Megabus – the bus carrier with service as low as $1 between Minneapolis, Madison, Milwaukee and Chicago with points beyond — is temporarily altering its reservation system. Usually, travelers book no more than six weeks in advance. Now the popular bus service is taking reservations through November 30, which should help its devotees plan their Thanksgiving travels.

Good news for colorful little brick fans: the LEGO Architecture Landmark series is a new line of collectible keepsakes of famous world landmarks and architectural masterpieces. So far, you can build your own Empire State Building, Seattle Space Needle, the Eiffel Tower, the Sears Tower and the Guggenheim Museum.

I recently went to Chicago with my sister for the weekend. Except we didn’t stay in Chicago. We stayed at Hotel Orrington in Evanston and we loved it. I decided that during my next family trip to Chicago, we’ll stay there. Late night outings in the city are out of the question, anyway, with my young daughter along. Prices are cheaper than comparable boutique hotels in Chicago (we paid $159). (Check out cheaper options, like Holiday Inn, at Chicago’s North Shore Convention and Visitors Bureau.) At the Orrington, the staff was friendly and helpful. The lake is a few blocks away. Downtown Evanston has oodles of restaurants. And the “L” trains are two blocks from the hotel (the trip to Chicago takes about half an hour). Plus, the drive to Evanston means you can veer off of I-94 before it becomes a river of brake lights heading into Chicago.

Other ideas for keeping Chicago cheap?