Arthur Frommer: Are We Hypocrites to Visit the Statue of Liberty?
Posted on 04/24/2019, 9:00 AM
On an island in the waters off New York, is a giant statue inscribed with the immortal words of Emma Lazarus: “Give me your tired, your poor, your huddled masses yearning to breathe free…” It—the Statue of Liberty—is visited each year by three million American tourists who often weep when they read those words. In the months ahead, those same tourists, by their political inaction, will h...
Meet the USA's Newest National Park
Posted on 02/22/2019, 3:45 PM
The United States has a new national park. Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore has been re-designated Indiana Dunes National Park thanks to a provision in the same spending bill that averted another government shutdown on February 15. The Northwest Indiana site, which has been a federally protected national lakeshore since 1966, stretches for 15 miles along Lake Michigan, encompassing 15,000 acres...
Martin Luther King's Family Home Will Open to the Public
Posted on 02/04/2019, 5:45 PM
The house in Atlanta where Martin Luther King, Jr., lived with his wife, Coretta Scott King, and their four children will soon be open for tours. The nonprofit National Park Foundation purchased the home, located in the Vine City neighborhood, from the estate of Coretta Scott King on January 8 and promptly transferred the property to the National Park Service. The building will become part of ...
Arthur Frommer: Rejecting an Army Made Life in Costa Rica Better
Posted on 12/06/2018, 12:00 AM
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 Costa Rica. To the extent that it showcases that country’s superb beaches, its forested mountains, and its beautiful cities, it is a superb travelogue, encouraging Americans to vacation there. (You can purchase ou...
Arthur Frommer: On an African Safari, Budget is Better
Posted on 12/04/2018, 12:00 AM
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 inhabited by animals, as it was before the earth was populated by human beings. But not all African safaris are equal in bringing that vision to you. Upon looking for a safari to book, you are often inundated by marketi...
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Thinking of Taking an African Safari? Some Tips from an Expert
Posted on 11/16/2018, 1:30 AM
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 not necessarily apply. On our Frommer's national radio show, I spoke with Sunit Sanghrajka, president of Alluring Africa, a company that plans custom safaris for individual travelers, to get his advice. Here’s a bit of...
Oldest Building on D.C.'s National Mall Reopens After Restoration
Posted on 10/25/2018, 4:45 PM
You've probably never heard of the Lockkeeper's House in Washington, D.C. There's a good reason for that. It's been closed for decades. But this unassuming stone building at the corner of Constitution Ave. and 17th St. NW is actually the oldest structure on the National Mall. Built in 1835, the building is now open to the public after a restoration that took nearly two years. Using funds from ...
How Much of What You Spend Stays in Your Destination? G Adventures Knows
Posted on 10/19/2018, 11:15 PM
Recently, I had the pleasure of interviewing Bruce Poon Tip (pictured) for our radio show. Bruce is the founder of G Adventures, one of the most important small-group adventure operators in the world. Currently the company has 10 distinct brands of tours as well as both expedition and river cruising branches. It’s considered by many to be one of the travel industry's most innovative tour companies....
Two New Non-Travel Books May Change The Way You See the USA
Posted on 09/09/2018, 8:30 PM
You drive into a new town. It is not a famous place and it certainly isn’t a tourist magnet. But it has a certain vibe, a personality. You start to explore, stopping by a local store, walking through a park, trying the coffee joint where townspeople are congregating. It’s an interesting exercise, but the takeaways are vague: seems like a nice place, you think. But you don’t think more than that, ...
