I took a 52-hour Amtrak train ride from Chicago to California by myself. Here are 11 things that surprised me most.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The silver, blue, and red Amtrak train at the concrete platform
I didn't know what to expect from such a long Amtrak ride, but it wasn't bad.

Sojourner White

I've been to all 50 states. These are my 7 favorite towns and cities to visit in the summer.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
Emily stands in front of
Chicago is one of my favorite US cities to visit in the summer.

Emily Hart

After leaving my rural hometown for a big city, I never thought I'd be back. Now that I am, I can't believe I ever left.

Tech Insider : Business, Travel
A side-by-side image of a woman walking along a trail and several horses eating grass in a field in North Carolina.
I never imagined I'd trade a big city for my rural hometown, but now I've never been happier.

Abigail Ali

I didn't think I was the type of person who would fall for a scam. A $15,000 charge on my credit card proves otherwise.

Tech Insider : Business
Two people touch smartphones to initiate a payment.
The author (not pictured) thought she was donating $20 to a worthy cause while walking her dog in a park. Later, she saw that the charges totaled $15,000 instead.

ZeynepKaya/Getty Images

I spent a night at a buzzy Hilton in Chicago. My $240 room was way more luxurious than I expected.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The author sitting in a robe on a couch in her room at the Wit hotel with floor-to-ceiling windows in the background
The author enjoys her room at theWit hotel in downtown Chicago.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I spent 48 hours in Chicago for the first time and left with 4 regrets

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
A view of Millennium Park in Chicago in the winter
A Business Insider reporter has some regrets about her first trip to Chicago.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

I lived in Italy for 8 years. These 6 places in the US make me feel like I'm back in my favorite Italian cities.

Tech Insider : Travel, Travel, Business
The writer on Catalina Island in California.
caption TK

Amy Bizzarri

I've been to all 50 states. I recommend these 7 walkable US cities for anyone traveling without a car.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business, Style
Emily taking a selfie in front of a pink Carmel-by-the-Sea mural.
In my opinion, Carmel-by-the-Sea, California, is one of the best US cities to visit without a car.

Emily Hart

I toured a Chicago rental to see how it compared to my $2,200-a-month NYC apartment. It was more than twice the size for the same price.

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
A composite image of a marble modern bathroom and the exterior of a rectangular, modern condo building with snow in the front yard
Business Insider's reporter toured a Chicago rental.

Joey Hadden/Business Insider

Southwest is pulling the plug on flights from Chicago O'Hare and Washington Dulles

Tech Insider : Travel, Business
A Southwest Airlines Boeing 737-800 jet flies past the U.S. Capitol dome as it comes in for a landing at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport on Tuesday, May 7, 2024.
A Southwest Airlines jet flies past the Capitol as it prepares to land at Reagan National Airport.

Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images

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