Signature City St. Augustine
Sun, Jan 12 2025, 12pm
An Exclusive Learning Adventure for AROHE Members
Monday, January 12, 2025 to Friday, January 17, 2025
UMRA is a member of the Association of Retirement Organizations in Higher Education (AROHE). AROHE formed a Travel Institute and this year partnered with Road Scholar to offer an opportunity to travel together on educational tours. This is a wonderful opportunity for members to meet other retirees with similar interests and a great way to make new friends.
Bright and bold living history awaits you in beautiful St. Augustine, Florida — the oldest city in America. What began as a Spanish fortress has transformed over the centuries into a charming seaside town brimming with Spanish, British, and Venetian Renaissance architecture. Local experts spin gripping tales and present a dramatic overview of the city's remarkable history. Walk the sacred grounds of the Timucuan Indians with an archaeologist, understand the importance of the Civil Rights movement at the Lincolnville Museum, and immerse yourself in the city's unique Old World charm. Viva San Augustin!
Program Highlights:
- Discover a unique tapestry of history through the shared passions of park rangers, scholars, authors, storytellers, and historians.
- Learn about the Timucuan Indians who had a thriving civilization centuries before the Spanish and enjoy expert-led explorations of Spanish and British architecture.
- See the Victorian era come alive at the Lightner Museum and understand the legacy of Henry Flagler and his grand hotels, admiring Gilded Age works of Tiffany glass in historic buildings.
Program Prices:
- Double Occupancy: $1,999
- Single Occupancy: $2,599
Activity Level: On Your Feet – Walking up to 2 miles each day over varied terrain including stairs, narrow sidewalks and cobblestone streets; standing while on field trips.
See the PDF for more details.
To reserve a spot, please contact Cheri Hamilton at [email protected].
Space is limited to 18 to 24 participants
Deadline to express an interest is Friday, June 30, 2024
Upcoming Events
Our July 15 "hike" is going to be a kayaking adventure on Bde Maka Ska (formerly Lake Calhoun) and Lake of the Isles! If you don't have a kayak (or paddleboard), Wheel Fun Rentals, located next to the new concession stand rents single kayaks at $15 an hour and double kayaks at $25. The second hour is free if we rent before noon. Life jackets are provided with the rental.
Laura Ericksen will lead the discussion of How Stella Learned to Talk by Christina Hunger, a true story by a speech-language pathologist who taught her dog, Stella, to communicate using buttons associated with different words.
Our August 5 hike will be a reprise of our hike last summer at William O'Brien State Park. This is a beautiful park with a winding trail and a great view of the countryside. The hike is about 5.5 to 6 miles and we'll go at a moderate pace with frequent water breaks. After the hike, we will eat lunch at Rustic Roots Winery, a half mile north of the park.
Kathy Cramer will lead the discussion of The Bookbinder by Pip Williams, a book set in 1914 Oxford chronicling the life of Peggy who works in the University bindery, but craves a life beyond binding books but to being a scholar herself.
Enjoy a two-hour cruise on the Jonathan Padelford, leaving from the Harriet Island dock in St. Paul, boarding time at 5:30 p.m. We will have a brief program on board by Patrick Nunnally from the River Life Program of the Institute on the Environment.
August 31 is the due date for annual reports and updates. Annual Reports, Toolkits, web page updates, operating document updates and archives collections are all due each year on this date.
Autumn is a wonderful season in Minnesota so plan to join UMRA at the Andersen Horticultural Library at the Minnesota Landscape Arboretum. Kristen Mastel, head librarian and curator, will reveal its treasure trove of publications and artifacts relating to plant history, horticulture, and natural history. After the tour, those who are interested may stay to eat lunch together, sitting outside if the weather is nice. Later, you are invited to a one-hour tram tour of the entire Arboretum that includes natural areas of flowering shrubs, bogs, and forests, family garden and landscaping showpieces, and the red barn farm
After a summer break the UMRA Photo Club will next meet September 10, 2024 in the meeting room of the Hennepin County St. Anthony Branch Library. For those interested in lunch, meet at the Great Dragon at 11:30 am. For September the THEME will be Curves
We will continue to discuss the pros and cons of Medicare Advantage. You will also hear about notable non-health plan and non-broker resources.