Road Scholar

Bike St. Simons and Jekyll Islands with experts, exploring a historic lighthouse, learning about coastal ecosystems and enjoying authentic traditions of Southern culture and cuisine.

Set amid coastal marshlands of swaying cordgrass and studded with lighthouses, former plantations and Gilded Age mansions, the Golden Isles of Georgia mark not only the meeting of the coast and the Atlantic, but also of the native peoples, Spanish missionaries, African slaves and wealthy vacationers who have all played parts in coastal Georgia’s history. From the Tiffany window in Faith Chapel to the historic Jekyll Island Club to the lush maritime forest, take in St. Simons and Jekyll islands by bike.

Highlights

• See a 200-year-old working lighthouse, lovely Christ Church, Fort Frederica and slave cabins by bike.
• Bike to the marshes and learn about Georgia's expansive estuarine and coastal ecosystems.
• Explore more than 20 miles of winding bike trails on Jekyll Island, former playground of the Rockefellers and Morgans.

Bicycling 13-20 miles per day at 9 miles per hour, moderate pace, concrete bike paths, flat terrain. One-speed, land cruiser bikes provided, foot brakes.

Former South Dakota Governor George S. Mickelson envisioned a bike trail that would follow an abandoned railroad line through the beautiful Black Hills. Though the governor died before it was completed, his legacy lives on along the Mickelson Trail, completed in 1998. Traverse the entire 109 miles of the trail, from Edgemont to Deadwood, cutting through rugged mountain terrain, towering evergreen forests and grassy prairies. Cycle along the trail’s easy grades and crushed limestone surface through three plant ecosystems. Your cycling instructors double as local historians and naturalists, as they share with you stories of the Black Hills Gold Rush and the ghost towns that line the trail and point out geologic structures, flora and fauna.

Learn about geology and human history along the way.

Highlights

• Conquer the entire Mickelson Trail on a cycling journey through the stunning Black Hills, learning about local native and settler history along the way.
• Ride to the world’s largest sculpture, the Crazy Horse Memorial, and visit Mount Rushmore National Memorial.
• Take a field trip to the Mammoth Site to observe an active paleontological excavation site, boasting the largest concentration of mammoth remains in the world.

Cycling 16-35 miles daily on wide trail of crushed gravel and limestone. Trail grades up to 4% and trail elevation gains/losses up to 1,000 feet while cycling. Elevation range 3,450 to 6,300 feet during program. Walking one mile on uneven terrain, standing for up to two hours and climbing stairs.

The Eastern Shore of Virginia boasts pristine landscapes, unique wildlife and historic monuments. Come discover this and more as you cycle paved trails and national parks with experts.

Explore Virginia’s gorgeous Eastern Shore by bike with a small group of like-minded adventurers for a scenic learning journey with Chincoteague Bay Field Station. Ride the biking trails of Chincoteague National Wildlife Refuge and Assateague National Seashore, travel around the Eastern Shore Peninsula to protected lands, historic sites, and quaint small towns learning about the cultural and natural history along the way.

Highlights

• Ride Chincoteague’s well-kept paths and learn about the area’s Saltwater Cowboys and Wild Ponies.
• Visit Ker Place, a 200-year-old home built in the Federal style.
• Visit the Wallops Island Navy and NASA facility to learn about dune ecology at a deserted and pristine beach restricted to the public.

Cycling 11-27 miles daily (up to 6 hours/day) on flat paved or hard gravel terrain with frequent stops. Primarily biking on roads with some bike paths/lanes.

Bike the Virginia Creeper Trail — a rail trail through forest and over restored trestles. Learn about ecology and historic towns, and attend a performance at Barter Theatre.

Ride the beautiful Blue Ridge highlands of Virginia on expert-led bicycle rides to experience rich history and its variety of nature. Bike through cool forests and over high, wooden railroad bridges on the Virginia Creeper Trail, a scenic retired corridor of the Virginia-Carolina Railroad.

Highlights

• Bike the entire 35-mile Virginia Creeper Trail, plus enjoy a ride on the scenic Mendota Trail.
• Attend a professional theatre performance at Barter Theatre, the State Theatre of Virginia.
• Enjoy the historic and culturally-rich town of Abingdon, Virginia.

Biking 12-20 miles daily on mostly level terrain. Elevations up to 5,520 feet.

Spend five days biking the renowned Trail of the Coeur d'Alenes, learning about regional history, diverse wildlife and the fascinating story of the Idaho Panhandle as you go!

Former railroad trestles stretched across fir-filled valleys and train tunnels plunging into rocky mountainsides form the milieu for a cycling adventure in northern Idaho’s panhandle. On the Couer d’Alene, Hiawatha and Centennial Rails to Trails routes — all of them top-notch recreational bike trails — pedal through charming villages and areas of fascinating history, unique geology and diverse ecology with interpretation by local experts.

Highlights

• Learn about and take in the small-town ambiance of local mining towns Wallace and Kellogg.
• Bike the Hiawatha trail, crown jewel of our nation’s Rails to Trails routes, through nine train tunnels and across seven trestles with views of the towering Bitterroot Mountains.
• Observe moose, deer, eagles, osprey, turtles and plants while biking.

Bike 10–30 miles at a leisurely pace on streets with minimal traffic and elevation gains. Many rides offer varying distance options. Several bike paths above 3,000 feet.