Travel tips from familiar name

Pauline Frommer is copresident of Frommer Media, alongside her legendary father, guidebook pioneer Arthur Frommer; this year is the 60th anniversary of his first book. The Frommer series now has more than 100 titles; Pauline has written eight of them.

She’s lost count of the number of miles she logs each year, but she is no slavish loyalist to a particular airline. Instead, Frommer follows the best deal.

Here are some of her travel secrets:

■ A simple safety tip to help you blend in almost anywhere.

Evelyn Hannon of the website Journeywoman gave me one of the best pieces of practical advice I’ve ever heard. Because female travelers are more likely to be harassed in some countries if they’re seen to be outsiders, the first thing she does when she gets to a new destination is shop for something small in a very local grocery store or pharmacy. And then she carries the bag that her purchases came in around with her, because she knows that, no matter how different she looks from others in the place, the bag will mark her as a local-and possibly provide some protection. I used this trick recently in Chennai, India; I even insisted that my teenage daughters did it when they went out alone. It’s kind of like a security blanket. I’m assuming it works, but it may just give me more confidence.

■ The one thing you didn’t know you needed for a family trip.

Never travel without a headphone splitter-that’s my mom tip. It allows two or three people to plug in their headphones and watch the same movie at once. It’s been a lifesaver. My kids and I can gather round one laptop or iPad, then discuss the movie afterward. It makes them play nice, and it also lets you keep another iPad fully charged instead of running down the battery on several devices.

■ If you’re planning travel with your family, you’re probably looking at the wrong places.

I think you need to go to countries that allow kids to do things that would be illegal here. In Belize, for example, my 10-year old was rappelling off the side of cliffs, and we swam into these caves where there was a cathedral-like room with ancient Mayan artifacts calcified to the floor, including bones from human sacrifices. In New Zealand, my kids bungee-jumped and rolled around in the big ZORB balls.

And on White Island, just off the coast of the North Island, we walked around the most active volcano in the country; you have to wear a gas mask and walk hand-in-hand in the group, as the terrain shifts every day. I don’t want them always to be comfortable. To me, on a vacation, it’s about being brave and challenging themselves. Even better, those were the vacations where my kids didn’t argue once, because every day had a different adventure. There was learning, but it wasn’t down-yourthroat learning.