Travel Smart With Jodie – Page 28 – Travel suggestions and tips

Where to watch solar eclipse in Metropolitan Chicago

Just about everyone in the Chicago area knows that the moon will block out most of the sun midday, Monday, Aug. 21, 2017.

The different phases of a solar eclipse are on a floor at the Adler Planetarium in'Chasing Eclipses.' Jodies Jacobs photo — The different phases of a solar eclipse are on a floor at the Adler Planetarium in ‘Chasing Eclipses.’ Jodie Jacobs photo

And most of them have heard that they need the certified glasses to watch the event or watch through a hole aimed at the ground where they see the event’s shadow.

Chicago will be in about 87 percent darkness during the height of the eclipse by 1:19 p.m. which is enough to feel the temperature change and that night has come.

So, the question is where to watch. Certainly Chicago’s TV channels, including WGN, will be broadcasting. But to experience the event with others check the places listed here and your local library, park district, forest preserve district or junior college.

Adler Planetarium on the Museum campus at 1300 S. Lake Shore Dr, Chicago, provides the best overall experience because along with giving out the proper glasses at no charge, it will have free general admission so visitors can see its “Chasing Eclipses exhibit. The Adler will also have lots of outdoor activities. For details visit Adler Eclipse Fest.

Chicago Botanic Garden at 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe, is holding a viewing party from about 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on the Esplanade and in the Krasberg Rose Garden. The event includes free solar glasses (one per family while supplies last) that will begin distribution at 10 a.m. There will also be other activities. For details visit Botanic Garden Eclipse.

Chicago Park District will host eclipse events at 20 parks and include glasses provided by the Adler Planetarium until they run out. For park locations visit Chicago Park District Eclipse.

Chicago Public Library will host viewing events at several branches. For the one nearest you click CPL Events.

Evanston Public Library, 1703 Orrington Ave., Evanston, will have a viewing party at its main location on Orrington Avenue from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. For more details visit EPL.

Lake County Forest Preserve District has a solar eclipse viewing party at Ryerson Woods, 21950 N. Riverwoods Rd, Riverwoods, from 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m.. It’s free and for all ages but adult supervisions required for children.. Viewing will be by indirect projection. Viewer supplies and instruction available. Visit LCFP.

Naper Settlement, 523 S. Webster St., Naperville is having a viewing picnic from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Naperville residents and members free. General admission is $5. Bring lunch. Limited space so first come basis. Viewing glasses are complementary. More information at NaperSettlement.

Park District of Oak Park and Oak Park Public Library will host a viewing party at Scoville Park, 800 Lake St., Oak Park. They will have some solar glasses and instruction on pinhole viewers. If conditions dictate the event will be at the library. For more information visit PDOP.

More eclipse information at NASA, ‘Where to be August’ 21‘ and ‘Adler Exhibit.’

See Perseids meteor shower

Just a quick reminder to look up late tonight, early tomorrow morning, late tomorrow night and before dawn Sunday.

The Perseids are streaking across the sky. Different calculations put them at from 40 to 80 an hour.

But to best see them you need dark – not a well-lit parking lot or town.

And the moon will be a factor because it is waning from the full moon Aug. 7 so the sky can still be fairly bright.

The Perseids radiate from the Perseus constellation. You see them when Earth crosses the orbit of the Swift-Tuttle comet.

Good sites to check out more meteor information are NASA’s Perseids from 2016 and EarthSky. Also see TravelSmart.

Last gasp of summer vacations within four hours of Chicago

Before becoming engulfed in everything fall from cool nights to school schedules, take a few days for one last summer break. Within four hours of Chicago there are restaurants and resorts with lake-side views, good spas and shopping, plus scenic boating and biking choices.

Gaze out from Peninsula State Park after hiking, biking or taking a trolley ride there. Photos by Jodie Jacobs

Door County, WI

About 3.5 hours north of Chicago is a finger-like peninsula that sticks so far out into Green Bay on one side and Lake Michigan on the other that there are almost too many scenic views for one trip.

The Door, as visitors and residents call it, begins halfway up in the fleshier part of the finger but the vacation destination begins at the Sturgeon Bay knuckle and continues up the finger to Gills Rock. Some folks even cross the choppy waters north by ferry to Washington Island, an interesting day trip when time allows.

To make the most of your vacation, first nail down where to stay. The sailing, hiking, biking and the Door’s specialties of art gallery hopping and lighthouse touring can wait. But accommodations fill quickly.

Before deciding, you should know that the Lake Michigan side is known as the “quiet side” because the small towns are nestled further apart among the forests. The Green Bay side is dotted with small bustling villages, restaurants, shops and inns.

But it doesn’t take long to cross The Door’s farmland in between so neither side is a bad choice. Both sides have state parks.

To stay amid the action, look at places on the Bay side from Fish Creek to Ephraim to Sister Bay. For quiet side accommodations, look at Baileys Harbor.

The best way to find lodging is to go to Door County, click Availability or Stay. If still not sure call the bureau at 800-527-3529 because they are very helpful.

“One of our primary things to do is help people find a place to stay,” said Communications Director Jon Jarosh.

The web site lists lots of activities but if you want a map and brochures stop at the Visitors Bureau after where WI Highways 57 and 42 connect at 1015 Green Bay Rd. on the south end of Sturgeon Bay.

Galena, IL

Downtown Galena is a historic and yummy place to be.

Tucked into the northwest corner of Illinois about three hours from Chicago are the scenic rolling hills of the Galena Territory and the historic town of Galena, home to Ulysses S. Grant with tie-ins to Abraham Lincoln.

Indeed more than 80 percent of Galena has historic district designations.

But a trip here isn’t just about going back in time. Situated on the Galena River and near the Mississippi, it’s a picturesque river-town edged with steep, photo-op streets.

Shopping its main street is delicious because there are wine-tasting places and yummy ice cream and candy shops.

Nearby, are the stage coach trail, fort and scenic vistas of Galena’s Jo Davies County. There is usually balloon or Wine or other festival taking place in the area.

Accommodations here range from charming B&Bs and inns to resorts.

If interested in combining golf, spa treatment or hiking, a good place to stay is the Eagle Ridge Resort on the outskirts of town at 444 Eagle Ridge Drive, Galena and at (800) 892-2269.

If interested in a Labor Day Weekend stay check out its special events and guest rate package.

To learn more about the area and find other lodging choices visit Galena.

Lake Geneva, WI

Boats pull up at piers around Geneva Lake.

Closer to Chicago is the town and lake where some of the city’s elite used to vacation and where some urbanites still have homes and cottages. It’s Lake Geneva on Geneva Lake and the small towns nearby.

From Chicago’s northern suburbs, the drive is about 1.5 hours but don’t try to make it faster than the posted speed limit. Some of the small towns along the route add to their coffers with speeding tickets.

However, Lake Geneva is an easy, fun getaway for folks who like to hike, bike, golf or enjoy water sports.

A great way to hear about the estates around the lake is to take the mail boat which pauses, sort-of, at some piers for postal deliveries.

Because the Lake Geneva area has been a vacation destination since before the turn of the last century, there are lots of lodging choices from contemporary to vintage and from resorts and B&Bs to inns and condos. To fit in golf or a spa treatment, consider the Grand Geneva outside of town.

For accommodation availability visit Lake Geneva and enter your arrival and departure dates.

So, instead of looking at the calendar with dismay that summer is just about gone, fit in a getaway. You deserve it.

Chicago hosts World Roller Derby where it all began

If you remember when you used to roller skate in the neighborhood or go to a local rink to roller skate, or if you like things retro, then mark down Aug. 19, when the World Roller Derby game will be played in south suburban Summit using 1970s rules and classic uniforms.

Joan Weston, L, of the Westerners and Cathie Read of the Bombers compete back in mid last century. Roller Derby Hall of Fame photo.

If you like the idea of celebrating a sport in the city where it began, then head to the former site of the Chicago Coliseum on Aug. 13

Roller Derby athletes and fans will be there to mark Chicagoan Leo Seltzer’s organizing the first Roller Derby Race where it first took place, Aug. 13, 1935.

Event Info

For the Aug. 13 celebration, go from 12:30 to 2 p.m. to Coliseum Park at 1513 S. Wabash Ave.

To see the retro roller derby game, a double header from 2 to 6 p.m., go to the Fleetwood Roller Rink, at 7231 W. Archer Ave. in Summit (south of Brookfield and I 55), Aug. 19.

Participants will be wearing the classic uniforms of the Midwest Pioneers and the Chicago Westerners using the 1970s rules. There will also be a Junior Roller Derby game.

Tickets are needed and limited so contact Brown Paper Tickets, a World Roller Derby Week partner, at Time Hop.

”We want to look back at our roots, pay respect to its founding members and to the city of Chicago, to celebrate our beginnings and progress, and give back to the community through service,” said World Roller Derby Week organizer Cheryl Cryer. “The roller derby story should be shared broadly as we look to our future in our juniors, who will no doubt carry us further than we could ever imagine.” Cryer said.

The event is also partnering with the American Red Cross for a national blood drive. Donor Pledges will be available at the events.

Hall of Fame

Raise you hands if you knew there is a Roller Derby Hall of Fame. You can find out about the sport and who is inducted there by clicking Roller Derby.

It was housed at NYC’s Madison Square Garden in the early 70s, closed. But the sport hasn’t disappeared. There are nearly two thousand women’s, men’s and junior leagues skating and competing. The Hall of fame reopened in Brooklyn in the early 2000s and will be moving to southern California soon.

Meteor Watch

Look up at night or just before dawn. You might see a meteorite zooming across the sky from now through mid August.

The Delta Aquarid meteor shower which peaks July 28 is best viewed in the Southern Hemisphere but you might see a flash of light looking south. This week is fairly good to sky watch because there is a waxing crescent (just a sliver of a moon).

In addition, the Northern Hemisphere’s popular Perseid meteor shower that peaks Aug. 12/13 in 2017, has already started so you might catch one of its meteorites almost anywhere in the sky.

Unfortunately for Perseid watchers, following a full moon Aug. 7, there will be a waning gibbous moon with about 77 percent illumination Aug. 12 and 67 percent illumination Aug. 13, so the moonlight will make it harder to pick up the meteorites. The Perseids can still be seen though there are fewer of them during the next waxing moon Aug. 16-18.

The Delta Aquarids and Perseids

The Aquarids are named for Skat, a star whose Greek name is Delta Aquarid. The star is below the Great Square of Pegasus in the Piscis Austrinus constellation. For more Aquarids info and a meteor shower calendar click on Earth Sky.

The Perseids go all over the sky but radiate from the Perseus constellation. They are coming from the Swift-Tuttle comet. You see them when Earth crosses its orbit. Visit NASA and Meteors for NASA’s Perseid information

Four summer things to do in Chicago on a stacation or as a visitor

From going to museums and shows to enjoying neighborhood festivals and awesome public art, there is always something to see and do in Chicago.

Indeed, there is so much to choose from that trying to wade through all the information is akin to almost drowning in a sea of information.

So here are four suggestions for different ages and interests.

Sharks at the Shedd

It doesn’t matter if you missed Discovery Channel’s “Shark Week” programs at the end of July, you can visit the sharks and learn about them at the Shedd Aquariam, one of Chicago’s most visited museums.

Instead of merely watching Shedd inhabitants swim and cavort, find out more about what you are seeing by chatting with divers and experts during animal chats. They take place at different times each day at the Caribbean Reef with a diver during feeding time, at Wild Reef when an expert answers such question s as why the sharks you’ll see don’t eat their fish companions, and at the Oceanarium where there are beluga and sea lions animal chats. There is also a daily expert answering questions about penguins in the Polar Play Zone

However, there is also a 60 minute shark feeding tour experience at the Wild Reef that is fascinating. Because it is a behind the scenes tour it needs planning ahead of time and special tickets. For that info visit Sharks. For animal chats visit Shedd.

Musical Madagascar

Imagine DreamWorks 2005 film coming alive on stage. With award winning director/choreographer Rachel Rockwell at the helm, the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre’s version of the characters is jazzy enough and cool enough to keep youngsters and adults clapping and moving for 70 short minutes. It’s certainly family friendly but adults don’t have to find a child to come and enjoy a show about New York’s Central Park Zoo residents escaping to an island country.

Madagascar "animals" escape from zoo on Chicago Shakespeare's stage. Liz Lauren photo — Madagascar “animals” escape from zoo on Chicago Shakespeare’s stage. Liz Lauren photo

‘Madagascar is at the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre on Navy Pier, 800 Grand Avenue, Chicago, now through Aug. 27, 2017. For tickets and other information visit ChicagoShakes.

Andersonville Eats

Andersonville, known as home to the Swedish American Museum and ethnic restaurants, is holding its annual Dinner Crawl Aug. 9. However, if not able to make the event check out the website to put together your own taste of Andersonville.

Typcialy attracting 600 foodies, the event offers three choices: Golden Fork, Silver Spoon and The Works routes and menus. The Crawl starts at 4 p.m. at the Swedish American Museum, 5211 N. Clark St. For tickets and a list of restaurants and stops visit Andersonville.

A Picasso Celebration of Public Art

For people who remember when that 50-foot tall, odd-looking sculpture was set up on Daley Plaza 50 years ago, it might seem like yesterday that Pablo Picasso designed an extraordinary sculpture for Chicago. People who keep an eye on the statue to see what sport celebration may be crowning it or hanging around its neck, the sculpture has come to signify city pride. And it’s universally recognized. So what to do when its 50th anniversary rolls around?

Well, in Chicago the anniversary will be celebrated with a re-staging of its unveiling, music performances and a few speeches beginning at noon, Aug. 8.

Chicago's Picasso sculpture symbolizes city pride. Jacobs photo — Chicago’s Picasso sculpture symbolizes city pride. Jacobs photo

But if unable to make the storied event, this summer is a good chance to appreciate the city’s year-long celebration: “20017 Year of Public Art.” The Chicago Public Art Collection, managed by the Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, contains more than 500 art works scattered throughout the city.

From Anish Kapoor’s “Cloud Gate (The Bean) and Jaume Plense’s Crown Fountain in Millennium Park to Jean Dubuffet’s “Monument with Standing Beast” at the State of Illinois Building and Alexander Calder’s “Flamingo” a the Federal Center Plaza, there are enough sculptures to walk around just downtown for an entire day. For a guide to the art works visit DCASE.

Where to be August 21 in 2017

If standing in the right place at the right time, your world will start to get cooler as the sun seems to disappear. Then, it will be dark and chilly. And no, you won’t be watching a sci-fi movie or be experiencing the end of the world as described in mythology. You will be experiencing a total solar eclipse.

The Adler Planetarium's "Chasing Eclipses" exhibit simulates a total solar eclipse that includes the cooling air and sounds. Jodie Jacobs photos — The Adler Planetarium’s “Chasing Eclipses” exhibit simulates a total solar eclipse that includes the cooling air and sounds. Jodie Jacobs photos

Unless you plan to be in the south Pacific or South America on Dec. 14, 2020 or in Dallas, Indianapolis or Cleveland, April 8, 2024, your best bet to experience a total solar eclipse is in the United States Aug. 21, 2017 along a diagonal path from Salem, Oregon in the northwest through Carbondale, IL in the Midwest to Charleston, South Carolina in the southeast.

Direct Time and Place

In the Midwest, people who travel to Carbondale in southern Illinois will see the moon totally blocking the sun for about 2 minutes and 41.6 sec. It’s actually safe to look when the sun is totally covered then. but not before or afterwards. If you don’t think that’s a long time to be in the dark try watching a clock tick off the seconds.

Carbondale, home of Southern Illinois University, is one of the best places to go to because of the long blockage beginning at 1:20 p.m. CDT and because it is one of NASA’s official sites. The Adler will have an event in Carbondale where astronomers and eclipse chasers will converge. Total coverage last about 2 minutes and 42 seconds.

You can draw your own line on a map from Salem, OR to Charleston, SC to see what other towns are in the eclipse path. Even though the blockage won’t be as long as in Carbonadale they will have a total eclipse. The towns along the path are all expecting visitors so are hosting eclipse events.

For example for Oregon visit Salem, Madras and Oregon for festivals, where to stay and what to do. If near Salem the eclipse is at 10:19 a.m. PDT and lasts 2 min, 4 sec.

For Carbondale, go to SIU. Totality there happens at 1:20 CDT. Also check out Charleston where the eclipse ends on US soil. Charleston is in the dark for about one minute, 40 seconds. For other places in South Carolina visit Great American Eclipse SC .

Accommodations have been going fast along the eclipse path so if planning to travel to a city where there will be total darkness don’t wait to find a place to stay whether camping or looking for an inn.

Chicago

Those places mentioned are dead center on the path but that doesn’t mean you wont have a great eclipse moment several miles away.

At the Adler's "Chasing Eclipses" exhibit, astronomer Larry Ciupik points out where Carbondale is on the 2017 eclipse path that goes from left to right. It is bisected by the eclipse path that will run from southeast to north west in 2024. — At the Adler’s “Chasing Eclipses” exhibit, astronomer Larry Ciupik points out where Carbondale is on the 2017 eclipse path that goes from left to right. It is bisected by the eclipse path that will run from southeast to north west in 2024.

In Chicago, the moon will begin blocking the sun about 11:54 a.m.CDT, reach maximum coverage about 1:30 p.m. and be all the way through by 2:30 p.m.

“While it won’t be absolute total blockage in Chicago, the city will experience a 90 percent eclipse,” said Adler Planetarium astronomer Larry Ciupik. And that is with Chicago located about a six and a half hour drive north of Carbondale.

Thousands of people are expected to join the Adler’s watching party, according to Ciupik. Proper glasses will be handed out until the supply is gone. For the Adler’s big eclipse bash visit Adler Eclipse. For official NASA viewing sites visit NASA Event Locations.

Safety

It’s not OK to look while the moon is moving across the sun even when a little bit of the sun is peeking out. Looking at the sun when there is not total blockage will damage the eyes. See NASA for more eclipse information and NASA Safety for viewing tips.

You have to use certified glasses to watch. Another way is to look at the events shadow on the ground by turning your back to the sun and making a peep hole with your hands, one in front of the other as described on the NASA safety site.

So take advantage of the event by making it a summer vacation but don’t wait to make arrangements.

Five favorite Chicago area alfresco spaces

How picky are you when it comes to eating outdoors when you want to take advantage of Chicago’s often too -short summer season?

If not at all picky, you might not mind cars pulling into the spaces close to your sidewalk café table. After all, sidewalk cafés are not just a Parisian thing. As soon as the weather turns balmy, lots of restaurants set out tables. Sometimes the space is marked off by planters.

However, here are a few places to consider if looking for a bumper-free, emissions-free outdoor experience when you want to relax over brunch lunch, dinner or cocktails. in or around Chicago . The places may not be what you would expect but they’re nice for relaxing, meeting friends, lovely views and good food.

Lake Forest

At Market House on the Square in north suburban Lake Forest, guests favor the historic building’s (former fire station) British-style bar and dining room when there is a chill in the air. But when summer comes, it’s all about lunching or dining out on the patio. Nothing is typical here. From a tempura fish sandwich and a “griddled” burger with wild mushrooms and red pepper ranch or a poached pear salad at lunch to PEI mussels with frites or a short ribs shepherd’s pie for supper, the offerings are delish and creative. Many of the menu items come from Executive Chef Dan Marquis’ Mill Road Farms.

Market House on the Square is at 655 Forest Ave., Lake Forest, IL. For reservations call (847) 234-8800 and visit Market House.

Chicago Botanic Garden features three places to eat with relaxing views. Jacobs photo — Chicago Botanic Garden features three places to eat with relaxing views.
Jacobs photo

Glencoe

Instead of only going to the Chicago Botanic Garden to walk among the flowers or visit the Brazilian butterflies that are there now, plan to do breakfast, brunch or lunch ton the outdoor deck of the Garden View Café. There is also the Garden Grille for burgers and brats and the new Rose Terrace Beer Garden that has craft beers when looking for a place to lunch or for later dining and relaxing with a garden view.

The Chicago Botanic Garden is at 1000 Lake Cook Rd., Glencoe just east of the Edens Expressway. For more information call (847) 835-5440 and visit CBG and Chicago Botanic Outdoor Dining.

Chicago’s Mag Mile

Walk into Shanghai Terrace at the Peninsula Chicago and relax outdoors with a terrific cocktail and wonderful dim sum (think shrimp, Peking duck and barbecue pork). The restaurant a few floors above North Michigan Avenue, spreads outside with comfortable seating and tables as soon as weather permits.

The Peninusla Chicago is at 108 E. Superior St., Chicabgo. For reservations and other information call (312) 573- 6695 or 312-337-288 and visit Peninsula.

Wheaton

Who would have thought a public golf course would also be known as an event venue or for its cuisine or for its wonderful patio. But if in the Wheaton area at meal time, stop at the Arrowhead Golf Club and ask for an outside table. The club ss a public facility operated by the Wheaton Park District that just happens to have great food and views of the course from its terrace like patio.

Arrowhead Golf Club is at 26W151 Butterfield Rd., Wheaton, IL For other information call (630) 653-5800) and visit Arrowhead Golf Club.

Enjoy good food and views from the terrace like patio at Arrowhead Golf Club, a public venue. Jacobs photo

Geneva

There often is a wait list to sit on Fiora’s patio overlooking the town but people who go early and during the week can usually snag an outdoor table. The restaurant is in a historic building where food and ambiance make it a popular choice.

Fiora’s is at 317 Third St., Geneva, IL. For reservations and more information call 630-262-1317 and visit Fiora’s.

BTW Please feel free to add your own favorite Chicago area place for dining outside.

Two places to put on the Washington DC bucket list

Designed by David Adjaye and Philip Freelonb, the National Museum of African AmericanHistory and Culture is a stunning building at 14th Street and Madison Drive. Jacobs photo — Designed by David Adjaye and Philip Freelon, the National Museum of African American History and Culture is a stunning building at 14th Street and Madison Drive. Jacobs photo

A plane flown by Tuskeege Airmen hangs in a multi-storied hall at the National Museum of African American History and Culture. Jacobs photo

Washington D.C..deserves to be on the summer bucket list even if you have been there before. It’s fun to visit longtime favorite places such as the National Museum of American History, which BTW still features First Ladies Dresses.

But if interested in the hit “Hamilton” show you will find a couple of outstanding new exhibits there with similar themes: “American Democracy: A great leap of faith” and “Many Voices One Nation.” Both open June 28, 2017.

However, save time to visit two other very special places: the new National Museum of African American History and Culture and the Newseum.

Why go:

Similar to the phrase about visiting Alaska that as beautiful as you’ve heard it is, it’s even better, the National Museum of African American History and Culture surpasses expectations. Its architecture, interior layout and exhibits are extraordinary.

Bronze lattice-work wraps the building’s top, visible layers and huge walls, ramps and intimate galleries fill the museum’s structure below ground. For an idea of what the collections and exhibit contain download the museum’s mobile app.

The museum is conveniently located across 14th Street from the National Museum of American History.

At the Newseum, no matter what your politics are, you will find hands-on exhibits that show how attitudes have changed and headlines have called attention to momentous events. And you are likely to leave with a better understanding of the phrase “freedom of the press.”

There is always a terrific new exhibit up on the Level 6. If in D.C. before the end of July, see “Louder than words: Rock Power and Politics.” Headlines, music and artifacts form the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and the Newseum show the role that rock and roll music and musicians played in movements around the world and in U.S. presidencies.

The Newseum is across from the National Gallery of Art and south of the Capitol.

One of the best images of the US Capitol is from the Newseum. One of its TV studios is often used when interviewing people and politicians in the news. Jacobs photo

What you need to know

The National African American musem, Madison Drive and 14th Street, is free but there has been such a crush to see it that entry is only by timed tickets. Advance entry tickets are available monthly but that means waiting to Jul5 5, 2017 when October tickets will be offered beginning at 9 a.m. Eastern Time. Day-of timed tickets go online starting at 6:30 a.m. ET every day until gone. Some walk-in entries are available at beginning at 1 p.m. ET weekdays only at the Madison Drive entrance.

Tickets to the Newseum, 555 Pennsylvania Ave. at 6th Street, are discounted by 15% if bought in advance (age 6 and under free) and are discounted 10% day of at the counter for military, college students and AAA members with ID cards.

The Newseum is featuring "1967 Civil Rights at 50." Jacobs Photo — The Newseum is featuring “1967 Civil Rights at 50.” Jacobs Photo

Tips to negotiating the two museums

NMAAHC

The National African American museum, often referred to as the NMAAHC, is basically divided in half with the bottom portion sinking down into the ground covering the history of blacks in America and the top half featuring black contributions in music, sports, theater and other areas.

Best plan is to take an elevator down and then another elevator all the way down to lowest C designation to begin with early history, then walk up the ramps through the build-outs of historic events, film clips, and important collection items back to the main floor. From there, take an elevator up to the top level (designated L with numbers).

The museum’s Sweet Home Café is excellent and offers a good break between the lower and upper sections. Plan to spend at least half a day at the museum.

Newseum

At the Newseum visitors often check out the exhibit labels next to a main floor elevator or on the map picked up at the entry counter. However, best plan is to take the escalator down to the concourse level and walk over to the glass express elevator. It goes non-stop to Level 6 which is a good place to see special exhibits, take a photo outside of the U.S. Capitol north of the Newseum on Constitution Avenue.

Back inside walk to the south end of Level 6 to see the current special exhibit. Then go down a level to the expansive theater area where relevant special exhibit film clips are shown.

Continue walking down or taking an elevator to the exhibits on each floor. Among other attractions, there is a 9-11 section, the FBI Today, “1967: Civil Rights at 50,” an interactive newsroom and a section on the Internet, TV and Radio.

A café is on the concourse level near the glass elevator. Plan to spend at least a couple of hours at the museum.

Chicago celebrates the LGBTQ community

All of June is Pride Month in Chicago. But the day that out-of-towners in the LGBTQ community will for sure want to visit is June 25, 2017 when the city’s annual Gay & Lesbian Pride Parade meanders south on Broadway carrying, wearing and waving colors of the rainbow.

Among the largest of such parades in the U.S., its marchers, dancers and floats step off at noon from Montrose Avenue. They then go south on Broadway to Halsted Street and then continue to Diversey Avenue and on to Cannon Drive.

Choose Chicago has a list of hotels and other deals on its website but here are a couple of suggestions.

Hotel Versey, conveniently situated for the Pride Parade, has free Pride items the day of the parade. Hotel Versey photo

Stop at the newly opened Hotel Versey, a boutique hostelry at 644 W. Diversey Parkway, on the parade route in the Lincoln Park-Lakeview area. The hotel will have complimentary flags, beads, stickers at a “Flair for All” booth from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

If looking for a place to stay, check out The Talbott Hotel’s discounted rate packages that include a “Pride Festival Survival Kit” with a rainbow backpack filled with water bottles, sunscreen and protein bars.

The Chicago Pride package is available over dates surrounding Pride Week, the Pride Parade, and Market Days Festivals (June 19 – July 7 and August 6 – August 18). For more information or to make a reservation, please visit here. Check availability at Talbott Pride.

The Talbott is at 20 E. Delaware St. in the Gold Coast neighborhood south of the parade route and adjacent to near North Michigan Avenue’s Magnificent (shopping) Mile. Visit Talbott for hotel information.

For more Chicago Pride Parade info visit Chicago Pride.