Lori Rackl

The exquisite 15th-century city of Urbino.

Need vacation inspiration? Lonely Planet rolls out top travel spots for 2020.

October 22, 2019 at 2:05 p.m.

Mozart's birthplace in Austria, the Buddhist kingdom of Bhutan and an Indonesian alternative to tourist-heavy Bali all nabbed top spots in Lonely Planet's picks for the best places to travel...

The sugar room at the Kimpton Gray Hotel, Oct. 16, 2019, in Chicago.

A plant pop-up hotel opens this weekend in Chicago. Here’s what it looks like.

October 17, 2019 at 1:57 p.m.

The Kimpton Gray is going green this weekend when it hosts a plant pop-up hotel. Five rooms in the Loop property have been tricked out with everything from agaves to...

Chicago is home to one of the World’s Best Hotel Bars, says Forbes Travel Guide

October 16, 2019 at 2:08 p.m.

The Peninsula Chicago's Z Bar got what amounts to an A-plus from Forbes Travel Guide, which named the swanky sixth-floor lounge to its first-ever list of the World's Best Hotel...

Chicago is second to none when it comes to the country's best big cities, according to Condé Nast Traveler readers.

Chicago named ‘Best Big City’ third year in a row by Condé Nast readers

October 8, 2019 at 4:16 p.m.

Chicago has been crowned the country's Best Big City for a record third year in a row in the Condé Nast Traveler Readers' Choice Awards. The Best Big City category...

Two Midwest properties make Fodor’s list of ‘100 Most Incredible Hotels in the World’

October 17, 2019 at 3:19 p.m.

A nearly century old campsite-turned-Instagram-darling in Wisconsin and chic digs from a luxury goods retailer in Detroit both snagged spots on the 2020 edition of "Fodor's Finest: The 100 Most...

Don't leave Cedarburg without indulging in one of the sweet treats at Amy's Candy Kitchen.

Best fall bike rides in the Midwest: 3 epic trips for adventurous leaf peepers

October 3, 2019 at 3:25 p.m.

Don't put away your bike just yet. Fall is a fantastic time to take a Midwest cycling trip. You can ride the rails to leaf peep on Wisconsin's trails. Pedal...

The next cruising hot spot is closer than you think: Get ready for more ships on the Great Lakes

October 9, 2019 at 7:50 p.m.

When it comes to hot new cruise destinations, the Great Lakes are living up to their name. This veritable freshwater ocean — boasting 11,000 miles of shoreline, including islands —...

A pop-up hotel aimed at houseplant-loving millennials is headed for Chicago

September 18, 2019 at 2:00 p.m.

Like ranch dressing and Netflix, plants hold a special place in millennials' hearts. They ranked as the most desired hotel room amenity — plants, not condiments or streaming services —...

Tomatoes and sweet corn are just a taste of what's for sale at Patyk's Farm Market and Greenhouse.

At McHenry County Farm Stroll, get out in the country for fresh produce, flowers and eggs

September 11, 2019 at 1:07 p.m.

Take a self-guided tour of McHenry County's family farms during the 5th annual Farm Stroll from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sept. 29. A dozen properties — 11 in Illinois...

Doug Amon planted some 400 rose bushes on the grounds of his farmhouse in Delavan, Wisconsin, as a tribute to his late wife, Karen. A sign out front beckons people to come "Stop and Smell the Roses."

Farm Aid playlist: Where to have rural fun and tasty food near Wisconsin’s Alpine Valley

September 19, 2019 at 10:46 p.m.

Farm Aid, the festival that got its start in Champaign in 1985, is headed north of the state line Sept. 21, when Willie Nelson, Neil Young, John Mellencamp, Dave Matthews...

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