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VCU Elderhostel Snapshots & Weekend Programs

VCU offers Elderhostel programs of 3-night's duration, called Snapshots. These programs are listed in the seasonal Snapshots brochures for the state of Virginia. You can request Snapshots brochures for Virginia or other states by calling Elderhostel at 1-877-426-8056 or you can view Snapshots on the Elderhostel website at www.elderhostel.org

Richmond

4317 Treasures On The River
The elegant James River Plantations survived the Revolutionary War, the War of 1812 and the War Between the States. Now in the 21st century, they reveal the complex nature of a culture based on land, wealth and social standing, in a colonial era that tried to emulate its sophisticated English origins. Explore their history, architecture, presidential owners and patterns of life in classes and on field trips. Discover the role of the tidal James River, lifeline to early Virginians. Learn more about these extensive estate systems on an additional field trip to an elegant Richmond plantation overlooking the James River.

13795 Remarkable Richmond: A Course In History And Culture
What is it about Richmond's history that gives it such character? How did it evolve from the outpost of Nonesuch to Virginia's capital city, from a haven for English sailors to a key locale for revolutionary rebels, from the capital of the Confederacy to the Harlem of the South, and from a depressed economy to a financial center? The core curriculum provides answers, essential facts and a survey of important personalities in Richmond's 400-year history. This Crammers' Guide to the City includes field studies at the Museum of the Confederacy, Jackson Ward, Hollywood, Monument Avenue, Wilton Plantation, and Maymont Gardens and Arboretum plus its Gilded Age mansion. Extra credit question: Where else will we take you to get your money's worth.

15462 Very Richmond Christmas: Four Centuries In the Capitol District
Celebrate history, traditions and the season’s magic in Richmond's Capitol District. Examine splendid architecture and the legacies of leaders such as Chief Justice John Marshall, Presidents Washington and Jefferson, and patriot Patrick Henry in on-site presentations at historic sites. Delight in holiday splendor at a Gilded Age estate, a fabulous 1895 hotel, St. John's Church, and the Lewis Ginter Botanical GardenFest with a special dinner and a guided evening walk through its fantasyland of flowers, trees, thousands of lights, conservatory displays, and woodland sculptures. A highlight of the experience is sure to be Court End Christmas, visiting your choice of homes, monuments and museums featuring music, dance and costumed historians.

Natural Bridge

9125 In the Footsteps of Thomas Jefferson
Study the less public facets of Jefferson's life, career, and personality. Jefferson scholars will emphasize his architectural creativity, scientific interests, ambassadorship, educational beliefs, and agricultural endeavors. An afternoon field trip takes you to Poplar Forest, Jefferson's octagonal country villa and personal retreat. Then enjoy an all-day field trip to Monticello, Jefferson's architectural masterpiece, where you can visit his house, burial site, extensive gardens, and woodlands. Lunch is at historic Michie Tavern. Evening classes feature music and the history of Natural Bridge. Arrive by 2 p.m. on the day program begins and join our naturalist for a guided walk through Natural Bridge Gorge. Coach travel for field trips.

12969 Songcatchers, Stephen Foster and Wonders of Southern Appalachia
Music is the mysterious pulse at the heart of the human experience. Explore the roots of our musical heritage and the melodies that are a portrait of early America. Learn about the songcatchers who captured and preserved aural traditions by tracing the passage of ballads from Scotland and Ireland to the Appalachian mountains. Immerse yourself in the history and music of America's first composer, Stephen Foster, who captured the evolving sentiment of a new nation. Enjoy exciting classes, live musical performances, a guided walk to Natural Bridge and a field trip to the unique American Frontier Culture Museum, which shows how Scots-Irish, English and German pioneers lived in the Shenandoah Valley when it was the western frontier.

15171 The History of Jazz and The Heritage of Historic Lexington
In the scenic Shenandoah Valley, explore the origins of jazz and the important past of Lexington. Trace the roots of jazz, from its Dixieland inception to the 1950s. Learn about jazz styles like bebop, hard jazz, Chicago from a jazz historian who gives you a window into legends like Louis Armstrong, John Coltrane and Miles Davis. Delve into Lexington’s rich past and notable personages such as Sam Houston, Cyrus McCormick, Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee. See Lexington’s film locations, tour the George C. Marshall and other museums, visit the Lee and Jackson gravesites, and two of our nation's oldest colleges - Washington and Lee University and the Virginia Military Institute. Enjoy a naturalist-led walk from your Natural Bridge base.