12 Must-have Gifts for Students Studying Abroad
With nearly 300,000 students studying abroad in 2012-2013, a new wave of students will depart on a much-anticipated adventure abroad right after the holidays in late December/early January. Two of my...
View ArticleThis Holiday Season, Commit to Being a Smart Driver
The holiday season is upon us, and so is an influx of drivers on America's roads. And while the headaches of holiday traffic are well-documented in popular culture -- from classic songs to those...
View ArticleHoliday Events In and Around Washington, DC
The holiday season is a great time for families to explore the Mid-Atlantic. From free concerts in Washington, D.C. to a boat parade on the Chesapeake Bay, these events deliver a month of magic. 1)...
View ArticleWATCH: Did This Expert Just Figure Out How to Talk to Dolphins?
What if you could spend your summers swimming with dolphins in turquoise seas? Behavioral biologist Denise Herzing does just that. In this beautiful video, meet some of the dolphins she's befriended...
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Volunteer Stories: Madagascar Maine Conservation & Diving
Will Runwitch volunteered on the Madagascar Marine Conservation & Diving project. He talks about his previous diving experience and his excitement at the chance of diving in the African waters....
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Is Ras Al Khaimah the Next Dubai?
Few tourists are familiar with the name, but Ras Al Khaimah is being widely touted as the next Dubai. RAK, as it's known locally, is one of the "other" emirates, along with oil-rich Abu Dhabi, that...
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10 Most Awe-Inspiring Caves
The natural world can be pretty spectacular, but what we see on the surface isn't even the half of it. Deep underground, hidden away in mountain caves, or submerged underwater is where you'll find some...
View ArticleA Journey Through Namibia: Part I
36 hours, three countries, three plane changes -- I finally arrived in Namibia's capital, Windhoek. Even though I was tired and stinky, I was excited at the idea of actually being able to adventure...
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New Travel Trend: Digital Detoxes
To the good woman who spent her entire Hawaiian vacation glued to her iPad watching Scandal: You need a break... from your devices. But since we know you lack the willpower to help yourself, may we...
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Sometimes "Shopping Local" Means Buying Rubies, Diamonds and Pearls
If a place I visit happens to be associated with any type of gem or jewel, I always want to buy a few of these as souvenirs. Hey, you said "Shop local," right? Hence this turquoise ring from Santa Fe,...
View ArticleRick Steves' European Christmas: London
Leaving the tranquility of the English countryside behind, London offers Christmas fun fit for a queen and streets twinkling with joy. This is the only time we've ever filmed with a sound technician....
View ArticleRick Steves' European Christmas: Norway
In writing the Rick Steves' European Christmas script, I had to choose which countries would "make the cut." I could fit only seven into the mix. Being Norwegian, I admit that I was biased...and Norway...
View ArticleRick Steves' European Christmas: Joyeux Noël from France!
From Paris to Burgundy, Christmas in France is the stuff of dreams. Rich sounds of medieval carols abound, simple rituals are shared by families and friends, and when days are short and nights are...
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For a Smarter Trip, Connect With a Local
Pauline Frommer is the co-president of Frommer Media. "I started traveling with my guidebook writing parents at the age of four months and have been on the road ever since," she says. Her father,...
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3 Charming and Affordable European Cities You Haven't Visited Yet
Photo Courtesy of Dreamstime. Article by Robert Firpo-Cappiello Budget Travel. BIRMINGHAM, U.K.: A foodie destination in England's heartland Anybody visiting a city from which both J.R.R. Tolkien and...
View ArticleSicily at a Glance
In the middle of the Mediterranean, there is a lush utopia of chaos and charm that I like to call my secret escape. Realistically, it is too large to be a secret, and much too larger than life for you...
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Why Has the FAA and FCC Been Lying to Us About Cell Phones on Planes?
For more than 22 years the FAA and the FCC have essentially feeding us an urban myth that cell phone use would crash planes. Who could question passenger safety? But it was all a lie. It was obvious...
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Walking Towards the Sun God
On the third and fourth day of our journey on the Abraham Path, we venture into the Tektek Mountains, a curious title for a desert landscape of nomads, desolate temples and ruins of empires long past....
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Top 10 Things to Do in Paris at Christmas
You probably won't be able to jet over to Paris for Christmas. But if you could, here are ten fun things to do (excerpted from the Rick Steves' European Christmas book). Read these and imagine a Joyeux...
View ArticleFor Diana: Boycott the Dominican Republic
Diana was a perfect baby. I remember sitting in my study room during law school, folding my laundry, reading constitutional law, and watching Diana as she slept that peaceful sleep that only babies...
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