Enjoying your hobbies while on the go
More than 50,000 itineraries around the globe are available with the click of a computer mouse
When Marion Beatty mentioned to a fellow bird watcher that she was considering a vacation trip concentrated on their mutual interest, her friend suggested she check out the Road Scholar tour company. Marion found hundreds of Learning Adventures on its website, including 14 specifically for birders.
Then came the biggest challenge: deciding whether to train her binoculars on unique hummingbirds in Ecuador, be awed by more than 450 species that pass through Ohio during their annual migration, or hang out at three top birding destinations in Arizona that the likes of green-tailed towhees and belted kingfishers frequent.
Taking to the road to enjoy art, photography, and much more.
Admirers of high flyers are by no means the only hobbyists who turn to Road Scholar when they’re seeking to combine a hobby with an opportunity to hop around the country or the world. As a leader in pastime travel, it conducts trips focused on topics that range from art and antiquing to painting and photography. (roadscholar.org)
Picture-taking prowess also is available from Photo Workshop Adventures. It conducts over 150 small group tours to over 50 countries suitable for beginners and more experienced picture-takers seeking to improve their skills. The focus topics (pun intended) are cityscapes, landscapes, people, and nature. There even are lessons in the use of drone photography. (photoworkshopadventurers.com)
The allure of learning a new language
Whether traveling to take photos, practice painting or engaging in any other leisure time activity, knowing the language spoken at your destination can add to the pleasure. Language immersion programs are available for all age groups.
While many foreign language programs are geared toward younger students, some welcome older adults, and others are designed for the over-50 crowd. GoAbroad.com is a search engine for various international travel programs, including language learning. (goabroad.com)
Music is another language, and lovers of sounds from rock to reggae, country to classical may find concerts and festivals that appeal to their ears. The Apocalypse in the Desert Fest in Las Vegas embraces modern genres. Since the 1930s, the Boston Symphony Orchestra has performed symphonic, choral, jazz, and other music at the Tanglewood Music Festival in Lenox, Massachusetts.
The Spoleto Festival in Charleston, South Carolina, an offshoot of the event that originated in Italy, includes opera, classical music, dance, and jazz. When organizers sought a US city that offers the appeals of the Italian counterpart for which the concert is named, they selected Charleston for its “Old World charm.” (wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_music_festivals)
Plantations, a millionaire’s village, and the American Revolution during a river cruise
Charleston’s rich history also is the focus of one of the themed cruises of American Cruise Lines, which offers “the most cruise options in the USA” aboard its fleet of small, luxurious ships. Its Intracoastal Waterway voyage begins in that city of cobblestone streets and antebellum houses, continues to Beaufort for an introduction to plantation life, and stops at Jekyll Island for a stroll through “Millionaire’s Village,” a National Historic Landmark of opulent homes built over a century ago.
An even deeper dive into the nation’s past is experienced by passengers taking the American Revolution Cruise. Among stops in Virginia are the last battlefield of the Revolutionary War in Yorktown, Jamestown, site of the first English settlement in the New World, and Colonial Williamsburg.
American Cruise Lines lives up to its name, offering more than 50 itineraries from the coast of Maine to the Mississippi River to the Pacific Northwest. Its riverboats dock in the heart of destinations inaccessible to larger ships, providing a close-up exploration of cities and small towns along its routes. (americancruiselines.com)
US history is one of several interests on display at Colonial Williamsburg, the largest museum in the world devoted to the past. More than 600 original and meticulously reconstructed buildings provide the backdrop for 77,000 antiques and works of art, 60 million archaeological artifacts, and other history-rich collections. Themed programs deal with music, theater, antiquity, and other past tidbits. (colonialwilliamsburg.com)
More than 50,000 itineraries around the globe are available with the click of a computer mouse
History is one of the numerous interests listed on the Travel Stride website. That company describes and can book more than 50,000 itineraries around the globe offered by over 1,000 companies. They include group tour packages, tailor-made luxury trips, expedition cruises, and independent adventures. Reviews by both travelers and tourism experts help people select the trip that fits their interests, goals, and budget. Discounts available to members can save hundreds of dollars. (travelstride.com)
This is but a sampling of trips and tour opportunities available to those seeking to combine the advantages of travel with a favorite hobby or leisure pursuit. There’s much to be said for doing or learning about something you enjoy when you’re home while taking in the attractions of a new city, state or country.