Up North News • 3rd June 2025

9 Wisconsin towns that look like they’re straight out of a fairy tale

New Glarus was founded by Swiss immigrants, and that heritage is reflected in its architecture. (New Glarus Chamber of Commerce)
Sure, fairy tales are works of fiction, but they don’t always have to be. While fairy tales are types of folklore, with fantastical settings, mythical creatures, and unrealistic plots, there are many places throughout the world that capture the magic of fairy tales through their natural beauty, or charming architecture, and make fairy tales seem real, including several...

Up North News • 3rd June 2025

Follow the Great River Road Wine Trail for spectacular vineyards & views

There are a few key items that help to turn any road trip into the best trip ever: great music, great company, and great places to stop along the way, like an abundance of wineries and vineyards. The Great River Road Wine Trail, which spans more than 138 miles, makes for an ideal road trip, with scenic views of the Mississippi River and frequent stops at wineries along the way. 
The Great River Road Wine Trail is a trail of wineries and vineyards with locally-produced wines that follows the Miss...

Up North News • 3rd June 2025

How to spend a weekend in historic Fish Creek, Wisconsin

Every year, Door County receives more than 2.5 million visitors who travel to the peninsula to experience the county’s waterfront views, state and county parks, and its fantastic culinary offerings. While there are several different towns and communities that visitors can stay in, Fish Creek, on the peninsula’s western side, offers an opportunity to stay in one of Wisconsin’s historic communities.
Much of Fish Creek’s history remains and is accessible, like the Skyway Drive-In Theatre, a 75-year...

Time Out Chicago • 3rd June 2025

The best cheap things to do in Chicago

1. Catch a show at the Empty BottleMusicRock and indieUkrainian Villageprice 1 of 4Photograph: Clayton HauckAs one of the largest cities in the country, it’s almost guaranteed that most musicians will make a stop in Chicago while they’re on tour. Since 1992, the Empty Bottle has been one of the preferred places to catch rising acts, including early shows by bands like The Strokes and The Mountain Goats, as well as rare opportunities to see artists like Jack White in an intimate setting. The smal...

Up North News • 3rd June 2025

11 breweries & bars in Milwaukee that are perfect for reading alone

There are plenty of great places to read in Milwaukee: along the lakefront, any number of coffee shops, the Milwaukee Public Library, and several bars. Even though bars have a reputation for being dark and noisy, which makes for less-than-ideal reading conditions, there are enough that buck that trend and offer a warm, cozy place to crack open a book and imbibe in your favorite alcoholic beverage.
From cozy pubs with hidden alcoves to expansive bars with good lighting and minimal noise and homey...

Up North News • 3rd June 2025

Where to munch on mochi donuts in Wisconsin

One of the best things about donuts is that there’s a lot of variety: from old-fashioned to glazed, from jelly donuts to fritters. But there’s a new contender on the block: mochi donuts.
Unlike a traditional donut, which is usually made of all-purpose flour or cake flour, mochi donut dough is instead made of either glutinous rice flour or tapioca flour. The different flours result in a chewier and denser texture, instead of the lighter, cake-like texture found in more traditional donuts. Mochi d...

Time Out Chicago • 3rd June 2025

The best ideas for date night in Chicago

Photograph: Courtesy Chicago Magic LoungePhotograph: Courtesy Chicago Magic LoungeThe best date night ideas in ChicagoSpice up date night with fun activities such as pottery-making, a magic show and luxurious spa treatments.Tuesday February 11 2025ShareCopy LinkFacebookTwitterPinterestEmailWhatsAppWritten by Erin Yarnall & Jeffy MaiWritten by: Isaiah ReynoldsAdvertising
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Up North News • 3rd June 2025

11 Wisconsin town names that will make you blush

We’ve all been there—you see a town name on a sign or a map and think that it’s a little R-rated for a municipality. Wisconsin’s home to plenty of them: From town names that reference a sexual innuendo to a body part, there are plenty to blush about in the Badger State.
You don’t have to have a really dirty mind to find some town names worthy of a chuckle—some of them are blatant. But it’s unlikely that they were named with that intention. Many towns take their names from local landmarks, like r...

Time Out Chicago • 3rd June 2025

10 of the grisliest crime tours in Chicago

Often defined by its amazing restaurants, beautiful beaches, lively jazz scene and culturally significant architecture, there's another side to Chicago that most tourists don't get the opportunity to delve into ... 
The city has a notorious history of Prohibition-era organized crime and violence, which you can explore by signing up for one of the best Chicago crime tours. Learn the nitty gritty details of the city's dark past as your guide unearths stories that will leave you shocked. While the...

Chicago Tribune • 20th May 2025

Gurnee considering sales tax increase to replace grocery tax revenue; ‘I think this is a great approach’

Gurnee may increase its home rule sales tax to recoup revenue lost when Illinois officially ends its grocery tax at the start of 2026.
When food is taxed at a grocery store, that excess revenue goes back to local municipalities, but that will no longer be the case starting on Jan. 1.
After passing House Bill 3144, Illinois is eliminating its 1% grocery tax, but is allowing municipalities to make up that funding by either implementing their own grocery tax, or increasing other taxes. Most groceri...