Illinois
Two Illinois cities make Tripadvisor’s Best of the Best list. See rankings
Air travel accessibility issues for passengers with disabilities
Airlines mishandle thousands of mobility devices yearly, raising concerns about accessibility in air travel.
Tripadvisor released its 2026 Best of the Best Destinations list for the U.S., awarding cities based on above-and-beyond reviews and opinions from the Tripadvisor community over 12 months.
Unsurprisingly, New York City ranked first on the list due to its must-see landmarks, shops and tours. But Illinois cities made the list as well, receiving two of the travel company’s 25 Travelers’ Choice Awards.
Here’s what the website had to say.
Chicago ranks among Tripadvisor’s Top 10 US travel destinations
Chicago ranked No. 6 on the list, with the website pointing out the Windy City’s “cornucopia of modern art, fine dining, cutting edge comedy and die-hard sports fans.”
Tripadvisor highlighted Chicago’s city tours, day cruises, landmarks and games as “great things to do,” raving about the city’s cultural experiences. Whether you fancy a history museum, stand-up comedy performance or a walk around the famous Cloud Gate sculpture, Chicago has plenty in store for tourists.
Others are reading: Where is the best place to retire in Illinois? See rankings from U.S. News
Galena makes Tripadvisor’s Best US Destinations list
Less than a three hour drive from Chicago is the quaint town of Galena, which landed at No. 25 on Tripadvisor’s list.
The website compliments the town’s kid-friendly atmosphere, water tours, historical sites and holiday and seasonal tours.
“If not for the modern-day goods sold in the retail establishments, you might think Galena was frozen in time,” the website wrote, complimenting Galena’s traditional architecture and lengthy history.
Whether you’re looking for a visit to the home of former President Ulysses S. Grant, a walk through the underground Vinegar Hill Lead Mine or a luxurious tour of the town’s fine dining, there’s an endless supply of things to do.
Tripadvisor 2026 Best of the Best US Travel Destinations
Here is Tripadvisor’s full ranking of top travel destinations in the U.S.:
- New York City, NY
- Las Vegas, NV
- Oahu, HI
- Nashville, TN
- New Orleans, LA
- Chicago, IL
- Charleston, SC
- Key West, FL
- Washington, D.C.
- Boston, MA
- Maui, HI
- San Francisco, CA
- Miami, FL
- Sedona, AZ
- San Diego, CA
- Mount Desert Island, ME
- Miami Beach, FL
- Island of Hawaii, HI
- Los Angeles, CA
- Kauai, HI
- Moab, UT
- Asheville, NC
- Anna Maria Island, FL
- Key Largo, Fl
- Galena, IL
The IHSA state girls track meet was held Thursday through Saturday, May 21-23, at Eastern Illinois University, with championships handed out on the final day of the meet in all three classes of competition.
Several schools in Western Illinois had strong finishes to the season, and the Stark County 4×800-meter relay leads the way back with a first-place finish.
The Rebels had the top time in the preliminaries and backed that up with a rally in the final leg to win the Class 1A title. Anchor leg Dusti Smith ran an eye-popping 2:10.44 over the final two laps to give Stark County the title. Her split was by far the fastest of anyone in the field, nearly five seconds better than the last leg of Shelbyville’s Tessa Bowers, whose team finished third.
Several other athletes had runner-up finishes, and Galesburg High placed in three relays.
In 1A, Sherrard had the area’s best team score, finishing seventh with 26 points. Galesburg got 17 points in 2A to tie for 17th place.
Here’s a look at all the top 10s for Western Illinois, including notes on season best (SB) and personal best (PB) times, noted by athletic.net.
Class 1A local results
800
6. Cheyenh Smith, Sr., Stark County, 2:16.79
7. Emily Downing, Sr., Ridgewood, 2:17.86 (SB)
8. Anna Churchill, Jr., Sherrard, 2:18.33 (PB)
1600
7. Dusti Smith, Jr., Stark County, 5:04.70
10. Emily Downing, Sr., Ridgewood, 5:08.03 (SB)
3200
3. Emily King, Sr., Knoxville, 10:59.20 (PB)
8. Jana Vande Kemp, Jr., Ridgewood, 11:12.81 (PB)
10. Alyssa Higgins, Sr., Knoxville, 11:17.71 (PB)
100 Hurdles
5. Marryn Ferguson, Fr., Bushnell-Prairie City, 15.40
300 Hurdles
7. Alayna Mitchell, Jr., Mercer County, 45.58 (PB)
4×400 Relay
6. Sherrard, 4:06.34 (Cami Anderson, Sophia Bradarich, Piper Russell, Anna Churchill)
4×800 Relay
1. Stark County, 9:24.77 (Cheyenh Smith, Norah Rorem, Paytin Terwilliger, Dusti Smith)
6. Mercer County, 9:47.26 (Emalyn Millar, Brookelyn Clark, Jorgi Arnold, Helen Baldwin)
10. Ridgewood, 9:57.64 (Jolene Blackert, Hannah Ames, Jana Vande Kemp, Emily Downing)
Discus
2. Saidie Shemek, Sr., Sherrard, 40.73m
4. Ellie Doubet, Sr., Ridgewood, 40.36m (PB)
Pole Vault
2. Aliza Dominique, Sr., Sherrard, 3.30m (SB)
T5. Marryn Ferguson, Fr., Bushnell-Prairie City, 3.20m (PB)
T5. Khloe Kunz, Fr., Sherrard, 3.20m (PB)
Long Jump
10. Grace Grothaus, Jr., West Hancock, 5.09m
Triple Jump
2. Grace Grothaus, Jr., West Hancock, 11.14m
Class 2A Local Results
3200
8. Brooklyn Smith, Jr., Geneseo, 11:06.88
4×100 Relay
7. Galesburg, 49.06 (Ella Herchenroder, Rachelle McCellan, Taylor Herchenroder, Ava Marty)
4×200 Relay
4. Galesburg, 1:41.47 (Ella Herchenroder, Rachelle McCellan, Taylor Herchenroder, Ava Marty)
4×400 Relay
3. Galesburg, 3:57.73 (Ella Herchenroder, Grace Herchenroder, Taylor Herchenroder, Lily Furrow)
Shot Put
5. Makaylynne Correa, Sr., Canton, 11.72m (PB)
8. Isabella Brown, Jr., Geneseo, 11.53m
Discus
7. Dakota Thorman, Sr., Macomb, 36.97m
High Jump
4. Aubrey Holthaus, Jr., Macomb, 1.55m
Pole Vault
7. Allison Tice, Fr., Geneseo, 3.45m (PB)
Illinois
Body pulled from suburban pond ID’d as Army veteran who vanished decades ago, officials say
HODGKINS, Ill. (WLS) — The body found in a car that was pulled from a pond in the southwest suburbs has been identified as a missing Army veteran.
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Cook County officials confirmed the remains are those of John Pisano, an Army veteran and father who vanished in 2001 at the age of 39.
The discovery was made in Sept. 2025 near Joliet Road and East Avenue in Hodgkins, Illinois.
A scuba diving team that investigates cold cases made the discovery, while investigating a separate missing person’s case, police said.
SEE ALSO | ‘Chaos Divers’ have helped solve nearly 2 dozen cold cases nationwide, including several in Illinois
The vehicle was a 1998 Lincoln Town Car, police said.
Officials confirmed the vehicle was linked to a missing persons report filed over 25 years ago.
PREVIOUS COVERAGE | Body, car pulled from pond in Hodgkins linked to 2001 missing person’s case, officials say
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Ameren Illinois lineworkers are headed back to the world stage. The company says five journeyman teams and four apprentices have qualified for the 2026 International Lineman’s Rodeo after strong performances at a recent play‑in event at the Decatur Training Center.
The Rodeo, held in Bonner Springs, Kansas, brings together top lineworkers from around the world to compete in high‑precision events focused on safety and technical skill.
The Ameren Illinois journeyman teams advancing include:
Brian Courtwright’s team from Decatur and Marion
Clint Dasenbrock’s team from Effingham and Mattoon
Apprentices representing Ameren Illinois include:
Caleb Brune, Centralia
The 2026 International Lineman’s Rodeo takes place in October and features events such as the hurtman rescue, pole climb and a series of mystery challenges. Competitors are judged on safety, technique and efficiency — the same standards they face on the job every day.
Apprentices also complete a written exam to demonstrate their technical knowledge and readiness for advancement.
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