CHICAGO

Preferred Hotels

THE LANGHAM, CHICAGO

THE PENINSULA

FOUR SEASONS

RITZ CARLTON

Chicago, Illinois

Nestled on Caribbean-blue Lake Michigan, Chicago has wow factor overload. Visit Cloud Gate, aka “The Bean” due its coffee bean shape. In Millennium Park, the mirrored sculpture reflects the city’s famous skyline. The Art Institute of Chicago, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the US, while the Museum of Science and Industry and Field Museum are a must. The number one thing to do in Chicago is the architectural river cruise with Chicago’s First Lady Cruises, learning about 50 of the city’s standout architectural buildings as you cruise up the river. Stroll along the Riverwalk, shop up a storm along the Magnificent Mile, and at Wrigley Field, watch the Cubs play or do a tour.

Dallas/Fort Worth, Texas

Not quite twin cities, Dallas and Fort Worth bookend the DFW airport, and both are worth stopovers on your next US trip. In Dallas, visits to the George W. Bush Presidential Library, the Sixth Floor Museum (former Book Depository from where JFK was shot) and the Dallas Museum of Art are all warranted. Also visit Southfork Ranch, Pioneer Plaza and sign up for the Margarita Mile. In Fort Worth, watch the longhorn cattle drive at the Stockyards National Historic District, buy some cowboy boots at Leddy’s and wear them on a night out at Billy Bob’s Texas – the world’s biggest honky tonk. Don’t miss the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth, the Kimbell, and the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.