Navy Pier gets update

In a bid to make Chicago's Navy Pier (navypier.com) a bit more relevant to tourists and locals, the 3,300-foot-long platform reaching into Lake Michigan is getting an update, including a bigger Ferris wheel. Opening May 27, the new ride stands 196 feet high with 42 gondolas (up from 147 feet and 40 gondolas). The new gondolas will feature interactive touch screens, because why would you simply want to revel in a slowly shifting perspective of one of the world's great skylines? Maybe you can even check Facebook from the Ferris wheel! Chicago's former Ferris wheel has moved south to Branson, Mo., where it's expected to start spinning in June.

Chicago Tribune

Fewer lates, but still more complaints

More flights are arriving on time and airlines are losing fewer bags, yet more consumers are complaining about air travel. Traveler complaints jumped 34 percent last year, to the highest level since 2000. Top frustration is problem flights including cancellations and delays, which is unchanged in 16 years. "Everything is getting better, but they are still unhappy about the same things," says Dean Headley, a marketing professor at Wichita State and co-author of an annual report on airline quality. He thinks passengers resent the growth in extra fees for things like checked baggage and changing or canceling a reservation, and that makes them quicker to complain when something goes wrong with their trip.

Associated Press

Beachy escape in Maui

Perched on a corner in the bohemian enclave of Paia, Maui, the Paia Inn may not look terribly swanky from the outside. Inside is a whole other story. Arty Hawaiian and Southeast Asian touches are everywhere, from the colorful paintings to the sculptures, lanterns and furniture. The rooms are Manhattan-sized, which is to say, small — but they're beautifully appointed. Plus the common areas give you plenty of room to spread out. A garden path — lined with beach toys and chairs to borrow — winds its way down to Baldwin Beach, so you can play on what feels like your own private beach (rooms $199 and up; beach house $999 and up; paiainn.com).

San Jose Mercury News

The new Ferris wheel at Navy Pier in Chicago.

San Francisco is the most expensive — but Detroit?!

San Francisco is once again ranked the most expensive U.S. destination for business travelers — but the big surprise is Detroit. Business Travel News found that the fastest increase in hotel rates — 22.5 percent from 2014 to 2015 — was reported in Detroit, a sign that the Motor City is bouncing back from bankruptcy. Detroit's average nightly hotel rate of $198 is still a bargain compared with San Francisco, the city with the highest corporate hotel rate of $370 a night. When hotel and car rental rates and dining costs are added, San Francisco leads the country with business travelers paying a daily average of $547.

Los Angeles Times

Free entry to national parks

The National Park Service, which celebrates its centennial this year, is waiving admission fees during National Park Week. On April 16-24, nearly 130 parks will offer free entrance, including Yellowstone and Grand Teton (normally $50 for a seven-day pass for the pair), Everglades ($20 per car; valid for a week) and Minnesota's own Pipestone National Monument ($7 per person; good for a week). Info: nps.gov/plan yourvisit/fee-free-parks-state.htm.

Washington Post