Elderhostel
Elderhostel is a
not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing exceptional learning
opportunities at a remarkable value.
Siemer & Hand Travel is privileged to be Elderhostel’s
provider of San Francisco-based affordable educational travel experiences on a
variety of subjects including history, food and wine, and performing arts
programs. Current programs are listed below:
San Francisco: A Signature City Program
#15417
Experience the best
of the “City by the Bay,” from global cuisine to Alcatraz. Examine the
Victorian architectural heritage at the Haas-Lilienthal House, where a private
lecture introduces the Queen Anne-style home. Walk the historic Barbary Coast,
where Gold Rush elite gambled and mingled with local rowdies, then continue to
Chinatown’s 150-year-old food market for a sensory journey past fresh produce,
steaming poultry, and buckets of swimming fish. Drink in the city’s fine arts
at the de Young Museum and explore the lovely Japanese Tea Garden also in
Golden Gate Park. A private coach excursion shows the highlights of the city
and crosses the Golden Gate to lovely Sausalito, returning by ferry to the
City.
For more information or to
register visit the Elderhostel website.
San Francisco: America’s
Favorite City - Intergenerational Program Program #13719
Bring your grandchildren (recommended ages 7 – 11 and 11 – 14). Share the Golden Gate
Bridge, Fisherman's Wharf, Alcatraz, Chinatown, and cable cars rumbling through
streets of classic Victorian homes with your grandchildren. There's something
for all ages as you delve into San Francisco's fascinating past and visit its
exciting present. A parallel class structure allows adults to enjoy lectures
and presentations while children engage in age appropriate fun learning
experiences. Then the generations embark together on field trips, bringing the
history they've learned to life. Come cruise on the bay, see a fortune cookie
factory, picnic and fly kites, and visit museums from the Gold Rush to the
Exploratorium in America's favorite city.
For more information or to
register visit the Elderhostel website.
San Francisco Symphony and Theater
Program #14379
Explore San
Francisco's vibrant symphony and theater scene. Begin with a lecture on the
performing arts in San Francisco--symphony, theater, and opera. Then, with
lectures to prepare you, enjoy performances including a major production at the
American Conservatory Theater, a Symphony performance, and a final interactive
one-man concert for your ears only. Also, visit Davies Symphony Hall, the Opera
House and the Herbst Theater to see their inner workings and learn about these
performing arts icons. Enjoy walking tours of beautifully renovated City Hall
and art deco Rincon Center.
For more information or to register visit the Elderhostel website.
Explore San
Francisco's vibrant theater scene from smaller troupes to major productions.
Begin with a lecture on the diverse offerings in San Francisco and how they fit
the context of American theater in general. Then, with lectures to prepare you,
experience four performances: a traditional work, a repertory performance of a
more modern work, a major production at the American Conservatory Theater, and
a production at the Curran Theater (or similar). Walking tours of beautifully
renovated City Hall and art deco Rincon Center, a visit to the de Young Museum,
and a post-performance talk with a member of a repertory company round out this
program.
For more information or to
register visit the Elderhostel website.
Food & Wine: Sensory Delights of San Francisco,
Napa & Sonoma Program #14156
Bring your taste buds to the best
of both worlds: Napa and Sonoma, the most highly prized wine regions in North
America; and San Francisco, center of creative homegrown California cuisine.
Experience exotic vegetable stands crowding the sidewalks in Chinatown. Attend a cooking demonstration and dine at one of North Beach’s
traditional Italian restaurants. Travel to Sonoma for two nights
near the charming square. Field trips to wineries in Napa and Sonoma take you into the
vineyards and into the inner workings of the
magical process of turning grape juice into fine wine. Enjoy discussions on wine appreciation--and wine tastings--throughout. Educate your
palate in the differences between wines and take home the confidence that
no-one's taste is better than your own.
For more information or to
register visit the Elderhostel website.
San Francisco Cuisine: From the Culinary Kitchen to the Neighborhoods Program #15213
Get a taste for San
Francisco’s restaurants, culinary kitchens and ethnic neighborhoods. Explore
the Italian neighborhood of North Beach, Chinatown's markets and edible
delicacies and the gourmet tastes at the San Francisco Ferry Building. During
an exclusive cooking lesson, professional teaching chefs train you in the
techniques and recipes for hands-on gourmet food. Hear how the Delancey Street
Foundation gives people a second chance at life, and dine at its critically
acclaimed restaurant, whose menu reflects the residents’ diverse roots.
Discover the essence of great vineyards during a wine tasting, and learn from a
professional about the restaurant scene.
For more information or to
register visit the Elderhostel website.
Dancing in San Francisco: For
Mind, Body & Spirit Program #15597
Stimulate body and
mind with a week of inspiring music and dance. In the folk dances of Jewish,
Eastern European and various other cultures, experience the relationship
between dance and mental and physical well-being. Gain historic and savory
insights into the cultures behind your dances by sampling their music and food.
Uncover the roots and influences of dance central to every culture. Daily folk
dance classes make you a part of the experience and no dance partner is
required. On city excursions, cruise under the Golden Gate Bridge and around
Alcatraz amid the skyline and neighborhood hills of San Francisco Bay. Explore
the historic Ferry Building and City Hall, and enjoy guided walking tours of
Chinatown and the Barbary Coast.
For more information or to register visit the Elderhostel website.
