As we have done for the last few years, we’ve planned a few off-site events for the
Thursday of HalloweeM.
The list of planned excursions has been posted below.
The deadline for signing up for the excursions was October 19th.
If any excursion for which you signed up is full, you will be wait-listed and notified should
there be a cancellation. If you need to cancel, please
e‑mail the Excursions Chair
so that a person on the waitlist can go in your place.
Transportation To/From Excursions
For the excursions, we will be using shared transportation
(two of these excursions are within the 5 mile limit of the hotel
shuttle but the shuttle cannot accommodate everyone).
When you register, please indicate if you are willing to give anyone a
ride to/from the hotel, need a ride to/from the hotel, or will be getting
there of your own accord.
If you have any mobility issues, please let us know when you register,
and we’ll check with the venue
to see if they can accommodate you1.
If you need a ride and have mobility issues
that restrict your use of common transit options, also let us know when
you register; we will do our best to check if
anyone driving to the excursion can accommodate you,
but it is highly unlikely.
1CAM is not responsible for transporting or
supplying equipment for members who have mobility issues.
Also note that the start time for the excursion is not
the time we will leave the hotel—it’s when the
event starts at the location. So if you need a ride,
keep an eye out for the confirmation e-mail just before WeeM that will let
you know when drivers and riders will gather at the hotel.
(This does not apply, of course, if you’re meeting us there.)
Kids on Excursions
While some excursions are open to all ages, we do not offer babysitting
on Excursions. As a general rule, parents must accompany anyone under
the age of 16. Some excursions have specific age restrictions that are
noted under the Restrictions heading, and those restrictions supersede the
general rule. If you have any questions or concerns regarding this
policy or regarding specific circumstances, please
contact us before signing up.
Eligibility
You must register for WeeM in order to
be eligible to go on any of the excursions.
Since the number of people for each excursions is limited, it is
best you pay as soon as possible.
Although you can pay by check, if your check is not received
within 7 days of registering for an excursion, a later registrant
who has paid may be given priority when the excursion has reached capacity.
Cancellation Policy
If we have to cancel an excursion for any reason, any money collected
will be refunded. Regarding individual cancellations, unfortunately, if
we’re collecting fees, it means the excursion requires us to make
payments in advance to book the space. We may not be able to get
refunds from the vendor and so refunds cannot be guaranteed. However,
if your circumstances or travel plans change after you've booked an
excursion, please let us know. If we can sell your spot to someone
else, we will try to do so and will issue a refund accordingly.
Watch a video about candy making and then tour the facility, to see how
Long Grove’s famous caramels and chocolates are made. (Live production
of any particular confection is likely but not guaranteed.) Chocolate treat
included for all who visit.
Children over age 5 are welcome (focus is on education, so not very exciting
for smaller children).
Time frame: 1 hour—though might last longer if you stay to shop.
Location: It’s ~2.2 miles northwest of the Westin at
333 Lexington Dr. in Buffalo Grove.
30 People
Age 5 and over
$2/person
Historic Farm Tour
2 PM
At the
Historic Wagner Farm in Glenview, a member of the farm staff will guide us on a tour of historic
farm, sharing the history of the farm and describing farming during
the period the farm was built. Our guide will also introduce everyone
to the farm’s animals and crops. Though the tour is from
2-3 PM, you can go earlier and stay later if you wish. There
will be pumpkins, corn stalks, and other seasonal items available for
sale, as well.
Minimum: 15 people — Cancelled because minimum not met.
Sample the offerings of this fine distillery as you tour
the facility, learning from the master distiller all the
science and technology that goes into producing artisan
booze. North Shore Distillery is highly regarded for
their vodka, gin, aquavit, and absinthe, and will soon be
releasing their new rum and whiskey.
In depth insight into what goes into creating good liquor.
Be advised, the cost of the tour is $300, and that will be
divided up among however many we have signed up. We will
initially charge $30, but know that you may have to ante up
a few bucks more if we’re short of 10. If 10 people have
not signed up by Sunday, October 7th,
those who have signed up for it will be contacted, to see if
they want to pay a higher price to make sure the tour runs.
So sign up soon if you want to go, as this should fill quickly
as it did last year.
But please only sign up if you are committed to going, as
cancellations will cost your fellow Mensans money (unless
there’s a waiting list).
Time frame: 1 hour—though might last longer if you stay to shop.
Location: It’s less than a ½ an hour north of the
Westin at
13990 Rockland Road in Green Oaks.
10 adults
Age 21 and over
$30/adult
Intro to Middle Eastern Food
2:30 PM
Pita Inn is one of Chicagoland’s favorite sources for great
Middle Eastern food. Manager of the Wheeling location, Hamdy Hady,
will introduce you to the ingredients and culture behind Middle
Eastern food and then serve an array of goodies, including (at
least) their famous hummus with fresh-made pita, tabbouleh, falafel,
and baklava. This will not be a full meal but rather a hearty
appetizer course. We will also get a demonstration of how falafel is
made.
Note: They have never done this before—they’re just
doing it for CAM—so no idea precisely how it will turn
out—only absolute guarantee is that the food is outstanding.
Time frame: 1 hour.
Location: It’s ~2.1 miles southwest of the Westin at
122 S. Elmhurst Rd. in Wheeling.
20 people
No age restriction
$15/person
Things to Do Nearby
If these don’t appeal to you and you have a car, or know someone who does,
then here are a few suggestions of great places to visit that are not too far from
the hotel (30-40 minutes):
A self-guided tour of the farm is available and is also great fun
— lot of history and information signs, lots of exhibits, lots
of “hands-on” things for kids and adults, lots of farm
animals (horses, cows, pigs, chickens), a nice shop for farm-related
gifts. At this time of year, there
will be pumpkins, corn stalks, and other seasonal items available for
sale, as well. The Farmhouse & amp; the Silo exhibit both close at 3 PM.
After WW II, Skokie was home to more holocaust survivors than anywhere
else in the world, other than Israel, so Skokie was the natural location
for this moving museum.
9603 Woods Dr. in Skokie
10 AM - 5 PM (F-W)
10 AM - 8 PM (Th)
Chicago Walking Tour
Our Excursions Chair has put together a simple-to-follow, self-guided walking tour of
Chicago attractions. If you’re extending your stay in Chicago, this is a great way to discover some
of the hidden and not-so-hidden gems of the city. Contact her and
she’ll e‑mail you the information. The downtown area is about 30 miles southeast of the Westin
and it will typically take about an hour or more to get there.
Downtown & Near-North Attractions
Up to you & depends upon attraction
Too Late to Sign Up
The last day to sign up was Friday, October 19th.
These pages and all content Copyright 2018
by Chicago Area Mensa, all rights reserved. Chicago Area Mensa is part of American Mensa, Ltd.
Mensa® and the Mensa logo (as depicted for example in U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,405,381)
are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by American Mensa, Ltd.,
and are registered in other countries by Mensa International Limited
and/or affiliated national Mensa organizations.
Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views.
These pages and all content Copyright 2018
by Chicago Area Mensa, all rights reserved. Chicago Area Mensa is part of American Mensa, Ltd.
Mensa® and the Mensa logo (as depicted for example in U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,405,381)
are registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office by American Mensa, Ltd.,
and are registered in other countries by Mensa International Limited
and/or affiliated national Mensa organizations.
Mensa does not hold any opinions, or have, or express, any political or religious views.
