I grew up in Aurora which is 20 minutes west of Naperville. It has gotten a little better as far as being considered a place where you're not highly harassed by the police. In the 80s and early 90s, we were able to go into Naperville proper and hang out at the bowling alley or along the riverwalk on the weekends. You did hear stories about black and brown people being targeted if they were trying to move and live there, but it still didn't have that notorious sundown town atmosphere like in southern Illinois. Not until the mid 90s did the police start turning up the volume on following cars and ticketing you for driving while black on your way back into Aurora or on your way to the highway. My last trip there, we stayed on the outskirts/shopping mall area and rarely saw any police other than having coffee at a known restaurant. I did notice that the area stores in Naperville proper are a little more ethnic (Korean, Indian, Mexican) so maybe the area has become a little more integrated.

We went to St. Croix for my daughter's birthday and stayed at the Carambola Beach Resort (www.marriott.com/travel/stxbr-carambola-beach-resort-st-croix-us-virgin-islands/). The resort is definitely off the beaten path in between the towns of Christiansted and Fredriksted, and you'll need to rent a car since there is no shuttle service to/from the airport or into either town. We opted for an Oceanview room & it was everything...nothing compares to going to sleep and waking up to ocean waves lapping the beach. Outside of the views, it was pretty affordable for a resort and the grounds had starfruit trees that I was able to pick & enjoy after inquiring about them at the front desk. I will definitely be going back for a longer trip since I would've like to try the horseback riding and historical tours. Some travel tips: 1. Do the sunset cruise with Lyric Sails (www.lyricsails.com). They have a musical act on the cruise & serve drinks while you float offshore and enjoy the weather as well as a great view of the sunset. Very romantic even though there were some families with kids on board. 2. Take the Mutiny Island Vodka tour at Sion Farm Distillery (www.sionfarmdistillery.com). They make their vodka from breadfruit and it is only made in St. Croix. After the tour, you get a complimentary tasting flight of all of the flavors they offer and you can also partake from their food menu which highlights the breadfruit and vodka in certain dishes. 3. Experience the local cuisine. We went to La Reine Chicken Shack where they do a booming business for their famous roasted chicken. Definitely go early because the lines can get long. Delicious and affordable! They have a Facebook page that is updated with the daily specials.