta Air Lines Changes Boarding Procedure

To accommodate social distancing recommendations, Delta Air Lines has temporarily adjusted its method of boarding passengers onto planes. As of April 10, the carrier has been filling…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Europe Border Closures Almost Certain to Be Extended—But for How Long?

Most of Europe has been closed to foreign visitors since March 17. That's when the member states of the European Union and the Schengen zone (referring to an area in which internal…

Article / Passportable

Team Claims to Have Set a New "Cannonball Run" Record

Earning a title that will surely go down in the annals of idiocy, a team of drivers has apparently set a new record for the so-called "Cannonball Run." The feat, based on the 1970s…

Article / Passportable

CDC Extends No-Sail Order for Cruise Ships Using American Ports

Late last night the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) extended by 100 days its prohibition on cruises using American ports. The original order was supposed to end in…

Article / Passportable

Airbnb Launches Online Experiences You Pay For

Airbnb has introduced an all-digital version of its Experiences platform for tours and activities. With the company's new Online Experiences, experts around the world can teach you…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Beware: The Travel Industry Is Clinging to Your Money

Times are tough. We all know it. A lot of us aren't sure where the money will be coming from in a few months—and among the least sure are the businesses that sell travel. That's why…

Article / Passportable

Delta Promises You Won't Have to Take a Middle Seat

Delta Air Lines has announced a new set of measures designed to conform to the world's current standards for social distancing—or at least to nod to them. From April 13 to May 31, the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

New York City Will Bounce Back

By the end of this week, many of New York's largest indoor and outdoor spaces will be transformed. Officials may need to start using city parks as temporary burial grounds, and already…

Article / Passportable

Government Says Airlines Must Refund Canceled Flights—Eventually

The U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) has issued an "enforcement notice" reminding airlines and the "traveling public" that passengers whose flights are canceled or significantly…

Article / Passportable

Governor of South Carolina Bans Hotel Guests from NY, CT, and NJ

On Friday, Henry McMaster, the Governor of South Carolina, updated an executive order to include a new prohibition. As of April 3, the state's hotels, motels, campgrounds, and rental…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Airline Passenger Data Collection: An Essential Pandemic Tool

In the annals of "woulda, coulda, shoulda," a longtime battle between the airlines and the U.S. government has come to the fore, far too late. For the past 15 years, the U.S.…

Article / Passportable

WATCH: Penguins Run Loose in Chicago Aquarium, Meet Beluga Whales

The Shedd Aquarium in Chicago continues to host the world's most adorable quarantine. While the facility is closed to visitors during the coronavirus pandemic, staffers have been…

Article / Passportable

TSA Says You Can Fly with an Expired Driver's License

In an announcement overlooked by many amid the coronavirus hubbub, the TSA has said that for a limited time passengers may use expired driver's licenses to get through airport…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In Memoriam: Walking Guide Writer William Helmreich

In my 20-plus years as a radio talk show host, I've interviewed thousands of people. I'll be honest: I don't remember most of those conversations. But although I interviewed William…

Article / Passportable

Matterhorn and Eiffel Tower Lit with Messages of Hope and Gratitude

Two of Europe's most iconic sights are being illuminated each evening with words and symbols of encouragement amid the worldwide COVID-19 pandemic. In Zermatt, Switzerland, projections…

Article / Passportable

Theft of a van Gogh Devastates Two Dutch Museums

March 30, 2020, marks Vincent van Gogh's 167th birthday. Coincidentally, in the early hours of March 30, thieves broke into the Singer Laren Museum in the Amsterdam suburbs to steal…

Article / Passportable

Visit Kentucky Horse Farms with New Virtual Tours

The Kentucky Derby, usually held on the first Saturday in May at Churchill Downs in Louisville, has been postponed to September 5 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. But you can keep…

Article / Passportable

Spring Breaker Who Vowed to Party Despite COVID-19: I Was Wrong

Remember that die-hard spring breaker who went viral on the internet last week for saying he wouldn't mind going viral in a literal sense for the noble cause of partying? "If I get…

Article / Passportable

A Frommer's Intern Travels Home from Spain During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Last Monday, my coworkers at the schools in Spain where I was employed as a teaching assistant told me not to worry about the coronavirus. The next day, I was told I wouldn't be…

Article / Passportable

This Strip Club Has a Novel Take on Social Distancing

On March 17, Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak issued an executive order closing all casinos, bars, gyms, restaurants and other non-essential businesses to help keep citizens a safe distance…