The excitement of travel and learning doesn’t stop at a young age, as more than 2,000 senior adults flocked to NAU’s Elderhostel program last year to participate in a variety of programs.
Elderhostel is America’s first and the world’s largest educational travel organization for adults 55 and over. Established in 1983, the NAU Elderhostel program is now the largest Elderhostel provider in a national network of 330 universities and educational non-profits and claims more than 85,000 alumni throughout the Southwest.
From painting watercolors and making ceramics in Sedona to gaining access to Native American ruins and river rafting, seniors can continue lifelong learning. With a mix of lectures and field trips, NAU also offers archaeology, geology and ecology programs. Locals guide participants at each destination.
To celebrate its 25th anniversary, NAU Elderhostel hosted a four-day event recently, highlighting its best-loved speakers and entertainers, favorite field trips and a final night gala attended by 120 elderhostelers, alumni, field staff and community supporters.
“The good will and positive feelings toward NAU and the Elderhostel program was truly remarkable,” said Rich Stephens, director of NAU Elderhostel and Road Scholar Programs. “To be surrounded by our most ardent supporters and to be able to appropriately recognize them for their contributions made the event even more meaningful.”