Chicago featuring the Obama Presidential Center

Departure Points:

Yankee Trails, Rensselaer - 7:00am
*Pet Smart, Crossgates Commons - 7:30am
*Amsterdam, Exit 27 Park & Ride - 8:00am

*No Overnight Parking available at these locations

Thursday, July 22:

We will begin our adventure at the Drury Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood (216-292-9980) featuring an indoor pool and whirlpool and each room has a microwave, refrigerator, iron/ironing board and hair dryer. Enjoy dinner (included) at the Drury’s Kickback featuring items such as BBQ Sliders, Mac & Cheese, Hot Dogs, chicken noodle soup, salad, coleslaw and more (menu subject to change).

Friday, July 23:

A full hot Drury breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. We will make our way to the Windy City today and our hotel accommodations for the next 3 nights at the SpringHill Suites by Marriott Chicago O’Hare (773-867-0000) featuring an indoor pool, convenience store and on-site laundry. Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant (TBA).

Saturday, July 24:

A full buffet breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. This morning we will meet a local guide for a personalized morning tour of Chicago focusing on our 44th President, Barack Obama. This guided tour of the Hyde Park neighborhood will focus on his life as a community organizer, professor and resident. Key spots include his Kenwood home, the University of Chicago, Valois diner (one of his favorites). There will be time for lunch on your own. This afternoon we will travel to The Obama Presidential Center & Museum. The Center is more than a landmark—it’s a new space of possibilities. Built on the South Side where the Obamas’ journey began, this 19.3 acre campus was designed with you in mind. Find inspiration in a one-of-a-kind Museum, dive into a story at the public library, or hang with friends on the Great Lawn. From around the block to across the world, this is your home for hope and change. A self-guided tour of the museum is included. Beyond the museum are dozens of opportunities to explore such as outdoor spaces, a public library, rooftop garden and more than 25 unique art pieces curated specifically for this space. We will travel back to the hotel for some time to freshen up before an included dinner at a local restaurant (TBA).

Sunday, July 25:

A full buffet breakfast is included this morning at the hotel. We’ll begin our day by exploring Chicago’s iconic architecture aboard TripAdvisor’s #1 rated boat tour of the city along all three branches of the Chicago River. On this 90-minute narrated cruise on the First Lady, enjoy unobstructed sightlines and guaranteed seating in the open-air upper decks and full-service cocktail and snack bar in the climate-controlled interior salons. Enjoy lunch on our own at the famous Navy Pier which currently encompasses more than fifty acres of parks, gardens, shops, restaurants, family attractions and exhibition facilities. This afternoon we’ll travel "up" to the SkyDeck of Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower). Offering spectacular views spanning up to four states, a one-stop Chicago experience full of interactive exhibits and...The Ledge, a glass balcony extending four feet outside the 103rd floor of Willis Tower! Take some time to stroll The Magnificent Mile, one of the top ten hospitality, fine dining and retail districts in the world. Dinner is included at a local restaurant (TBA).

Monday, July 26:

A full buffet breakfast is included at the hotel this morning. We will depart this morning to return to the Drury Inn & Suites Cleveland Beachwood (216-292-9980). A lunch stop will be made enroute. Enjoy dinner (included) at the Drury Kickback at the hotel.

Tuesday, July 27:

A full hot Drury breakfast is included at the hotel this morning. We will begin our journey home with once in a lifetime memories. On the way home we’ll enjoy a luncheon cruise on Canandaigua Lake onboard a 19th Century replica of a double decker paddlewheel public boat, the Canandaigua Lady. Enjoy a meal and cruise into relaxation while listening to a captivating narration on this sixty-five ton Mississippi style paddle wheel boat. Enjoy a boxed lunch with your choice of 1)Roast Beef Wrap, 2)Chicken Caesar Wrap, 3)Turkey Wrap or 4)Assorted Veggies & Hummus. Each comes with chips, a cookie and bottled water. We will depart at 3:30pm with an approximate arrival in the Capital District at 7:00pm. Stop will be made each way.