DAY 2 - Monday, June 14:

Start your day with an included breakfast served in the hotel’s lovely NiX Restaurant.

Then, board the coach and head out for a day immersed in gardens, parks, art and ages-old tradition.

Your first stop is at the Shakespeare Garden located on the campus of Northwestern University. In 1915, the Drama League of America recommended the construction of Shakespeare gardens to commemorate the 300th anniversary of the playwright's death.

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Planned in 1915 and completed in 1929, the garden was the first Shakespeare Garden in the United States. The garden was designed by landscape architect Jens Jensen and was constructed by the Garden Club of Evanston, which still maintains the area. In 1988, the garden was listed on the U.S. National Register of Historic Places.

The garden is divided into eight flowerbeds. The four outer beds are designed informally, while the four inner beds are formal gardens. The borders of the garden are lined with hawthorn trees, many of which were imported from France when the garden was first planted. The more than fifty varieties of plants in the garden were either mentioned in Shakespeare's works, common in the Tudor period in England or are cultivars of plants in the other two categories. The garden also includes a fountain with a plaque honoring Shakespeare.

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Board the coach and head back to the city where you will arrive at the Lincoln Park neighborhood and meet your local guide. Lincoln Park is a designated community area on the North Side of Chicago and it is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in Chicago. Its namesake, Lincoln Park, contains the Lincoln Park Zoo, Lincoln Park Conservatory, the Chicago History Museum, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum, the Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, the North Pond Nature Sanctuary, North Avenue Beach, playing fields, a very prominent statue of General Ulysses S. Grant, as well as a famous statue of Abraham Lincoln.

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Your stop features a visit to the renowned Alfred Caldwell Lily Pool, an important example of Prairie School landscape architecture. The moment you step through the Fullerton Gate, you will enter a hidden garden of unmatched beauty. Only bird songs and the sound of a gentle waterfall break the restful silence. Follow the stone walk encircling the lily pool and discover a pavilion, council ring and diverse native plantings. This is the vision of landscape architect, Alfred Caldwell: “a hidden garden for the people of Chicago designed to resemble a river meandering through a great midwestern prairie.” Your guide will share the fascinating history of this very special spot on earth.

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Next, you’re off to the rooftop garden at McCormick Place, the largest convention center in North America. Architects planned a green roof to mitigate the environmental impact of the building, and went a step further by creating a charming terrace event space with skyline views. More than 8,000 pounds of produce are grown on the 2.5-acre roof space each year for SAVOR...Chicago, the convention center's food service provider and Windy City Harvest program partner.The garden is home to nearly 100 different varieties of vegetables, fruits, herbs, edible flowers, perennials, native prairie flowers and a small orchard plus 20,000 honeybees, butterflies and worms. The garden is partially maintained with members of the Cook County transitional program designed for ex-inmates who want to learn the basics of agriculture.

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Board the coach after your visit and travel just a short distance to your next destination, The Art Institute of Chicago. Say goodbye to your guide upon arrival. The Institute, founded in 1879, is one of the oldest and largest art museums in the United States with a permanent collection of nearly 300,000 works of art. Its collection, stewarded by 11 curatorial departments, is encyclopedic, and includes iconic works such as Georges Seurat's A Sunday on La Grande Jatte, Pablo Picasso's The Old Guitarist, Edward Hopper's Nighthawks and Grant Wood's American Gothic. The Art Institute also has a conservation science department, five conservation laboratories and one of the largest art history and architecture libraries in the country—the Ryerson and Burnham Libraries.

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Begin your visit with lunch on your own at the Museum Café or the Balcony Café.  Then, enjoy time on your own to explore the exhibits of interest.

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After a busy start to the day, it’s time for a little relaxation. Depart the Institute and walk across the street to Russian Tea Time, one of Chicago’s culinary landmarks. Owner and Chef, Klara Muchnik, was born and raised in Ukraine. In 1990, Klara and her family immigrated to the U.S. and settled in Chicago. Klara dreamt of opening a restaurant that combined her Russian roots with the rich culinary flavors of the former Soviet Republics, and Russian Tea Time was born. Sit back and savor the flavors of a pot of fine tea, beginnings, savories and sweets.

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After tea, your last stop of the day is a “must see and do” for any visitor to Chicago…. the Architecture River Cruise. During this 45-minute narrated tour you will witness Chicago’s legendary architecture and learn of the exceptional designers who created this ever-changing legacy.

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When your cruise ends at 5:30 pm, board the coach and travel a short distance to your hotel.  The remainder of the day is at your leisure. You may want to venture out to explore the shops and discover your new favorite restaurant for dinner on your own. Or, you may simply relax and have dinner at the hotel’s restaurant.