Great Smoky Mountains to Charge for Parking and Raise Camping Fees
Posted on 08/16/2022, 12:00 AM
Parking at Great Smoky Mountains National Park will soon require a fee. Starting March 1, 2023, vehicles parked in any lots within the preserve, which straddles the Tennessee–North Carolina border, will need to display a daily pass for $5 or a weekly pass (good for up to 7 days) for $15. For frequent visitors, there's an annual tag costing $40. According to the National Park Service, the fee is n...
Looking for Cheaper Flights This Fall? Go West!
Posted on 08/11/2022, 1:00 PM
The price of airline tickets is expected to drop significantly this autumn, as Frommer's previously reported. The latest data from Hopper, the travel booking app that tracks airfare changes, suggests that round-trip domestic airfare in September and October will cost an average of $238, down $142 from the summer high. International flights will cost less, too, but they'll still be 17% higher tha...
Seeking Long-Term Digital Nomads, Thailand Adds 10-Year Remote Visa
Posted on 08/09/2022, 5:30 PM
Thailand is a mainstay on lists of the best places for digital nomads, thanks to the Southeast Asian country's tempting combo of picture-perfect beaches (Phuket is pictured above), uniquely thrilling cities—starting, of course, with Bangkok—and a low cost of living for American and European expats. Starting September 1, Thailand aims to sweeten the deal even further, opening applications for a new...
Hiking to the World’s Tallest Tree Could Get You a $5,000 Fine, Jail Time
Posted on 08/03/2022, 5:15 PM
A fine of $5,000 and up to 6 months in jail await those who attempt to hike to the world's tallest tree, the National Park Service has announced. Dubbed Hyperion, the coast redwood stands at a height of more than 380 feet in a remote area of Northern California's Redwood National Park. The tree has been growing for an estimated 600 to 800 years, but things didn't get complicated until 2006, acc...
Pioneering Baseball Great Jackie Robinson Finally Gets His Own Museum
Posted on 07/29/2022, 7:00 AM
This year marks the 75th anniversary of when Jackie Robinson made his debut with the Brooklyn Dodgers, thus becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball history. Just in time to commemorate the occasion, New York City is getting a long-delayed, much-deserved museum dedicated to the trailblazing baseball great's life and legacy in sports and civil rights activism. Located at 75 Varic...
The Train in Spain Is Free This Fall (As Long As You Don’t Go Too Far)
Posted on 07/27/2022, 7:00 AM
Spain is making many types of public train travel free for riders starting September 1, the government has announced. For the last four months of the year, a 100% discount will go into effect for commuter and medium-distance trips operated by Renfe, the state-owned rail network. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez described the measure as a way to ease the burden of inflation for Spanish residents, but...
Museums Across the U.S. Offering Free Admission on Museum Day: How to Participate
Posted on 07/20/2022, 4:15 PM
A date has been set for this year's Museum Day, the annual event during which museums and other cultural centers across the United States offer free admission for one glorious day of edutainment. Organized by Smithsonian magazine, the 18th Museum Day will take place Saturday, September 17. Dozens of institutions have already signed on to participate, with more to come. To find a facility near w...
New High-Speed Rail Service Connecting Rome’s Airport with Florence and Naples
Posted on 07/20/2022, 7:00 AM
New high-speed rail options between Rome's Fiumicino Airport (FCO) and the cities of Florence and Naples launched last week, giving travelers fresh, zippy reasons not to rent cars or mess with extra flights while visiting Italy. Offered by state-run rail operator Trenitalia, the three new Frecciarossa routes directly connect the Roman hub—officially known as Leonardo da Vinci International Airpor...
How to Tour the Prison Where "The Shawshank Redemption" Was Filmed
Posted on 07/14/2022, 7:45 AM
Maybe you'll never make it to the shores of Zihuatanejo like Andy and Red at the end of The Shawshank Redemption. But hey, you can take a newly launched bus tour of the 1994 prison drama's filming locations in northern Ohio. Set in and around the town of Mansfield, located about midway between Columbus and Cleveland, the guided excursion, which debuted last month, takes riders to 10 places that...
This Himalayan Kingdom Is Adding a Tourist Tax of $200 Per Day
Posted on 07/11/2022, 7:00 AM
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan will finally reopen its borders to tourists on September 23, following an extended closure due to the pandemic. But the government has thoroughly revamped the rules for international visitors, incorporating, most notably, a daily tourism tax of $200. Strict and expensive restrictions on foreigners are not new in Bhutan. Closed to international visitors until 197...
