Chicago was squeezed into Illinois to make it more Northern. It's now the capital of the Midwest, but culturally, call it a Great Lakes state. Read more
As the reigning wild Bear and the star of bad-taste TV, Steve McMichael is on a tear. But he still takes time to hem a dress for his beauty-queen wife, Debra. Read more
It may not be as long (or as mountainous) as the Appalachian and Pacific Crest Trails, but the 200-mile Outerbelt Route, established in 2018, is the city’s own bucket-list megahike. Here’s a plan for tackling it in 19 days. Read more
Forget the tent or hotel room. These destinations offer abundant natural beauty, from canyons and waterfalls to prairies and dunes, within three hours of the city. Read more
