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Local Experiences

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

“Crazy Rich Asians” May Feel a Lot Like Going to Singapore, Says Arthur Frommer

Let me be entirely frank. I greatly disliked the movie Crazy Rich Asians, which I recently saw.  I was so horrified by its fawning depiction of irresponsible wealth that I almost…

Article / Slideshows

Explore Latino L.A.'s Food and Culture, from Olvera Street to Boyle Heights

In a way, Los Angeles is the capital of rural Latin America. According to the Census Bureau , almost half of L.A.’s population is Latino, and many of those residents came from (or…

Article / Passportable

National Comedy Museum Opens in New York State

Think of the word museum and you’ll probably think of old paintings. You might expect the sound of footsteps crossing a quiet gallery or guards standing watch over masterpieces. The…

Article / Slideshows

Madrid Like a Local: 10 Can't-Miss Experiences

Madrid is a great city to get lost in. Some of the best discoveries I've made there were from taking wrong turns and deciding not to look at the map on my phone. I just keep walking…

Article / Passportable

The 'Mamma Mia!' Sequel is a Lie: That's Not Greece!

You may remember—or perhaps you studied it in your Great Achievements of World Cinema class—that the first Mamma Mia! movie was set in Greece. Based on the hit Broadway musical, the…

Article / Slideshows

10 Storied Libraries Worth Checking Out

We don’t often think of libraries as tourist destinations. Most are neighborhood, not international, treasures. But there are libraries whose buildings, histories, artwork, and of…

Article / Slideshows

Ireland’s Greatest Road Trip: The Wild Atlantic Way

It’s a common dream among travelers: an old-fashioned Irish road trip. Few drives anywhere are more rewarding than the Wild Atlantic Way, a twisting 1,550-mile (2,500-km) route along…

Article / Passportable

Former High-Security Prison in Tennessee Opens to Visitors

Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary was not a spot often visited for just one day. This former maximum-security prison held dangerous criminals with sentences exceeding 200 years. The…

Article / Slideshows

Cruising Down the Canal du Midi, France’s Rediscovered Wonder

Winding through the picturesque countryside and vineyards of southwest France, the Canal du Midi is one of Europe’s oldest canals still in operation. Built in the late 17th century as…

Article / Outdoor & Adventure

WWOOFing: Explaining a Different Way to Travel, Farm by Farm

Travelers are going around the world by WWOOFing—working part-time on organic farms in exchange for room and board. Here's how to find a farm and what to expect.

Article / Slideshows

Travels with Walt: Go Where Disney Went

From his earliest years, Walt Disney aimed to expand his boundaries: physical, creative, and intellectual. Throughout his life, he was a frequent and enthusiastic tourist, visiting…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

The Game-Changing Museums of Indianapolis

Indianapolis is reinventing the museum. As dropping attendance and revenues plague museums across North America, Indy’s most storied institution, Newfields: A Place for Nature and the…

Article / Passportable

This Midwest American Town Is Turning 350 Years Old

You might have heard that New Orleans and San Antonio are each celebrating a 300th birthday this year. Both cities made our list of the Best Places to Go in 2018 for that very…

Article / Slideshows

Malaysia’s Cameron Highlands: Sipping Tea and Eating Steamboats

To escape the notorious humidity in peninsular Malaysia , you have to head to the hills. Around 150km (93 miles) north of capital city Kuala Lumpur are the Cameron Highlands , a…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Route 66 and Puerto Rico Among USA's Most Endangered Historic Sites

Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and Route 66 all appear on 2018's "Most Endangered Places" list, the National Trust for Historic Preservation's annual roundup of important…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Current Volcanic Eruptions Bring Memories of Vesuvius, Says Arthur Frommer

I have found it odd that in all the media coverage of the eruption of Kilauea on the Big Island of Hawaii, no journalist has drawn a comparison to the eruption of Vesuvius outside…

Article / Slideshows

You Haven't Eaten in South Africa Until You've Tasted This Food

You never forget your first bite of peri peri . The tangy pepper sauce that's slicked over fire-roasted chicken can range from slightly zesty to downright feisty, but it makes every…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

Arthur Frommer: Quintana Roo, Mexico, is Gaining as a Tourist Destination

While numerous destinations in Mexico are suffering from what some describe as an overly sensitive spate of tourist warnings from our U.S. State Department, one area is obviously…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Life-Changing Conference for Would-Be Travel Writers and Photographers

Over the course of the year, I give about a dozen speeches on travel across North America. Inevitably, when I sign books afterwards, a familiar scenario will play out. I’ll hand back…

Article / Arthur Frommer Online

A Return to Northern Michigan With No Repeat Experiences

I’ve always taken the stance that when you return again and again to the same place for vacation, you’re only setting yourself up for ennui. I figured there were a few exceptions to…

Article / Passportable

Polish Vodka Museum Opens in Warsaw

There's some dispute about where vodka was born. Both Poland and Russia lay claim to having produced the first batch of the transparent spirit from distilled grains or potatoes more…

Article / Slideshows

For These European Sights, You Should Reserve Tickets Ahead

Because travel has become so affordable, the world's favorite tourist attractions have never been more crowded. Some of them are so overrun that you could spend as many hours outside…

Article / Passportable

After 700 Years, Westminster Abbey Opens Secret Attic to Visitors

It took five years and $30.5 million (£22.9 million) to make it happen, but Westminster Abbey in London has just made a spectacular new addition to one of Europe's top tourist…

Article / Slideshows

Touring Eva Perón's Buenos Aires

Eva María Duarte moved to Buenos Aires as a dirt-poor, 15-year-old aspiring actress, and by the time she died 18 years later—killed by cancer at 33—she had transformed not just the…

Article / Local Experiences

This French Château's Magical Festival of Secret Gardens Happens Every Year

For decades, a magnificent castle overlooking the Loire River has been the annual setting for one of Europe's most fantastic feasts for the senses.