A Taste of Chicago, Its' Views & Heritage Too (2007/2008)
Your group accommodations will be located at one of our quality properties in Chicago's North Suburbs. Group rates range from $69-$99 per room including breakfast for two.

Day 1 Morning - Eli's Cheesecake World Bakery Tour - It began when restaurateur, Eli Schulman decided he needed a great dessert for his Chicago restaurant. He developed a cheesecake so rich & creamy, his customers proclaimed it "Chicago's Finest!" It debuted at the first Taste of Chicago in 1980 and has been growing in popularity ever since. View the process of how 17,000 cheesecakes a day are made and each decorated by hand. Every guest will receive a slice of cheesecake after the tour.

Afternoon - An exciting City Tour of Chicago is sure to thrill. Our expert city guide will join your group to showcase the timeless beauty of some of the world's most famous architecture. See where Louis Armstrong jazzed it up, where Oprah lives and Little Italy's tribute to Joltin Joe DiMaggio. Greektown, Chinatown, & Little Italy are featured along with the customary Chicago highlights i.e.; Sears Tower, The Magnificent Mile, Harpo Studios, site of Oprah's show and Chicago's famous Loop. Suggested lunch stop during tour is Manny's Deli.

Evening - Tommy Gun’s Garage - A taste of the Roaring ‘20s at Chicago’s one and only speakeasy. Inside the fun begins with authentic Chicago-style food and an interactive musical, comedy revue.Da Mugs and Da Dolls dance and sing Da Charleston and udder musical selections from Cole Porter, George Gershwin, Duke Ellington and more.

Day 2 Morning - Cuneo Museum & Gardens - Experience art, history and culture in a secluded, grand country estate. Your group will enjoy this premier historic house museum and its’ beautiful gardens. My Best Friend’s Wedding starring Julia Roberts was filmed here.

Late Morning - Long Grove Confectionery Co. - A scrumptious tour of the confectionery includes live demonstrations in the specialty chocolate kitchens of how the Mangel family candies are made... the old-fashioned way! The tour includes time to shop the confectionery’s on-site outlet store. Charming!

Mid-Afternoon - Chicago Botanic Garden - Home to 385 acres of vibrant specialty gardens, tranquil lakes,native woodlands and prairies. The Garden is considered to have the best collection of display gardens in the Upper Midwest. Your group will enjoy the riding Grand Tram Tour, featuring breathtaking views.

Dinner - Bob Chinn’s Crab House - This evening dine on incredible seafood & steak (seafood is flown-in fresh daily) at the highest volume restaurant in Chicagoland. The food is so great here, 3,000 people a day are served at Chinn’s! Always a group favorite.

Evening - Lincolnshire Theatre - Tonight it’s an entertaining Broadway style show, often performed by Broadway casts. Scheduled for the 2007/2008 season are The Producers, Les Misarables, Nunsense, Full Monty, All Shook Up and the Bowery Boys.

Day 3

Morning - Museum of Science and Industry - Your group will enjoy a behind the scenes tour of the U-505, the only german submarine captured by the U.S. Navy during WW II.

Afternoon - Board the Spirit of Chicago at Navy Pier for a scenic cruise on Lake Michigan with spectacular views of the famous Windy City skyline. A delicious lunch will be served along with lively entertainment.

Mid - Aftternoon - Chicago’s #1 tourist attraction Navy Pier - From the Crystal Gardens, a one-acre indoor botanical park, to the 150 foot high Ferris Wheel that boasts an unparalleled view of the skyline and lakefront, to the beautiful Smith Museum of Stained Glass. Enjoy browsing the many shops at the Pier, where you can purchase some great Chicago souvenirs.

Depart for home after Navy Pier.

<

Chicago Holiday Tour
Daytime Activities - Downtown Chicago for touring & holiday shopping on The Magnificent Mile. Marshall Fields/Macy's to view the famous holiday window displays and their incredible Holiday Tree in the Walnut Room. Allow time for shopping at Criskindlemarket on State Street, where each holiday season European vendors sell specialty items under enormous tents. City Tour - One of our fantastic certified guides will step on and provide a wonderful Chicago Highlights Tour of our beautiful city all dressed up for the Holidays!

Museum of Science and Industry for their Holiday exhibit of Trees From Around The World. Holiday Trees decorated to represent their native lands.

Cuneo Museum & Gardens. Historic country estate features opulent Venetian style décor and is elaborately decorated for the holiday season. My Best Friends Wedding starring Julia Roberts was filmed here.

Countryside Christmas Shopping in Historic Long Grove - Over 100 specialty stores, antique shops and restaurants all housed in Victorian Era Homes, charming and beautiful. A must see is The Pine Cone Christmas Shop to purchase one of a kind ornaments and spectacular decorations. You can opt to have lunch on your own in Long Grove, or we can arrange a group lunch.

Eli's Cheesecake Tour - View the process of how 17,000 of Chicago's famous cheesecakes are made each day and decorated by hand.

Evening Activities - Radio City Christmas Spectacular - starring the Rockettes. Select dates in Nov & Dec 2008.

Magnificent Mile Lights Festival - Carriage rides down Michigan Ave that include Chicago's famous Astor Street, where the mansions are elaborately decorated for the holidays.

Chicago Botanic Garden "Wonderland Express" - Take a magical trip to a winter wonderland of twinkling lights and holiday beauty. Thousands of white lights beckon you to a dramatically decorated Esplanade and the new Regenstein Center, where the North Gallery has been transformed into an English country train platform. In the Great Hall, garden-scale trains wind their way over bridges, under trestles, past waterfalls and through more than 75 miniature versions of Chicago's favorite landmarks. Fourteen holiday trees decorated with a family/train theme will delight visitors of all ages. On-site gift shop.

Winter Wonderfest at Chicago's #1 tourist attraction Navy Pier - See the breathtaking decorations, hundreds of trees and thousands of sparkling lights, which create the most magical holiday event of the season. Navy Pier offers something for everyone and your group will enjoy the many shops at the Pier where they can purchase their Chicago souvenirs. Other highlights include the Crystal Gardens, a one-acre indoor botanical park, to the 150 foot high Ferris Wheel that boasts an unparalleled view of the skyline and lakefront, to the beautiful Smith Museum of Stained Glass.

Lincolnshire Theatre - Dinner/Show combo available. 2008 schedule: Les Miserables Feb 13-May 11, Nunsense May 14-July 13, The Full Monty Juy 16-Sept 21, All Shook Up Sept 24-Dec 7 and The Bowery Boys Dec 10-Feb 15, 2009.

Tommy Gun's Garage - A taste of the Roaring '20s at Chicago's one and only speakeasy. Interactive musical comedy revue wit Da Mugs and Da Dolls and a Holiday Flair. Dinner & Show.

Dining - There are numerous choices available so suit your taste and budget.

Chicago Culinary Tour
Day 1- A sweet start to your tour begins at Chicagoland's premier chocolate factory not just your ordinary factory tour by any means! We've planned a very special, exclusive experience with an amazing artist who will actually paint a famous masterpiece in chocolate, while you watch! You won't believe your eyes when you see the finished painting. You'll receive free chocolate samples and have the opportunity to purchase gourmet chocolate at discounted prices. Next you'll visit an historic quaint town to shop for unique treasurers at one of their many specialty stores. Get ready for a memorable evening with Chef Lucia! Our very entertaining and charismatic chef will provide a gourmet cooking class and finish with a delicious Italian meal.

Day 2- Savor Mexican hot chocolate made with whisked milk and chunks of real chocolate and visit the fascinating kitchen-ware and grocery stores in Chinatown. You will stop at a factory to taste freshly made fortune cookies and have the opportunity to buy these fun treats. At the most famous deli in Chicago, be wowed by the mountainous sandwiches and crispy potato pancakes. During a fully-narrated drive tour with your certified guide, savor the visual delights of this great city. In a very special neighborhood institution, you'll be treated to the richest and most sought after ice-cream and hot fudge sauce in all of Chicago. Learn how to master those challenging crab legs during a demonstration and fabulous dinner, where the seafood is jet-fresh (never frozen) and flown in daily from around the world.

Day 3- Enjoy a special program about the entertaining customs of one of Chicago's elite families and view exquisite porcelain, silver and grand furnishings at their fabulous mansion. Your fantastic culinary experience ends with Chicago's most famous food, Pizza. You'll indulge in our world-renowned stuffed pizza invented in Chicago and served at the restaurant that has the best stuffed pizza in the world.