Getting older is a part of life we all have to face. But it doesn’t have to be lonely, boring, or inactive. Do you want to spend your golden years traveling with other older adults and seeing new places from the confines of a stuffy tour bus?
Or do you want to be an older adult engaged in active travel while, at the same time, learning new things about the world’s different cultures and ethnicities? If you answered that question in the affirmative, then the active travel company Road Scholar could be your solution.
Who is the Road Scholar Company?
On its website, the not-for-profit Road Scholar (originally Elderhostel) states it is the world’s biggest and most inventive company when it comes to adventure learning. It has been offering trips since 1975.
Road Scholar was founded by Marty Knowlton, who was the University of New Hampshire’s director of youth hostels, and David Bianco, the director of the university’s residential life. They asked themselves two central questions: “Why aren’t there more opportunities for American adults to travel and learn? And why don’t Americans have more options for staying active and engaged in retirement?“
Road Scholar is for older cyclists who want to do more than ride through a place they know nothing about. The company’s trips are focused on the lifelong learner who wants to know as much as possible about a place and its inhabitants while also enjoying active travel.
Main Mission of Road Scholar
The company says its main mission is “We believe in living life to the fullest at every age — by experiencing the world, and not just looking at it. By meeting new people, touching history where it happened and delving deep into the cultures and landscapes we explore.”
The Road Scholar is more of a general travel company versus a company that offers only bicycle travel. In addition to cycling, guests can choose trips that include tennis, golf, hiking, birding, winter sports, water sports, multi-sport, and exploring the national parks.
Cycling Trips, Destinations, Cost for A Road Scholar Trip
The company began operations by offering adult learners non-degree classes and stays at New Hampshire University. Today, Road Scholar hosts trips all over the world. The list is extensive, so here are the places the company covers by continent.
- US and Canada
- Europe
- Latin America
- Asia and Africa
- Australia and Pacific
- Arctic and Antarctic
Currently, the company offers 13 cycling trips. Guests can choose the level of difficulty, duration of the trip, and interests. They can also select destinations, dates, and price points.
Road Scholar points out that because they are a non-profit, they’re able to keep their trips affordable. To them, a trip should be about learning and adventure and not how much the company can earn.
What Does A Learning Adventure Trip Cost and Include?
The company mentions that on a per-night basis, its trips are 20% cheaper than those from other travel companies. Overall, Road Scholar’s prices range from $499 for four days of riding along Virginia’s Eastern Shore to $6,499 for a 16 day trip by bike and barge in the Netherlands/ Belgium.
While Road Scholar offers many of same amenities that other companies do, they also give their guests the following as part of one of their trips.
- Most meals
- Lodging
- Tips and Taxes
- Behind the scene experiences
- Expert lectures
- Listening devices
Sustainability and Giving Back as a Non-Profit Drives Road Scholar
Being that it is a non-profit and it supports the act of lifelong learning, Road Scholar thinks intelligently about its place in the world and its impact on the global climate.
They offset their carbon usage by donating to various charitable organizations around the world. Road Scholar also offsets its plastic usage by partnering with TOTONTON which cleaned “10 metric tons of plastic waste in Vietnam…[and turned] post-consumer, non-recyclable, ocean-bound plastic waste into fuels and raw materials that replace coal at a local manufacturing plant.”
The one thing that makes Road Scholar stand out as a travel company is its assigning of scholarships and grants. It gives 300 grants a year to those who cannot afford to travel with the company, which stems from 2 million dollars in contributions by guests. They also give grants to caregivers, a highly marginalized segment of the population.
Last Thoughts
An active travel company that thrives on the pairing of learning with active travel, sustainability, and giving back sounds like a great company to travel with. And although their trips are geared toward older adults, Road Scholar covers a lot of the world.
If you’re looking for a trip where you could do almost any activity you can think of, plus cycling, with a company that is a true global citizen, Road Scholar seems like an excellent company with which to book a trip. Their prices are reasonably comparable to those of other travel companies, so bring your family, even the grandparents, or book a trip for yourself. Road Scholar seems to have something for everyone.
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