The new holiday trend: A learning vacation
More and more savvy travellers are looking to skip your usual holiday in search of a more hands-on and educational experience. An active learning excursion can include everything from archeology to zoo keeping and chances are, whatever your interest, there’s an educational vacation to suit.
Smithsonian Journeys offers tours to the French Riviera bringing the Modern Masters to life. The sun and striking scenery of the Cote d’Azur have attracted artists and leisure-seekers for more than 100 years. By the mid-20th century, the French Riviera had drawn influential artists like Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso, Marc Chagall, and a host of others. Explore not only the works of these iconic painters, but the towns and landscapes that moved them, enjoying the culture and cuisine of southern France.
Smithsonian also offer a British Cars excursion. On this grand tour of British automotive history, trace the development of the English motorcar from its earliest roots to today’s most innovative forms. Walk the factory floors of the country’s most famous car manufacturers and explore some of the world’s finest automobile collections.
For some, ancient history through archaeology is a passion and there are plenty of expeditions available to satisfy amateur rock pickers. Earthwatch Institute allows guests to excavate archaeological sites around the world, and the Archaeological Institute of America (AIA) leads luxury tours through international historical sites. The Biblical Archaeological Society also has a database of expeditions where you can search out your dream dig.
Japanese pottery aficionados can get their fix at Tsukamoto in Mashiko, Japan, where guests can enjoy hands-on workshops in pottery making. And for the truly wild and artistic at heart, the ancient art of Maori bone carving can be learned here in New Zealand where you can carve, sand and polish freshly-cleaned bone.
How about a coral reef survey on San Salvador Island in the Bahamas? You can help save coral reefs just by measuring and mapping as you snorkel. Three US researchers have been studying the reefs for years with help from the Earthwatch Institute, a nonprofit organization that gives ordinary people a chance to assist in scientific projects.
Boatbuilding in Brooklin, Maine might be of interest. At Wooden Boat School, you can create your own boat in a week, and maybe even take it home with you. Or, if that seems a bit ambitious, you could warm up by building a pond yacht (a working model sailboat). Other course topics include decorative carving, watercolor painting, and diesel-engine repair.
Ecosystem preservation in Kauai, Hawaii is a popular trip. Global Volunteers, founded in 1984, sends adventurers on service-oriented visits to rural communities around the world, with full immersion into the local culture. This project, on Hawaii's Garden Island seeks to preserve native Hawaiian plants and culture. You might uproot non-native species, repair historic buildings in a state park, or even help put on a festival.
Golearnto.com offers cookery holidays in France, Italy and Spain as well as language courses in countries such as Sweden where you actually live with your teacher to fully immerse yourself in the language and the culture in order to accelerate your learning.
So whatever your interest to learn, chances are there will be an opportunity somewhere to fulfill that passion.