HOTEL CHECK-IN: From 3:00pm.

PROGRAM REGISTRATION: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar desk in the lobby to register with the program staff and pick up your arrival packet that will contain the up-to-date schedule we'll review during orientation this evening.

Please be aware that program activities and scheduled times could change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding!

INTRODUCTIONS & ORIENTATION: 5:00pm. Meet and greet everyone in an introductory get-acquainted session. We'll then review the updated schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, answer any questions you may have, and talk about what's going on in St. Petersburg for free time options. The rest of the evening is yours to continue making new friends, walk around the neighborhood, or relax in the hotel. (If you arrive late, please pick up your packet at the hotel front desk.)

You are embarking on a new Signature City program in one of Florida's most welcoming and delightful cities. Famous for more than a century as a desired destination, St. Petersburg is aptly called "Sunshine City" with a Guinness World Record for the most consecutive days of sunshine. St. Pete is experiencing an exciting and enriching cultural renaissance as an art city with a number of world-class institutions, some of which you'll explore during our program.

FIELD TRIP: Board the motorcoach with our historian, Jim Schnur, for a fun and informative ride through downtown St. Petersburg to learn about its history up to the present day.

You'll have free time after the field trip to linger at the Vinoy or explore on your own before dinner.

This past season, American Stage was awarded Best Theater Company by the annual survey of the Best of the Bay by Creative Loafing (12th year in a row) and Tampa Bay Magazine (8th year in a row).

Continuing our theme, we next visit artist Duncan McClellen in his new St. Petersburg work-live-exhibit studio, a 7,800-square-foot warehouse transformed into a magnificent gallery. A First Prize winner in several national and local festivals, Duncan’s amazing glass creations are one-of-a-kind works with imagery inside, on the surface, and in some cases both.

The field trip will conclude at approximately 3:00pm and you'll have the rest of the afternoon to continue exploring on their own.

FIELD TRIP: Public Arts and Architecture. Our motor coach will take you throughout St. Petersburg with our expert historian, Marlys Meckler. St. Pete has long been a stylish city and was recently named a top art destination by American Style Magazine. Along with an extraodinary variety of architectural styles and representative buildings, there are more than 80 works of public art.

The program concludes with lunch.

We hope you have enjoyed this exciting new Signature City program and will join us for other rewarding Road Scholar learning adventures in the future. Best wishes for all your journeys!