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Jessica Mlinaric and Geoffrey Baer with bicycles at the Illinois-Indiana State Line Boundary Marker
Chicago

Exploring Chicago Mysteries with WTTW

Explore three Chicago mysteries with me and Geoffrey Baer!

Author Jessica Mlinaric in Chicago
Chicago

Chicago Scavenger Featured in the Chicago Tribune

Jessica Mlinaric walks down Chicago's wood block alley
Architecture

Secret Spot: Chicago’s Wood Block Alley

Big Ears Festival at Tennessee Theatre
Culture, Knoxville, Music

Big Ears Festival Day One: Unwound, Secret Chiefs 3, Mary Halvorson, and More

by Jessica Mlinaric / March 22, 2024January 7, 2025

Choose your own adventure at Big Ears day one

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Artists to watch at Big Ears Festival 2024
Culture, Knoxville, Music

Six Artists to Watch at Big Ears Festival 2024

by Jessica Mlinaric / March 12, 2024January 7, 2025

There’s no shortage of rising talent at Big Ears Festival.

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Chicago River is dyed green for St. Patrick's day
Chicago, Culture

Secret Chicago Printable Calendar – March 2024

by Jessica Mlinaric / March 1, 2024March 19, 2024

Download a free printable calendar for March 2024 featuring one of Chicago’s hidden gems.

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Chicago home that looks like a castle
Architecture, Chicago

Secret Chicago Printable Calendar – February 2024

by Jessica Mlinaric / February 1, 2024February 25, 2024

Download a free printable calendar for February 2024 featuring one of Chicago’s hidden gems.

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Chicago's Oldest Monument
Architecture, Chicago, Secret Spot

Secret Spot: Chicago’s Oldest Monument

by Jessica Mlinaric / January 23, 2024July 7, 2024

Explore this little-known piece of history on an unnamed road on the Indiana border.

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Best view of Columbus, Ohio
Architecture, Columbus, Secret Spot

Secret Spot: The Best View of Columbus

by Jessica Mlinaric / January 9, 2024November 1, 2024

The best view of Columbus, Ohio is hidden in plain sight. The Rhodes Tower home to a little-known observatory – and it’s free to visit.

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Female bison sculpture Humboldt Park from World's Fair
Chicago

Secret Chicago Printable Calendar – January 2024

by Jessica Mlinaric / January 1, 2024December 31, 2023

Download a free printable calendar for January 2024 featuring one of Chicago’s hidden gems.

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Greenacre Park in NYC is home to a secret waterfall
Architecture, New York City, Secret Spot

Secret Spot: A Waterfall Flows in Manhattan

by Jessica Mlinaric / December 12, 2023November 1, 2024

Even New Yorkers are surprised to find a waterfall tucked away in Manhattan.

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St. Nicholas Cathedral in Chicago's Ukrainian Village
Chicago

Secret Chicago Printable Calendar – December 2023

by Jessica Mlinaric / December 1, 2023November 5, 2023

Download a free printable calendar for December 2023 featuring one of Chicago’s hidden gems.

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Chicago totem pole
Chicago

Secret Chicago Printable Calendar – November 2023

by Jessica Mlinaric / November 1, 2023November 5, 2023

Download a free printable calendar for November 2023 featuring one of Chicago’s hidden gems.

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About Me

Urban Explorer is a travel blog highlighting history, culture, and hidden gems to inspire curious travelers by Jessica Mlinaric, author of 'Secret Chicago' and 'Chicago Scavenger.'
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Newsletter



Buy My Books

Chicago Scavenger book by Jessica Mlinaric
Secret Chicago book by Jessica Mlinaric

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Secret Spots

  • How Chicago Became the Birthplace of Gospel Music: Inside Ebenezer Missionary Baptist Church
    January 14, 2025
  • Omni Grove Park Inn in Asheville
    A Hidden Elevator and More Secrets at Asheville’s Omni Grove Park Inn
    January 8, 2025
  • Charlie Chaplin mural in Chicago
    Where to Find Hollywood History in Chicago
    November 20, 2024

Media Appearances

  • Jessica Mlinaric and Geoffrey Baer with bicycles at the Illinois-Indiana State Line Boundary Marker
    Exploring Chicago Mysteries with WTTW
    April 23, 2024
  • Downtown Chicago view from Bank of America Tower
    Swapping Chicago Favorites with Peter Greenberg
    February 26, 2022
  • Author Jessica Mlinaric at Oak Woods Cemetery
    Touring Chicago’s Mass Grave with WGN Morning News
    November 16, 2020

Travel Guides

  • Knoxville, TN in spring
    The Big Ears Festival Guide to Knoxville, TN
    March 2, 2025
  • Walls of Ston, Croatia
    How to Spend One Day in Ston, Croatia
    February 11, 2025
  • Sheep at Black Thorn Farms in Asheville
    Two Days in Asheville, North Carolina: Experience Arts, Brews, and Mountain Views
    January 10, 2025
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