Adventure Beat

Travel know-how runs in the Frommer family. Since 1957, when Arthur Frommer published "Europe on $5 a Day," the Frommer name has been synonymous with travel. This month daughter Pauline Frommer launches her own series, "Pauline Frommer's Travel Guides." She spoke about the series and her philosophy of travel with Adventure Beat producer Julia Romano.

Pauline Frommer has been a traveler since before she could walk — her first trip with her guidebook-writing parents was at the age of four months.  But she knows that her experience is hardly typical — only 22 percent of Americans even have passports. "For the vast majority, just going to London is a tremendous adventure," she says.

Her guidebooks will aim to uncover the unusual or hidden features of popular destinations, "to get under the skin of the culture," she says.  For instance, her Hawaii guide features a place in Maui where visitors can volunteer with local scientists working to preserve the habitat of sea turtles.  Another section explores Hawaii's movement to reconnect with its indigenous roots, and directs readers to the islands' best places to enjoy kava, a legal, mild sedative used in Hawaiian rituals.   

"There are wonderful things within two to three hours of everywhere in the United States. Everywhere in the world you're going to find something worthwhile to see, if you just go about it the right way," says Frommer. 

As a former travel section editor of msnbc.com and former editor-in-chief of frommers.com, she respects the power of the Internet as a resource for travelers, but she is realistic about its limitations.  "All of these message boards have popped up, which I think is sort of [a double-edged sword]. Sometimes you can get great information, and sometimes you will find people who have a vendetta."  

Frommer remembers going to a tiny bed-and-breakfast on Hawaii's Big Island. The three-room complex received a bad review from a disgruntled customer on tripadviser.com, and so the proprietor wrote to every guest who had ever visited asking that they post good reviews to counter the bad one.  Now the tiny B&B is the best rated on the island.

Frommer advises all travelers to, in a sense, become travel writers.  "I don't suggest going to see 20 hotels in a day, but I do suggest going up and talking to people, and not just the people who are paid to talk back. Of course you want to see the world's great wonders, but don't be afraid to travel independently. When you go out, and you're adventurous, and you do it on your own, I think you have a richer experience."

For a list of all books in the new series from Pauline Frommer, visit Yahoo! Shopping. 

Next: The changing face of travel to Cuba

Previous: Daily updates: Expedition Bosnia

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