Museums & Attractions
- Driving America is currently on display at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. The 80,000-suqare-foot exhibition of automotive history includes 130 vehicles, hundreds of artifacts and 18 interactive touchscreens. The exhibit examines the impact of vehicles on American culture, with focus areas that include hot rods, racing and road trips. Both the museum and exhibit can host private catered events. For more information, call 313.982.6001 or visit www.thehenryford.org.
Destination Dispatch
- Sunstone Hotel Investors announced plans to purchase the 357-room Hilton Garden Inn Chicago Downtown/Magnificent Mile for more than $91 million. Located in the River North neighborhood near Navy Pier, Merchandise Mart and McCormick Center, the property offers six hospitality suites for small meetings and events as well as a 24-hour business center and indoor pool. For more information, visit www.hiltongardeninn.com or www.sunstonehotels.com.
- Traverse City, Mich., expanded its dining options with the addition of three microbreweries: Boardman River Brewing Co., Beggars Brewery and Brewery Ferment. Other new culinary options include Hawthorne Vineyard, FouFou French Bisto, Osorio’s Tacos and Salsas and Sorrelina, a fine-dining Italian restaurant. For more information, visit www.traversecity.com.
- The Wisconsin Department of Tourism partnered with Southwest Airlines to help increase visitors and promote the Badger State as a leisure and business travel destination. Southwest offers daily nonstop service to 15 cities, including Las Vegas, Baltimore/Washington, St. Louis and Orlando, from General Mitchell International Airport in Milwaukee. For more information, visit www.travelwisconsin.com or www.southwest.com.
Event Calendar
- The 3rd annual Taste of Wisconsin will be held July 27-29 in downtown Kenosha on the shores of Lake Michigan. The event features over 50 Wisconsin vendors, brewers and growers as well as three stages of live music, culinary demonstrations and children’s activities. For more information, visit www.tasteofwi.com.
- Indianola, Iowa, will host the 42nd annual National Balloon Classic, July 24 - August 4. Activities include balloon rides, a 5K race and three scheduled “Nite Glows." For more information, visit www.nationalballoonclassic.com.
Kudos
- Guests at the University Plaza Hotel and Convention Center in Springfield, Mo., can now have a live goldfish as a pet during their stay. Hotel staff delivers and feeds the fish. The complimentary service is part of a list of new programs the hotel has implemented, such as adding locally grown food and regional brews to the dining menus and offering interactive break activities for convention attendees, including barbecue sauce making sessions and cupcake decorating classes. University Plaza has 39,000 square feet of event space and is located across the street from the 122,000-square-foot Springfield Expo Center. For more information, call 417.864.7333 or visit www.upspringfield.com.