Our blog is filled with fun stories and little-known facts about special places.

• Iconic Chicago

How Pumpkin Spice Became Fall’s Favorite Drink

Unlike another food associated with fall, apples, pumpkins are native to the Americas, with archaeologists dating seeds found in a cave in Oaxaca, Mexico back to somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 years ago. The seeds were of an orange squash called Curcubita pepo, which was a derivation of the Greek word for melon, “pepon,” and eventually became anglicized to “pumpkin.”

November 7, 2024

• Iconic Chicago

The Stories Behind Chicago’s Many Nicknames

eATLAS has dozens of walkable adventures throughout Chicago, from tours that take you to its most famous landmarks to walking tours of many of its many neighborhoods. Check them out here. 

October 31, 2024

• Travel

Explore Seattle’s Fremont Neighborhood: “The Center of the Universe”

eATLAS’ Strange(r) Seattle in Fremont scavenger hunt adventure takes players through nine pieces of public art—murals, sculptures, and statues—in the Seattle neighborhood known for its quirky art.

October 25, 2024

• Food

The History of Cider in America

The rise of cider in recent years is part of the boom in craft beer and spirits. For more takes on artisanal beverages, check out eATLAS’ Kankakee County Craft Beverage Trail and Distilleries in Muskegon adventures.

October 21, 2024

• Iconic Chicago

Where to Find Fall Colors in Chicago

Chicago’s official motto, “Urbs in Horto”—Latin for “City in a Garden”—shows that it has always understood the importance of nature, even in the midst of the sprawling global metropolis it is today. With autumn upon us, here are the best places to leaf-peep in and around the city, and how eATLAS’ Chicago-based Adventures can enhance […]

October 10, 2024

• City

The Story of the Great Chicago Fire of 1871

Explore how Chicago rebounded from the Great Chicago Fire of 1871 with eATLAS’ Adventures of historic neighborhoods that were devastated in the disaster. Ronnie Frey’s Art Deco Madness tour visits 12 skyscrapers from the ‘20s and ‘30s, and Mimi Fron’s Near Northside Neighborhoods takes you to 20 historic sites in Gold Coast and Old Town. […]

October 3, 2024