Women of Road Scholar: How the First Adventure Begins
- Road Scholar participants dream big, naming destinations from Indonesia and Lapland to Patagonia and Québec.
- Curiosity drives travel choices, whether inspired by wildlife, history, culture or natural wonders.
- Dream destinations often reflect a desire for deeper learning, not sightseeing alone.
- Community conversations spark new ideas and help travelers imagine what’s next.
We asked the Women of Road Scholar Facebook group a simple question:
How did you choose your first Road Scholar program?
The answers remind us that a first step into learning and exploration often begins with a single spark, a lifelong dream, a recommendation from a friend or a desire to try something new in retirement.
In other words, anything can be an inspiration!
Here’s a sampling of the stories they shared.
The Persistent Dream
Sometimes the first destination has been waiting for years.
Laurie H. first spotted her future learning adventure in an unexpected place — as a prize on Wheel of Fortune in 2012. She made a note of it as her retirement goal and, in 2016, boarded a train for The Best of the Rockies by Rail: Western Canada's Splendor. She says, “This program SOLD me on Road Scholar!!”
Vivian C. chose her first program as a retirement adventure. Though she had traveled widely in Europe, Portugal and Spain’s Andalusia region had long been on her list, especially the Alhambra. The Hidden Villages of Andalusia delivered on decades of curiosity.
Jan S. traced her first program back more than 50 years to art history classes that sparked a desire to see Greece. That led to Africa, then Croatia, with each destination building on the last.
Inspired by Curiosity
Books, history and personal passions often guide the choice.
Laurie G. came upon Grit and Glory: Exposing the Panama Canal soon after finishing a book about its construction. The connection felt too strong to ignore.
Louise W. chose Boston: Birthplace of American Liberty for her first program. She wanted a subject-rich experience and appreciated that the program followed history in chronological order, led by an expert who had written extensively on the topic.
Cheryl R. and her husband selected the Galápagos because of his background in evolutionary biology and their shared interest in Darwin’s work.
Alison G. chose Vietnam for deeply personal reasons. Her husband had served there during the war. She had protested the war years before they met. Going there together offered a chance to see the country through new perspectives.
Pyramid of the Sun located in the ancient Mesoamerican city of Teotihuacán, Mexico.
Doing the Math
Practical thinking plays a role, too.
Susan W. had begun planning a journey to Washington, D.C., pricing out accommodations, meals and admissions. When she added up the total cost, she realized Road Scholar offered the best value. She arrived two days early to see additional sites and found that some of the most memorable experiences were places she hadn’t planned at all. She reports, “My very favorite part was our Group Leader and fellow travelers. Great program, and I’ve been with Road Scholar since — that was in 2019.”
Susan S. remembered her parents traveling with Elderhostel years earlier. When she and her husband considered a voyage in Croatia, she found a Road Scholar program was far more affordable than planning independently.
Sue S. had her heart set on seeing polar bears in Churchill, Manitoba, but every program she researched exceeded $12,000. Eventually, she found Road Scholar’s Lords of the North: Ecology of Hudson Bay's Polar Bears and a birthday promise sealed the deal. She and her husband have been traveling with Road Scholar ever since.
Value matters — so does knowing you can focus on learning rather than logistics.
Encouragement From Someone Else
Many first programs begin with a nudge from a trusted voice.
Kerry H. credits her husband with introducing her to Road Scholar through a program to Nashville, followed by Mexico City. Those early learning adventures built confidence for longer international journeys.
Martha P. had known about Road Scholar through family friends and fellow travelers. She started with a short program in Yosemite to test the waters. Soon thereafter came Vietnam, with India and South Korea already on her calendar.
Karen F. had always wanted to see Prague. A women-only program felt like the right way to travel solo and find community. She is now preparing for her 15th program.
Cheryl B. summed up her inspiration simply: “My dad.” He had traveled widely with Elderhostel, and she followed in his footsteps.
Sung Sot Cave, Vietnam
Finding Community Along the Way
For many women, the first destination is also the start of lasting friendships.
Sandi W. chose Go Solo: Signature City New Orleans. Traveling solo felt easy in a group of other learners, and she quickly connected with another participant.
Lynn L. had recently retired and wanted to start exploring but didn’t know where to begin. Then she met a group of women at her local Y who traveled together with Road Scholar. They invited her to join them on Signature City Phoenix-Scottsdale. Lynn says, “I loved it and I have since gone on 13 other adventures, some with that group of wonderful ladies and some with my sister, my daughter and even three with my husband who used to say he didn’t like traveling… unless it’s with Road Scholar.” She is now preparing for her 15th adventure, this time to Patagonia.
Margaret B. began with a program to Italy’s Cinque Terre before returning to Africa with friends and later exploring Patagonia and Cape Horn. Over time, her travels became a shared tradition across friendships and family.
Lynn L.“I loved it and I have since gone on 13 other adventures.”
One Choice, Many Journeys
These stories reflect independence, curiosity and connection. They also reflect something else — momentum.
One program often leads to another, and often, a solo adventure becomes a circle of friends. If we’re lucky, a long-held dream becomes a lived experience.
This International Women’s Day, we celebrate the women who choose to keep learning, exploring and building community at every stage of life.
How did you choose your first Road Scholar destination? Join the conversation with the Women of Road Scholar on Facebook and share your story.
