Compare The Beauty of Yosemite and the Joy of Watercolor by Road Scholar vs California Dreaming: From Yosemite National Park to Napa and Sonoma Valley by Culture Trip

Day 1
Check-in, Registration, Orientation, Welcome Dinner
Oakhurst D Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst
Activity note: Lodge check-in from 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Afternoon: Program Registration, 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. After you have your room assignment, come to the Road Scholar table in Lyles Dining Hall to register with the program staff and get your welcome packet containing your name-tag, up-to-date schedule that reflects any changes, other important information, and to confirm when and where the Orientation session will take place. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in. We'll enjoy our get-acquainted social hour that includes drinks and appetizers.

Dinner: At Lyles Dining Hall, we will enjoy a buffet of rotating entrees, sides, salads, vegetables, and desserts. Coffee, tea, water, juice included.

Evening: Orientation. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. Field trips off site will be by shuttle. Field trips to and from Yosemite are around 35 miles each way on country roads. Classes will be held in Lower Lyles West or the chapel, a short walk from Lyles. Please note this is not an active outdoor program: however this and the field tip on Day 5 may include walks/hikes of varying lengths to enhance and illustrate the subjects being taught. If mobility is an issue, please contact the coordinator for further information. Periods in the daily schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. We will then enjoy a short, award-winning video from the National Park Service about Yosemite National Park. The balance of the evening is left free to relax after our day's journey.

Day 2
First Water Coloring Class
Oakhurst B,L,D Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst
Activity note: Minimal walking around campus.

Breakfast: At Lyles Dining Hall, we will enjoy a buffet of rotating breakfast items like eggs, hot/cold cereals, fruit, toast or muffins, yogurt, and granola. Coffee, tea, water, juice included.

Morning: After breakfast, we will enjoy our first water coloring class with our instructor, getting acquainted with our equipment and subjects.

Lunch: At Lyles Dining Hall, we will enjoy a buffet meal that may include a sandwich bar or a hot entrée. Other offerings include a homemade soup of the day and salad bar, along with a dessert. Coffee, tea, water, juice included.

Afternoon: Our class continues, as we paint to our heart's content under the guidance of our expert instructor.

Dinner: Dining hall buffet.

Evening: We will enjoy an evening presentation from a local expert, which could range from a live animal presentation, living history performance, musical or artistic guests, or lectures on human and cultural history of the area.

Day 3
Yosemite National Park, Lesson in the Park
Oakhurst B,L,D Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst
Activity note: Getting on/off shuttle. Approximately 60 miles, 3 hours of riding today on country roads. Walking approximately 1 mile.

Breakfast: Dining hall buffet.

Morning: After packing lunch, we will board the shuttle for Yosemite Valley, departing by 8:00 a.m. We will first stop Tunnel View, with that famous first glimpse of Half Dome, Bridalveil Falls, El Capitan, and Cathedral Rocks. As we view the woodlands through the conifer forest, we’ll drop down into the glacially-carved valley of Yosemite to visit Sentinel Bridge and Yosemite Valley Lodge.

Lunch: In Yosemite Valley, we will enjoy a sack lunch we packed this morning, consisting of sandwiches, chips, fruit, and other snacks. Water included.

Afternoon: We will enjoy a painting lesson in the park with the help of our instructor. The shuttle departs for ECCO by 3:00 p.m.

Dinner: Dining hall buffet.

Evening: We will enjoy our evening presentation from a local expert.

Day 4
Yosemite National Park, Free Time
Oakhurst B,L,D Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst
Activity note: Getting on/off shuttle. Approximately 60 miles, 3 hours of riding today on country roads. Walking approximately 1 mile.

Breakfast: Dining hall buffet.

Morning: After packing lunch, we will board the shuttle for Yosemite Valley, departing by 8:00 a.m. Free time. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. For those who wish, bring your painting supplies and enjoy the opportunity to capture Yosemite's beauty in watercolors.

Lunch: Yosemite sack lunch.

Afternoon: More free time in the park. Feel free to keep painting or visit Yosemite Valley. The shuttle will depart for ECCO by 3:00 p.m.

Dinner: Dining hall buffet.

Evening: We will enjoy our evening presentation from a local expert.

Day 5
More Painting in Yosemite
Oakhurst B,L,D Episcopal Conference Center Oakhurst
Activity note: Getting on/off shuttle. Approximately 60 miles, 3 hours of riding today on country roads. Walking approximately 1 mile.

Breakfast: Dining hall buffet.

Morning: After packing lunch, we will board the shuttle for our third day of exploration in Yosemite, with departure at 8:00 a.m. We’ll enjoy the varying landscapes and historic structures as subjects for our painting.

Lunch: Yosemite sack lunch.

Afternoon: We will resume our exploration of Yosemite. Our shuttle will depart no later than 3:30 p.m.

Dinner: Dining hall buffet.

Evening: We will enjoy our evening presentation from a local expert.

Day 6
Program Concludes
Oakhurst B,L
Activity note: Lodge check-out by 9:00 a.m.

Breakfast: Dining hall buffet.

Morning: We will enjoy our last class of the week.

Lunch: Dining hall buffet. This concludes our program.

Afternoon: If you are transferring to another Road Scholar program, detailed instructions are included in your Information Packet for that program. We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on another rewarding program in the future. Don’t forget to join our Facebook page and follow us on Instagram. Best wishes for all your journeys!

Day 1: Welcome to the Hotel California

Accommodation: The Stanford Court

Activities Included: Welcome dinner of dim sum in Chinatown

Well, not quite – but your accommodation is just as lovely as the one described in the song. In fact, unlike the actual Hotel California, your hotel puts you on the edge of San Francisco’s storied Chinatown district, which – after you’ve met your group at 6pm – is where your journey starts. Our Local Insider will also accompany the group throughout the trip. A guided tour is followed by an authentic dim sum dinner, before rounding off with a cocktail at a top-secret speakeasy bar.

Day 2: Into the wild

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Tuolumne Grove hike

After a full-American breakfast, you’ll head east towards the foothills of the Sierra Nevadas, stopping at the oldest bar in California, the Iron Door Saloon, for cold beer and buffalo wings. Next up is Tuolumne Grove in Yosemite National Park, where you’ll walk among giant sequoia trees – some up to 300ft (91m) tall – and spy the mountain peaks, El Capitan and Half Dome, from Tunnel View.

Day 3: Hiking, biking and a sunset view in Yosemite

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Guided Yosemite Valley hike, Sentinel Dome hike with champagne

Optional Activities: Bike ride

Pinch yourself. Yes, you really have awoken in Yosemite. Breathe in a lung-full of fresh mountain air and enjoy a hearty California breakfast. Today is all about seeing the highlights of Yosemite. You decide what you’d like to do next: a full-day guided hike in Yosemite Valley, a leisurely bike ride, or an extended session in the eco-spa. Finish the day by ascending Sentinel Dome to watch the multicolored sunset.

Day 4: Sweeping meadow views and swimming in Tenaya Lake

Accommodation: Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort

Activities Included: Pothole Dome hike, Swimming at Tenaya Lake

Today, you’ll have the chance to beat the crowds and explore lesser-known spots within Yosemite. To start, you’ll take the high road to Tuolumne Meadows, a high-altitude area and the starting point of a short hike to the top of Pothole Dome. You might feel slightly breathless, but the panoramic views waiting at the top make it worthwhile. Later, cool off with a swim in Tenaya Lake, or pick a lakeside spot and lounge around while taking in your epic environs.

Day 5: Wine, wine and more wine in Napa and Sonoma

Accommodation: Best Western Dry Creek Inn

Activities Included: Napa bike tour

Wave goodbye to Yosemite and hello to California’s world-famous wine country. To make the most of your time (and wine) in the Napa Valley, you’ll get around by bike, before a gourmet lunch at chef Thomas Keller’s Bouchon Bakery, served alongside the best wines from the region. And if that wasn’t enough, there will be time for more in the vineyards of Sonoma Valley on the way to your hotel in Healdsburg.

Day 6: Towering redwoods and road-trippin’ the Pacific Coast

Accommodation: Best Western Dry Creek Inn

Activities Included: Guided hike in Samuel P Taylor State Park, Road trip to Goat Rock Beach, Farewell dinner

Optional Activities: Swimming at Russian River

Your day begins with a morning stroll among towering redwood trees in Samuel P Taylor State Park, giving you the chance to work up an appetite for lunch at the Marshall Store in Tomales Bay, well-known for its Pacific oysters. The road trip continues after lunch with a drive along the coast and a stop at Goat Rock Beach, before pizza at the Russian River Brewing Company.

Day 7: Return to San Francisco

Activities Included: Lands End Trail hike

Optional Activities: Mission District tour

It may be your final day, but the trip is far from over. Back in San Francisco, there are a few more treats in store, including a hike along the Lands End Trail – a one-way clifftop route with amazing views over the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz Island. Lunch in the Mission District means one thing: the Mission burrito, popular since the 1960s and a must-eat if you’re in this part of town. You’ll also discover the local street art, which forms the largest concentration of murals in the world, before finally bidding farewell to your travel companions at the hotel at 3pm.