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Trends & Hacks

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Some Ports Realize They May Not Want Cruises Back Once Covid Is Over

As Covid-19 recedes, vacationers may see major shifts in cruise itineraries. Citizens in major ports of call have tasted life without the presence of big cruise ships—and some…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

In the Loire Valley, New Visions of Gardens and the Life of Leonardo da Vinci

With so many indoor amusements rendered verboten by the pandemic, even many confirmed urbanites got into nature this past year. Because of a new widespread appreciation for the open…

Article / Passportable

Classic Cars and Fine Craftsmanship: Pennsylvania's New Attractions for Spring

Horses and buggies. Those are likely what come to mind when many Americans picture Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. Home to a large population of Pennsylvania Dutch (a group that…

Article / Passportable

It's Looking Like Japan Won't Let Tourists Into the Country for the Olympics

When you watch the Olympic Games this summer, you're bound to feel many emotions: national pride, awe at the athletic feats, and even gratitude that the Covid-19 situation has improved…

Article / Passportable

Minneapolis Gets a New Park Celebrating Food From Its Native and Pioneer Past

The world did not freeze in place last spring when we were all sent to our rooms for a pandemic "time out." In fact, some destinations are changing quite drastically. Take, for…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Steps the U.S. Government Should Take Right Now to Protect Air Travelers

What should be the top priorities for the U.S. Department of Transportation when it comes to air travel? Consumer Reports has a few ideas. The advocacy organization sent a list of…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Royal Caribbean's New Ship Set to Debut, but Only for Vaccinated Travelers

When Royal Caribbean launches its newest megaship, Odyssey of the Seas, only vaccinated passengers will be aboard. The cruise line has announced that tickets for the ship's upcoming…

Article / Passportable

Refund Woes Fueled a Record Number of Complaints from Air Travelers in 2020

The U.S. federal government received a record number of complaints from airline passengers in 2020. In all, 102,550 complaints were filed with the Department of Transportation,…

Article / Local Experiences

WATCH: Ride the World's Great Public Transport Lines—Everything But the Fare!

It's surprisingly relaxing: Ride entire transit lines from end to end in some of the world's great cities. Getting nowhere never felt so transporting.

Article / Passportable

PHOTOS: Spain’s Best Hidden Beaches Will Kick Your Wanderlust Into Overdrive

Spain's sun-kissed, 3,100-mile coastline has always made the country a major exporter of wanderlust-spiking beach pics. And with much of the world—including travelers from the United…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Immersive (and Socially Distanced) van Gogh Show Comes to Major U.S. Cities

On December 1, 1883, Vincent van Gogh wrote to his brother Theo, "But know this, brother, that I am absolutely cut off from the outer world—except from you." It was a common refrain in…

Article / Passportable

Amtrak Introduces a Bidding System for Upgrades

In many ways, high-end train travel in the United States mirrors high-end plane travel. Amtrak doesn't have seats that convert into lie-flat beds in first and business class. But those…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Growing Desperate for Visitors, Las Vegas Ramps Up Reopenings

Thanks to the pandemic, visitation numbers in Nevada have dropped to their lowest levels in almost 30 years, according to the Reno Gazette-Journal. It's no wonder that Las Vegas…

Article / Passportable

WATCH: Kangaroo Bounds Around Australian Pub Like He Works There

One bar in Western Australia is among the rare places on earth where visitors can sip brews and look at roos. According to Australia's Escape travel site, the John Forrest Tavern in…

Article / Passportable

Awe-Inspiring Images of Wintry Niagara Falls Amid Ice, Snow, and Rainbows

Niagara Falls is a gobsmacking sight all year round, but winter weather can bring an added wow factor, cloaking the thundering cascades in ice and snow. As you might have noticed,…

Article / Passportable

The Most Popular Dog Breeds in the World—Mapped

When I travel with my friend Rachel, which I do every other year or so, we come back with as many photos of dogs as we do pictures of monuments. Rachel, you see, is canine crazy, and…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The New Official National Parks Trip-Planning App Gets a Rave from Us

The U.S. National Park Service (NPS) has released a new official app—and it's exciting. After years of forcing users to track down current information at each individual unit's website…

Article / Passportable

Here Are the Countries with the Least and Most Expensive Plane and Train Travel

Thailand has the world's most affordable domestic transportation prices overall while Denmark has the most expensive, according to a newly released analysis of plane, train, and bus…

Article / Hotels

5 Tips to Remember When You Pay for a Hotel Room

Hidden fees, complex cancellation policies, and incidental deposits are just some of the surprises that may show up on your hotel bill at checkout. Follow these five steps to avoid…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

U.S. Airlines and CDC to Begin Contact-Tracing Passengers

Last week, the internet was abuzz with rumors that the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) was about to introduce a testing requirement on domestic airline traffic. The scuttlebutt was…

Article / Passportable

Bar Tab: Map Shows the Cost of Beer Around the World

“Whoever drinks beer, he is quick to sleep; whoever sleeps long, does not sin; whoever does not sin, enters Heaven! Thus, let us drink beer!” That toast and its airtight logic come…

Article / Passportable

JetBlue Forbids Free Carry-Ons for Basic Fares, Drops Change Fees Elsewhere

JetBlue is adding an irksome catch to its cheapest category of plane tickets. Any customer who books a basic economy fare—dubbed "Blue Basic" by JetBlue—for travel after July 20 will…

Article / Passportable

Virgin Voyages Is Giving Away 1,000 Free Cruises

Before Covid hit—back in the Pleistocene era—huge excitement was building over the impending debut of the Virgin Group's first cruise ship, the Scarlet Lady, which promised to be a…

Article / Passportable

Finland Created a Kitchen Made Out of Ice—and It Works

As if a hotel built from more than 20,000 tons of ice and snow weren't impressive enough, the designers and igloo constructors of Lapland Hotels SnowVillage in northern Finland keep…

Article / Slideshows

Where to See Alaska Glaciers Without Taking a Cruise

If seeing a glacier up close is on your bucket list, Alaska is the place to do it. The state is filled with glaciers, but many tourists mistakenly believe they can only spot them from…