Free Parking In Chicago And Everywhere Else

by Dave Seminara on

I won’t think twice about spending thousands of dollars to travel across the globe, but ask me to pay $20 to park my car and I’ll reach for a barf bag. It’s one thing to splash out on a nice hotel room, a fancy rental car, meal or a nice souvenir, but quite another to fork over a bunch of my money just to park your car. Even the best parking spot doesn’t taste good, look nice in your house or give you a sound night’s sleep.

But I’ve found that if you’re willing to walk a bit, sometimes quite a bit, you can get a free parking space almost anywhere. Take Chicago, for example. In August, while in the process of relocating back to the Second City, we scored a room at the Hyatt Regency Chicago, just off of Michigan Avenue on East Wacker Drive for just $55 per night on Priceline.

I knew the parking would be expensive and was pretty sure I wasn’t going to pay for it, but I almost burst out laughing when the valet told me their policy: $52 a night, valet only. No chance was I going to going to pay something very close to my room rate just to park our car, so I dropped my family and baggage off and drove due west for a mile across the Chicago River. In River West, a neighborhood filled with condos, I found a free, yes free, parking spot on Fulton St., between Union and Des Plaines.

It was a very pleasant 15-minute walk along the river back to the hotel and I safely left the car there for 2.5 days, saving over $100. I’m not going to pretend that it’s easy to score free parking in Chicago – depending on the day and time you’re looking, it can be quite difficult or relatively easy. And sometimes you feel like you need to consult a lawyer just to interpret all the signs. But the point is that if you aren’t hostage to the extortionate rates that hotels in big cities charge.

Now there are all kinds of apps out there to help you find parking, but I’m old school. I like to just look around. And I don’t just boycott paid parking lots in hotels, either. If I’m going on an extended trip, I look for hotels near the airport that offer shuttles plus free parking, which can save you a bundle. For example, before a three-month trip to Europe this summer departing from Dulles, I found a hotel in Herndon that would let us park there for free for the duration of our trip. Sometimes the cost of the room is cheaper than what you’d pay to park.

And over the last 15 years, I’ve attended dozens of sporting events and concerts at major stadiums and arenas across the country and I almost never pay to park in the designated lots. Some venues are harder than others, but I have never paid to park at the United Center in Chicago, for example. I always park in the residential area only a few minutes from the arena and not only is it free, it’s also easier to exit after the event is over. Most people just follow the flow of traffic right into the paid parking lots but don’t follow the crowd. Go your own way and park for free.

[Photo by Alan Cleaver on Flickr]

Roadside America: Cave Vineyard, Missouri

by Kyle Ellison on

If you are a U.S. wine industry buff, all around trivia guru, or Dustin Hoffman in “Rain Man,” you already know there are wineries in all 50 American states.

Yep. That’s right. Pick a state and there is a winery there.

Alaska? Yep, there are 8.

Hawaii? Two.

Missouri? There are now over 100.

Wait. What? There are over 100 wineries in Missouri? Ranked as one of the top-ten wine producing states in the nation, Missouri not only has a number of distinct wine regions, but also has a legitimate wine trail and an established industry of wine tourism.

Of all the 100 or so wineries in the state, however, only one of them is famously located inside of a natural cave.

Located 1 hour and 20 minutes from the nearby metropolis of St. Louis, the Cave Vineyard is set down a country road in the heart of the St. Genevieve wine country where the rolling hills are more akin to Provence than those of the Ozarks. Though 14 acres of grapes surround the welcoming tasting room, the main draw of the property is the gaping Saltpeter Cave, which forms a hollow amphitheater perfect for wine storage, peaceful moments, and one-of-a-kind private events.

Visitors to the winery can taste their way through regional varietals such as Traminette or Chardonel, purchase a bottle, and subsequently gain free entry to the romantic cave where private tables for two are set next to a lightly flowing brook. The warm lighting stands in contrast to the cool cave temperatures, and this is as unique a spot as any for packing a picnic basket, taking a weekend getaway, and just exploring the beauty found on back country roads.

Getting There: Exit #150 off of I-55 if coming from St. Louis. West on Hwy 32, immediate left onto Hwy P. Go for two miles and turn right onto Cave Rd. Two more miles will bring you to the vineyard. Or, just follow the signs.

Hours of Operation: 10 a.m.- 6 p.m. daily (summer), 10 a.m.- 5 p.m. daily (winter)

Saturday Is National Archaeology Day

by Kraig Becker on

This Saturday, October 20, has officially been declared National Archaeology Day here in the U.S. and to celebrate, the Archaeological Institute of America is hosting a number of events across the country. Additionally, the National Park Service is helping to promote the day as well, offering up opportunities to visit archaeological sites and even volunteer on a live dig.

Now in its second year, National Archaeology Day was founded to not only help raise awareness of the importance of archaeology but also to celebrate the thrill and excitement of discovery. To that end, the AIA, working in conjunction with local chapters and clubs, has come up with some fun, family-friendly activities that can help everyone get into the spirit of the celebration. There are literally dozens of events taking place across the U.S. (and some abroad!) that will give everyone the opportunity to learn what archaeology is all about. To find an event close to you, check out the NAD events page. You’ll find everything from film screenings, guided tours, lectures, simulated digs and much more.

Many U.S. national parks were created around important historical sites, making them popular destinations for professional and amateur archaeologists alike. For those interested in gaining first hand experience and knowledge of what takes place on an archaeological dig, the Park Service has posted a list of volunteer opportunities within the system. Those opportunities include fieldwork with the Smithsonian Institute and the AIA, volunteer programs with the Forest Service and collaborations with various archaeology centers across the nation.

If you’re someone who is fascinated by the study of human history or would just like to know more about archaeology in general, than Saturday will definitely be a day for you. Judging from the various activities that will be taking place around the country, it should be a fun and fascinating day.

Space Jumper Sets Multiple Records In Historic Free Fall

by Chris Owen on


Space jumper Felix Baumgartner fell into the history books Sunday, jumping to Earth from the stratosphere and making him the first man to break the speed of sound in free fall.

Starting at over 128,000 feet in a helium-filled balloon, 43-year-old Baumgartner’s record comes exactly 65 years after Chuck Yeager first broke the sound barrier flying in an experimental rocket-powered airplane.

The Austrian skydiving expert also broke records for the highest free fall and the highest manned balloon flight.




Baumgartner spent five years training for the mission, designed to improve our understanding of how the body copes with the extreme conditions at the edge of space.

Skydivers typically jump from an altitude of 12,000 to 14,000 feet and reach a speed of about 115 miles per hour. Baumgartner’s record, when verified, will be about ten times higher and ten times faster.

“It was an incredible up and down today, just like it’s been with the whole project,” a relieved Baumgartner said in a release from Red Bull, the sponsor of the jump.

“First we got off with a beautiful launch and then we had a bit of drama with a power supply issue to my visor,” added Baumgartner. “It was really a lot harder than I thought it was going to be.”

[Images courtesy Red Bull Stratos]

Travel Brochure Finds: People Who Can Fly And More From Colorado

by Chris Owen on

Travel brochures tout tourist-oriented destinations that commonly offer plenty of things to do. Any given place on the planet might have historic significance, a natural wonder of some sort or man-made things to see and do that draw visitors from around the world. The state of Colorado is no exception.

Racks of colorful travel brochures with a variety of attractions can be found in hotels, airports, restaurants and most public places. Stopping a couple days in the Denver area recently, we found some travel brochures that jumped off the rack saying, “take me.” Surely, that’s what they are designed to do; catch our attention over a hundred other brochures competing for our limited time in town.

It’s interesting though, how just one of those brochures can open up an entirely different experience; in this case, one that literally fell out of the sky.

Indoor Skydiving at SkyVenture Colorado in Denver simulates the free-fall part of a sky dive, the time between jumping out of a plane until the parachute is opened – what is commonly referred to as “flying.”

The SkyVenture wind tunnel facility does it so well, that avid and pro skydivers go there to practice what they might do during free fall, in a timely and cost-efficient manner.

Jumping out of a plane, skydivers get about 50 to 60 seconds until they need to deploy their parachute (called a “canopy”). To practice a routine or formation, many of these “drops” are needed and without a wind tunnel that means landing, repacking their parachute, getting back in a plane, taking off and jumping out all over again.

They don’t mind that; in fact, they pretty much live for it. But the Sky Venture wind tunnel allows skydivers to practice efficiently, often with other knowledgeable skydivers looking on, providing helpful tips and feedback.

We were there for something else though.

It was an event that was something new at SkyVenture Colorado, a wind tunnel wedding, believed to be the first-ever. The ceremony, officiated by Native American Douglas Spotted Eagle, joined my daughter Sydney to my new son-in-law Barry.

Both experienced skydivers from different backgrounds, their paths crossed via skydiving.

Sydney Owen, a recent USF graduate, was climbing the corporate ladder at rapid speeds on a path to epic success when skydiving entered the picture. To feed her passion for the sport, she left the corporate world behind and started her own millennial-focused PR firm. Based at Southern California’s Skydive Elsinore, Sydney has jumped out of a perfectly good airplane 300+ times.

Barry Williams, the Director of Elsinore Elevate Advanced Bodyflight at Skydive Elsinore with an extensive pedigree (AFF-I, USPA C/E, FAA Sr. Rigger, for readers in the know), has over 6000 jumps.

Frankly, having anything to do with “Pro Skydiving” was not on my original top-ten list of “Wishes For Our Children.”

But “Be Happy,” “Impact Those Around You” and “Find Someone To Share Your Life With” were probably in the top three and skydiving managed to make hitting all of them possible. Pictured here, their “first dance” after the ceremony.


The SkyVenture Colorado brochure lists a number of services they render, but “life changing event” is not mentioned. It kind of makes one wonder what other attractions might have to offer, beyond the brochure headlines.

Let’s take a look at some other Colorado offerings found on brochure racks throughout the state.

Also flight-oriented, Glider Rides in Boulder, Colorado, are not the small, lightweight hang gliders that these high-performance aircraft are often confused with.

Here an FAA-certified commercial pilot tows the glider, you and another pilot to a suitable altitude. Once there, the glider pilot releases the towline, allowing the aircraft to soar effortlessly and silently with no engine noise. Passengers can take the controls for a portion of the flight or just sit back and enjoy the ride.


Back on solid ground, the Downtown Aquarium in Denver features Diving With The Sharks in which visitors dive into the aquarium’s sunken shipwreck exhibit where they experience Sand Tiger Sharks, Brown Sharks, Zebra Sharks and Barracudas.

Another experience available, Swim With The Fish, lets kids ages 6 and up snorkel with the facilities 350-pound Grouper, Moray Eels and more.

Also water-oriented, Raft Colorado, run by Raft masters since 1989 offers a variety of raft adventures and specializes in group experiences. On the Arkansas River in Canon City and Clear Creek in Idaho Springs, Colorado, Raft Masters provides all the equipment and safety training.

Beginners to advanced rafters at Clear Creek experience some of the best and most exciting whitewater, about 30 minutes away from Denver. Arkansas river programs boast spectacular scenery on America’s most popular rafting river.

Package deals include a Rail & Raft offering that begins with a scenic round-trip train ride through Royal Gorge. After an included buffet lunch, choose an afternoon raft trip on either Bighorn Sheep Canyon or Royal Gorge. A Boat & Bridge package combines Royal Gorge Bridge and Park with a half-day raft trip.