USA TODAY Cruise Log with Gene Sloan

• Introduction
• 1. Berlin
• 2. Black Rock Desert
• 3. Chicago
• 4. Côte d’Azur
• 5. Hvar
• 6. Ibiza
• 7. Montreal
• 8. Mykonos
• 9. Provincetown
• 10. Reykjavik

Chicago

Chicago’s nickname, the Windy City, may have been borne of excessive boasting during its bid for the 1893 World Fair – and have nothing whatsoever to do with the weather – but summertime in this Midwestern city definitely warrants bragging rights. In addition to its year-long attractions – think world-class museums, legendary jazz and blues clubs, 7000-plus restaurants, two stellar ball clubs (the Cubs and White Sox) – summer months bring a slew of seasonal events, including The Taste of Chicago summer feast at Grant Park; the critically acclaimed Theater on the Lake; concerts in Highland Park as part of the Ravinia Festival; and the Magnificent Mile Arts Festival, an eclectic display of jewelry, sculpture, photography, and textiles from over 200 local and national artists. You’ll also find 29 magnificent miles of glorious lakefront set below the impressive skyline created by big-name architects like Frank Lloyd Wright and William Le Baron.

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