Chicago street art
Street art has become an intrinsic part of the cultural fabric of our modern communities. In Chicago, look for colorful works of art on bridges, buildings, train stations and parking garages. In the Wabash Arts Corridor, efforts have been underway to revitalize parts of the city by creating an ever-changing artistic landscape. Several large-scale murals, featuring vivid eyeballs, superheroes and harmony messages, have emerged along a milelong strip of Wabash Avenue. With close to 20 large-scale murals condensed into a seven-block stretch, it's something of a mecca for street art devotees. Also, the 606 Trail, an elevated hiking and biking trail, provides the opportunity to view murals painted by community groups (choosechicago.com).
FamilyTravel.com
European visa?
Starting in 2024, Americans will need to have travel authorization to enter 30 European countries. The travel visas, through the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS), will allow anyone with a U.S. passport to enter into visa-required countries for three years. The rollout has been delayed multiple times before the January 2024 start date was announced, and travel experts expect it to be delayed again. But for now, all U.S. passport holders will be required to fill out an application through the ETIAS website and pay 7 euros (about $8). Once you are approved, your authorization will be linked to your passport, allowing you to stay up to 90 days in an ETIAS-requirement country within a 180-day period.
Charlotte Observer
Weatherproof flights
Thousands of fliers' travel plans have been disrupted as storms wreaked havoc on airline schedules this summer. Scott Keyes, founder of flight alert service Going, said travelers should choose flights that have better records of on-time performance: early-morning and nonstop flights. He said weather tends to be better in the morning than afternoon, when temperatures rise and thunderstorms increase. And flying early in the day means you're not rolling the dice on weather elsewhere in the country. "When you take that first morning flight, the aircraft is already at the airport and ready to go," Keyes said. "It doesn't have to come from anywhere else." Nonstop flights are also far less likely to experience significant disruptions than flights with layovers, he said.
Washington Post
Nude cruise
A new kind of cruise will be sailing out of Miami. Pack extra sunscreen, because all of the passengers will be nude. Bare Necessities Tour & Travel has hired Norwegian Cruise Line to host an annual nude cruise in 2025. The 11-day excursion, dubbed the 2025 Big Nude Boat on NCL's Norwegian Pearl, will depart PortMiami on Feb. 3, 2025. Stops include the Bahamas, San Juan and Castries, St. Lucia. Tickets will go on sale in August through Bare Necessities (cruisebare.com). Bare Necessities trips are for naturists — not kinky adventurers. "We're just offering a cruise to people who prefer not to wear clothes," said Ken Tiemann, the chief operating officer.
Miami Herald
