beaches

If you want to feel like you're in the tropics this summer without actually traveling there, check out Three Oaks Recreation Area in Crystal Lake, Illinois.

If you want to visit beautiful beaches without taking a flight to the tropics, plan a trip to Pictured Rocks, Michigan.

Heading out over the weekend or maybe you have plans for a little Illinois staycation?

Let's use some technology to take some of frozen edge off of a Midwestern January.

I'm a gadget lover. High tech, low tech, it really doesn't matter to me, as long as it's a gadget meant to do interesting things. Things like, oh, making cool designs on the beach. You probably didn't know that we were lacking that sort of technology, but (until recently) we most certainly were...