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Local Experiences

Article / Local Experiences

Amish Sotheby's: What to Expect at a Mud Sale in Pennsylvania Dutch Country

Each spring, Amish and other residents of rural Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, gather for festive fundraisers with farm auctions, baked goods, and a chance to meet the locals. Here's…

Article / Slideshows

In Japan, I Was Transformed Into a Geisha. You Can Do It, Too

Geisha have fascinated the world with their ethereal blend of beauty and mystique. That porcelain-white face. Those ruby-red lips. The colorful kimono. The jet-black hair. Although the…

Article / Money and Fees

Tipping in Portugal: A Gratuities Guide for Hotels, Restaurants, and Taxis

What to tip waiters, taxi drivers, tour guides, and hotel staff in Lisbon, Porto, and other locations in Portugal

Article / Money and Fees

Tipping in China: When You Can—and When You Shouldn't

Gratuities aren't standard in China. Here's when to tip waiters, hotel staff, and tour guides—and when to keep the change. 

Article / Slideshows

Never Again: Important Museums and Memorials to Human Rights Disasters

The museums and memorials that chronicle the saddest chapters of the 20th century serve at least three essential functions: to tell the truth about what happened, to remember those who…

Article / Passportable

Superbloom! In California, Flowergeddon Approaches

Superbloom may sound like the name of a '90s rock band to you, but in Borrego Springs, California, it means millions of rare wildflowers carpeting thousands of acres of desert. And…

Article / Family & Kids

The Best European Cities with Kid-Friendly Day Trips

The best European family trips tend to start with urban stays that can segue into out-of-town sojourns once children tire of museums and city touring. Fortunately, most of Europe’s…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Don’t Overlook The Literary Life of Dublin, Writes Arthur Frommer

In forecasts of the most popular travel destinations for 2019, Ireland almost always appears. Americans are apparently eager to roam the roadways of rural Ireland and its quaint…

Article / Passportable

In Nevada, a School for Stolen Native American Kids Will Be a Museum

Starting in the late 19th century, the U.S. government forced tens of thousands of Native American children to leave home and attend boarding schools with the goal of assimilating…

Article / Passportable

Finally! After Years of Waiting, TWA Hotel at JFK Opens Reservations

Booking a room at the TWA Hotel at JFK Airport is off to a lovely start. On Valentine’s Day, Thursday, Feb. 14, at noon, reservations open for stays beginning May 15, 2019. The grand…

Article / Passportable

You Can Throw Your Own Parade in New Orleans! Here's How

You don’t have to be the king of a Mardi Gras club to throw your own parade and march through the streets of New Orleans. But if you do, you’ll certainly feel like one. While it's a…

Article / Money and Fees

Tipping in the U.K.: A Gratuities Guide for Taxis, Hotels, and Restaurants

Some pointers on tipping waiters, taxi drivers, and hotel staff in England, Scotland, and Wales—without overdoing it

Article / Slideshows

Pints with a Past: Must-See Historic Bars Across the United States

More than one bar lays claim to being the oldest in the United States. But we’re not here to settle the matter, mostly because that would involve hairsplitting, nitpicky decisions…

Article / Money and Fees

Tipping in Japan? Not So Much a Thing

Why Japan doesn't go for gratuities—but why you still might have to pay extra fees for meals and accommodations

Article / Slideshows

Alaska in the Summer: Whale Watching, Glacier Hikes, and the Best Cities to Visit

Visitors can’t do everything in one trip to Alaska. The state is just too big—nearly two and a half times the size of Texas. But there are still so many not-to-be-missed experiences…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Pauline Frommer: Come Travel with Me in Vietnam this February

Every other year, I host a trip for listeners of the Frommer's radio shows and the readers of our guides. And these tours are, I must say, very special experiences. There's nothing…

Article / Slideshows

The Trends That Will Shape Travel in 2019

This past year’s biggest travel trends —the rise in solo female travel and solo travel in general, the new emphasis on green travel, the development of cannabis holidays, an uptick in…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: Rejecting an Army Made Life in Costa Rica Better

Of all the documentary films recently shown in America, one has a special relevance to the world of travel. It is called A Bold Peace, and it deals with the Central American nation of…

Article / Slideshows

What to Do in Aruba When You're Tired of Sunbathing

For many, the allure of a vacation in Aruba has to do with sun, slot machines, and shrimp dinners. If that’s you, we get it. Life is hard; sand is soft. Still, some of us prefer to…

Article / Slideshows

Loire Valley Castles: The Best French Châteaux You Mustn't Miss

Reached by a 75-minute train ride southwest of Paris , the luscious Loire Valley is crowded with such sensational castles that it is classified as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. With…

Article / Passportable

Meet UNESCO's New Cultural Heritage Inductees: Reggae, French Perfume, and More

Reggae music from Jamaica, the Irish sport of hurling, Polish Nativity scenes, Korean wrestling, and about three dozen more arts, crafts, folk dances, foods, and festivals are the…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: On an African Safari, Budget is Better

To a great many travelers, including myself, the African safari is one of the top travel experiences. There is something mystical, indeed mind-changing, about seeing the world…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: 12 Famous Destinations That Are Almost Too Crowded to Visit

It doesn’t often happen that one travel writer advises his or her readers to study the works of another travel writer.  But exceptions should occasionally be made, and that’s the case…

Article / Slideshows

Frommer's Best Places to Go in 2019

This list was for 2019. For the list for 2020, click here. In an era of social and political movements propelled by fear and resentment of others, travel is more crucial than ever.…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Thinking of Taking an African Safari? Some Tips from an Expert

African safaris: They are, for many, at the tippy top of the bucket list. But the how-tos for finding the right one have shifted in the last few years, so old conventional wisdom may…