During the planning phase of this trip, the theme sort of came to me just by looking at the activities and historic sites. Many things had to do with waves of different groups who came to settle in these states to begin a new life far from the foreign lands they’d come from. It’s what makes cities across this area so interesting and unique—places like Chicago, a wonderfully diverse city where you can explore Greek Town or Little Italy, just to name a few. Or Minnesota and Wisconsin, where you can find many communities of Scandinavian and German origin. There is so much to see and learn about how all these different groups helped shape our great nation. Through food (pretzels, sausage, pizza, mustard, the list goes on...), museums, and historic sites, we got to know and appreciate the contributions many of these groups have made, and you will too when you take a trip through these states.
States Illinois, Missouri, Iowa, Minnesota, Wisconsin
| Theme The Immigrant Experience | Duration 13 Days | Map |
Day 1
• Fly to Chicago
Day 2
 | • Millennium Park • Chicago Post Office Tour • Chicago Architecture Tour • Sear’s Tower Skydeck • Chicago History Museum • Overnight in Chicago |
Day 3
 | • Drive to Springfield, Ill • Lincoln’s Tomb • Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library • Lincoln’s Home National Historic Site • Illinois State Capitol Building • Knights Action Park |
Day 4
 | • Drive to St. Louis, Missouri • Purina Farms (Gray Summit) • City Museum • Overnight in St. Louis |
Day 5
 | • Budweiser Factory Tour • Gateway Arch • Museum of Western Expansion • The Magic House • Ted Drewes • Busch Stadium, home of St. Louis Cardinals • International Bowling Museum (missed) • Overnight in St. Louis |
Day 6
 | • Drive to Jefferson City • Missouri State Capitol • Drive to Kansas City • Oceans of Fun / Worlds of Fun • Overnight in Kansas City |
Day 7
 | • Drive to Independence, MO • Harry S. Truman Presidential Library • Living History Farms (Urbandale, IA) • Iowa State Capitol Building (Des Moines) • Overnight in Des Moines |
Day 8
 | • Drive to Minnesota • Mall of America (Bloomington) • Drive to Minneapolis • Minneapolis Sculpture Garden-Walker Art Center • Overnight in Minneapolis |
Day 9
 | • Minnesota State Capitol Building (St. Paul) • Drive to Wisconsin • Paul Bunyan Logging Camp (Eau Claire) • Norske Nook (Osseo) • Noah’s Ark Water Park (Wisconsin Dells) • Essen Haus (Madison) • Overnight in Madison |
Day 10
 | • Wisconsin State Capitol Building (Madison) • National Mustard Museum (Middleton) • Cheese tour to Green Bay • Schultz Cheese Haus (Beaver Dam) • Lambeau Field Hall of Fame • Dinner at Prime Quarter Grill • Overnight in Green Bay |
Day 11
 | • Drive to Milwaukee • Wisconsin Cheese Mart • Usinger’s Sausage (Missed) • Overnight in Milwaukee |
Day 12
 | • Harley Davidson Museum (Milwaukee) • Jelly Belly Factory Tour (Pleasant Prairie) • Drive back to Chicago |
Day 13
• Fly home
