Elderhostel Co-Founder Dies

Last week, a co-founder of the Elderhostel program, Martin Knowlton, known affectionately as Marty, died in Ventura, California at age 88. From the tribute to him on the Elderhostel website:

Marty Knowlton co-founded Elderhostel in 1975 with David Bianco. The organization they created changed the perceptions of aging by introducing a new understanding of older adults as active, engaged learners, travelers and explorers. It also changed lives in the process, ushering in an era of active learning in retirement.

Elderhostel, Inc. is a not-for-profit organization that provides affordable vacations for adults that are all about learning and adventure. Some of the most popular vacations include the a ride on the Smoky Mountain Railway, tours of New York and New England, a river trip through Oregon, and international trips to Spain, Morocco, Patagonia, and Peru.

"As the nation’s first, and the world’s largest, educational travel organization primarily for adults, we believe that learning is an integral part of a healthy and fulfilling life," states the Elderhostel site.

I haven't taken an Elderhostel trip yet, but they sure sound fun, and I like the affordable part. They list several trips that are less than $600, including a birding trip to Maine's "magical Monhegan Island." That one has my name on it.

Have you taken an Elderhostel trip? Tell us about it in the Continuing Ed. Forum.