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Please note: This expert may not be available for every date of this program.
Activity note: Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon: Program Registration: 4:00-5:00 p.m. After you check in and have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table in the lobby to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please ask for your packet when you check in and the front desk will be happy to help you. Then please locate your Group Leader and let them know you have arrived.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: Orientation: 7:30 p.m. The Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the up-to-date program schedule, discuss roles and responsibilities, logistics, safety guidelines, emergency procedures, and answer questions. We will review COVID-19 protocols and will adhere to applicable COVID-19 guidelines and requirements throughout the program. Program-related transportation will be via private motorcoach unless noted otherwise. We will use public transportation for one field trip; public transportation is also available for free-time use. Periods in the schedule designated as “Free time” and “At leisure” offer opportunities to do what you like and make your experience even more meaningful and memorable according to your personal preferences. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Program activities, schedules, personnel, and indicated distances or times may change due to local circumstances/current conditions. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding. You may wish to begin exploring what the city has to offer. The hotel is within walking distance of restaurants, shops, and attractions including the Québec City Fortifications, Le Capitole Performing Arts Centre, and the Chateau Frontenac. Continue getting to know your fellow Road Scholars, settle in, and get a good night’s rest for the day ahead.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles and standing during field trip, approximately 2 hours; some uneven terrain, stairs, cobblestones.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will gather for a presentation introducing the history of Québec City. As we learn about the dramatic history of Canada’s oldest city — founded in 1608 by the intrepid Samuel de Champlain — historic images and pertinent commentaries will summarize noteworthy events and notorious characters who have shaped the illustrious history of this World Heritage City. We’ll then set out on an expert-led walking field trip through Old Québec that will provide an excellent overview of the city while learning about the principal historical events that occurred here. The city was awarded its World Heritage City designation in 1985 based partially on the preservation of the fortifications around the Old Town that date from 1745. This area has a distinct European feel with its stone buildings and winding streets lined with shops and restaurants.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Next, we will walk to the Pôle culturel du Monastère des Ursulines where a museum expert will lead our exploration as we learn about the educational mission of the Ursuline nuns and their way of life. The Ursulines landed in New France in 1639 and concerned themselves with the education of girls, both French and Native. The Convent is the oldest institution of its kind in North America and is housed in buildings erected at various times during the monastery’s three and a half centuries of existence. The Chapel dates from the early 20th century and preserves the interior decor of the original 1730s chapel. The Ursulines museum contains one of the richest ethnographic and artistic collections passed down from the early days of New France, including exquisite embroidery works by the nuns.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. You are welcome to go out and explore independently, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; city driving, approximately 2+ hours riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing, approximately 1.5 hours. Uneven terrain, stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: At the hotel, we will gather for a presentation to learn about Québec’s evolution from a traditional to a modern society. From its foundation in 1608, Québec has developed under the ascendancy of the Roman Catholic Church. For much of its history, the Church was omnipresent and omnipotent in French Canadian society but the period of the 1960s — also known as the “Quiet Revolution” — marked a radical change when Québec developed into a modern, secular society. Today, Québec has developed it own identity. We’ll then board a motorcoach and ride to National Battlefields Park, also known as the Plains of Abraham with commentary by a local historian. We’ll explore the site of many clashes for supremacy between the French and British Empires. After our field trip, we’ll ride to the Musée national des beaux arts du Québec.
Lunch: At the museum café.
Afternoon: During our field trip to the Musée national des beaux arts du Québec, we will explore the exhibits with a museum expert. The museum is made up of three linked buildings that display an impressive array of architecture. The museum’s collection includes more than 22,000 works produced mainly in Québec from early colonial times to the present day. The museum acts as a custodian, keeping alive the memory of Québec art and artists. The Group Leader will accompany those who wish to return to the hotel aboard the motorcoach.
Dinner: This meal has been excluded from the program cost and is on your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 170 miles, approximately 3 hours riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing during field trip, approximately 1.5 hours.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach and ride to Montréal, where a local expert will lead our exploration of some of the city’s most significant landmarks and historic sites. Highlights will include the downtown core, McGill University campus, St. Joseph’s Oratory, Mount Royal, and the Old Port. We’ll then ride on to the Pointe-à-Callière Museum.
Lunch: At the museum café.
Afternoon: Next, we’ll explore the birthplace of Montréal, Pointe-à-Callière Museum, with an expert. Rising above evidence of more than 1,000 years of human activity, this museum houses remarkable architectural remains, displayed on site with absolute respect for their integrity. Pointe-à-Callière delves into the past to foster a debate on urban issues both local and global, and to encourage us to reflect on the future. We will then ride to our hotel for check-in.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure.
Activity note: Walking up to 2 miles and standing during field trips, approximately 2 hours; some uneven terrain, cobblestones in Old Montréal, stairs at entrance of Basilica.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will set out on a walking field trip to the magnificent Notre Dame Basilica, a jewel of Montréal. This masterpiece of Gothic revival architecture is renowned for its interior, sculpted in wood, paint and gold leaf. We will learn about the history of Notre Dame, then enjoy a private organ recital. More than 100 years old, the Basilica’s organ is a world-renowned masterpiece.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: We will set out on a walking field trip with a local expert to explore the architectural history of Old Montréal along its cobbled streets. Notable highlights will include Place d’Armes and Place Jacques Cartier. This historic city center is rich in museums, galleries, restaurants, and grey stone architecture spread out along narrow, cobblestone streets. Stroll through Place Jacques Cartier, a lively public square, and then turn south to the Vieux Port (waterfront). Its impressive facilities include a 1.5-mile long recreational park along the St. Lawrence River, a state-of-the-art science center, a theater, antiquarian bookshops, and inviting cafés. The Group Leader will accompany those who wish to return to the hotel aboard the motorcoach.
Dinner: On your own to enjoy the local fare of your choice.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and transfer in the morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 150 miles, approximately 4 hours riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing during field trips; indoors and exterior pavement.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We’ll check out of the hotel, board a motorcoach, and ride to Ottawa, Canada’s capital city. With curatorial staff at the Canadian Museum of History, we will learn about the history of Canada’s Aboriginal peoples, their fight for cultural survival, and admire the wealth of their contributions to Canadian society. This a remarkable journey will take us through 1,000 years of Canadian social history.
Lunch: At the Museum of History.
Afternoon: Next, we’ll go on a field trip by motorcoach with a local expert. Highlights will include East Block, oldest of the Parliament buildings (1865); Confederation Square; War Memorial; Tomb of Unknown Soldier; former Union Station/Chateau Laurier; Rideau Canal Locks (1832); Lockmaster’s House (1884); National Arts Centre; City Hall; National Defence HQ; and more. We will ride back to the hotel after our field trip.
Dinner: At the hotel.
Evening: At leisure. You might like to go out on your own and explore the wonderful night life in Ottawa independently, from concerts to theater, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.
Activity note: Walking about 2 miles and standing during field trips, approximately 1.5 hours; exterior pavement. Getting on/off an excursion vessel; open air environment on upper deck, canteen, tables, restrooms on lower deck.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will gather for a presentation that will focus on Ottawa, Canada’s nation’s capital, and the nation’s evolution from colonial times to the present day. We’ll learn how the country went from inauspicious beginnings to a territorial land expanse second only to that of Russia. We’ll then walk to Canada’s Parliament Buildings and the center stage of Canadian democracy for an expert-led exploration. Depending on schedules and availability, we will visit either the Senate chamber in Ottawa’s former train station or the House of Commons with its unique glass roof in the west block building. There are security checkpoints where photo ID will be required.
Lunch: At a local restaurant.
Afternoon: Next, we’ll walk to embark on an Ottawa River study cruise. We’ll view the city as it was first conceived with the river as its main highway and resource. As we go, we’ll see the natural beauty of the region that captured the imagination of the first European explorer Samuel de Champlain. Highlights will include Parliament Buildings, Supreme Court, National Art Gallery, Rideau Falls, and the residence of the Prime Minister of Canada.
Dinner: On your own to savor the local flavor.
Evening: At leisure. Those who wish to continue exploring independently are welcome to do so. Prepare for check-out and transfer tomorrow morning.
Activity note: Getting on/off a motorcoach; driving about 285 miles, approximately 5 hours total riding time. Walking up to 1 mile and standing during field trips; exterior pavement.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will check out of the hotel, board the motorcoach, and begin our ride to Toronto with a stop in historic Kingston, Canada’s first capital. With a local expert, we will we explore the grounds and buildings of Fort Henry National Historic Site, part of a UNESCO World Heritage Site and the largest fortification west of Québec City. The original Fort Henry was built during the War of 1812 (1812-1814), between Great Britain and the United States of America. Once inside the fortification’s wooden gates, we will enter a marvelous reproduction of 19th century military life. As we enter the Citadel, we’ll get a sense of life in the year of Canada’s Confederation, 1867. We’ll also be able to set our watches by the Noon Gun while men and women interpret their daily chores of the era.
Lunch: At Fort Henry.
Afternoon: We will ride on to Toronto and check in to our hotel in the late afternoon.
Dinner: At a local restaurant.
Evening: At leisure. You might like to out to explore Toronto on your own, spend time with fellow Road Scholars, or just relax.
Activity note: Walking about 3 miles throughout the day, approximately 3 hours, and standing during field trips; city sidewalks, some stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: We will be joined by a local expert for a presentation on the city of Toronto, past and present, and how it went from here to there. Toronto is the capital of the Province of Ontario and people have lived here since shortly after the last ice age, although the urban community only dates to 1793 when British colonial officials founded the Town of York on what then was the Upper Canadian frontier. That backwoods village grew to become the City of Toronto in 1834, and through its subsequent evolution and expansion Toronto has emerged as one of the most liveable and multicultural urban places in the world today. We’ll then set out on a walking field trip to explore the city’s hidden gems that are often overlooked. Highlights will include Old Town Toronto; Lawrence Hall, Toronto’s first Post Office (1834); St. James Cathedral; and other historical sites along the way. The fusion of classic architecture and modern amenities is enhanced by the stunning view of Toronto’s skyline. We’ll end at St. Lawrence Market, a restored 1845 market building that is home to more than 50 specialty vendors.
Lunch: On your own to have what you like at St. Lawrence Market or other local eateries.
Afternoon: For our next field trip, we’ll set out on a walk around Toronto’s financial district to observe and admire the architecture. So impressive were Toronto’s 1920s Art Deco skyscrapers that Toronto-born Joe Shuster, the co-creator of the “Superman comics,” said in a 1992 Toronto Star interview “Whatever buildings I saw in Toronto as a child remained in my mind and came out in the form of Metropolis”. We will stop at the modern TD Centre designed in 1966 by famed international architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe and built in 1966 as well as Commerce Court, designed by I.M. Pei and built in 1972.
Dinner: On your own to have what you like.
Evening: At leisure. You might like to take in a show, attend a festival or just relax. There are many cultural activities to take part in in this magnificent city, ask your group leader or the hotel for recommendations.
Activity note: Use of public transportation. Walking up to 2 miles and standing during field trips, approximately 1.5 hours; exterior pavement, some stairs.
Breakfast: At the hotel.
Morning: Set off by foot to discover some of Toronto’s most colorful and culturally rich neighborhoods. We begin our urban adventure at Kensington Market, from there it’s a short walk to a bustling and colorful Chinatown. Here, we’ll explore the history of the Chinese community in Toronto; Jewish and Eastern European immigration and history; fine art, graffiti art and murals, moose on rooftops, a famous King who lived here, and some of the best places to eat and shop. Toronto is one of the most multicultural cities in the world and celebrates over 100 different cultures with over 180 languages spoken.
Lunch: On your own to enjoy local cuisine.
Afternoon: Free time. This period of time has been set aside for your personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. Please refer to the list of Free Time Opportunities. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions. Please note that the period scheduled for free time is subject to change depending on local circumstances and opportunities for independent exploration.
Dinner: At a local restaurant. Share favorite experiences with new Road Scholar friends during our farewell dinner.
Evening: At leisure. Prepare for check-out and departure in the morning.
Activity note: Hotel check-out 12:00 Noon.
Breakfast: At the hotel. This concludes our program.
Morning: We hope you enjoy Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. Please join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!