Thx everybody for the great repsonse to this thread about EH. I figure that, if I have questions about EH trips, the best place to ask them is the Fodors bb.
Faith

Good luck, Faith - and keep us posted on any EH experiences.

I fail to see the dividing lilne between an EH trip (i.e., "travel')...and any other Fodors-style journey.

Shortly after I turned 55, I did the Ethnic New York Elderhostel week, based at the West Side YMCA in Manhattan. It was an excellent program, which I enjoyed very much. And I had enough evenings free to do things on my own – a New York Philharmonic concert, a St Lawrence String Quartet concert at the Juillard School, an evening of blues at the now defunct Chicago Blues, a piano recital at the Metropolitan Museum with Ruth Laredo.

While roughly half of the group was under 65, and they were all nice people, I still felt too young to be part of it. Sort of like travelling with my parents. Not quite, because my parents, even in their late 70's, early 80's, were more fun.

I haven’t done one since, but have just booked two activity holidays in Arizona for this October, “Hiking the Slick Rock, Slot Canyons and Red Rocks” and “Grand Canyon: Hiking the Back Country”. Hopefully, 8 years later, I have matured enough.

Guess I should chime in as an Elderhostel fan. We have just returned from our 4th Grand Circle European trip and have traveled overseas by other means. (See Europe: Back from Central Europe).

But we have enjoyed 21 Elderhostel programs with most all being excellent ones. Some are outdoors with RVs, some more classroom learning, some focused on studying history of an area, and some intergenerational with grandkids. We've done each, mostly domestic ones. I've done reviews for some http://members.aol.com/ehindex
I think you find the reviews by email at
//EHnotebook/earthlink.net

There is a learning component to Grand Circle trips and some touring with the usual Elderhostel program, so we see similarities. And tuckerdc is right...if you want free time EHs are not for you. Participants do want a little but will complain if too much.

Excellents ones: Chicago Art Institute, San Francisco Art & Humanities, Irish Heritage & Culture, History & Culture of Puerto Rico, Okefenokee, Foreign Policy-American Foreign Service in D.C., Mighty Mississippi-Northern Illinois Univ., Sights of the Shore-Ocean City, MD, Christmas in NY-Warwick Center, Southern History, Culture etc. (now Interhostel sponsored).

ozarksbill
[email protected]

Thx Tuckerduc, Ron, & Ozarksbill for the feedback on your trips.
You all and Elderhostel have given me another idea--I think I'll combine an Elderhostel trip with a visit to family or/and friends in another part of the country.
Faith

Good idea...that's exactly what we do. We consider Elderhostels in areas en route or near family and also places we haven't seen before.

ozarksbill

ttt
Just figured I top this up again. Anybody else have experiences with Elderhostel trips?
Faith

Hi (again) from ozarksbill...

Looking at the thread, I must insist that this does belong on Fodors travel, most EH programs are study-travel events. Yes, I would certainly endorse site prviously posted for past reviews and that to receive reviews on line. The one we intended to enroll in was (and I use the past tense) the People's Program in New Orleans.

Now then, traveler24, would you contact us about more on the EH in Boston...our next one in Oct. We now have family in Boston so that is one reason for signing up. Like faith77 we've enjoyed some GCT trips (4) and BTW would like more on that Copper Canyon one.

ozarksbill
[email protected]