Afternoon: 3pm: REGISTRATION: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff and pick up your arrival packet which we'll review during ORIENTATION: We'll have an overview of the program ahead and review the up-to-date schedule, responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, any other administrative issues and answer your questions. Any portion of the program is subject to change which we will notify you about as soon as possible.

Dinner: Dinner will be in the hotel restaurant. Menus are contracted for the program and are designed to offer balanced, healthy meals for the participants.

Evening: INTRODUCTIONS: Enjoy the remainder of the evening getting to know your fellow participants and discovering what you share beyond a love of lifelong learning.

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Meals Included: Dinner

Architecture of San Francisco/Haas Lilienthal House/Bus Trip of Highlights of San Francisco/The Damnedest Finest Ruins

Note: Walk several blocks to catch public bus to Haas Lilienthal House where there are two stairs going up and two going down to enter the ballroom where the visit begins, a grand staircase to get to the front porch, a grand staircase to get to the second floor, and a smaller staircase to return to the ballroom. There is no way to avoid the four stairs to enter the house; after that, participants can meet the group at the next point in the visit by requesting the elevator. Public bus to group lunch.

Breakfast: A full American breakfast is served in the hotel restaurant. In addition to good standard breakfast fare, there are also some interesting egg dishes that reflect the Yemeni roots of the Chef. You will receive a voucher for each morning's breakfast.

Morning: CLASS: Marie McNaughton is a lecturer at San Francisco State University. This morning she will deliver a lecture on Victorian Architecture, for which San Francisco is so famous.

FIELD TRIP: One hour docent-led visit of the Haas Lilienthal House, a Victorian mansion furnished with period pieces. Your guide will talk about the furnishing and art as well as the history of the house, including ghost stories.

Lunch: We will enjoy lunch together at a colorful local eatery.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Narrated bus trip to highlights of San Francisco.

Dinner: Group dinner will be at a local restaurant.

Evening: CLASS: The Damnedest Finest Ruins

Lecture will cover San Francisco's devastation and rebuilding after the 1906 earthquake and fire, as well as the rapid growth of the various neighborhoods and architecture that developed around this time in history.

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Note: Walk several blocks to take public bus to pier where group will board ferry for Alcatraz. The ferry ride between San Francisco and Alcatraz Island lasts 20 minutes. Much of Alcatraz is steep and hilly; the walking distance from the dock to the cell house at the top of the island is about 1/4 mile and the elevation change is 130 feet. Once the Alcatraz visit is concluded, you will return via ferry to San Francisco where your independent exploration of San Francisco can continue.

Breakfast: A full American breakfast is served in the hotel restaurant. In addition to good standard breakfast fare, there are also some interesting egg dishes that reflect the Yemeni roots of the Chef. You will receive a voucher for each morning's breakfast.

Morning: CLASS: Enjoy a slide illustrated lecture by James Dalessandro, a college professor, writer and filmmaker. His command of factual details is only exceeded by his entertaining and engaging lecture style peppered with fascinating anecdotes about the characters that made San Francisco the city that it is. Learn about the tumultuous history of the San Francisco Bay area.

Lunch: Group lunch at local restaurant.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: The history of Alcatraz--The Rock-- includes a Civil War fortress, federal prison, bird sanctuary, first lighthouse on the West Coast, and the birthplace of the American Indian Red Power movement. Visiting Alcatraz is a self guided experience which you can do at your own pace. Park Service staff offer free programs throughout the day on a variety of topics: escapes, military history, American Indian occupation, natural history, etc.

Once on the island you can stay as long or as short as you wish - there is a ferry departing about every half hour and you can return to San Francisco on any ferry. The group leader will let you know which ferry she will be taking back.

There are numerous videos and exhibits on the island, as well as a complimentary cell house audio tour which covers the penitentiary era (1934 - 1963). On arriving at the Alcatraz dock, you will be greeted by a park ranger who will give you a brief orientation including information on any special activities available that day.

The weather on Alcatraz can be some what unpredictable and can change quickly - it may be warm and sunny in the city and very windy and cool on the island. Summer days can sometimes be as cool as winter due to thick fog and strong winds. We recommend dressing in layers.

There is no food service available on the island - only water is available on site. Eating, drinking and smoking are only allowed at the dock level. (Alcatraz Island information courtesy of the National Park Service) .

Dinner: Participants are free to make their own dining arrangements. Suggestions will be provided.

Evening: Independent evening to explore "Baghdad by the Bay."

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Walk several blocks to catch public bus to Legion of Honor Museum. Three hours at the Legion: one hour docent-led visit, one hour free time and one hour for lunch. Chartered bus to Muir Woods for two hours of independent exploration. There are six miles of trails. You can choose to walk a 30 minute loop, a 60 minute loop or a 90 minute loop. The trails in Muir Woods are asphalted or boardwalked and over flat territory. There is a gift shop and cafe on site. Food is not permitted on the trails.

Breakfast: A full American breakfast is served in the hotel restaurant. In addition to good standard breakfast fare, there are also some interesting egg dishes that reflect the Yemeni roots of the Chef. You will receive a voucher for each morning's breakfast.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Docent-led visit of the highlights of the Palace of the Legion of Honor Museum followed by one hour free time in museum.

Lunch: Group lunch in Palace Cafe. Vouchers will be provided.

Afternoon: FIELD TRIP: Cross San Francisco's most iconic landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. Proceed to the majesty of the old-growth redwoods of Muir Woods in Mill Valley, Marin County. You will be awed and humbled by their towering beauty. The line "I think that I shall never see a poem lovely as a tree" by Joyce Kilmer now takes on a whole new meaning.

Dinner: Dinner will be on your own to explore the many cuisines available in San Francisco. Suggestions are provided.

Evening: Independent evening to explore "The Golden Gate City."

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch

Note: Two hour walking exploration of Barbary Coast and Chinatown. Route is mix of flat and slightly elevated territory and covers about two miles.

Breakfast: A full American breakfast is served in the hotel restaurant. In addition to good standard breakfast fare, there are also some interesting egg dishes that reflect the Yemeni roots of the Chef. You will receive a voucher for each morning's breakfast.

Morning: FIELD TRIP: Walking exploration of the Barbary Coast and Chinatown. In San Francisco's early days after the Gold Rush of 1849, the Barbary Coast was the seedy red-light district where anything and everything went. Now the narrow streets are a walker's paradise, filled with beautiful architecture that belies the history of the area. Chinatown is the oldest Chinese settlement in North America and one of the largest outside of Asia. Stroll the crowded streets filled with locals, tourists, smells, sights and sounds that will overwhelm your senses. It's an experience not to be missed.

Lunch: After a morning of walking, the group will dine together in a mouthwatering Chinese eatery. Sihk faahn!

Afternoon: Independent exploration of "Everybody's Favorite City."

Dinner: Group dinner at one of San Francisco's signature restaurants.

Evening: Spend the evening with your fellow participants, savoring the week you have spent together, or go out and enjoy one final night in everyone's second hometown, San Francisco.

Lodging: Hotel Carlton

Meals Included: Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Breakfast: A full American breakfast is served in the hotel restaurant. In addition to good standard breakfast fare, there are also some interesting egg dishes that reflect the Yemeni roots of the Chef. You will receive a voucher for each morning's breakfast.

Morning: CLASS: James Dalessandro will present a final lecture expanding on your knowledge of San Francisco as well as providing a recap of the program.

Our program will conclude by 11:00AM. On this final day, you will truly appreciate why Tony Bennett and millions of other visitors leave their hearts in San Francisco.

Lunch: Our program will conclude by 11:00AM. On this final day, you will truly appreciate why Tony Bennett and millions of other visitors leave their hearts in San Francisco.

Meals Included: Breakfast