Afternoon: ORIENTATION begins in the hotel conference room at 4:30pm. Your arrival packet will contain an updated schedule of program activities, a list of fellow attendees, and your name badge. Start your Kansas City experience with an informative overview of the week to come. The site coordinator will provide contact names and phone numbers of program leaders, address responsibilities, questions, and concerns, review safety guidelines and emergency procedures, orient you to the hotel location on maps and discuss the program schedule and what will be included in the field trips. Begin getting to know the program staff and your fellow participants with a get-acquainted session to introduce each member of the group. If you arrive late, be sure to pick up your packet at the hotel front desk. Breakfast each day in the hotel, lunch and dinner at restaurants in Country Club Plaza and other areas around the city. This Road Scholar program provides opportunities to attend a live Jazz performance, peruse the Truman Presidential Library, American Jazz Museum, Negro Leagues Baseball Museum, Thomas Hart Benton Home and Studio, Country Club Plaza, engage in lively discussions on Kansas City's famous personalities and regional history with a noted historian.

Dinner: A nearby restaurant offers multiple entree choices and continuing opportunities to become acquainted with your fellow participants and program staff.

Lodging: Holiday Inn

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: Hot breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Kansas City historian gives an Overview of Kansas City and Missouri which sets the foundation for the remainder of the week's activities.

Lunch: Lunch at nearby restaurant in Country Club Plaza.

Afternoon: Afternoon guided history, art and architecture walking tour of the Country Club Plaza area with the historian. This 15 block district of shops and fine restaurants is one of Kansas City’s must-see destinations. Enjoy the romantic Spanish architecture and outdoor art as you hear about the work of developer J. C. Nichols, who converted a swampy, unattractive piece of land into an attractive and functional setting.

Dinner: Catered dinner in the hotel.

Evening: Presentation/reenactment of a famous historical figure from Kansas City's past. Participants always love the respect for the past, compassion, and attention to detail shown in this presentation of a memorable character.

Lodging: Holiday Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Kansas City Jazz/Kansas City BBQ presentation, Union Station, Jazz Museum and Negro Leagues Baseball Museum

Breakfast: Hot breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Guided city bus tour of neighborhoods that show the rich history and diversity of Kansas City. See downtown and notable buildings throughout the city. Hear from local BBQ experts as they guide us through their own personal history and trade secrets. Tour a BBQ sauce factory operated by a local family for generations.

Lunch: Enjoy famous Kansas City BBQ with all the trimmings.

Afternoon: Guided field trip continues through noted historical Kansas City neighborhoods, Union Station, Liberty Memorial ending with a docent-led exploration of the American Jazz Museum and the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum. See the historic district around 18th & Vine and learn more about the rise of African-American businesses in the city.

Dinner: Dinner and live music at popular Kansas City restaurant/club.

Lodging: Holiday Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Hot breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Field trip to the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, where an extensive collection of American and Asian art is housed in a building recognized for its impressive neo-classical design. Enjoy the sculpture park and grounds as well as the collection of over 30,000 artworks.

Lunch: Lunch at Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art.

Afternoon: Unscheduled afternoon and evening. You may choose to go to the World War I Memorial, or explore one of the city’s many other attractions.

Dinner: Unscheduled dinner to investigate the multitude of restaurants in Country Club Plaza.

Lodging: Holiday Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Kauffman Gardens, Thomas Hart Benton Studio, Kauffman Performing Arts Center, Harry S. Truman Library and Museum

Breakfast: Hot breakfast buffet at the hotel.

Morning: Make a quick stop at the Kauffman Gardens to enjoy this civic gem. Continue on to the home and studio of Thomas Hart Benton, an important American artist. Get an insider’s tour of the artist’s studio and home, which has been untouched since his death. See how he and his family lived as you hear about the influence of his work and murals on other American artists. Visit the spectacular new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. Enjoy a guided tour of the city’s dramatic and eye-catching arts center, which opened in 2011. Marvel at the beauty of the building and find out how each of the performance halls was specifically designed to enhance the acoustic and visual experience for patrons.

Lunch: Lunch in Independence, Missouri.

Afternoon: Field trip to the Truman Library in Independence. Leader guides us through the life and times of the 33rd President of the United States. Find out more about this influential President, from his modest beginnings, rise to political prominence, and activities after retirement.

Dinner: Dinner at local restaurant.

Evening: Experience live jazz at a local club.

Lodging: Holiday Inn

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: Hot breakfast at the hotel.

Morning: Presentation on the history of Kansas City's Jazz scene. Program concludes no later than 11:00 am.

Meals Included: Breakfast