Candyce H. Stapen

Put the latest apps to work for you on your next vacation. GeoSure uses crowd-sourced data to determine whether a location is safe. Localeur will help you find restaurants and activities favored by locals. And Google Translate will help you break down any language barriers you may encounter.

Take advantage of your free time in Chicago while attending the Midwinter Meeting to explore the city's noted museums. See the largest dinosaur fossil. Admire the work of world-class contemporary artists. Meet beluga whales, turtles, piranhas, Caribbean reef fish and penguins. You can even sleep overnight at the Shedd Aquarium if you've brought your 5- to 12-year-old child with you.

Canada is becoming increasingly popular among tourists. Its favorable currency exchange rate and scenic beauty make it particularly attractive to Americans. If you're thinking of making the northward journey, Toronto is a wonderful spring or summer destination. The city is packed with museums, and it's a two-hour train ride away from Niagara Falls.

The perfect way to fend of the chill at the Chicago Midwinter Meeting is with an artfully crafted cocktail. There's no shortage of hotspots in the Windy City. There are options for all tastes. If you're into prohibition-era gin or whiskey-based drinks, or if a tiki bar is more your style, or if you're just looking to sip and enjoy some scenery, Chicago has you covered. Here's where you'll find some of the best drinks in Chicago.

Breathing in the fresh salt air on an ocean voyage feels invigorating. But can the sea air be harmful? The Naturschutzbund Deutschland (NABU), a German environmental association, thinks so. Passengers on deck might be inhaling harmful pollutants in concentrations 60 times higher than in land settings.

Security is the number one concern for U.S. travelers, according to Travelzoo, an online travel deals and booking site. As a result, a majority of travelers plan to vacation closer to home in 2017, according to Travelzoo's Spring Travel Trends 2017. Popular intended destinations include beaches in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

Chicago is a city with a rich African American history and culture. February marks Black History Month across the U.S. Take advantage of your February visit to the Windy City to discover the story of Chicago's African Americans and to take part in Chicago's celebration of African Americans.

Chicago features so many craft breweries that the city hosts brew festivals, but none, alas, during the Chicago Dental Society's Midwinter Meeting. But don't worry, Midwinter Meeting attendees. There's plenty of beer on tap and plenty of taverns to try. Consider these noted breweries and guided pub crawls.

A good deal on an airline seat always makes passengers happy. To begin with, airlines over the years have come to offer travelers less and to charge more. So when a budget-saving fare comes along, it makes perfect dollars and sense to book the deal.

When planning your spring and summer vacations, consider Travelzoo's Wow destinations, places where the global travel site says Americans will find the best value. Travelzoo based its picks on three trends that the site believes will influence travelers the most in 2017.

Adventure travel and its enthusiasts have changed. While bungee jumping off a bridge, or rafting through churning whitewater still deliver thrills that draw adrenaline junkies, more and more adventure followers these days seek transformative experiences, according to research by the Adventure Travel Trade Association (ATTA) and East Carolina University. ATTA defines a transformative experience as one that promotes personal growth and change.

Expedia, the online travel site, recently launched Fitness Breaks, custom itineraries crafted by travel influencers that combine sightseeing and calorie burning.

Azamara Club Cruises is rolling out a new initiative to target Baby Boomers with deep pockets. The line sails to exclusive ports and provides passengers with extensive experiences on land.

The Aria Hotel in Budapest, Hungary, won the top honor in this year's TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice awards.

Find out which hotels made the cut in TripAdvisor's annual ranking of the best places to stay in the U.S.

The United Nations General Assembly chose January 27 for the annual commemoration because on that date in 1945 the Soviet army liberated Auschwitz-Birkenau.

Factors and news to consider when pondering your next ocean voyage.

Temperate Vancouver offers a respite from winter for those attending the Pacific Dental Conference, March 9-11.

The travel news and analysis site, Skift, has released its explanation of the biggest trends that will affect travel this year.

Brightline, the privately funded passenger rail service, will run between Miami and West Palm Beach this summer, eliminating the need to slog through car traffic.

The two airlines that topped the list scored a 59.05 and a 55.09 out of a possible 100 points, leaving substantial room for improvement.

Expedia.com commissioned the study, conducted by GfK. The research company interviewed and analyzed the responses of 1,005 U.S. interviewees aged 18 -years and older.

Chicago locals bundle up and head out in winter, savoring the city's restaurants, microbreweries, and packed clubs. There's no reason you can't do the same during the Chicago Dental Society's Midwinter Meeting, from Feb. 23-25.

The Come Back New Promise, says Jan Swartz, Princess Cruises president, differentiates our approach to cruising and offers our guests enriching vacation experiences by connecting them with each other, nature and different cultures in a new way.

A bucket of oysters or about 36 of the briny treats will cost you about $12 dollars. If you don't feel like shucking them yourself, there are plenty of food trucks and restaurants to take care of it for you.

In February, March and April, flowers and almond blossoms bloom and temperatures remain moderate, making the destination perfect for a spring break visit.

Mobile is changing the way people travel, and at the forefront of that, we're constantly innovating and investing in mobile, to offer more than just hotel bookings. We want to make our customers' lives easier before, during, and after their trip, says Daniel Craig, Senior Director of Mobile at Hotels.com.

Lounging In the lap of luxury isn't for all vacationers. Some want to rough it a bit. That's why adventure-based travel is on the rise. If that's something you might be interested in, here are some good options.

Nemacolin Woodlands Resort strikes an ideal balance of outdoor adventure, refined spa and wellness treatments, and good dining experiences.

San Juan is full of surprises. Off the beaten path, you'll find stunning collections of artwork and a historic area cafe that serves a delicious, authentic Puerto Rican coffee roast.