California
The Best of California: The Reagan Library to the Channel Islands
Program No. 14491RJ
Experience it all on this comprehensive exploration of California. Savor great cuisine, explore national parks, visit renowned museums and enjoy insightful lectures along the way!
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Itinerary
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date.
Read More.
While we make every effort to ensure the accuracy of our published materials, programs are typically advertised more than a year prior to their start date. As a result, some program activities, schedules, accommodations, personnel, and other logistics occasionally change due to local conditions or circumstances. Should a major change occur, we will make every effort to alert you. For less significant changes, we will update you during orientation. Thank you for your understanding.
Duration
6 days
5 nights
What's Included
12 meals (
5B, 3L, 4D
)
5 expert-led lectures
5 expert-led field trips
An experienced Group Leader
5 nights of accommodations
Taxes and customary gratuity
Road Scholar Assurance Plan
Day
1
Check-In, Registration, Orientation, Dinner
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Activity Note
Hotel check-in from 4:00 p.m.
Afternoon:
Program Registration: after you have your room assignment, join us at the Road Scholar table to register with the program staff, get any updated information, and confirm the time and location of the Orientation session. If you arrive late, please locate your group leader and let them know you have arrived. Orientation: the Group Leader will greet everyone and lead introductions. We will review the program theme, the up-to-date daily schedule and any changes, discuss safety guidelines, emergency procedures, roles and responsibilities, and answer any questions you may have. Lunch at the Getty Center on Day 4 is on your own. If you wish to eat at the Getty Restaurant, reservations are recommended. Make reservations for the restaurant by calling (310) 440-6810. Reservations should be made between 12:00 p.m. and 2:00 p.m. We have set aside some free time in the schedule for your personal independent exploration. Please be aware that program activities, schedules, and personnel may need to change due to local circumstances. In the event of changes, we will alert you as quickly as possible. Thank you for your understanding.
Dinner:
At the hotel, enjoy dinner as a group. Water will be provided; other beverages are available for purchase.
Evening:
Enjoy the remainder of the evening getting to know your fellow participants and discovering what you share beyond a love of lifelong learning.
Day
2
Field Trip to Santa Barbara, Channel Islands Lecture
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Activity Note
Depending on traffic, the drive to Santa Barbara is approximately 45 minutes (25 miles); Getting on/off motor coach; Walking on even terrain and standing for long periods of time; Participants can climb the 85-foot clock tower of the Santa Barbara Courthouse.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
This morning, we’ll be joined by a local expert who will trace the history of the mission system from its Spanish beginnings to the missions in Latin America, and examine why they were used in California. Hear about Father Junipero Serra and what life was like at the California Missions. Discuss why the missions failed and how they are viewed today. Our private motor coach will depart the hotel for the Santa Barbara Mission, where we will enjoy a self-guided visit. Founded in 1786, Mission Santa Barbara was the 10th of the missions to be built. It is called the "Queen of the Missions" for its beautiful hilltop setting and majestic views. Our morning continues with a visit to the Santa Barbara Courthouse. The courthouse is the jewel in Santa Barbara's architectural crown. It is on the National Register of Historic Places and is a National Historic Landmark. The current courthouse, completed just four months before the U.S. stock market crash of 1929, looks as if it belongs in southern Spain with its Spanish-Moorish architecture and surrounding sunken garden. The top of the 85-foot clock tower offers panoramic views of the surrounding city and the mountains.
Lunch:
At a favorite local restaurant in downtown Santa Barbara.
Afternoon:
We will depart for Ventura after lunch on our private coach. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration to see and do what interests you most. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions and give directions. Before dinner, we will gather at the hotel to watch a video from the National Park Service.
Dinner:
At the hotel.
Evening:
Enjoy an evening session with a local expert learning about Channel Islands National Park in preparation for the next day's visit via boat to Santa Cruz Island. Channel Islands National Park covers five of the eight Channel Islands off the coast of Southern California. Having endured thousands of years of isolation, these islands are host to a variety of flora and fauna that cannot be found anywhere else on Earth.
Day
3
Field Trip to Santa Cruz Island
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Activity Note
Getting on/off a motor coach; driving about 5 miles, approximately 15 mins. Getting on/off a boat, riding approximately 1 hour each way (weather permitting). Walking up to 2 miles; elevation change up to 300 feet, uneven terrain. Layered clothing, rubber-soled shoes recommended. Note: The boat captain will make the decision about setting out depending on current conditions. Should the field trip be cancelled, we will have alternative activities.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
The departure of the Island Packers boat to the island depends on ocean conditions and weather, which can change quickly in the Santa Barbara Channel. Boats to the island may cancel. We will have alternate activities planned. We’ll take our private motor coach from the hotel and enjoy an all-day outing to Santa Cruz Island via Island Packers boat. Upon arrival at the Island, we will disembark the boat to the pier where we will have a short orientation before heading out on our naturalist-led walk. With its pristine beaches and grass covered hills, Santa Cruz is the largest island of the five islands comprising Channel Island National Park, and is a miniature of what Southern California looked like 100 years ago. With our expert, we’ll embark on an easy, 1 mile round trip walk with good examples of native and endemic plants through Scorpion Cavern. If participants are eager for a more rigorous hike, they can partake in a 2 mile round trip hike to Cavern Point, which climbs 300 ft on the first third of the hike to Cavern Point and then flattens out providing expansive vistas of the Santa Barbara Channel. Our naturalist will talk about the natural and cultural history of the islands with some stops along the trail.
Lunch:
Boxed lunch. Our lunches are packed so all trash can fit in a pocket to avoid littering. There are limited trash cans on the island. Please remember to bring your reusable water bottle.
Afternoon:
Continue our field trip on Santa Cruz Island. The boat operated by Island Packers returns to the mainland around 5:00 p.m.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
4
J. Paul Getty Center
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
B
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Activity Note
Depending on traffic, the drive to the Getty Center is approximately one hour (50 miles); Walking between the buildings is on flat, paved surfaces but access to the bottom of the Central Gardens involves a slight incline
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We start our morning with a lecture from a local expert about J. Paul Getty and his collection. From the hotel, we’ll drive via motor coach to the J. Paul Getty Museum at the Getty Center to view the Getty's collection of artwork and grand gardens. The museum is accessed from the parking structure by a 3/4 mile hovertrain. The Getty Center is one of the most visited art museums in the United States and presents the Getty's collection of Western art from the Middle Ages to the present against a backdrop of dramatic architecture, tranquil gardens, and breathtaking views. This stunning collection features works by Titian, Rembrandt, Manet, and Monet. Take this opportunity for personal independent exploration of the Getty Center.
Lunch:
On your own at Getty Center.
Afternoon:
Continue your free day exploring the Getty Center. After the Getty Center, we’ll return to the hotel for dinner.
Dinner:
On your own to enjoy what you like. The Group Leader will be happy to offer suggestions.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
5
Field Trip to Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
B,L,D
Stay:
Crowne Plaza Ventura Beach
Activity Note
Depending on traffic, the drive to the Reagan Library is approximately 40 minutes (35 miles); standing for up to two hours with limited seating available in the museum.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We will start our morning with a lecture from a local expert about Ronald Reagan. We will learn about his early life in Hollywood to his rise to the Oval Office. The 40th President of the United States, Reagan moved to Hollywood to fulfill his dream of becoming an actor. After becoming President of the Screen Actors Guild, he became involved in politics as a spokesman for General Electric. After gaining support, he was persuaded to run for Governor of California and eventually became President of the United States. Known for his new economic and political incentives, Reagan grew from a small town icon to one of the most favored Presidents in American history. From the hotel, we’ll drive via motor coach to the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. Opened to the public in 1991, the 100 acre site is perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of mountains, valleys, and the Pacific Ocean. Follow a young Ronald Reagan on his rise from local hero and college standout to the glamorous world of Hollywood stardom. His campaign trail and inauguration as the 40th President of the United States, the Oval Office, and key events of his two terms are revealed through documents, photographs, and artifacts from eight dynamic years in the White House. In the Air Force One Pavilion, board the aircraft that served as the "Flying White House" for President Reagan.
Lunch:
Lunch at Reagan Library.
Afternoon:
Free time to explore the exhibits and grounds on your own before returning to the hotel.
Dinner:
At a local restaurant, enjoy a farewell dinner.
Evening:
At leisure.
Day
6
Program Concludes
Location:
Ventura, CA
Meals:
B
Activity Note
Hotel check-out 11:00 a.m.
Breakfast:
At the hotel.
Morning:
We hope you enjoy all your Road Scholar learning adventures and look forward to having you on rewarding programs in the future. We encourage you to join our Facebook page and share photos of your program. Visit us at www.facebook.com/rsadventures. Best wishes for all your journeys!
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Please Note:
This program has itinerary variations on certain dates.
Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
May 04, 2025 - May 09, 2025
Aug 24, 2025 - Aug 29, 2025
Sep 28, 2025 - Oct 03, 2025
Dec 28, 2025 - Jan 02, 2026
Feb 22, 2026 - Feb 27, 2026
May 03, 2026 - May 08, 2026
Sep 13, 2026 - Sep 18, 2026
Oct 04, 2026 - Oct 09, 2026
Dec 06, 2026 - Dec 11, 2026
