Highlights

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Itinerary

Day 1 – Springfield, IL – Meet Abraham Lincoln

Arrive today in Springfield, IL for a two-night stay at a local hotel.  Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant, and you will also get the chance to meet Abraham Lincoln himself! (D)

Day 2 – Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum – Lincoln Home National Historic Site – Lincoln’s Tomb – Lincoln’s Ghost Walk

This morning, start with a visit to the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Museum. This state-of-the-art facility tells the entire life story of our nation’s 16th President.  Dedicated to the life and legacy of Abraham Lincoln, the Presidential Museum, unlike any other in the U.S., features hi-tech exhibits, interactive displays, and multimedia programs, as well as a reproduction of the White House as it looked in 1861.

Exhibits include an original hand-written copy of the Gettysburg Address, the evening gloves in President Lincoln’s pocket the night he was assassinated, and the quill pen used to sign the Emancipation Proclamation. You can also have their photos taken with life-size models of Abraham Lincoln as a boy and an adult, as well as with Mary Todd and the Lincoln children.

Next, visit the Lincoln Home National Historic Site. In 1861, Abraham Lincoln left his home of 17 years – the only home he ever owned – to serve as the 16th President of the United States. The Lincoln Home has been completely restored to its 1860 appearance and reveals much about Lincoln as husband, father, neighbor and politician. A variety of historic exhibits are located throughout the four-block neighborhood surrounding the Lincoln Home and can be viewed on a self-guided basis.

Following a break for lunch on own and some free time to explore the downtown area, visit the Lincoln Tomb.  Within the walls of this stunning granite monument is the final resting place of Abraham Lincoln, his wife, Mary and three of their four sons. (Lincoln’s oldest son, Robert, is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.)

Designed by famed sculptor, Larkin Mead, and completed in 1874, this beautiful landmark is nestled in Oak Ridge Cemetery.  At the entrance to the Tomb itself, there is a bronze bust of Mr. Lincoln where visitors from around the world have stopped to rub the nose of the statue for good luck.

Tonight, enjoy dinner at a local restaurant followed by a guided Lincoln’s Ghost Walk: Legend & Lore Tour. This lantern lit 5-block walking tour uses the Lincoln sites as the backdrop for strange and bizarre stories surrounding Lincoln’s life and his death! Learn about his final visit to his law office, his funeral in the old capitol, his Christian beliefs, you’ll also hear about Lincoln’s bizarre visions and dreams, Mary’s seances in the White House, Spiritualism, and skullduggery at the tomb site. (B,D)

Day 3 – Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site – World’s Largest Covered Wagon – Chicago, IL

After breakfast, depart Springfield, and stop in nearby Petersburg, IL at Lincoln’s New Salem Historic Site. Go back nearly two centuries in time as you walk the streets of reconstructed New Salem, the village where Abraham Lincoln lived as a young man. See where he split rails, clerked in a store and served as postmaster, among other positions that influenced him to eventually become the Great Emancipator. Watch and interact as history comes to life through the costumed characters of the people who lived here more than 150 years ago.

After lunch on your own, stop in Lincoln, IL to see the World’s Largest Covered Wagon.  This Rt 66 icon depicts a Railsplitter Covered Wagon driven by Abraham Lincoln.  He often traveled to Lincoln as a circuit riding lawyer on the 8th Judicial Circuit. So, it is only fitting that Abe is featured atop of the Wagon. The Wagon measures 25 ft tall and 40 ft long, the Guinness Book of World Records recognizes this Lincoln landmark as the World’s Largest Covered Wagon.

Travel continues this afternoon to Chicago, IL where you enjoy a two-night stay on the south side of Chicago.  Tonight, dinner at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 4 – Obama’s Chicago Tour – Obama Presidential Center

After breakfast, meet your local guide for a personalized morning tour of Chicago, and the person we focus on is none other than Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States.  He is inextricably linked to the City of Chicago. For more than 20 years he lived and worked on the city’s south side. This is where he met his wife Michelle, who grew up in the South Shore neighborhood.  On a guided tour of the Hyde Park neighborhood, you focus on Barack Obama’s life as a community organizer, professor, and resident. Key spots include his Kenwood home, the University of Chicago, Valois diner (one of Barrack’s favorites) and the all-new Obama Presidential Center site in Jackson Park.

Your afternoon will be spent at the new Obama Presidential Center.  This museum and library aims to inspire, empower, and connect people to bring change home. The 19.3-acre Center is located on Chicago side where President and Mrs. Obama began their journeys in public service.  It is an education project commemorating the accomplishments of the 44th president of the United States.

The Obama Presidential Center Museum explores the promise and power of democracy through the legacy of President and Mrs. Obama. Journey through four levels of dynamic exhibits that tell the story of the First Family and the social movements that made their work possible. Exhibits include memorabilia from the Obamas’ time in the White House, stories of iconic moments from the President’s administration, and interactive activities for visitors of all ages and abilities.

The Center also features over 20 art installations that encourage you to open your imaginations and reflect on their ability to bring change home.  Plus, see panoramic views from the Sky Room, the Museum’s culminating experience with unparalleled views of the places that made the Obamas. It is designed to be deeply contemplative and features iconic commissioned art installations by Idris Khan, Jenny Holzer and Carrie Mae Weems.

Dinner is included this evening at a local restaurant. (B,D)

Day 5 – Depart for Home

After breakfast, depart for home. (B)

Tour Map