Afternoon: Welcome to Richmond! Check-in is 3:30 PM for your hotel room, at the hotel's lobby desk. Road Scholar registration is 3:30-5:00 PM - look for us at a table in the hotel lobby..

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel or at a local restaurant

Evening: Orientation and introductions.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Meals Included: Dinner

Breakfast: In hotel

Morning: We make every effort to keep our schedules as we've listed them here. However, sometimes we may have to modify time of day or the day itself to fit an instructor's availability. Please be aware that there may not be a free afternoon in this program; there is one free evening, and you will have time to relax each day, but there is no large block of free time in the afternoons. Our first class of the program gives an overview of Richmond's history, architecture and plantations.

Lunch: In hotel

Afternoon: Our first field trip is a unique opportunity to visit the privately-owed Tuckahoe Plantation, boyhood home of Thomas Jefferson. Tuckahoe, 25 minutes west of downtown, has been the location for movies and TV documentaries. Founded in 1733 by the Randolf family in the era of great plantations, Tuckahoe is still privately-owned and remains one of the most complete plantations in America. This location is not barrier-free -- you will be walking on uneven, grassy terrain. On the way back to the hotel, we'll visit another Richmond treasure, Sacred Heart Cathedral, built at the beginning of the 20th century and considered to be Virginia's finest ecclesiastical example of the Italian Renaissance Revival style. Surrounded by The Fan and the Monroe Park district of Virginia Commonwealth University, the Cathedral is a Virginia Historic Landmark and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Dinner: Walk one block for dinner at a local restaurant.

Evening: Learn about the lifestyle, culture and traditions at 18th and 19th century plantations.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: In hotel

Morning: Class: "Art Nouveau and La Belle Epoch" focuses on an important art movement, and some of the history, legends and legendary individuals in the Gilded Age.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel

Afternoon: Enjoy a three-block walk to our tour of the fabulous Jefferson Hotel. Commissioned by entrepreneur Lewis Ginter, the Jefferson Hotel opened in 1895 to host the wedding of the famous Charles Dana Gibson to the Belle of the South (and of Richmond), Irene Langhorne. As a centerpiece for the upper Palm Court lobby, Ginter commissioned sculptor Edward Valentine to create a life-sized marble statue of Thomas Jefferson. This elegant hotel is one of just a handful of 5-star, 5-diamond hotels in North America.

Dinner: Dinner at a local restaurant or in our hotel

Evening: Class: Learn about the history and architecture of the Capitol of Virginia, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson, Virginia's second governor.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Field trips to the Virginia State Capitol, the John Marshall House, Monument Avenue, The Fan, and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts

Breakfast: In hotel

Morning: This morning's field trip begins with a visit to Virginia's State Capitol, which was designed by Thomas Jefferson and which has many well-known monuments on its grounds. Jefferson's design was inspired by the Maison Caree in Nimes, France as well as classical Roman temple design. Houdon's famous marble statue of George Washington graces the center of the Capitol's rotunda. We'll have an interesting lecture and then explore this building with Capitol historians. Next, we'll visit the John Marshall House, an outstanding example of Federal architecture that retains most of its original features. Built in 1790 and located near the Capitol, the Marshall House contains a rich collection of family-owned furnishings and a large collection of Marshall memorabilia. The intimate courtyard garden has plants and herbs that were popular in Marshall's time. This is not a barrier-free location: there are several sets of steps, but no elevators.

Lunch: Lunch at the hotel.

Afternoon: Our field trip this afternoon begins with a trip down Richmond's grandest boulevard, Monument Avenue, where we'll view monuments to Robert E. Lee, JEB Stuart, Stonewall Jackson, Jefferson Davis, Matthew Fontaine Maury, and Arthur Ashe. Monument Avenue and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts are both located in Richmond's Fan District, which holds one of the nation's largest collections of Victorian architecture. Our next stop will be one of Richmond's treasures that contains treasures of its own: the splendid Museum of Fine Arts, which recently re-opened after four years of renovation and expansion. The VMFA is now one of the top ten comprehensive art museums in the US, displaying more than 5,000 years of art from around the world. Explore numerous permanent galleries connected by a 4-story atrium designed by London-born architect, who now resides in Oregon. The VMFA also contains a sculpture garden, reflecting pools, focus galleries for changing exhibits, a cafe and a restaurant, and a museum shop. Information on special exhibits, collections and upcoming events is at www.vmfa.museum

Dinner: In the hotel.

Evening: A free evening to explore other locations in Richmond or spend time with new (or old) friends.

Lodging: Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Field trip to Berkeley and Shirley Plantations and lunch at a local tavern

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: All day field trip by coach to Berkeley and Shirley plantations in Charles City, approximately 45 minutes' travel. Explore the plantation mansions and grounds. The Georgian-style Berkeley was home to William Henry Harrison ("Tippecanoe"), who became the 9th U.S. President, and his grandson Benjamin, who was the 23rd President. Shirley, Virginia's oldest plantation, is recognized as an architectural treasure. Shirley has a 3-story "flying" staircase that is the only one of its kind in America.

Lunch: Lunch at a local tavern

Afternoon: Shirley and Berkeley plantations are located on the James River. Cameras are not permitted in the Houses. The plantation grounds have limited barrier-free access, with grassy, uneven terrain

Dinner: Dinner in the hotel or at a local restaurant.

Evening: You won't want to miss the entertainment tonight, which has music typical of early Virginia. You'll learn a lot of history, too...and some really tall tales. How will you know which ones to believe?

Lodging: Crowne Plaza Richmond Downtown

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Depart From: Departure after morning class and lunch.

Breakfast: Breakfast in the hotel.

Morning: Enjoy the final program class on Richmond History, Architecture and Plantations

Lunch: Lunch and departure

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch