For college-bound students, March means touring prospective campuses for fit and vibe. Here’s what else to do while visiting.

Moving from a major US city to a small town in the Midwest will likely introduce you to many new cultural norms. 4. "Biggest shock for me was the food. I thought I knew good American comfort food, but ...

Sister Bay and Ephraim are nominees in two different Small Town categories in the USA TODAY 10BEST Readers Choice Awards.

You don’t need seven figures to feel rich in retirement. On the right map, a $50,000 income behaves like a portfolio twice that size—if you’re smart about where you plant yourself. Below is a rebuilt, ...

Plan the perfect Illinois date night with these romantic restaurants still winning hearts in 2026, from cozy small-town favorites to special-occasion dining.

Travel the world through family-owned Illinois restaurants serving authentic global flavors far beyond pizza and hot dogs.

But in all honesty, Evanston and I didn’t quite get along during my first year here. In fact, I could probably name more ...

It’s no secret that winters in Iowa City come with baggage; blustering gusts of wind, single-digit temperatures, and frozen-stiff limbs are inarguably part of the Iowa experience. As walking to class ...

This Iowan broke racial barriers for Black men in opera and used his acclaim and faith to give back as a philanthropist and ...

There’s no denying that the musical comedy “Shucked” brings a welcome blast of corn-growing season warmth to a week of snow and slush. And that its cast is dead set on making audiences laugh loudly ...

Princeton sits right in the middle of Illinois, making it easy to get anywhere in the state. It’s like living at the center of everything, except with better parking and friendlier people. The ...

Let’s talk about Glen Helen Nature Preserve for a moment, because this is where things get seriously spectacular. This ...