Articles

Passportable

Article / Passportable

Ellis Island's Haunting Hospital Ward Now Open

After years of begging from Americana buffs and urban explorers, the spooky and historically crucial Hospital Complex of New York harbor's Ellis Island is now open for guided…

Article / Passportable

London Now Charges £10 to Attend New Year's

New Year's Eve on Lambeth Bridge, LondonWant to go to London to hear Big Ben bong in the new year and watch the fireworks? Pony up!Last month, London mayor Boris Johnson…

Article / Passportable

Eiffel Tower in Paris Unveils New Glass Floor

Paris' Eiffel Tower unveiled its new $37.5 million renovation today, which rehabilitated its somewhat ignored first level by adding shops, places to eat, and a museum that tells the…

Article / Passportable

How Much Does an Orlando Vacation Cost? A New Tool Does the Math

One of the most common questions for me as the author of Frommer's Orlando is, "How much does a vacation there cost?"Well, a new online tool helps you figure out how much…

Article / Passportable

Hotel Tonight is No Longer Just for Hotels Tonight

The handy and ever-growing booking app Hotel Tonight has officially made its name only somewhat true. From now on, you can book a discounted last-minute hotel room for tonight or you…

Article / Passportable

Not Using Your Vacation Costs America Dearly

Ten points for the always excellent CBS News Sunday Morning for recently airing this pithy commentary by its contributor Faith Salie.Salie calculates how much the American…

Article / Passportable

Icelandair Makes Viral Video to Remind You About Free Stopovers

Budget travelers have long known about Icelandair's competitive deals on airfare to Europe, but the general public could use the good news. If you're willing to make a pit stop in…

Article / Passportable

Spirit Airlines Gouges for Checked Bags This December

You call this Christmas spirit, Spirit? The much-reviled airline will renew its nasty regulation this December when it charges passengers even more to check a bag—just because it's…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Final Day: Innovation, Malls and Glove Puppets

Last full day in Taiwan 1) Went to the Taiwan Excellence Pavilion, the museum where the government showcases the most innovative Taiwanese inventions of the last year. Saw an air…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Day 3: Head Hunters, Selfie Sticks, Women on Top, Flying Lanterns

Aboriginal headdresses (photo by Pauline Frommer)Today in Taiwan.... 1) I discovered that selfies…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Day 2: Java, Burial Rights, Vice

(This is part 2 of a series of, well, snippets. They're random, but I hope interesting, impressions of what I experienced recently in…

Article / Passportable

Taiwan Impressions, Day 1: Odd Signs, Odder Fish and Bathrooms That Hum

I recently returned from a trip to Taiwan, my third in a year and a half. And, as before, I had a number of experiences that surprised and delighted me. I wasn't there to write an…

Article / Passportable

Bucket List: Tourism Board Gets Iced

Visit Syracuse has tagged Visit Rochester and the I LOVE NY team in the Convention and Visitors Board version of the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge.  Taunting Rochester and…

Article / Passportable

Where was ABC's series 'The Quest' filmed?

ABC's groundbreaking reality competition series The Quest has not been a summer ratings bonanza. In fact, for its final few weeks, the network plans to air episodes back-to-back…

Article / Passportable

Highland "Games"—Visit Scotland Banks on Outlander to Be New Game of Thrones

VisitScotland is banking on the new Starz TV series Outlander to out game Game of Thrones.Sword slashing, derring-do, lots of sex and violence along with a compellingly…

Article / Passportable

Taking the Road That's Most "Emotionally Pleasing"

If it’s the journey that matters and not the destination, then Yahoo Lab’s latest initiative should improve travelers’ lives. According to a recently published paper, the…

Article / Passportable

New App Finds Last-Minute Airfare Price Drops

Inspired by (actually very inspired by) the last-minute hotel booking app Hotel Tonight, a newcomer called Flight Tonight hopes to help travelers find those instances in which…

Article / Passportable

College Town Idyll: Multicultural Middlebury, VT

To my left is a sign for a shop selling maple syrup. Over my right shoulder is the town green, looking as New England as New England can be. But passing me are, first, a whole…

Article / Passportable

Finally! This Site Shames Hotels with Lousy Wi-Fi

One of the great annoyances of hotel stays today is that although nearly all properties boldly advertise they have Wi-Fi, not all of them prove to be truly high-speed once you check…

Article / Passportable

Cuomo Boosts Northern NY Tourism at Adirondack Challenge

New York State Governor Andrew Cuomo may be hobbled by scandal in the corridors of power but on Indian Lake in the Adirondacks it was smooth sailing this past weekend.The…

Article / Passportable

Riviera Nayarit, Part 3: Intense Huichol Art

Back in March, I was lucky enough to be in Mexico City (one of my favorite cities) and at the small guesthouse where we were staying, the owner had a striking work of art on the…

Article / Passportable

Riviera Nayarit, Part 2: The Saint of San Pancho

I find, when I travel, that the people I meet are often as memorable as the sights I see. That was certainly the case on my recent trip to the Riviera Nayarit. After wandering…

Article / Passportable

Explore the Allure of the Seas On Your Computer

The Ice Rink as seen by Street View, complete with creepy blurred facesToday's latest gimmick: Royal Caribbean has invited Google Street View onto its (current) biggest…

Article / Passportable

A Trip Report: The Riviera Nayarit

Kim Kardashian goes to the Riviera Nayarit yearly. Christina Aguilera got engaged there. And on the visit I finished last week, I shared the sands with the Presidents of Chile,…

Article / Passportable

Boston Gives Its Beloved Freedom Trail a Makeover

If you have ever tried to follow Boston's Freedom Trail, one of the great city walking tours in America, you might have had some trouble. At times, the faded paint line—which runs…