Gary Thompson

3 weeks ago | midwestliving.com | Gary Thompson

Everyone loves a road trip playlist, so please indulge this extended music metaphor: Interstate highways are the hit singles of summer road tripping—fast-tracked, big sellers with successful formulas that appeal to mainstream audiences (and can quickly become monotonous through over-exposure). The scenic byways of Kansas, on the other hand, are like album cuts—deep tracks under-appreciated by the masses yet true gems when you discover them.

1 month ago | midwestliving.com | Julia Sayers |Gary Thompson

Our travel writers, editors and contributors to Midwest Living are always on the pulse of the latest and greatest things happening in the Midwest. This May, we're especially excited about some new hotel openings (both large-scale and small-scale), innovative tasting menus and a floating eco park. Here are the 15 things we're buzzing about this month.

2 months ago | midwestliving.com | Gary Thompson

A screen door off the kitchen of the Knapp home opens to the patio and lake, just one of the ways the house maximizes an indoor-outdoor feel. Photo: Diana Paulson Fortune favors the bold, an ancient adage claims. You’d get no argument from Elizabeth and Brandon Knapp, who were ready to take some design risks when they built their new home in Portage, Michigan, outside Kalamazoo. “In the past we’ve lived in gray and white houses, so we did not want any gray in this home,” Elizabeth says.

Mar 18, 2025 | midwestliving.com | Julia Sayers |Gary Thompson |Hannah Agran

Glamping spots are a dime a dozen these days, but The Woods stands out from the pack: A-frames and glass houses painted in striking black and decked with contemporary furnishings, oil paintings, shelves of books, vases of flowers and more. Even the bathhouse is Insta-worthy. The adults-only getaway offers 18 accommodation options and is only a five-minute drive from Lake Michigan. Mackinac Island prides itself on a way of life that hearkens to a simpler time.

Mar 5, 2025 | midwestliving.com | Gary Thompson |Julia Sayers

Our travel writers, editors and contributors to Midwest Living are always on the pulse of the latest and greatest things happening in the Midwest. This March, we're excited about a new arts center, several restaurant openings in Chicago and Minneapolis, and an annual butterfly exhibit. Here are the 15 things our team is buzzing about this month. The Country's Largest Butterfly Exhibit Admire thousands of butterflies up close at the annual "Butterflies are Blooming" exhibit.