Arrive at DoubleTree Hotel San Francisco Airport and check in, dinner in the hotel meeting room followed by orientation and get-acquainted.

Arrive To: Check in after 4 p.m. Register for your Road Scholar program in the lobby of the hotel.

Dinner: Banquet dinner in the hotel meeting room.

Evening: Our evening get together gives us a chance to meet one another and go over the program schedule. We have an introduction to Yosemite in preparation for our stay in the park.

Lodging: Doubletree Hotel - San Francisco Airport

Meals Included: Dinner

Travel to Yosemite National Park, introductory class on outdoor and nature photography, instructor-led visit to El Capitan, early evening photography excursion.

Breakfast: Full, hot breakfast buffet in the hotel restaurant.

Morning: Travel to Yosemite National Park. For tens of thousands of years, humans have changed, and have been changed by, this place we now call Yosemite. “It is by far the grandest of all the special temples of Nature I was ever permitted to enter.” said famed naturalist John Muir. Designated a World Heritage Site in 1984, Yosemite is known for its granite cliffs, waterfalls, clear streams, giant sequoia groves and biological diversity. Two Wild & Scenic Rivers, the Tuolumne and Merced rivers, begin in the park and flow west to the Central Valley. Yosemite is one of the first wilderness parks in the United States comprised of nearly 1200 square miles. The park is a shrine to human foresight, strength of granite, power of glaciers, the persistence of life, and the tranquility of the High Sierra. En-route, our on-board instructor will offer tips on outdoor and nature photography, aiming to help you capture the magnificent scenery you will encounter in the park.

Lunch: Lunch in El Portal.

Afternoon: We board the motor coach and continue to Yosemite Valley with a stop at Tunnel View for a photo op at one of the world famous views of the Valley. We travel into the Valley and check in to the Yosemite Lodge where we'll stay for four nights. Meet our instructor, naturalist, Becky Zentmyer for history and an overview of rock climbing at El Capitan.

Dinner: We have an extensive buffet dinner at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court.

Evening: Photography excursion to capture the landscape in the early evening light.

Lodging: Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Instructor-led exploration of Yosemite Valley's highlights, including Happy Isles Nature Center, Bridal Veil Fall and Yosemite Falls. Presentation by a John Muir interpreter.

Note: Walk to Lower Falls 1/2 mile roundtrip, walk at Mirror Lake 1 miles roundtrip, ranger led walk, 1/2 mile

Breakfast: A full buffet breakfast at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court.

Morning: We are joined by our naturalist, Becky Zentmyer, for an exploration of some of Yosemite Valley's highlights, including Happy Isles Nature Center, Bridal Veil Fall, Yosemite Falls, Yosemite Village and Sentinel Bridge. Our instructor leads us on a field trip through Yosemite Valley. We'll view the Valley's impressive granite formations including Half Dome, El Capitan, Sentinel Rock and more. First stop is Bridal Veil Falls and the Chapel. The Yosemite Chapel became listed on the prestigious National Register of Historic Places in 1973 based on its “simple architecture” that was representative of “a particularly fine example of the early chapels constructed in the Sierra Nevada Mountains.”

Lunch: We enjoy a picnic lunch at Happy Isles..

Afternoon: We continue our exploration of Yosemite Valley's highlights. Half Dome is perhaps the most iconic symbol of Yosemite, rising nearly 5,000 feet above the Valley floor, it is one of the most recognisable landmarks in Yosemite. El Capitan is a favorite for experienced rock climbers. Rising more than 3,000 feet above the Valley floor, it is the largest monolith of granite in the world. Cathedral Rocks and Spires form the eastern side of the canyon through which Bridalveil Creek flows. Some people think these rocks are even more impressive than El Capitan! We finish just to the east with the Three Brothers: Eagle Peak (the uppermost "brother"), and Middle and Lower Brothers.

Dinner: We head to the Yosemite Lodge Food Court for dinner.

Evening: After dinner the kids begin work on their memory books and John Muir pays us a visit for an evening presentation.

Lodging: Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

All day instructor-led field trip, hike at Crane Flat and Giant Sequoia grove, visit Olmstead Point and swim at Tenaya Lake.

Note: Hike at Crane Flat is about 2 and 1/2 miles with an elevation gain of 500' Bridalveil Fall is about 3/4 mile roundtrip, slight elevation gain.

Breakfast: Full, buffet breakfast at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court

Morning: Our on-board instructor, Becky Zentmyer, provides the narrative for our field trip to the gateway to Yosemite's back country along Tioga Pass to Tuolomne Meadows, Olmstead Point and Tenaya Lake. Tioga Pass Road offers a 39-mile scenic drive between Crane Flat and Tuolumne Meadows through forests and past meadows, lakes, and granite domes. Many turnouts offer broad and beautiful vistas. Tuolumne Meadows is a large, open sub-alpine meadow graced by the winding Tuolumne River and surrounded by majestic peaks and domes. From sometime in November through late May or early June, this area is only accessible by cross-country skis or snowshoes. At Crane Flat we'll walk the nature trail in the Tuolomne Grove of Sequoias.

Lunch: We have a picnic lunch.

Afternoon: Olmsted Point looks down on Yosemite Valley from the east--and from a very different angle. Though you might not immediately recognize Half Dome, it is one of the most prominent peaks you can see from Olmsted Point. Tenaya Lake is a magnificent High Sierra lake surrounded by granite domes, lodgepole forests, and Yosemite’s vast wilderness. It offers the chance for the kids to take a memorable swim in the midst of the dramatic scenery.

Dinner: We return to the Lodge for dinner at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court and relaxation after a busy day.

Evening: Families enjoy a free evening to relax or attend one of the park's varied evening programs. .

Lodging: Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Mixed media art class followed by free time to explore or revisit favorite park sights. Rafting on the Merced River, ranger program and complete memory books.

Note: Walk at Indian Cultural Center is less than 1/2 mile.

Breakfast: Enjoy a full breakfast buffet at Yosemite Lodge Food Court.

Morning: We meet our instructor for a field class exploring mixed media art techniques followed by free time to further explore the park, hike some of the many paths and trails the park offers or revisit favorite spots.

Lunch: Lunch in Yosemite Village.

Afternoon: "The most relaxing way to enjoy the summer in Yosemite" is on a raft on the Merced River. This afternoon we'll see all the sights of Yosemite Valley from a different perspective on a stillwater rafting trip down the Merced River. By summer, the river has calmed from its rushing winter snow run-off pace and provides a slow-moving and sunny course to travel the length of the valley. Unique views of Half Dome and Yosemite Falls, away from the hustle and bustle of the summer valley traffic, as well as sandy beaches for swimming.

Dinner: We enjoy dinner at the Yosemite Lodge Food Court.

Evening: After dinner the kids complete their memory books while the adults enjoy the ranger program in the Yosemite Lodge Amphitheatre.

Lodging: Yosemite Lodge at the Falls

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Farewell breakfast, program wrap-up and sharing of memory books, return to San Francisco Airport and DoubleTree Hotel in Burlingame.

Breakfast: Farewell breakfast buffet in the Mountain Room restaurant.

Morning: Depart for return travel to San Francisco Airport and the DoubleTree Hotel in Burlingame. Program wrap-up and and kids share their memory books in transit.

Lunch: Lunch in Pleasanton.

Afternoon: Drop off at San Francisco International Airport and return to DoubleTree Hotel in Burlingame.

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch