Road Scholar

• Non-profit organization

"It's been two years since the trip to Oregon. We still talk about how horrible the experience was. Sitting on the bus for hours only to be told you could not walk anywhere. Beware: Road Scholar has changed. I went on my fourth trip and it was a nightmare for 9 days. The best part was getting off the bus. It was supposed to be "keep the pace". But the group leaders could hardly make it off the bus. We were not allowed to walk around at any of the stops at the ocean or the redwoods. The stories on the bus were endless ramblings of their past trips and memories. Not informative or interesting. We were not allowed to talk to each other on the bus. It would have been better to have a recording from the park service playing through headphones. We never knew what town we were driving through and only the group leaders could see the sights (they always had the front seats). Being treated like a second class citizen after going on a ninety minute tour of the Oregon caves only to return and getting yelled at for making everyone wait for " minutes". The food was horrible if you were lucky enough to get to the "buffet" in time...you better like chicken pasta and pizza, because that's all you get. No local food or wine. (We heard about salmon for days but never got to try any.) And the hotel in Eureka was moldy and under construction -gross.. Not sure who interviews the group leaders, but they should at least have some kind of degree or teaching credentials and physical requirements. A waste of $5,. I could have planned a better trip on my own."

"As a recent widow, I've been on four Road Scholar trips in the last two years. All were very different, all were wonderful experiences, and all were set up extremely well for solo travelers to feel immediately accepted and welcome. RS, especially through their great group leaders (and site coordinators), does a terrific job anticipating needs and reacting to changing circumstances. My trips have ranged from a 6-day kayaking trip 3 hours from home to a -day trip to New Zealand and Australia. And the fellow travelers you meet are awesome!"

"My trips with Road Scholar (going back to the s) have been consistently exceptional. The trips are well planned and organized, but flexible enough to accommodate individual interests and unexpected events (like a cancelled flight). Trip leaders and lecturers are always well informed, helpful, and pleasant people. Road Scholar attracts interesting, thoughtful participants and I have made at least one friendship that will last long after the trip. I can't recommend Road Scholar too highly!"

"I just got back from two Mexico trips, Oaxaca and Mexico City. Again, Road Scholar was wonderful. I really liked my fellow travelers, we all kind of felt good with one another, and the staff were terrific. Because RS emphasizes learning, I soak it all up. The lectures added so much to my own experience; the sites we visited were amazing. I will definitely travel with Road Scholar in the future."

"We just returned form our Road Scholar adventure in Vietnam (our th Road Scholar trip) and this one was the best ever! Five-start hotels throughout, and the broadest range of unique experiences we have ever had on a trip. Delights such as a cooking class, a dinner cruise, hikes through rice paddies, sit-downs with locals in small villages, a water puppet show, an overnight luxury cruise on Ha Long Bay to name just a few. All of this was led by a terrific guide who was knowledgeable, caring, and funny. I would recommend this very active trip highly."