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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Check in available from 3:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration: After you have your room assignment, come over to the Road Scholar desk in the lobby to pick up your arrival packet containing your up-to-date schedule, and to confirm the time of the orientation session. Don't forget to bring your name tag which is included in this information packet. Orientation: The Group Leader will greet you with a warm welcome, introduce everyone, and provide key staff contact names and phone numbers. We will review the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss responsibilities, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer any questions you may have. 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.
Dinner: This evening’s dinner at the hotel is a plated, 3-course meal with salad, choice of entrée, and dessert.
Evening: Meet and hear from our favorite deep sea diver who will delight you with tales of his many years of fishing and diving in these waters. Take the rest of the evening to settle in, relax, and prepare for the day ahead.
Activity note: Walk up to 2 miles today on sidewalks. We will use the trolley which has four steps. An elevator is available at the Mel Fisher museum, though you may need to climb a flight of stairs to reach some parts of the facility.
Breakfast: Our well-balanced breakfast buffet in the hotel offers a variety of tasty options to start your day with hot and cold items, fresh fruit, juices, and coffee/decaf, tea, water.
Morning: Our Truman expert will tell us all about the President’s days in Key West and what came to be known as The Little White House. Florida’s only Presidential site, the Harry S. Truman Little White House was constructed in 1890 as housing for naval officers. Its most important usage was as President Truman’s winter White House from 1946-1952. While traveling to our lunch destination, hear why this island, only four miles long and two miles wide, is such a fascinating place.
Lunch: At a local restaurant with the group.
Afternoon: After lunch, we will go on a field trip to the Custom House Museum. This living link to Key West’s historic past was built in 1891 to house the island’s customs office, postal service, and district courts. “Old 91” is now the headquarters of the Key West Art and Historical Society that maintains a collection of artifacts and art significant to the Florida Keys. A local expert will lead us through this amazing space. Next we will visit the Mel Fisher Maritime Museum where we will learn about marine archaeology and see treasures, including gold and silver bars, retrieved from beneath the sea. Dedicated to educating the public on maritime and colonial activity in the New World and preserving maritime culture resources, the museum celebrates 500 years of history. As a special highlight, we will go behind the scenes and explore the conservation lab. Prior to dinner we'll enjoy the Sunset Celebration at Mallory Square Dock. In Key West, watching the sun go down is a daily ritual accompanied by a festival with arts and crafts exhibitors, street performers, vendors, and a crowd of thousands of locals and visitors alike. People begin gathering about two hours before sunset for this multi-cultural “happening” that embodies the spirit of Key West.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: See vibrant Cuban dancing from a local performer!
Activity note: Walk up to 1 1/2 miles during butterfly exhibit visit. Remember to use sunscreen and wear a hat.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Learn about Key West's intricate architecture at this morning's lecture at the hotel. Next we will visit the Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory, where we will see and learn about exotic butterflies, plants and birds in this beautiful, glass-enclosed habitat. We will return to the hotel following the field trip
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: The afternoon is free for you to enjoy Key West on your own. The Group Leader can provide suggestions for activities, or you can refer to the activity sheet provided in your welcome folder.
Dinner: On your own to explore Key West's local fare. The Group Leader can provide suggestions on where to eat, or you can refer to the activity sheet provided in your welcome folder.
Evening: At your leisure. Your Group Leader will be happy to offer free time suggestions.
Activity note: Walk a total of 2 miles today on paved sidewalks; walking and standing up to 1 hour, and climbing a flight of stairs at the Hemingway House; standing at the Eco Discovery Center for up to 1 hour; standing up to one hour at the Tennessee Williams Exhibit
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: The morning's field trip will be to the Florida Keys Eco-Discovery Center. Part of the Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary. The Eco-Discovery Center features more than 6,000 square feet of interactive and dynamic exhibits including a mock-up of Aquarius, the world's only underwater ocean laboratory. Colorful exterior artwork depicts the deep sea, coral reef, and mangrove shoreline. There we will learn about native plants and animals of the Keys, marine and terrestrial, and gain an increased awareness and appreciation of the need to protect and conserve South Florida’s ecosystem.
Lunch: At a local restaurant with the group.
Afternoon: After lunch, we will go on a literary journey of Key West starting with the Hemingway House. There, a local expert will lead us through the former residence of one of America’s most iconic writers, whose personal life was as colorful as any of his characters. Ernest Hemingway first visited Key West in 1928, arriving from Havana. We will learn about the lives and times of Hemingway and his wife Pauline in Key West, and about the house itself. Personal touches are still visible throughout the house, from European antiques to trophies and skins which are the legacy of Hemingway's African safaris. It was at the house that Hemingway produced some of his best known works including “To Have And Have Not” which is set in Key West. Descendants of his six-toed cat still flourish there. We will then learn about Key West literary figure Tennessee Williams during a guided visit to an exhibit dedicated to the playwright.
Dinner: At a local restaurant with the group.
Evening: Free Evening. Enjoy a stroll to view the passing parade. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, wet your whistle in one of Hemingway's favorite hang-outs. Hint: Two local bars lay claim to being his "real" favorite.
Activity note: Walk a total of 2-2 1/2 miles today on paved sidewalks; climbing a flight of stairs at the Audubon House
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: At the hotel, we will hear about John James Audubon, America's greatest wildlife artist and early naturalist. Audubon began exploring Florida in 1831 and visited the Keys and Dry Tortugas the next year. He left having seen 22 different bird species, and created drawings of each for his "Birds of America" folio. Audubon's painting of the white-crowned pigeon features the Geiger tree found in the front yard of the appropriately-dubbed Audubon House where he stayed in Key West. We will then head over to the Little White House. President Harry S. Truman’s first 19 months were grueling and left him physically exhausted. His doctor ordered a warm vacation and Key West was chosen as the location. President and Mrs. Truman arrived in November 1946 for a week of relaxation. He fell in love with the climate and small town charm and returned to what became known as the Little White House for 11 presidential working vacations and five post-presidential trips after leaving office. Truman claimed Key West was his second favorite place on earth -- surpassed only by his hometown, Independence, MO.
Lunch: Lunch is on your own to sample the local fare.
Afternoon: After lunch we will set out on a guided excursion walking Key West's streets, taking in its intricate architecture and vast array of colors. Hear from local experts about the Key West's rich history of the US Navy presence as well as the heyday of the wrecking, sponging and cigar industries.This walk covers about a mile and requires about one hour to complete. Next we will go on a guided exploration of the Audubon House and Gardens, the place Audubon lived and worked while in Key West which was then the home of one of the town’s founders. In the center of the lot was a garden of native and imported tropical plants Audubon used in his images of local birds. We will learn about Audubon’s life and work there as well as the history of the house itself, which was the first restoration project in Key West in 1958 and is still considered the gem of the island's restoration movement. The home also displays 28 first edition Audubon works
Dinner: Farewell Dinner at a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. Enjoy your last evening Key West with your new Road Scholar friends.
Activity note: Hotel check out is by 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We hope you have enjoyed this Road Scholar learning adventure and look forward to having you on other programs in the future. Please stay in touch and share your memories, pictures, and comments via the Road Scholar Social Network. Best wishes for all your journeys!
JOOOB
