Travel in state Illinois

Here are some excerpts from Daily Lodging Report from the past week. If you’re not a subscriber, you should be. Get news on hotel deals, development, stocks, and career moves. Sign up here, now.

Thousands of fans flooded Chicago’s Soldier Field for three nights in June to see Taylor Swift perform “You Need to Calm Down” on her Eras Tour. The city was packed: There were also out-of-towners attending the James Beards Awards and the American Society of Clinical Oncology’s annual meeting. 

United Airlines on Friday said it is spending $33 million to buy 113 acres (46 hectares) in Denver as part of its growth strategy.

Andrew Spector, Onyi Iweala, and their three children hoped a lost bag on their journey from Durham, North Carolina, to Abuja, Nigeria, would be the biggest travel hiccup of their 10-day trip to visit family.

Despite the heat and the crowds in Europe this summer, American Airlines is betting on continued demand for flights across the pond next year. The carrier announced a major expansion Thursday to its summer 2024 roster that will add three new destinations to its Europe lineup, one new route, and the resurrection of several flights it hasn’t operated since before the pandemic.

It’s not uncommon for a department store to feature a welcoming lunch spot where you can have a snack and a rest after a shopping spree. However, Nordstrom’s flagship location on west 57th street takes dining to a whole new level. The store boasts multiple dining options, several of which are open after hours. Nordstrom’s tasty offerings warrant a visit even if you are not in the shopping mood. Below is your guide to Nordstrom’s many food choices.

The Bear, now streaming Season 2 on Hulu, introduced many viewers to the Chicago delicacy of an Italian beef sandwich—a combo of spiced, thinly sliced meat and peppers on a crispy length of Italian bread. The show’s central character, an Italian American chef at an acclaimed New York City restaurant, moves home to Illinois to cook the dish at his late brother’s Italian beef joint.

A TikToker attempted to go viral by saying she had sneaked onto a train while on vacation in Europe, and complaining that she was caught out and handed a fine. She did gain millions of views, but the response wasn't positive.

Looking for a new museum to add to your travel to-do list? TripAdvisor (SmarterTravel’s parent company) has released the Travelers’ Choice Top 25 Museums of 2018, including the top 10 worldwide and the top 10 in the United States, with some surprising frontrunners. The findings also highlight bookable ways to see each winner—think VIP tours and scavenger hunts—with some offering the added perk of allowing you to skip the lines to get in.

Shorter days, cooler weather, and back-to-school sales are right around the corner—but don’t let summer come to an end without enjoying one last vacation. Book one of these cheap Labor Day weekend getaways to take advantage of low airfares, affordable hotel rates, and special events in a variety of U.S. and international locations.

Norwegian Air, the growing low-cost carrier known for low fares to Europe, is adding two new destinations: Chicago, Illinois, and Austin, Texas.

If you’re planning on visiting any of these destinations, you should read up on how to spot bedbugs in your hotel room (and what to do about it). Pest control company Orkin just released its list of the top cities for bedbugs, using data from both residential and commercial (i.e., vacation rentals and hotels) calls. Orkin noted which destinations had more bedbug outbreaks (Los Angeles, for example, moved up two spots on the list), and which had fewer (good job, New York, dropping four places).

A new national monument has been established to honor Emmett Till and his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley. 

If you talk to folks from other countries around the world and ask them what they know and love about the United States, outside of our National Parks (“America’s Best Idea”) and grand cities, they might light up and mention Route 66, one of the most famous historic roads in America. Established in 1926, this route passed through parts of Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, and California for a total of 2,448 miles.

The USA’s sheer scale and scope means it’s impossible to see everything the country has to offer in one go ­– and you shouldn’t try. From sprawling national parks to quirky small towns to some of the world’s most exciting cities, America has an overwhelming number of potential trips.