Take Ten: Gems in, near Galena
Near the northwest corner of Illinois is resilient little Galena, which wears its history as a badge of honor and foundation for tourism. Galena got […]
Illinois
Chicago Detours: Get to know the neighborhoods
One way to get to know a city is through its attractions – the monuments, museums, biggest and best local marks of distinction. We seek […]
American Writers Museum opens in Chicago
In the same room are Julia Child, Alex Haley, Prince, Patrick Henry and Hunter Thompson. What do they have in come, besides being dearly departed? […]
Chicago overnight: a frugal mix of spontaneity, research
Where to next? My reply to that frequent question inevitably prompts this follow-up: For business or pleasure? “Both” is almost always my answer. Almost all […]
Chicago Restaurant Week: From the Farmhouse and beyond
Downtown Chicago might seem about as far away as you can get from rural America, but think again. At Farmhouse Chicago restaurant, an antique tractor […]
Early O’Hare flight or layover? Check out Rosemont, Ill.
I am a fickle consumer when it comes to airline transportation and spend way too much time weighing fares and gateways. I favor no airline […]
Chicago gangster tours delve into bullet-riddled history
Mobster Al Capone was released from federal prison 75 years ago and sent home to Chicago. He was 40 years old and in bad health, […]
Mennonite Relief Sale: quilts, bakery, ‘Menno food’
Less than 200 miles separate Wisconsin from Bloomington, Ill., but what a potential difference in buffet lines: Red beet eggs. Ham loaf. Vareniky (stuffed dumplings). […]
John Deere Pavilion in Moline: ag life in the fast lane
While scooting behind the wheel, I’m not sure what astonishes me more: the windshield view, or the fact that I’ve gained eyes in back of […]
New Karpeles manuscript museum at Rock Island, Ill.
Is “fool” or “numskull” the best way to describe a poor card player? After learning a lesson, he never “tasted a drop” or “drank a […]
Springfield: politics through Abe’s eyes
The face of Lincoln shows up everywhere in Illinois – brass busts on office desks to bigger-than-life memorials in city parks – but there’s just […]
Chicago fans share their fave hidden gems
Spiritual sites, ethnic neighborhoods, down-home food, fine fabrics and Asian art are among your worthwhile reasons for stepping away from the Loop and Magnificent Mile. […]
Chicago food: beyond dawgs, pizza, Bayless
Jazzed-up hot dogs, deep-dish pizza and any product with chef Rick Bayless’ thumbprint are among the foods that make Chicago famous. Add wiener schnitzel from […]
Chicago travel: beyond the Magnificent Mile
For years, I’ve headed to Chicago for day trips or quick overnights – usually taking in the obvious sites and sticking to places tourists congregate. […]
Private doors open in Milwaukee, Chicago
Almost underneath Interstates 43/94, one mile west of Milwaukee’s trendy Third Ward retail/nightlife district, illuminating work happens daily. Inside an 1890s building of red brick, […]
Lurie Garden, in Chicago’s Millennium Park
I did not expect much when meeting Jennifer Davit, to take a look at her garden. Spring had barely arrived, and the last snow had […]
Chicago hospitality: outstanding to ugly sides
Use Google when in search of the “lost art of customer service,” and 10,000 references pop up within two seconds. Balance this against economic predictions […]
Sea otters, belugas at Chicago’s Shedd
Rain tends to drive tourists indoors, but that’s not entirely why the soggy line to enter Chicago’s Shedd Aquarium was a block long on a […]
Woodstock, Steel Bridge tunes rewind clocks
Save a bridge, build a bridge. This is what has happened in Sturgeon Bay. What began as a fight to rescue the aging Michigan Street […]
Oak Park: churches, good food, bargains
Although a Frank Lloyd Wright fascination lures many travelers to Oak Park, Ill., this brilliant but eccentric man’s legacy is not the only reason to […]