Kate Silver

On a mission for Maggie: After their daughter’s death, couple commits to tackling her bucket list, one trip at a time

September 10, 2019 at 2:06 p.m.

My husband and I were taking a break during a bike ride along the Columbia River Gorge in Oregon in July. As we posed for one of many scenic selfies...

The lobby of The Peninsula Manila, which got a bump from four to five Stars this year in the Forbes Travel Guide hotel ratings. Forbes' anonymous inspectors have a list of more than 500 criteria they use to assess a hotel's service, amenities and more.

We toured The Peninsula Chicago with a AAA inspector. Here’s why those formal rankings still matter — even in the Yelp era

August 23, 2019 at 10:27 p.m.

Sitting on a couch in a nook of The Peninsula Chicago's lobby, the man in the brown sports coat could be anyone — local, tourist, salesman. It's a chameleonlike quality...

Finding a place to ditch the luggage can be a traveler's conundrum. Services like LuggageHero, which is expanding its network to Chicago, aim to connect travelers with businesses that will hold their bags for them.

Time to kill between Airbnb checkout and your flight? A new app lets travelers ditch bags at nearby bars and restaurants

August 23, 2019 at 10:13 p.m.

Technology has changed the way people travel, thanks to sites like Airbnb and VRBO. But along the way, people who book accommodations via the sharing economy have found new challenges...

Hawaii remains an iconic spot for beach wedding ceremonies, like this one at Waimanalo Beach on Oahu.

Destination wedding trends: Here’s where couples are getting hitched far from home

August 23, 2019 at 10:13 p.m.

Amy and Christopher Gallant live in the “Wedding Capital of the World.” But for their nuptials, the couple — both of whom have East Coast roots — traded in Las...

There is an entire cookbook dedicated to Wisconsin cheese. The featured creameries are worth a road trip.

August 23, 2019 at 10:14 p.m.

No matter how you slice it — or spread it, shred it or cube it — Wisconsin cheese is worth a road trip. Whether goat, sheep or cow; whether swathed...

Minglewood boutique in downtown Rockford sells an array of eco-friendly fashion and jewelry.

Rockford is making a comeback — and so is the city’s pride

August 23, 2019 at 9:50 p.m.

If you haven’t been to Rockford in a few years, it might be time to plan a visit. While you were sleeping, the area’s downtown started waking up. And now,...

Visitors stand outside the Motown Museum in Detroit following the announcement of Aretha Franklin's passing in August.

Exploring food, music and more in the Motor City — without a motor

August 23, 2019 at 9:48 p.m.

Early last year, Chicago lost a culinary star to Detroit. Chef Thomas Lents, who earned a two-Michelin-star rating while working at Sixteen at Trump International Hotel & Tower, was offered...

Tourists travel on an opentop bus in front of The Eiffel Tower in Paris on Aug. 3, 2018.

Nine budget hacks for your next vacation

August 23, 2019 at 9:35 p.m.

Want to travel like the pros? Better start pinching your pennies, pesos and pounds. While it's true that money can buy you an elite - easy, even - adventure anywhere,...

Virtue Cider in Fennville is a great place to while away an afternoon in the sun — or indoors if it's too hot.

Girlfriends getaway to Michigan’s Art Coast packs in the fun — and the people

August 23, 2019 at 9:21 p.m.

A celebration was in order. Jenny completed her master’s degree. Shannon started a new job. And I had nothing specific to laud but was ready to raise a glass to...

Isabel the cow has long been a fixture at the cheese castle.

At Mars Cheese Castle in Kenosha, third-generation royalty is breaking the mold

August 23, 2019 at 9:08 p.m.

The sand-colored building, with its battlements, grassy moat and turret, stands at attention a few miles north of the Illinois state line on Interstate 94, but it might as well...

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