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,...

Go away with… Megan Batoon

By Jae-Ha Kim

June 29, 2021 at 10:17 a.m.

"I was actually planning to live in Paris for a month, something that I've always...

Arnolds Park Beach, Lake Okoboji, Iowa | This sandy stretch on Lake Okoboji — one of a chain of five that are considered Iowa's Great Lakes — sits almost in the shadow of a historic wooden roller coaster, bumper cars and midway games. The free beach is part of Arnolds Park Amusement Park, and the beach offerings befit its lively location. Jet Skis, volleyball, parasailing? Yes, yes and yes. (Shutterstock)

Oak Street Beach among must-visit Midwestern beaches this summer

By Kerri Westenberg

June 28, 2021 at 12:45 p.m.

Big Bay, Madeline Island, La Point, Wisconsin | Those crystal-clear Superior waters, ringed by a...

NORTHEAST: HOT AIR BALLOON OVER LETCHWORTH STATE PARK |Known as the "Grand Canyon of the East," Letchworth State Park's cliffs, lush forests and cascading waterfalls are a sight to behold, especially from above. If you've ever considered taking a hot-air balloon ride, Letchworth State Park and the surrounding countryside are the ultimate backdrop. After enjoying a bird's-eye view, you can further explore the park on its miles of hiking, biking and horseback riding trails.

Who’s out there camping? It’s a growing tent.

By Bob Timmons

June 24, 2021 at 9:32 a.m.

CARLTON, Minn. — Memorial Day weekend was coming, and Jay Cooke State Park was setting...

As an American tradition returns, it’s time to round up the family — and the livestock

By Jay Jones

June 24, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

While many youngsters frolic their way through summer vacation, Dalton Mowbray keeps busy feeding, grooming...

Why won’t the airline refund my flight cancelled because of COVID-19?

By King Features Syndicate

June 18, 2021 at 4:07 p.m.

Air France canceled Liga Aldins' flight from Boston to Paris last spring. But it's still...

Go away with… Gregg Daniel

By Jae-Ha Kim

June 18, 2021 at 4:01 p.m.

"My wife and I have taken frequent road trips in order to ensure our sanity...

Rick Steves’ Europe: A romantic breeze in Rome

By Rick Steves

June 18, 2021 at 3:56 p.m.

As we've had to postpone our travels because of the pandemic, I believe a weekly...

The Maldives lured tourists back. Now it needs nurses.

By The New York Times

June 18, 2021 at 6:27 a.m.

MALÉ, Maldives — The largest COVID-19 treatment facility in the Maldives has nearly 300 beds...

Christine Baranski as Diane Lockhart of the Paramount+ series "The Good Fight".

‘The World’s Most Amazing Vacation Rentals’ on Netflix: As travel reopens, do you want to stay in an igloo?

By Darcel Rockett

June 17, 2021 at 11:50 a.m.

Passport up to date? Friends and loved ones excited to gather in-person outside of backyard...

Passengers aboard the Wilderness Legacy await the thunderous sound of icebergs calving from the Margerie Glacier.

Fully vaccinated passengers venture out on one of the first Alaska cruises since 2020

By Alex Pulaski

June 17, 2021 at 5:00 a.m.

Alaska inspires and attracts adventurers. Over the centuries, it has drawn explorers from neighboring Asia,...