Chicago Summer Adventure Guide

We created this Chicago Summer Adventure Guide in order to dispel the notion that worthwhile life experiences must involve international travel, significant investment and considerable allotment of time. Summers often seem short, and sometimes wishing for conditions to fall into perfect alignment so that we feel we can get away from it all keeps many … Read more

Low-stress ways to leave Chicago

Some of the best lakeside places for overnight camping, weekend or week-long bike tours require creative ways for getting out of the city. All of our Lake Michigan sharing neighbors —Wisconsin, Indiana and Michigan— offer more wild and picturesque places along the shore than does our own state, which is unfortunately dominated by the enormous … Read more

10 Essentials for Outdoor Adventures

The Ten Essentials List, originally developed by The Mountaineers, a Seattle-based organization for climbers and outdoor adventurers, included 10 actual items. Over the years, and as more modern gear became available, it had become more of a “system” approach. So, it is less about specific item recommendations, and more about the basics you really should … Read more

adventure planning

Adventure Planning 101

I love occasional spontaneous adventures and outings, but some organized adventure planning will ensure that you optimize the time you have available. We often complain that summer isn’t long enough, and we don’t do a quarter of the things we wanted to. If we shift our thinking about what constitutes a great trip or an … Read more