Chicago
Towering skyscrapers, colorful neighborhoods, wonderful museums, friendly local folk-is it any wonder that the Windy City crops up on so many “Best City” lists? Visit, or re-visit, Chicago’s premier attractions at Museum Campus on the Lake Michigan shorefront: Adler Planetarium, Shedd Aquarium/Oceanarium (the largest indoor aquarium in the world), and the Field Museum of Natural History. Later, collapse on a bench in Grant Park and take in a free concert or watch the passing parade of in-line skaters, bikers, joggers, and kite-flyers.