The Chicago Traveler

Gas prices are finally beginning to drop a bit. Summer’s almost over, so it’s time to get out of the house and go on a little road trip. From the beaches to the views, the Beverly Shores and Indiana Dunes area is the perfect getaway if you’re looking for a quick break from the routine. Located just 50 miles (80 km) around the lake, this family-friendly escape has great beaches and cool attractions.
If your eyes are always on the skies, take a gander at the Indiana Aviation Museum. There are nine former military aircraft in the museum, and all of …read more

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• The Croatian Fest features a huge roast of 75 lambs and over 10 whole pigs at the St. Jerome Croatian Catholic Church. The festivities include homemade foods, ethnic dancing, and a beer garden. (Aug 15)
• This weekend marks the 50th Annual Chicago Air & Water Show. Arrive early and claim your spot at either North Avenue Beach or Oak Street Beach, where you’ll see the Blue Angels, the Golden Knights parachute team, an F-22 Raptor, and much more. (Aug 15-17)
• The third annual North Side Summerfest features live music from over a dozen artists and bands and plenty of …read more

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I’ll be heading out of town this weekend, but for those of you staying here in Chicago, you’ve got lots to look forward to.
• The 11th Annual Chicago Improv Festival takes place at various locations and includes performances by Paul Scheer, Jack McBrayer, and John Lutz. (ends June
• The largest free outdoor blues event in the world, the 25th Annual Chicago Blues Festival, features local, national, and international entertainment on six stages in Grant Park with more than 90 performances. (ends June
• More than 170 current and classic films will be shown this summer in neighborhood parks throughout …read more

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Gas prices are getting ridiculous, and they’re affecting everything from airplane tickets to the cost of food. Fortunately, Chicago has plenty of attractions you can enjoy for little to no money. Just a walk down Michigan Avenue can be a tourist’s delight.
This week, the b5media Travel & Culture Channel is celebrating a Theme Day, featuring the photogenic side of our blogs. With that in mind, I present a few fantastic photos of eight great places you can visit for free here in the Windy City.
8. Lincoln Park Zoo
7. Millennium Park
6. Tribune Tower
5. Oak Street Beach
4. Grant Park
3. Buckingham Fountain
2. Chicago …read more

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If you are visiting Chicago for any significant period of time, more than likely you will see Grant Park at some point. Also known as “Chicago’s front yard,” this huge park (319 acres or 1.29 km2) is located downtown between Lake Michigan and Michigan Avenue.
The city officially designated the land as a park in 1844, when it was named Lake Park. It was renamed Grant Park in 1901, in honor of U.S. President Ulysses S Grant, a resident of Galena, IL. While the park had been deemed as “public ground forever to remain vacant of buildings”, several structures were planned …read more

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The Illinois Bureau of Tourism asked the state’s residents and visitors to nominate their favorite destinations in Illinois. In May of 2007, seven of these were selected as the Seven Wonders of Illinois.

• Chicago: Wrigley Field. The atmosphere, neighborhood, and fans put this stadium in a league of its own. It’s not just a ballpark; it’s an experience.
• Chicagoland: The Baha’I House of Worship. This unforgettable sight is beautiful both inside and out. Its intricate construction took nearly 30 years to complete.
• Northern: Starved Rock State Park. Visitors can witness firsthand the results of Mother Nature’s power: 18 canyons framed …read more

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Despite what many Chicagoans would like to believe, there is more to Illinois than just the Windy City. Rend Lake is one of Southern Illinois’ foremost vacation spots, offering an incredible array of outdoor activities. Visitors can enjoy golfing, hunting, fishing, boating, waterskiing, horseback riding, hiking, biking, swimming or just relaxing on the beach.
Rend Lake is actually an artificial lake, a reservoir created by the Illinois Department of Conservation, the Rend Lake Conservancy District, and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Construction began in 1965, but the lake was not completed and filled until March 1973. It contains 18,900 acres …read more

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When people think about this country’s Native American populations, they often think of Alaska, New Mexico, or South Dakota. But a number of tribes settled in or traveled through what is now the state of Illinois, including the Chippewa, the Delaware (who were driven west by White settlers), the Foxes, the Kickapoo, the Miami (who once had a town near modern-day Chicago), the Potawatomi, and the state’s namesake, the Illinois (a hodgepodge of related tribes). Illinois is a word which means “men” or “people.” (The original word was Illiniwek, but was changed by the French to –ois.)
The Black Hawk State …read more

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Words can’t always fully describe the beauty and majesty of a scene. Letters and punctuation cannot capture the refreshing feeling that nature can offer. Such is the case with Allerton Park and Retreat Center.
Oh sure, I could go on and on about the 1500 acres (6 km2) of meadows, woodlands, gardens, hiking trails, farmsteads, and sculptures located near Monticello, Illinois. I could tell you about how several conferences, retreats, special events, and weddings are held there every year. This public park is used daily for hiking, picnicking, bird-watching, and even old-fashioned refreshing walks.
The land was the first major gift ever …read more

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Chicagoans have a love-hate relationship with Charter One Pavilion at Northerly Island. Many of us love what it has to offer, but we hate how it came to be and how it has to exist.
Northerly Island, a manmade peninsula that extends into Lake Michigan, was the home of former Meigs Field, a single-strip airport. Numerous VIPs, including celebrities and political figures, used this airport to easily maintain security without inconveniencing Chicago traffic.
However, in 2003, Mayor Richard M. Daley ordered private crews to destroy the runway in the middle of the night, bulldozing huge X-shaped gashes into the runway surface, rendering …read more

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