Enjoying Retirement Travel with Elderhostel

Elderhostel, a senior Web site geared toward travel experiences for the more mature, offers a twist on the idea what we all have come to recognize in youth hostels. A visit to the Elderhostel Web site (www.elderhostel.org) yields a great deal of valuable and helpful information for you to plan travel opportunities and learning experiences. Indeed, what this program offers is the ability to stay in nice places for good rates and to experience another culture firsthand. It's like being an exchange student, only for seniors.

Educational and cultural tourism are getting big. Exchange students and college students in study abroad programs, as well as backpackers, learn firsthand about other cultures. Now that opportunity has been passed on to seniors. Through Elderhostel, it is possible to go on "all-inclusive learning adventures" where you can learn about various locales, enjoy outdoor and indoor activities, and learn about another culture. And because these adventures are all-inclusive, you do not have to worry about where you will stay and a great deal of what you will eat. All you have to decide is which programs you prefer to participate in. The site boasts programs in 90 countries and all of the 50 states in the U.S.

One of the more popular trips is one to the south of Argentina, which includes a jaunt to an Antarctic peninsula. Not only do you visit interesting places, but you also learn about them through informational programs and firsthand observation. A trip to Costa Rica yields ecosystem study, including a program that allows you to conduct research that can protect the endangered plants and animals. Trips within the U.S. can be just as fascinating. The New England Islands of Rhode Island offer courses in nature. There are several options that include the Grand Canyon, each program with a different focus and different things to learn.

With almost 8,000 different programs, it is possible to find something that suits your interests. Travel experiences with focus on sports, food, music, art, history, geology, nature, culture, and more can be chosen. While many of the experiences offer a combination of different opportunities, each program has a main focus that allows you to experience in-depth learning about a specific topic.

Most of the Elderhostel programs are reasonably priced, and there are numerous programs in the U.S. and Canada that cost less than $600 (some as low as $400!). These are specially listed in a section of the Web site accessible from the home page. This is one of the best ways to travel in style, and expand your mind while doing it.