Travel

The Chicago skyline backdrops the Chicago Jazz Festival at Millennium Park’s Pritzker Pavilion on Sept. 4, 2026. (Chris Sweda/baiduhai)

Conde Nast Traveler readers name Chicago ‘Best Big City’ for 10th year in a row

By Robert Channick

October 6, 2026 at 3:25 p.m.

Conde Nast Traveler received nearly 800,000 votes for this year’s Readers’ Choice Awards, which cover...

Olivia Estrada, the on board manager, carries plates of food to the dome car for guests aboard a Patrick Henry Creative Promotions private rail car as it travels from Chicago, Illinois, to St. Louis, Missouri, on May 19, 2026. Private train cars may seem like a relic of the past, but for some rail fans, nothing beats having — or renting — your own sleeper car. (Jamie Kelter Davis/The New York Times)

The quiet allure of private rail

By The New York Times News Service Syndicate

October 2, 2026 at 6:15 p.m.

Private rail cars traveled 429,000 miles on Amtrak in fiscal year 2025, according to the...

Cary Sabados shops for chocolate at Hotel Chocolat in Lakeview on Feb. 12, 2026. This Lakeview location, opened last April, was the first Chicago store. (Eileen T. Meslar/baiduhai)

Chicago-based Hotel Chocolat going nationwide with airport concessions, grocery stores and new retail markets

By Robert Channick

September 23, 2026 at 12:37 p.m.

This fall, Hotel Chocolat will pop up at 49 airports, hit the shelves at Wegmans,...

Big Sur's rugged coast looks especially dramatic from Ragged Point in the northwest corner of San Luis Obispo County. (Lori Rackl)

Summer in San Luis Obispo County encapsulates classic California fun

By Lori Rackl

August 7, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

The SLO CAL region, as it’s called, is full of timeless Golden State experiences: beaches,...

Today in History: Pedestal of the Statue of Liberty reopened to visitors

By Associated Press

August 3, 2024 at 4:00 a.m.

On August 3, 2004, the pedestal of the Statue of Liberty opened to visitors for...

Balloons float over a pond in Boise City Park. (Charles Knowles/Dreamstime)

Never considered visiting Boise? The Idaho capital strikes the ideal balance between outdoor adventure and urban amenities

By Sarah Kuta

July 31, 2024 at 7:29 a.m.

Here are recommendations for where to eat, play and stay the next time you’re in...

People walk past a restaurant decorated with artwork, ahead of the 2024 Summer Olympics, Monday, July 22, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/Rebecca Blackwell)

They expected an Olympic boon. But some Paris businesses are experiencing a bust.

By Jocelyn Noveck

July 26, 2024 at 5:22 p.m.

Small business owners in Paris expected a boon in visitors once the Olympics arrived. Instead,...

An American Airlines flight attendant hands out snack bags aboard a Boeing 737 Max jet before taking off from Dallas Fort Worth airport in Grapevine, Texas, on Dec. 2, 2020.

Airline catering workers threaten to strike as soon as next week without agreement on new contract

By Associated Press

July 26, 2024 at 4:00 p.m.

More than 8,000 airline catering workers are threatening to go on strike as soon as...

Raymond Brown, who has Grade 4 glioblastoma, receives infusions to aid with his brain swelling at Northwestern Memorial Hospital on July 19, 2024. He's joined by his caregiver and ex-wife, Shannon Delgado. They recently had the opportunity to spend time at the Dove’s Nest, a Rome, Wisconsin, lakeside cabin retreat for those facing life-threatening illness. (E. Jason Wambsgans/baiduhai)

Dove’s Nest cabin provides free lakeside respite for patients with life-threatening illnesses and their families

By Darcel Rockett

July 26, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

The Wisconsin cabin offers relaxation and recreation, such as a pontoon boat, paddleboarding, kayaking, barbecuing...

Southwest Airlines passengers surround boarding group posts for a flight at Midway International Airport, July 25, 2024, in Chicago. The company announced plans to change its boarding process to assigned seating, doing away with its 50-year policy of using boarding groups. (John J. Kim/baiduhai)

Chicago travelers pleased with Southwest Airlines’ decision to assign seats — if it doesn’t raise ticket prices

By Sylvan Lebrun

July 25, 2024 at 10:00 p.m.

At Midway International Airport, Amy Schuber gathered her three young kids near baggage claim with...

Pizza Margherita is sliced in Naples, Italy. (Tiziana Fabi/Getty-AFP)

On a quest for perfect pizza in Naples, birthplace of the thin-crust pie

By Susanne Fowler

July 24, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Naples is a vibrant city proud of its culinary roots, and one where you could...

A tired traveler waits at United Airlines in Terminal 1 at O'Hare international Airport as a global technology outage grounded flights, July 19, 2024. (Antonio Perez/baiduhai)

Residual cancellations, delays continue at Chicago’s airports due to global tech outage

By Rebecca Johnson

July 20, 2024 at 4:57 p.m.

O’Hare International Airport had more than 120 flights canceled by 3:45 p.m., and nearly 330...

Hikers on Sifnos, where Paths of Greece, a national hiking cooperative, has worked to restore trails for close to a decade. (Paths of Greece)

Aegean alternatives: For a seaside vacation in Turkey or Greece, consider these less-crowded spots

By The New York Times News Service Syndicate

July 17, 2024 at 5:00 a.m.

Summer of Dupes: Alternatives in the Aegean