Pre-Conference Tours - Thursday July 12
Interested in experiencing more of Chicago?
Downtown Chicago Tour
8:30am – 5:00pm
$35.00 includes transportation only. Additional tour options are available for an added fee. Lunch will be on your own.
Experience Downtown Chicago! There are so many attractions and sights to see that we just couldn't limit this tour option to one experience! You have your choice of how you wish to set up your downtown Chicago Tour. You will be dropped off at Navy Pier and can choose to walk around and explore on your own or pick one (or more) of the following items to complete your tour:
Architecture Boat Tour - $25.00 additional
Take a Shoreline Architecture Cruise for a one-hour tour on the historic Chicago River where you will observe many architectural landmarks. The experienced guides will recount the dramatic story of Chicago's rise from the Great Fire of 1871 to become the home of the skyscraper and an example of modern American architecture. You will observe many buildings by world-famous architects. www.shorelinesightseeing.comHop-On, Hop-Off Trolley Tour - $25.00 additional
Take an informative, light-hearted tour of Chicago's greatest landmarks and neighborhoods on our trolleys and double decker buses. This fully narrated tour is two hours and covers 13 miles of Chicago's downtown. We will depart from Navy Pier; however, your Hop-On, Hop-Off ticket allows you to board or de-board at any of the 14 stops along the route. Trolleys and buses arrive and depart every 10-15 minutes from each stop and you can hop on any of them with your ticket. You may choose to spend your two hours on the trolley listening to the narrated tour or choose to walk down State Street, check out the shopping, hang out on the beach, or walk around Millennium Park. www.chicagotrolley.comMuseum of Science & Industry Tour - $15.00 additional
Chicago's Museum of Science and Industry is the largest science museum in the Western Hemisphere and is home to more than 35,000 artifacts and over 14 acres of hands-on exhibits designed to spark scientific inquiry and creativity. Discover your inner scientist as you take part in fun activities about biology, physics, chemistry, and more! After arriving in downtown Chicago you will be dropped off at the Museum and can stay as long as you desire. Buses will shuttle you back to Navy Pier at designated times if you wish to explore additional sites in downtown Chicago. www.msichicago.org
Cantigny Gardens
9:30am – 3:00pm
$35.00 includes admission, transportation, and lunch
Nestled among 29 acres are beautiful landscapes that showcase the life cycles of trees, shrubs, perennials, and annuals of stunning display. You will also enjoy the Mansion of Colonel Robert A. McCormick, founder of the Chicago Tribune, as well as the World War II Museum McCormick built to honor troops who have served. Lunch will be served in the Clubhouse with a beautiful view of the gardens. www.cantigny.org
Hands and Feet of Jesus Tour
9:00am – 5:00pm
$35.00 includes transportation, admission fee, donation, and t-shirt
We are excited to present a GEMS Conference Service Project—an opportunity to put your servant heart to work. We will be serving an organization called Feed my Starving Children where we will pack boxes of food to be delivered to those in need. This organization distributes food packets both locally and around the world. Following this time of service we will eat lunch at Portillo's Hot Dogs and then proceed to Willow Creek Community Church. After touring the church you will take a tour of the gardens and have a time for personal meditation. Lunch will be on your own and is not included in tour cost. www.fmsc.org, www.willowcreek.org
*All tours have minimum number requirements. Tours that do not have enough registrations to schedule transportation will be canceled.