Where to Find Thousands of Awesome Lifelong Learning Travel Adventures
Are you bored with the same old vacation destinations and touristy sites? Have you ever thought about exploring more meaningful travel through lifelong learning? You can call it slow travel, enriching travel, traveling with purpose, or meaningful travel, but it all comes down to learning and growing in the process.
“We travel not to escape life, but for life not to escape us.”
I thoroughly believe that one of the big keys to a fulfilling life is lifelong learning and traveling with purpose. Long ago I found that most of us on this planet have a deep desire to grow, expand our horizons, and continue to learn. I think all of us humans and those around us benefit when we refuse to be stagnant. Unfortunately, sometimes our daily routine gets in the way of the time that we might invest in personal growth.
The good news is that even if we don’t have enough time in our everyday routines to invest as much as we’d like in learning, we can take advantage of the time we set aside to travel and make it a priority then.
I thought it would be fun to explore just a few of the many possibilities out there for amazing lifelong learning travel experiences. The next time you have a few days or a few months free for adventure, consider investing in your future through lifelong learning.
Traveling with Purpose – Lifelong Learning
Lifelong learning travel adventures can be found for nearly every topic you can imagine. Astronomy, photography, science, the arts, music, cooking, farming, gardening, history, and the list goes on. The timeframes for educational travel can range from one-day hands-on workshops to multi-year programs abroad. Here are just a few unique ideas.
Culinary Vacations
The International Kitchen offers culinary tours to 16 countries for solo travelers, couples, families or groups, including destinations like Argentina, Morocco, France, India, and Thailand. Choose a 3-hour to 1-day cooking class where you’ll experience highlights of the local cuisine. Or a 2 to 7-night cooking vacation that will help you immerse yourself in the culture and the many delicacies of the region. You could also enjoy local accommodations, have a chance to visit local markets and bakeries, and enjoy wine tasting.
If you’re headed to Bangalore, India you could try wine tasting and grape stomping for a truly unique adventure. Here’s more about the experience.
Photography Workshops
Are you a budding photographer? There are literally thousands of photography workshops out there. Some are taught in-studio where you can learn about things like lighting and composition. Others journey out to gorgeous locales, national parks, seaside retreats, wilderness areas, and vibrant cities.
Arizona Highways magazine offers unique workshops to experience the beauty of nature while learning skills in photography and the technical side of the craft. Most of the sessions take place in the United States, but occasionally they travel internationally. Two scholarships per year are also awarded to help with costs. Here are a few to check out: Morro Bay California Women’s Photography Retreat, Spring in the Grand Tetons – Wildflowers and Wildlife Photography
On the other end of the temperature spectrum, Iceland Photo Tours offers excursions like this 8-day Northern Lights and Ice Cave Photo Workshop or Greenland Photo Workshops, among others.
Looking for other photography workshops? Visit Photography Workshops Directory and search by region, category or keyword.
Astronomy Vacations
Are you mesmerized by the night sky? Do you love stargazing or staying up to all hours of the night to catch a meteor shower or eclipse? If so, then you’ll want to check out the websites for these two astronomy magazines that offer expert astronomy tours.
Sky and Telescope Magazine has been around since 1941 and is a subsidiary of the American Astronomical Society. The organization plans its own Astronomy Tours and welcomes guests to go to exotic locations around the world each year. Sometimes they sail on a cruise ship or fly to Africa to see a solar eclipse. Other times they might travel to the Arctic to see the Northern Lights. Another trip could offer exclusive tours of giant telescopes in Hawaii.
TravelQuest International partners with both Astronomy Magazine and Discover Magazine to offer Eclipse tours, cruises, and other Astronomy-related travel.
Hands-on Fine Arts Workshops
Is it your dream to take a hands-on class to learn to paint, draw, sculpt or create other kinds of art, but just can’t’ find time during your busy working schedule? Maybe a week away to immerse yourself in learning is the perfect solution. Here are a few fine art vacation options.
Art is Travel International offers a variety of tours in Europe like a week-long workshop to learn ceramics or woodworking in a centuries-old shale village in Cerdeira Portugal. Or consider spending a week in the Loire Valley learning Plein Air painting with oils.
The Art Show website brings together listings for a wide range of independent workshops. These classes encompass more than a dozen different mediums in the U.S. and around the world. Workshops can be sorted by country or U.S. state or by your preferred art media or theme. Youth workshops are also listed.
You may even find your favorite artist offering workshops at their private artist retreat. Be sure to check the details of each offering since some include accommodations or meals in the cost and others don’t. In just the U.S. I found classes like a 3-day workshop in the Blue Ridge Mountains with artist William Henry Price and several Travel Sketching and Watercolor Workshops in coastal California.
Hands-on Artisan Woodworking
One of the most interesting workshops that I’ve had the chance to see up close is the Timberframe Workshop at Hancock Shaker Village in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. They use 18th and 19th-century hand tools and techniques to build and raise an entire structure. The hands-on class last 5 days and there’s a limit of 22 students.
Semester at Sea
Talk about the ultimate way to travel with purpose. How about a different kind of semester abroad? Semesters at Sea has been offering a unique floating college campus for over 50 years. It’s the only program of its kind where you’ll live, eat and study with up to 550 undergraduate college students, 100 faculty and staff, as well as their families. There are also 180 multi-national crew members who expand the diversity on board. The program is open to college students in all majors AND lifelong learners over 30 years old.
Each voyage lasts about 100+ days (45 average days in various ports) and students earn 12-15 academic credits from Colorado State University. Each trip stops in 10 or more countries on several continents. Financial aid is also available just as it would be if you were attending a traditional semester at a university.
Semester at Sea Lifelong Learning Program
Are you over 30 and don’t care about college credit? The SaS Lifelong Learning Program provides adults, 30 years or older, the chance to join a Semester at Sea cruise. This adds valuable generational insights to the student community on board, as well as an amazing voyage for the lifelong learner.
Attendees often include retirees, professionals on leave, or simply adventurous travelers who want to study a wide variety of topics with enthusiastic undergraduate students from around the world that are eager to learn. These adults commit to attending the full semester.
Spotlight Voyagers if you’re not able to go for 100 days, you can also join the voyage for a shorter amount of time, generally between 30-45 days. Spotlight Voyagers integrate into the shipboard community and can participate in Global Studies, community activities, and in-port programs.
So Many More Lifelong Learning Adventures
Traveling with purpose through unique experiences enriches our lives individually. They help us build friendships, learn more about other cultures and understand the world around us better. I love highlighting small business entrepreneurs, so I hope you’ll look for out for these too. If you don’t see something that piques your interest yet, these are some of the more well-known organizations offering lifelong learning travel opportunities.
National Geographic Expeditions
From private luxury expeditions to Norway tours by train, National Geographic runs the gamut. Trips are offered on every continent and they’re committed to supporting the local economies with sustainable travel.
Smithsonian Journeys
Smithsonian journeys represent the pursuit of lifelong learning that’s the hallmark of the Smithsonian Institution. Some of the tours offered by this nonprofit organization, including deep dives in Special Interest adventures. Some focus on topics like German cars, history or archaeology. Or choose an immersive three-week “Living In” cultural stay in Aix-en-Provence or Florence. Select one or more themes to personalize your program, including language lessons, the arts, and cuisine.
Road Scholar Learning Adventures
While National Geographic and Smithsonian journeys lean toward the luxury end of the spectrum, Road Scholar offers more affordable traveling with purpose adventures. They even offer scholarships for travelers who may not be able to afford it otherwise. Here’s a list of suggestions on ways to make travel more affordable through their program or others. They also offer women-only group tours and trips for grandparents and grandchildren traveling together. This non-profit offers 5,500 learning adventures in 150 countries and all 50 states, serving more than 100,000 participants per year.
Has this list of possibilities stirred your interest? There’s so much more where these came from. I hope you’ll sign up to get weekly blog updates through my newsletter so you won’t miss a thing.
Have you embarked on a meaningful travel adventure with any of the organizations listed? If so, what was your favorite memory? If not, where do you dream of traveling and what do you dream of learning? The sky is truly the limit.
Looking for other slow travel experiences around the world? Check these out.
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Category: Travel Tips, Trip Planning
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Thank you for sharing such great content with us, will surely try the majority of the things and also share this with my friends and family as well for their future reference.
Great food for thought. Learning about cultures, language, and history are my top three favorite things to do on the road. I think I would very much enjoy the Semester at Sea. I have a few friends who have done this and adored the experience. I would also appreciate a Nat Geo or Smithsonian adventure.
Hi Lisa, Thanks for stopping by! I agree on Semester at Sea. I’d love to be able to have a moving home base to explore the world.
These types of adventures become more and more appealing the older I get. Would love to experience an astronomy tour – sounds fascinating
I loved the culinary tour we did in Thailand. We made a 5 course traditional thai meal with an amazing chef as our guide. It was one of my favorite experiences that trip. I’ve been wanting to do a photography tour to help me learn some new skills, but i’m nervous because I don’t want to look stupid lol BUT NOW i’ll gladly take one when things go back to normal. These are all great suggestions, i’m going to look more into some of these.
Thanks, Chelsea, The Thai cooking class sounds amazing. I’m with you on some of the photography classes out there. Fortunately, there are many different kinds and I’m sure you’ll find one that’s a perfect fit and not intimidating. Have fun exploring the possibilities!
There are some fantastic ideas here, thank you for sharing. I have taken a couple of immersive Spanish courses before (Cuba & DR) & loved them, especially when combined with learning to dance at the same time! I like a cookery course when I’m travelling too. I love the idea of these photography courses as well. I am seriously considering signing up for the Iceland one, it looks amazing!
Awesome Sue. I really have been thrilled at all the different offerings that are out there.
Whenever we travel I like learning more about the food and drink of the area, and this usually means going on a culinary course of some kind. The most memorable was in Cambodia, which included a tour of the local market with an explanation of the herbs and spices, and then a half day cooking a three course meal, and then eating together afterwards. It gave us a whole new understanding and appreciation of the Cambodian palette.
Hi Jay, I definitely agree. What better way to get to know the culture!
This is such a nice and detailed post for the different kinds of travel adventures that one can take! Very inspiring!
Thanks Menaka and thanks for stopping by. I hope to see you again.
These are such good ideas! The photography one is my favorite, because I already love to bring my camera and snap shots of nature, but I would love to do a workshop while travelling. I also really like the Semester at Sea, and perhaps after I am 30 I will do that. Thank you for the amazing resources!
You’re quite welcome Brianna. I agree. A Photography Workshop is a great option when you’re in a new place, especially.
Ooh, I love the idea of an astronomy vacation 🙂
Hi Natalie, Thanks for stopping by. My husband is an astronomy buff, but I’ve had fun tagging along with him.
This is such a cool idea! I’ve honestly never thought of travel being based around a skill I’d want to learn. The photography and culinary experiences are definitely MUSTS for me once travel opens back up! I guess I should start my list now hahah..
Sara
Hi Sara, Thanks for stopping by! You’d be amazed at all the lifelong learning that can happen when you travel. There are thousands of different topics to explore. I’m with you on photography and culinary to start.
for someone who hated school,I love these kind of learning adventures now. The astronomy vacations are very appealing, not thought of trying that before. Thanks for the inspiration.
Right. The more scientific learning adventures can be really interesting. Especially because the pressure is removed to memorize the information and be tested on it later. 🙂
I enjoyed reading your article and it was very informative! A cooking class in France has been on my bucket list for some time now. However, there are several other things I would like to do as well. Thanks for sharing!
I agree Roselyn, cooking in France or Italy or pretty much anywhere would be so much fun!
What a great post. I am a lifelong learner and always love to figure ways to learn while I travel. Right now I’m not traveling because of the Pandemic, but as soon as I’m able I plan on taking some of these up.
I’m glad to hear that you love learning too. 2020 has sure gotten in the way of our travel fun, right?
Learning about culture and history are top of my list along with languages – I want fortunate to travel for a year to learn Spanish and the culture that goes with it as well as Japanese and immerse in their culture for six months. It was indeed rewarding and enlightening. Thank you so much for sharing your thoughts on this and compiling such a resourceful list.
You’re welcome Georgina! There’s so much out there to learn and grow when we’re in a new place. Thanks for stopping by.
Some very interesting food for thought here. I’ve been doing immersive language courses when I travel but haven’t really considered any of the above. My partner would absolutely love the astronomy tours. I would be interested in an art vacation but feel my talent would be laughed at – never quite progressed beyond stick figures, lol.
Sarah, I think you’d be surprised at the fun you’d have with learning art. I’m sure there are opportunities out there for all levels. Just look into descriptions and reviews and even ask the organizers. I get that sometimes being around highly skilled artists could be intimidating, but depending on the project, part of the fun is to see all the different interpretations that come from the same project. As long as you’re not trying to create a masterpiece, it could be loads of fun and you’d have a chance to meet all kinds of new people.
I love this. I did a bit of research on this topic a few weeks ago but didn’t find some of these opportunities so thanks for highlighting. I am particularly interested in taking a photography course while travelling & am very interested in the Iceland one you highlighted. I am supposed to be heading to Iceland in May (postponed from last year). I’m not sure if I will be able to go but you have definitely sowed a seed for when I do eventually get there. Great post, thanks for sharing!
You’re quite welcome, Sue. There are photography workshops all over in the place. The problem is that most of the independent photographers don’t market much, so you really have to search for them. Here’s another one. https://www.aperturetours.com/
I think that blending a love for travel with a learning experience is a great idea. We have taken cooking lessons and done other food experiences when we travelled. And that has given us great insight into tradition and culture as well as learning some great food tips. We have looked at underwater photography workshops but never signed up. We definitely should! I had not heard about Semesters at Sea but that sound like something that would work for us. Thanks for some new inspiration.
You’re welcome, Linda. I agree that semesters at sea could be loads of fun if you have the time.
I’m a big advocate of life long learning, however, I don’t believe that it always has to take place in classes. Although I took a couple of different language classes, I got really fluent by speaking the tongues in the respective countries. Hence, travel is a huge lesson – and I’m more than willing to do it for the rest of my life 😉
Hi Renata, I totally agree that taking a class isn’t a requirement to learn while traveling. We learn so much about ourselves and others when we visit other places and cultures. I love the idea of other ways to learn too, since often we just don’t have time to do it at home and it’s a wonderful added layer for getting to know a destination.
These are some amazing ideas on a different kind of travel. I love the idea of semester as sea. In the U.K. the closest things we have to that in our universities are Erasmus and ISEP. But they just allow you to do a semester or year abroad with credits at a partner university. I would love to see this introduced.