This is a list of presidential trips made by Bill Clinton during 1997, the fifth year of his presidency as the 42nd president of the United States.Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton, 1997, Book I, January 1 to June 30, 1997. United States Government Printing Office, 1999.Public Papers of the Presidents of the United States: William J. Clinton, 1997, Book II, July 1 to December 31, 1997. United States Government Printing Office, 1999.Presidential Daily Diary Collection, William J. Clinton Presidential Library and Museum, retrieved September 30, 2026. International trips are highlighted in blue.
This list excludes trips made within Washington, D.C., the U.S. federal capital in which the White House, the official residence and principal workplace of the president, is located. It also excludes the capital's immediate surroundings in Maryland and Virginia, such as Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, where the president typically boards Air Force One for all trips outside the area. Also excluded are trips to Camp David, the country residence of the president.
January State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails South Carolina Hilton Head December 30–January 1 Holiday vacation. U.S. Virgin Islands St. Thomas January 1–5 Holiday vacation. Illinois Northbrook January 22 Visited Stanley Field Middle School. Addressed the First in the World Consortium at Glenbrook North High School.
February State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails Georgia Augusta February 5 Spoke about education policy at Augusta State University's Physical Education Athletic Complex. Maryland Annapolis February 10 Addressed a joint session of the Maryland General Assembly at the State House. New York New York February 18 Participated in a roundtable discussion on welfare reform at Riverside Church. Attended the Business Enterprise Awards Luncheon at the New York Public Library Main Branch. Attended a DSCC dinner at Shelby Bryan's home. Massachusetts Boston February 18–19 Participated in a roundtable discussion on juvenile crime at the John W. McCormack State Office Building. Spoke at the University of Massachusetts Boston's Clark Athletic Center.
March State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails New York New York March 1–2 Celebrated his daughter Chelsea Clinton's 17th birthday. Stayed at the Waldorf Astoria New York. Saw Chicago at the Shubert Theatre and Rent at the Nederlander Theatre.Daly, Michael, and Dave Saltonstall. "'Rent' puts Clintons in moo-d; Free, she gets 'Funk'-y", New York Daily News, March 2, 1997, page 8. Arkansas Little Rock,Arkadelphia,College Station March 4 Surveyed damage from the March 1997 tornado outbreak. Michigan Lansing March 6 Addressed a joint session of the Michigan Legislature at the State Capitol. North Carolina Raleigh March 13 Addressed a joint session of the North Carolina General Assembly at the Legislative Building. Florida Aventura,Miami,West Palm Beach March 13–14 Attended a DSCC dinner at Turnberry Isle Resort and Club, and a Saxophone Club reception at the Sheraton Bal Harbour Hotel. Stayed at Greg Norman's home in Miami, where Clinton fell on a flight of stairs and injured his knee. He was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center in West Palm Beach for treatment, and an operation was performed at the National Naval Medical Center after Clinton returned to Washington. The injury forced Clinton to cancel a planned visit on the morning of March 14 to Lighthouse Elementary School in Jupiter, and he instead spoke to the students by telephone from aboard Air Force One. Finland Helsinki March 20–21 Summit meeting with Russian president Boris Yeltsin. Also met with President Martti Ahtisaari.
April State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails New York New York April 15 Observed the Kick Butts Day anti-smoking campaign during a visit to Andries Hudde Junior High School in Midwood, Brooklyn. Attended a DCCC luncheon at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. Attended a New York Mets–Los Angeles Dodgers game at Shea Stadium which commemorated the 50th anniversary of Jackie Robinson becoming the first Black player in Major League Baseball. North Dakota Grand Forks April 22 Surveyed damage from the 1997 Red River flood. Spoke about recovery at Grand Forks Air Force Base. Pennsylvania Philadelphia April 27–28 Participated in AmeriCorps volunteer work in the Germantown neighborhood. Stayed at the Wyndham Hotel. Attended the opening ceremony of the Presidents' Summit For America's Future at Marcus Foster Memorial Stadium, followed by a luncheon at the Benjamin Franklin Hotel and an event at George Washington Nebinger Elementary School.
May State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails Maryland Baltimore May 2 Attended a Senate Democratic caucus retreat at the Harbour Court Hotel, where he announced an agreement on the 1998 United States federal budget. Mexico Mexico City,Tlaxcala May 5–7 State visit. Met with President Ernesto Zedillo. Visit originally planned for April 11–12, but postponed due to Clinton's knee injury on March 13. Costa Rica San José May 7–9 Attended the Summit Meeting of Presidents of the Central American Republics. Met President José María Figueres and travelled to Braulio Carrillo National Park. Barbados Bridgetown May 9–11 Attended the U.S.-Caribbean Community summit meeting. Signed the Partnership for Prosperity and Security in the Caribbean pact. Maryland Baltimore May 18 Gave the commencement address at Morgan State University's Hughes Field. West Virginia Clarksburg May 22 Participated in a townhall meeting on education at Robert C. Byrd High School. France Paris May 26–27 Attended the NATO Summit Meeting and the signing of the NATO-Russia Founding Act. Netherlands The Hague,Rotterdam May 27–28 Attended the U.S.-EU Summit Meeting. Attended the 50th anniversary of the Marshall Plan. United Kingdom London May 28–29 Met with Prime Minister Tony Blair. Attended a Cabinet meeting. New York West Point May 31 Gave the commencement address at the United States Military Academy's Michie Stadium.
June State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails California San Diego June 13 Gave the commencement address at the University of California, San Diego's RIMAC complex. Colorado Littleton,Denver June 19–22 Visited the National Digital Television Center in Littleton. Hosted the 23rd G8 summit at Denver Central Library. Stayed at the Brown Palace Hotel. California San Francisco,Los Angeles June 22–23 Addressed the United States Conference of Mayors meeting at the Fairmont San Francisco. Campaigned for Senator Barbara Boxer at the Hyatt Regency San Francisco. Visited Mar Vista Elementary School in Los Angeles. Attended a DSCC dinner at The Beverly Hilton and a Saxophone Club reception at Billboard Live. Tennessee Nashville June 25 Addressed the Family Re-Union conference at Vanderbilt University's Langford Auditorium. Illinois Chicago June 25 Campaigned for Senator Carol Moseley Braun at the Sheraton Hotel. Arkansas Hope,Texarkana June 25–26 Attended the funeral of his great-uncle Henry Oren Grisham at the Brazzel/Oak Crest Chapel. New York New York June 26–27 Addressed the United Nations Special Session on Environment and Development. Massachusetts Boston June 30 Attended the New England Presidential Luncheon at the Copley Plaza Hotel. New York New York June 30 Saw a revival of A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum at the St. James Theatre. Attended a DNC dinner at the Plaza Hotel.
July State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails Maryland Baltimore July 2 Attended a Baltimore Orioles–Philadelphia Phillies game at Oriole Park at Camden Yards, as part of a Public Service Campaign for Educational Excellence event. Spain Palma de Majorca,Madrid,Granada July 4–10 Vacationed with King Juan Carlos I and Queen Sophia. Attended the NATO Summit Meeting in Madrid. Poland Warsaw July 10–11 Met with President Aleksander Kwaśniewski and former president Lech Wałęsa. Romania Bucharest July 11 Met with President Emil Constantinescu and Romanian political leaders. Denmark Copenhagen July 11–12 Met with Queen Margrethe II and Prime Minister Poul Nyrup Rasmussen. Visit originally planned for March 21, but postponed due to Clinton's knee injury on March 13. Pennsylvania Pittsburgh July 17 Addressed the NAACP National Convention at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Illinois Chicago July 17 Took questions from the National Association of Black Journalists convention at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Arkansas Harrison,Jasper July 17–18 Attended the funeral of Hilary Jones, who had mentored Clinton in Arkansas politics, at Jasper First Baptist Church. Nevada Incline Village July 26 Hosted the Lake Tahoe Presidential Forum at the Hyatt hotel. Participated in water clarity testing aboard a University of California, Davis research vessel on Lake Tahoe. California Westwood July 26–28 Attended a DCCC dinner at the Regency Club. Nevada Las Vegas July 28 Addressed the National Governors Association conference at The Mirage. Virginia Bowling Green July 30 Addressed the National Boy Scout Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill.
August State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails Missouri St. Louis August 12 Toured a local business, Midwest Technology Corporation. Addressed the Democratic Business Council at Windows on Washington restaurant. Rhode Island Block Island August 17 Visited Block Island Southeast Light. Massachusetts Martha's Vineyard August 17–September 7 Summer vacation, staying at Richard L. Friedman's home. Spoke about education policy at Oak Bluffs School.
September State or countryAreas visitedDatesDetails Maryland Gambrills September 8 Toured Four Seasons Elementary School. California Palo Alto,San Carlos,San Francisco September 18–20 Moved his daughter Chelsea into her dorm room at Stanford University. Stayed at the Hyatt Rickey's Hotel in Palo Alto. Participated in a roundtable discussion on charter schools at the San Carlos Charter Learning Center, California's first charter school. Attended DNC receptions at the Prescott Hotel and Halsey Minor's home in San Francisco, and a Saxophone Club reception at the Fairmont San Francisco. Briefly dropped in on a party for Robin Williams' mother Laurie's 75th birthday at Williams' home in San Francisco. New York New York September 21–22 Attended the opening of the 52nd United Nations General Assembly at United Nations Headquarters. Stayed at the Waldorf Astoria. Attended a performance of Carmen at the Metropolitan Opera House. Pennsylvania Pittsburgh September 24 Addressed the AFL-CIO convention at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center. Attended a DNC luncheon at the Duquesne Club. Arkansas Little Rock September 24–26 Stayed with his mother-in-law, Dorothy Howell Rodham. Commemorated the 40th anniversary of the desegregation of Little Rock Central High School. Addressed the Congressional Medal of Honor Society of the United States of America at the Little Rock National Airport Aerospace Education Center. Texas Houston September 26 Visited San Jacinto Community College. Attended a DNC dinner at a private residence. Arkansas Little Rock,Hot Springs September 26–28 Attended his class reunion at Hot Springs High School. Attended an Arkansas Razorbacks football game at War Memorial Stadium. Attended an Arkansas Democratic Party at Ray Winder Field. Visited a candlelight vigil honoring the students who desegregated Little Rock Central High School at Philander Smith College.
October