Culture

Travel

Milestones

Overview

Fraud

Financial Pathways

Take a new approach to managing credit, savings and making smarter financial choices with expert advice from Life and Money by Citi.

Money

Well-being

Credit Cards

Banking

Lending

Investing

Citigold®

Citi Financial Pathways

Around the world, Citi has strategic locations where our employees go to work each day to support our core businesses and drive solutions for our clients. 

Products and Services

NavBar

Home

FooterNav

<p>Traveling with a bunch of friends or family can be among life's most rewarding experiences, especially when you put time and thought into the pre-trip planning.</p><p>To help you make smart decisions on your destination, activities, lodging and more, we tapped top pros for their best group-travel tips. These expert ideas can help you get organized, enjoy the journey and ensure it all happens without a hitch. </p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/GettyImages-941491560_web.jpg" alt="a group of friends celebrate with their hands in the air at the top of a mountain" class="right_image" /><h2>Consider personalities </h2><p>Your choice of destination will have a big impact on the experience, so think carefully about which setting will suit your group best. If your companions are the type who like their independence, for example, you may want a walkable city like San Francisco, New York, Chicago or Portland, where you can all go your own way once the planned outings are done for the day. For lodging, pick a centrally located spot with easy access to coffee shops and restaurants; that way, everyone can easily find what they need without having to rely on the group. </p><p>If, instead, you're a tight-knit crew with unified interests, you might try a more secluded locale, suggests destination event planner Michelle Rago. (Think a small beach town in Portugal or a historic village in Italy.) </p><p>For cross-generational trips, guest ranches in Montana or Colorado are an ideal option, Rago adds, because families can stay close together and also have the freedom to do activities like horseback riding, kayaking or trout fishing on their own.</p><p>A road trip abroad can also be a crowd-pleaser — even if participants have different interests and sleep habits, according to parenting blogger Yashy Murphy, who once drove from Dublin to the shores of southwestern Ireland with her husband, their child, her in-laws and two aunts. "Some people liked to sleep in, while others were early risers, so I made sure to plan morning activities and come back in time for lunch to meet the rest of the group," Murphy says. Ireland was an excellent choice, she adds, because of the relatively short distances between stops and the diversity of beautiful landscapes and historic sights.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/GettyImages-576721759_web.jpg" alt="A family with 2 kids sit on the ground looking out at mountain scenery" class="right_image" /><h2>Stay organized, from start to finish</h2><p>Online tools and apps can streamline your planning. Instead of trying to pick a date over an unwieldly group chat or email chain, for example, send out a poll via Doodle.com, a free scheduler that can automatically pinpoint the group's preferred options. Sygic Travel Maps, a global app that compiles top sights, museums, restaurants, shops and more from travel editors and fellow travelers, is a helpful tool for creating itineraries. And the Splitwise app is an easy way to keep a running tab of who owes money to whom, with an option to settle the bills at the end of the trip.</p><h2>Choose transportation strategically</h2><p>The more people you have on your trip, the more of a possibility there is for unexpected snafus like missed flights or lost luggage. Your best bet is to keep the travel plans as streamlined as possible. "Avoid connecting flights at all costs, especially if there are children or older people," advises Eli Ashear, a travel agent with Embark Beyond, because those can add a layer of unnecessary stress. (Ashear once worked with a client who organized a birthday party in an exotic locale, only to learn his father was hesitating to attend because it entailed a layover, he says.)</p><p>If a connection is the only way to get there, consider hiring VIP ushers. For an added fee, many large airports around the world offer concierges or meet-and-greet services through third parties that can facilitate connections, arrivals and getting through security lines.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/group-adventure_body-2_901596148.jpg" alt="Four friends look out upon the New York City skyline" class="right_image" /><h2>Get the most out of your lodging</h2><p>You want everyone to be comfortable and happy with where you're staying, so understanding the group's expectations and budget is a good place to start to help you narrow down your options. A cozy boutique hotel is often a good choice for a group because there's generally a sense of intimacy and the service can be more personal. But if your companions' price ranges vary, a larger hotel can be an easier option because many major chains allow travelers to reserve rooms at a discount when booking 10 or more. Even if your crew is not quite big enough to qualify, it's a good idea to call the property to inquire about a special rate or potential perks.</p><h2>Be a (benevolent) leader</h2><p>If you're the one in charge, make an effort to be sure every traveler feels included and heard. "The person doing the planning should try to curate all the possibilities for the trip, thinking about different types of activities and even options for downtime, and then share [the plan] with the rest for feedback," says Rago. She also suggests creating a folder or presentation of the destination and potential plans with images. "Providing visuals gives everyone a better idea of what the experience might look and feel like," Rago says.</p><p>If you find that leading the charge alone is too much, you may want to assign other travelers specific tasks, such as finding a hotel, making dinner or renting vehicles.</p><h2>Hire a travel agent — or think like one</h2><p>Not everyone has the bandwidth (or patience) to manage the schedules and needs of a group, so it can be helpful to enlist a professional. Working with a travel agent carries a cost, but a pro could also end up saving you money and time. Agents can help negotiate cancellation policies with hotels or quickly rebook a canceled flight, freeing you up to focus on those you're traveling with, for example.</p><p>Of course, you can also tackle these types of tasks on your own; if you're traveling with 10 or more people, many airlines offer group discounts and special services like priority check-in, so all you'll need to do is ask. You can also protect against fees for changes in dates or itineraries by purchasing refundable tickets and group travel insurance.</p><p> </p><p style="margin-bottom:11px"><em>— With additional reporting from Life and Money by Citi editors.</em></p>

How to Plan an Unforgettable Group Trip

<p>For many kids, sleepaway camp — swimming in lakes and roasting marshmallows around a bonfire — is how summer is spent.</p><p>And then you grow up.</p><p>But you can recapture the spirit of those activity-packed, fun-focused days. Inspired by those carefree weeks in the woods, summer camps are making a comeback across the country — this time, for adults.</p><p>Their premise is straightforward and nostalgia-tinged: sleeping in tents, eating hot dogs (gourmet ones, of course) at communal picnic tables and making new friends. It's a trend that speaks to travelers' growing desire for engaging vacations — ones that lead to self-discovery or a deeper connection to nature — as opposed to just posting up poolside.</p><p>Today's travelers place value on things like pursuing a hobby or enhancing their relationships, and adult camps certainly tick those boxes.</p><p>Many adult camps also offer niche, immersive learning experiences like acrylic painting and grilling. For busy professionals and parents, a weekend away with a focus on fun can be rare — but it's important to carve out time for just that.</p><p>Whether you're a high-octane hiker or an ornithology enthusiast, here are five camp-like experiences to help you reconnect to those feelings of lightheartedness and joy you felt when you still fit comfortably in the top bunk.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_HERO_GRILLING_BRONWEN_0.jpg" alt="woman grilling meat" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>1. Belcampo Meat Camps, California</h2><p><a href="https://belcampo.com/meatcamp/">Belcampo Farms</a> is a 10,000-acre estate that raises sheep, goats, pigs and cattle in the idyllic Shasta Valley of Northern California. This is where curious home chefs escape to for one of the three-day "Meat Camps" every summer, where guests learn skills like knife sharpening, butchering, sausage making and open-fire grilling.</p><p>It's a unique opportunity for the groups of 25 campers to connect with the source of their food, and to have a bit of fun along the way. Aside from lessons about sustainable farming and hands-on cookery, the retreat includes mountain hikes, picnic lunches, sunset cocktails and family-style dinners. And, after a day of cooking and hiking, campers turn in for the night with a bunkmate in luxury tents (plush beds, butterfly lounge chairs, animal pelt rugs) designed by Shelter Co. dotted throughout the farm's orchard.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_BWP_0068.jpg" alt="chairs in a circle overlooking a lake" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>2. Adventure Aurora, Upstate New York</h2><p>Billed as an "elevated" camp experience, <a href="https://www.innsofaurora.com/">Adventure Aurora</a> is a four-day getaway meant to highlight nature in New York's Finger Lakes region. Campers' activities include bird watching, journal-making workshops, lakeside yoga and meditation, a lunchtime cruise on Cayuga Lake, guided hikes through nature trails and wine pairing dinners.</p><p>While this package requires a group booking (minimum 14 people), anyone staying at the Inns of Aurora can participate in the array of weekly communal activities, including tea-blending sessions hosted by the lodging's "Director of Serenity." During this class, guests gather around a table to learn about the flavor profiles and healing properties of various herbs, then create and brew their own blends.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_Red Mountain Resort 1.jpg" alt="view of the pool at Red Mountain Resort" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>3. Retreats at Red Mountain Resorts, Utah</h2><p>Choose your own camp adventure in the red-rock canyons of Southern Utah from the adventure, health and wellness retreats dreamed up by the curation team at <a href="https://www.redmountainresort.com/retreat-packages#adventure">Red Mountain Resorts</a> in St. George. Always wanted to pick up an instrument? Learn to pluck like a pro in all-levels ukulele lessons. Scramble over sand, lava and Navajo sandstone formations on a guided hike. Brush up on astronomy with an evening of stargazing and learn how to sleep better in a class geared to help improve bedtime routines.</p><p>No matter how you fill your days (or nights), the all-inclusive experience includes three healthy meals per day (dig in to an organic quinoa breakfast bowl or a pepita-crusted lamb with purple potatoes for dinner), wellness workshops and access to one of Utah's top-rated spas. And, if you showed up at camp solo, meet fellow campers by making a dinner reservation for one of the nightly seatings at the restaurant's Community Table.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_GC_Canopy_Tour_Bonsai_Testing_3_AndrewTaylor.jpg" alt="person zip lining over a forest" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>4. Epic Discovery, Colorado</h2><p>Those seeking a summer adventure that could also include the kids can head to Vail Mountain's <a href="https://www.vail.com/explore-the-resort/activities-and-events/epic-discovery/epic-discovery.aspx">Epic Discovery program</a>, designed for visitors to "learn through play" with experiential outdoor activities linked to environmental education. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and the U.S. Forest Service, Epic Discovery has set up a mountaintop wonderland.</p><p>"Fly" above the treetops on a sled on the alpine roller coaster, glide along a thousand-foot-long zipline with postcard-perfect views of the Rocky Mountain's Gore Range, scramble up a rock-climbing wall with 16 routes to the top, or hike an interactive forest trail dotted with installations about the local flora and fauna. And, in the summer, the ski runs at Vail Mountain become myriad hiking and biking trails. As for the après-adventure scene, there are several lodging options, including slope-side resorts and lodges with apartment-style units.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_0x675 copy_2.jpg" alt="Three Tee pees in a field at dusk" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>5. El Cosmico, Texas</h2><p>The rugged desert landscape of Marfa, a small town in West Texas that evolved into a hub for avant-garde art installations, helps set the quirky, holistic vibe at <a href="https://elcosmico.com/">El Cosmico</a>. Created by hotelier Liz Lambert, founder and chief creative officer of Bunkhouse which runs El Cosmico, this characterful lodging is spread over a series of stylishly decorated vintage trailers (think: 1950s Vagabond Camper outfitted with a comfy queen bed, AC and a wooden deck), along with a handful of yurts and safari tents.</p><p>Throughout the year, this campground for adults fosters a sense of community with nightly campfires and communal meals. And El Cosmico also hosts a series of festivals and events designed to "elevate the mind, body and creative spirit," including a ceramics workshop, water marbling with a textile artist and artisanal sourdough bread baking class. </p><p>These unplugged and interactive summer adventures are the perfect antidote to our busy, tech-driven lives. They say everything old is new again, and when it comes to reinvigorating our bodies and minds, the aphorism rings true.</p>

This Summer, Send the Adults off to Camp

<p>From the tranquility of an English country garden to the momentary splendor of an African desert in bloom, Mother Nature inspires far-flung journeys to glimpse her finest and most alluring work up-close.</p><p>But here's a secret: You don't actually need to travel far to behold plant life from around the world. Some of the most impressive green spaces in America are right in the backyards of major cities. These seven under-the-radar gems offer travelers a chance to immerse themselves in nature, while seeing a leafier, sweeter-smelling side of the country's urban landscape.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_Wave-Hill_Aquatic-Garden_credit-Wave-Hill-3_0.jpg" alt="pond with lily pads at Wave Hill Gardens" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Wave Hill Gardens</h2><p><em>Bronx, NY</em><br /><br />Boasting views of the Palisades Cliffs across the Hudson River, the Bronx's <a href="https://www.wavehill.org">Wave Hill Gardens</a> has been a fresh-air retreat for New Yorkers for more than 175 years, including past presidents. Now, the 28-acre property — anchored by a renovated English-style country mansion built in 1843 — provides present-day travelers with a lush escape just 12 miles north of midtown Manhattan. The Flower Garden resembles a French impressionist painting brought to life, while the Elliptical Garden has converted the estate's swimming pool into a formal garden of native plants in an eccentric color palette.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_GreerLVhouse.jpg" alt="View of front lawn and mansion at Longue Vue House & Gardens" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Longue Vue House & Gardens</h2><p><em>New Orleans, LA</em><br /><br /><a href="https://longuevue.com/">Longue Vue House & Gardens</a> is only a 20-minute drive from Bourbon Street, but it might as well be an entirely different world. The manicured property serves as one of the most cherished examples of architecture from the Country Place Era, an early 20th-century design movement where affluent Americans started adding massive gardens (like those they'd seen on trips to Europe) to their country estates. Tours of the historic mansion take you through decorated rooms, some of which were dedicated to specific activities like flower arranging and wrapping presents, and a porch filled with contemporary art collected from France. But, just as magnificent are Longue Vue's 14 garden areas including an interactive Discovery Garden for children.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_Desert-Discovery-Trail_Desert-Botanical-Garden_Adam-Rodriguez-1.jpg" alt="exterior of greenhouse at Desert Botanical Garden" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Desert Botanical Garden</h2><p><em>Phoenix, AZ </em><br /><br />Next time you're in Phoenix, lace up your hiking boots and head to <a href="https://www.dbg.org/">Desert Botanical Garden</a>. The 140-acre natural attraction, which celebrates its 80th birthday this year, features five thematic trails that offer the chance to see towering cactus, plump succulents and desert wildflowers that explode with color. Among Desert Botanical Garden's collection of more than 50,000 plants are a 15-foot Euphorbia ammak from Saudi Arabia and Queen Victoria Agave plants from Mexico's Chihuahuan Desert. For an even more dynamic experience, plan your visit around one of the garden's regular performing arts events, like ballet recitals and dueling piano sing-alongs.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_09-055-17A.jpg" alt="elevated walkway through the trees at Morris Arboretum" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Morris Arboretum</h2><p><em>Philadelphia, PA</em><br /><br />Philadelphia may have been crowned "America's Garden Capital" (boasting 30 gardens within 30 miles of the city), but visitors are still discovering <a href="https://www.morrisarboretum.org/">Morris Arboretum</a>, a hidden gem in the Chestnut Hill neighborhood. The 92-acre Victorian arboretum is home to some of the city's oldest and rarest trees, like a 250-year-old bender oak, a Tatar wingceltis from China that turns yellow in the fall and a cotton candy-scented Katsura tree, native to Japan and China. Kids will love getting a view of the forest from 50 feet high on the canopy walk and sitting atop giant robin's eggs in the Bird's Nest. Travel tip: The Morris Arboretum is open late on Wednesdays during the summer, so guests can lay out a picnic dinner lit by fireflies.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_International-Rose-Test-Garden6.jpg" alt="rose garden at the International Rose Test Garden" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>International Rose Test Garden</h2><p><em>Portland, OR</em><br /><br />Portland's "City of Roses" nickname makes perfect sense once you've experienced the fragrant <a href="https://www.portlandoregon.gov/parks/finder/index.cfm?action=viewpark&propertyid=1113">International Rose Test Garden</a>. Nestled within 410-acre Washington Park, one of Portland's oldest parks, the lush garden features more than 10,000 rose bushes that bloom from April to October, with their peak in June. This is more than just a perfumed place to stroll; it's the country's oldest continuously operating public rose test garden, home to varieties hailing from countries all over the world, including England and Germany. Check out the Gold Award Garden to see some of the most prized specimens or the Miniature Rose Garden, which contains pint-sized versions of the bigger blooms.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_Amphitheater.jpg" alt="Sibley Victoria pool at Fairchild Tropical Botanical garden" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden</h2><p><em>Miami, FL</em><br /><br />You may never make it to Madagascar, but at least you can say you've seen the island's array of extraordinary plant life if you visit <a href="https://www.fairchildgarden.org">Fairchild Tropical Botanical Garden</a>. The Lin Lougheed Spiny Forest of Madagascar is just one of many unique plant collections at the 83-acre tropical botanical garden. You can also get up-close to exotic butterflies (like the Bamboo Page from Central America and Leopard Lacewings from Asia), tropical fish and rare plants at the Wings of the Tropics Conservatory. Explore one of the world's most important palm collections at the Montgomery Palmetum and see hundreds of orchids in Fairchild's rainforest exhibit. Don't miss the Sibley Victoria Pool, one of the only outdoor gardens in the U.S. to feature examples of the world's largest water lilies, the Victoria.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/web_GettyImages-172729510.jpg" alt="Inside the arboretum at Garfield Park Conservatory" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Garfield Park Conservatory</h2><p><em>Chicago, IL </em><br /><br />For more than 100 years, <a href="https://garfieldconservatory.org/">Garfield Park Conservatory</a> has been reminding Chicago residents and visitors of the important relationship humans share with plants. Its eight indoor display gardens showcase living greenery from Madagascar to Mexico, earning the conservatory the reputation of having "landscape art under glass." If you're visiting with children, point out the Powderpuff Tree in the Show House — its fluffy fuchsia flowers look like something they'd see in a fantasy book. And in the warmer months, the 12 acres of outdoor gardens offer endless ways to commune and interact with nature, including beekeeping demonstrations and meditative walks through the winding labyrinth set in the Sensory Garden.</p>

No Passport Required: Secret US City Gardens Revealed

<p>Miami, FL, is dappled with its pastel-hued Art Deco buildings. Los Angeles, CA, has a lock on dreamy Spanish Revival villas.</p><p>And everyone knows to check out the latest from contemporary "starchitects" when wandering New York, NY. But you don't have to shell out the cash for a big-city trip or overseas jaunt to be wowed by great buildings.</p><p>From Victorian mansions to modernist museums, there are a host of amazing architectural destinations across the United States that won't break your budget or have you digging around your drawers for that passport.</p><p>Gas up the car for a road trip or book a domestic flight to see world-class architecture across the country.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/Exterior-of-the-Miller-House-and_Garden-Columbus-IN.jpg" alt="Exterior of the Miller House and Garden, Columbus, IN" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Columbus, IN</h2><p><em>Mecca for Modernism</em><br /><br />The first hint that something special was afoot in this small southern Indiana city was when a striking, modern geometric church by Finnish architect Eliel Saarinen rose up amid the traditional 19th-century Victorian buildings in 1942. And it didn't end there: In the wake of this triumph J. Irwin Miller — the young local businessman who had recommended Saarinen — decided to shepherd a full-on transformation of Columbus. Explore this relaxed city and you'll find more than 70 iconic Modernist structures, most built between the early '50s and late '70s.</p><p>Best of all, many of these libraries, churches, community centers and government offices are public buildings. So, visitors can explore these Modernist gems for free. Another way to see these marvels is on one of the Columbus Area Visitor Center's tours — don't miss out on the tour of the Miller house itself, designed in the 1950s by Eliel's son Eero Saarinen and a team of renowned 20th-century architects.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/Exterior_of_the_Menil_Collection_in_Houston_TX.jpg" alt="The exterior of the Menil Collection, in Houston, TX" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Houston, TX</h2><p><em>Architecture as art</em><br /><br />This Gulf city often gets overlooked architecturally, but it is one of the only major American cities constrained by virtually no zoning laws, making it home to some of the most ambitious buildings constructed since World War II. French immigrants and modern art enthusiasts John and Dominique de Menil hired Philip Johnson to build their house in 1948 — and other Houstonians, newly flush from the post-war oil and industrial boom, soon followed suit.</p><p>Before long, world-renowned Modernist architects were building everything from skyscrapers to schools around town. Today, a visit to the Museum District reveals a neighborhood full of stunning Modernist buildings designed as — and for — art. The de Menils' is still the crown jewel, though: The Menil Collection art campus includes structures by Renzo Piano and Johnston Marklee, two of which were designed in conjunction with the artists Mark Rothko and Cy Twombly.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/City-Hall-in-Boston-MA.jpg" alt="City Hall in Boston, MA" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Boston and Cambridge, MA</h2><p><em>A Brutalist boomtown</em><br /><br />It's not only about colonial architecture in Beantown. For those who know where to look, the streets of the Massachusetts capital and its next-door neighbor Cambridge possess one of the largest concentrations of Brutalist architecture in the United States. Stroll the ivy-clad campus of a prominent university and take note of the visual arts center, a prime example of this modernist architectural movement that emerged in the mid-20th century.</p><p>Across the river in Boston, admire Madison Park High School and the Government Center complex, considered one of the most prominent American examples of the style. The controversial 1969 City Hall building has long been threatened with demolition, so don't sleep on your chance to see this unexpected Brutalist haven.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/Facade-of-the-Biltmore-House-in-Asheville-NC.jpg" alt="Facade of the Biltmore House in Asheville, NC" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Asheville, NC</h2><p><em>Turn-of-the-century time travel</em><br /><br />You could be forgiven for wondering if you'd been somehow transported to 16th-century France as you explore the Biltmore House, the grand Châteauesque mansion that put this scenic city in the Blue Ridge Mountains on the architectural map in the 1890s. The construction of the estate "brought a group of architects and artisans to Asheville that cities this size usually did not have access to," explains Kevan Frazier of Asheville by Foot Walking Tours. As a result, after the project's completion, many of the international artisans stuck around, filling the city with houses in such styles as Queen Anne Victorian, Arts and Crafts, and Spanish and Gothic Revival. By the mid-1920s, the thriving downtown was lined with ornate Art Deco buildings.</p><p>Though the boom ended with the Depression, Asheville's decision to pay off all of its debt before building anything new preserved the historic downtown for decades. In other words, to visit Asheville is akin to time-travel: The streets you stroll today look almost exactly as they did when they were built. For those interested, you can actually stay in this time preserved ambiance at an original Vanderbilt-era cottage on the Biltmore estate.</p><img src="https://www.lifeandmoney.citi.com/rcs/lifeandmoney/storage/public/Milwaukee-Art-Museum-Milwaukee-WI.jpg" alt="Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee, WI" class="hero_listicle" /><h2>Milwaukee, WI</h2><p><em>A legacy of industry</em><br /><br />In the late 19th century this Midwestern metropolis sought to rival Chicago, IL, in both scale and importance as an industrial hub. Newly minted titans of industry poured money into grand structures, proclaiming significance and planting a flag for posterity through Gilded Age Renaissance Revival mansions and ornate Victorian municipal buildings. Even after the city's industrial bustle faded, Milwaukee remained a center of architecture: Its distinctive cream-colored brick buildings still line the streets of the Brewery District today. The last remaining examples of Frank Lloyd Wright's American System-Built Homes can be found here as well, alongside several of his private commissions.</p><p>Thanks to these roots of architectural innovation, the city has continued to attract top architects well into the contemporary era. No archi-tourist's visit would be complete without a trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum, where "the architecture in itself is a reason for visitation," as Amanda Peterson, the museum's senior director of audience engagement, explains. Come for Eero Saarinen's 1955 War Memorial, and stay for Santiago Calatrava's sculptural Quadracci Pavilion, most famous for its moveable Burke Brise Soleil wings.</p><h2>Architecture worth traveling for</h2><p>For the true architecture fanatic, some experiences are worth going the extra mile. Explore beyond the façades at these architectural icons off the beaten path.</p><p><a href="http://www.stoneycreekhotels.com/hotel/travel/masoncity-parkinn/home.do"><strong>Park Inn</strong></a><br /><br />Mason City, IA, is a two-hour drive from Des Moines, and the pilgrimage will be worth it for many: The city is home to the last remaining hotel designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, opened in 1910. Book the Historic Suite for the full experience and be sure to explore the other examples of Wright's Prairie School architecture around town.</p><p><a href="https://www.nationalchurchillmuseum.org/reconstruction-of-the-church-of-st-mary.html"><strong>St. Mary Aldermanbury</strong></a><br /><br />Renowned English architect Sir Christopher Wren built this East London church in the late 1660s, but it was transported and rebuilt in Fulton, MO, in the 1960s. Now it's part of the National Churchill Museum, honoring British Prime Minister Winston Churchill.</p><p><a href="https://www.glenstone.org/"><strong>Glenstone Museum</strong></a><br /><br />The newest addition to this 300-acre Potomac, MD, art museum is a breathtaking series of pavilions from architect Thomas Phifer. Despite dancing on the architectural cutting edge, the complex is designed to blend into nature, taking full advantage of the surrounding landscape.</p><p><strong><a href="https://farnsworthhouse.org/">Farnsworth House</a></strong><br /><br />A number of the world's most celebrated architects have designed private homes in lesser-known spots around the United States. Journey 60 miles west of Chicago to Plano, IL — as many architecture students and curious fans do — to tour Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's Farnsworth House. Set along the Fox River, this private-residence-turned museum is a pristinely restored and maintained example of minimalist architecture.</p>

No Passport Required: Unexpected US Architecture

Boiler Plate 1

L&M Article Template

header