Just like that, our favorite week of the year has already come and gone, but we had a great time at Combo Breaker 2026!

We set out last Tuesday. As always, we stopped at Wally’s on the way…it might be a controversial opinion, but I think it’s the superior gas station!

Arriving at the Renaissance always feels like coming home:

We did things a little differently this year, and went to Rainbow Cone on our first day in Chicagoland instead of our last (and we went to one of the suburban locations that’s paired with Buona Beef):

And we stopped at Meijer to pick up supplies, which is a treat for us, although it’s rumored that St. Louis will be getting one eventually:

And then a truly rare treat…Ryan found an amazing taco place, Thlaco Taco Tijuanense, in Arlington Heights, and we tried their tacos al pastor, which were amazing…we’re already planning on going back for dinner next year!

I capped off the evening with a visit to the hotel pool and hot tub:

Up next…an amazing day in Chicago!