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Road Scholar Programs Schedule

  • Printable PDF of SVC Road Scholar Programs in the San Juan Islands: Click Here
  • Printable PDF of SVC Road Scholar Programs in Victoria BC and Northwest Washington State: Click Here
  • Printable PDF of SVC Road Scholar Programs Calendar 2013: Click Here

 

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: BIRDING

  • Seabirds & Shorebirds of Coastal Washington

    Port Townsend; Five nights. #19427
    Program Date: 5/5–5/10/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    With more than 225 species of birds noted on the Quimper Peninsula - located on the Pacific Flyway at the convergence of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound - it's no wonder that this location provides a strategic launching point for birding discoveries, especially seabirds. Take daily ornithologist-led field trips to an array of out-of-the-way seaside habitats, protected areas, where migrant and resident marine, shore and upland songbirds are abundant. Enjoy a special chartered boat viewing of Protection Island and other featured sighting opportunities aboard ferry to spectacular Whidbey Island. Round out your stay with a visit to the Northwest Wooden Boat Maritime Center, and an exploration of this quaint Victorian Seaport.

OUTDOOR ADVENTURES: HIKING AND KAYAKING

  • Kayaking in the San Juans

    San Juan Island; Five nights. #2295
    Program Date: 5/27–6/1/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    The San Juan Islands are home to a variety of creatures of land and sea, from bald eagles to orcas (killer whales), and sea urchins. Focus on marine biology and natural history as you kayak its sheltered waters and glide past the rocky coastlines. Kayak field trips start from various island locations known as the best places to view wildlife, seabirds, marine mammals, and the resident pods of Orca whales. Roam old island haunts to experience firsthand the history of the gritty settlers who chose to live here. Enjoy one easy hike with a naturalist in San Juan Island National Historic Park. Discover the lure of the islands as you experience the intricate marine ecosystem and build your skills out of doors.

  • Two Island Trek: Great Coastal Hikes in the San Juan Islands

    San Juan Island; Five nights. #16296
    Program Date: 4/28–5/3/13; 6/9–6/14/13; 9/22–9/27/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Revel in seascapes of untold beauty on hikes along the coastal shorelines and ridges of San Juan and Orcas islands. With the Olympic Mountains looming in the distance, hike atop the coastal prairie bluffs of San Juan Island National Historic Park. Consider environmental issues of the Salish Sea ecosystem and gain a sense of place typically reserved for locals as you ramble through an outdoor sculpture park and past the picturesque Limekiln Lighthouse. Journey by ferry to Orcas Island for hikes through high meadows and rocky ledges that reveal panoramic vistas of the San Juan and Canadian Gulf islands, a unique place that is as ecologically vital as it is beautiful.

 

SAN JUAN ISLAND DISCOVERIES

  • Island Hopping on Three of Washington's San Juan Islands

    San Juan Island; Five nights. #18520
    Program Date: 4/21–4/26/13; 5/19–5/24/13; 6/1–6/7/13; 6/17–6/22/13; 9/8–9/13/13; 9/15–9/21/13; 10/7–10/12/13; 10/28–11/12/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    In an experience most ordinary travelers will never share, immerse yourself in the natural beauty of the San Juan Archipelago while you uncover the cultures and landscapes unique to San Juan, Orcas and Lopez islands. Meet historians, artists, farmers, preservationists and other Islanders who make up the fabric of these communities. Based in the century-old fishing port of Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, travel by scenic ferry to horseshoe-shaped Orcas Island for a private viewing of a prolific collection of art created in the Islands, and explore community-oriented working farmscapes that give Lopez Island its friendly identity.

  • Ferry Tales in the San Juan Islands

    San Juan Island; Three nights. #100133
    Program Date: 5/15–5/18/13; 9/13–9/16/13; 10/16–10/19/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Enjoy a truly unique Northwest experience. Savor the breezes on a narrated cruise aboard a Washington State Ferry, chugging through deep-green waters as you glide from Friday Harbor to Orcas, Shaw and Lopez islands in the Salish Sea. On a day-long field study see breathtaking beauty mingled with "modern" island industry. Stop at a beautiful lavender farm and historic Roche Harbor and meet islanders sharing their love of the land and sea. Explore the dramatic beauty of a National Historic Park important to regional history. Presentations add details on marine ecosystems, local environments and more. Take a chance on seeing orca whales pass by the region's only whale watch park, and visit the famous whale museum.

  • Whales & Trails: A San Juan Island Intergenerational Adventure

    San Juan Island; Four nights. #19929
    Program Date: 6/17–6/22/13; 7/22–7/26/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Grandchildren will become stewards through their own personalized orca adoption. This program is for grandparents with grandchildren (ages 9-13).

 

REGIONAL STUDIES: VICTORIA BC & NORTHWEST WASHINGTON STATE

  • Northwest Current: Seattle to Victoria B.C. to San Juan Island

    Nine nights; #4348
    Program Date: 6/3–6/12/13; 7/8–7/17/13; 8/5–8/14/13; 8/19–8/28/13; 10/7–10/16/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Travel the Puget Sound marine highway to visit three of the most distinct communities along its shores: Seattle, destination for pioneers of the westward movement and jumping off point for the Northwest gold rush; the San Juan Islands, the destination for hardy souls who craved even further solitude and self-determination; and Victoria, the furthest outpost of British civilization, now beloved as a bit of old Europe in the rugged northwest. Experience modern life as you learn the history and future of this beautiful region. In Seattle, learn how climate, geography, fortune, and misfortune led to today's booming metropolis. Field trips to Pike Place Market, Pioneer Square, and other landmarks bring the city to life. Contrast Seattle with Victoria, a city marked by old-world charm. Visit the world-renowned Butchart Gardens, and the Royal BC Museum. Round out your experience in the San Juan Islands, a haven for whales, bald eagles, and rugged individualists. Passed over by earlier booms in the Northwest, the islands are threatened today by the allure of their natural beauty. Leave with a sense of the deep bonds of history along the northwest waterways. Seattle, 3 nights; travel to Victoria, British Columbia by Victoria Clipper passenger ferry; Victoria, 3 nights; travel to Friday Harbor, San Juan Island by WA State Ferry; Friday Harbor, 3 nights; Return to Seattle hotel and airport via State Ferry and chartered motor coach.

  • Victoria, B.C. "Signature City": Pacific Wilderness City Tamed by British Tradition

    Victoria, B.C.; Five nights. #17749
    Program Date: 9/8–9/13/13; 12/9–12/14/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Join local experts on an exploration of the history and culture of this iconic West Coast city with a long and rich First Nations aboriginal heritage, and trace the tale of European settlement in British Columbia and its legacy today. Explore the world-class Butchart Gardens and discover some of the natural highlights of both terrestrial and marine ecosystems in the area. Savor the grand tradition of Afternoon Tea at the beautiful Empress Hotel, and take field trips to significant sites like Beacon Hill Park, the majestic Parliament Building, Hatley Castle, Fisgard Lighthouse.

  • Spring Blooms in the Pacific Northwest: Tulips & Rhodies of the Skagit Vally and Whidbey Island

    Oak Harbor; Three nights. #17457
    Program Date: 4/17–4/20/13
    Any flower lover's spirits will be raised by the blooming of springtime in Washington. See the tulip fields of the Skagit River Delta in their peak season and explore a unique Pacific Northwest-style woodland garden that is home to the state flower, the Coast Rhododendron. Along the way encounter delicate cherry trees, magnificent magnolias and dainty daffodils. A special treat—cross the breathtaking Deception Pass gorge to savor stunning views from the bridge.

    Enjoy a truly unique Northwest experience. Savor the breezes on a narrated cruise aboard a Washington State Ferry, chugging through deep-green waters as you glide from Friday Harbor to Orcas, Shaw and Lopez islands in the Salish Sea. On a day-long field study see breathtaking beauty mingled with "modern" island industry. Stop at a beautiful lavender farm and historic Roche Harbor and meet islanders sharing their love of the land and sea. Explore the dramatic beauty of a National Historic Park important to regional history. Presentations add details on marine ecosystems, local environments and more. Take a chance on seeing orca whales pass by the region's only whale watch park, and visit the famous whale museum.

  • Northwest Victorian Seaports: An Exploration of Port Townsend & Coupeville

    Oak Harbor; Five nights. #19426
    Program Date: 7/28–8/2/13; 8/18–8/23/13;
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Immerse yourself in maritime culture and Pacific Northwest history as you engage in intimate study of two distinctive, preserved Victorian seaports. Visit the port of Coupeville on Whidbey Island and explore some of its more than 50 structures on the National Register of Historic Places. Across Puget Sound in Port Townsend, explore one of only three Victorian seaports in America listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

  • Memories in Motion: Marquee Collections of American Automotive and Aviation Achivement

    Tacoma; Four nights. #20259
    Program Date: 9/16–9/20/13; 11/11–11/15/13
    To find out how to register for this program, visit: www.roadscholar.org.

    Take a ride through American history and explore deep inside amazing private collections and stunning museums dedicated to American innovation. Experts tell stories and reveal details of the Harold LeMay Auto collection, the world's most complete anthology of the American automobile. Survey a century of flight at Seattle's Museum of Flight, visit the Boeing aircraft factory, talk one-on-one with restoration experts as they restore vintage aircraft with passionate dedication, and discuss the impacts of transportation innovation on American travel and culture.

 

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