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Educational Travel: Learning While Exploring
Trivia: Which U.S. document opens with the words, “When in the Course of human events...”?
RetireHub
October 16, 2025
Rise and shine, RetireHub community! ☀️ Your Thursday newsletter is here!
Today we’re sharing smart tips on Educational Travel: Learning While Exploring, along with the best deals, fun trivia, and more!
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What We’re Reading
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 | By: April Murdock He talks his best friend into fake dating him to get her ex back. Secretly, he hopes she’ll realize that they’re better together than she ever was with her ex. When it feels like she might have feelings for him, too, her ex decides he wants her back. He never expected his plan to work so well or that success would break his heart. |
On this day in 1923, Walt and Roy O. Disney officially founded what would become The Walt Disney Company. Starting as a small animation studio in Los Angeles, Disney introduced the world to Mickey Mouse just five years later—and went on to revolutionize animation, film, theme parks, and global storytelling. Today, Disney is one of the most iconic and influential entertainment companies in history.
Educational Travel: Learning While Exploring
Travel doesn’t just transport us to new places—it transforms how we see the world. For many older adults, educational travel offers a rich blend of discovery, purpose, and personal growth. Rather than just sightseeing, these journeys invite you to dive deeper into history, culture, science, or art—turning every stop into a living classroom.
Educational travel can take many forms. Some programs offer guided tours led by experts, where you might trace ancient civilizations in Greece, learn about marine biology on the Galápagos Islands, or study Renaissance art while walking through Florence. Others are built around hands-on workshops, like cooking classes in Tuscany, language immersion in Mexico, or photography treks through national parks. These experiences aren’t just for students—they’re designed for lifelong learners who want their travel to feed their minds as much as their senses.
One of the most well-known programs for older adults is Road Scholar (formerly Elderhostel), which provides enriching, educational travel all over the globe with a focus on camaraderie and accessible adventure. Universities, museums, and even cruise lines also offer themed trips with built-in lectures, workshops, or behind-the-scenes tours that offer more than just a typical vacation.
Why do so many people turn to educational travel later in life? For some, it’s a chance to finally explore passions they didn’t have time for earlier—like archaeology, jazz history, or botany. For others, it’s a way to travel more meaningfully, connecting with local communities or visiting places that once seemed out of reach. Educational travel also supports mental wellness, curiosity, and social connection, especially when shared with like-minded peers.
Whether you’re traveling near or far, for a weekend or a month, consider planning your next getaway around something you’ve always wanted to learn. You just might come home with more than memories—you could return with a new perspective, a deeper passion, or even a few new friends.
What Kind of Educational Travel Most Appeals to You? |
Yesterday’s Poll Results: How Do You Prefer to Read Most Often?
Our latest poll shows that the love of turning real pages is still going strong. Nearly half of respondents (46.5%) say they prefer reading mostly print books, relishing the tactile experience of paper in hand. Another 23.5% enjoy mixing it up with different formats depending on the moment, while 16.5% lean toward the ease and portability of e-books and digital magazines. Audiobooks had their fans too, with 7% using them to “read” on the go. A small number of readers (4.5%) are still working on finding their rhythm, and a few (2%) shared their own unique approaches. Whether you're flipping, scrolling, or listening—storytelling is alive and well in every form.
TOP COMMENTS
“I will often check out books from the library but prefer my Kindle when I am traveling because it is so light and easy to transport. Audiobooks are something I am just dabbling with right now. I love to read.”
“I love the ease of my Kindle. You can change books midstream and they are so comfortable to bring along, along with the dictionary and font sizes.”
“I have read hundreds of hard copy books, but when I got a Kindle and could change the font to where it was easy on my eyes, with a light, I was sold. I have now read hundreds of books on Kindle and never looked back. I do occasionally buy a book from my favorite authors, like Dan Brown, for my collection.”
“I am a retired public librarian so I prefer print books, fiction and nonfiction.”
“I broke my arm last year, and my kindle became my best friend. A paper book was harder to handle, and the kindle slipped easily into my purse and was with me as I waited for therapy and other appointments.”
“Do read digital but prefer to hold a book than listen.”
“I love physical books and I do feel like I retain the information better. I would prefer to read only physical books, but they have such great deals on ebooks (free books) that I still do download books. If I really like it, I will buy the print version so I can have the physical copy. ”
“I used to read quite a bit. I started watching TV and movies, reading became boring. Now I just read an occasional newspaper and magazine. Unless the power goes out, then I may read a book.”
“Love my Kindle, the lighting adjusts whether I am in the sun or sitting in a dark room!”
“Nothing like a real book! I teach high school English, and I implement the real book experience doing studies with page numbers and underlining the text. I do think the kids of today are open to the idea, but it’s foreign to them. The yellower the pages, the better!!”
“Reading books on digital in bed is great. Magazines and other books are great hand held and flipping pages, real pages.”
JoySpan: A New Way to Measure a Life Well-Lived
We’re all familiar with terms like lifespan and healthspan, but there’s a growing shift toward something even more soulful: joyspan—the measure of how much joy, meaning, and purpose we actively bring into our days. It’s not about pretending everything’s perfect or ignoring the very real changes and losses that can come with time. Rather, joyspan is about choosing to remain curious, engaged, and open to growth—no matter our age or circumstances.
This idea invites us to look beyond simply how long we live or how healthy we are, and instead consider how vibrant our inner lives feel. What are we doing that brings us light? Who are we connecting with? What sparks a sense of wonder or contribution? Even in seasons of transition, joyspan encourages us to lean toward the things that feed our spirit.
Curiosity is one key ingredient—taking time to explore, ask questions, or try something new, even in small ways, can reawaken a sense of aliveness. Adaptability plays a role too. Life will shift, and some things may not be as easy as they once were, but that doesn’t mean the door to fulfillment is closed. Sometimes it just asks us to find another way in.
Finding joy through service and connection is also part of the picture. Whether it’s volunteering, mentoring, or simply being present for someone else, giving our time and heart can restore a deep sense of purpose. And of course, nourishing relationships—whether with old friends or new faces—grounds us in belonging and shared meaning.
Joyspan doesn’t require sweeping changes or grand gestures. It’s made of everyday choices: reaching out, staying open, finding humor, being kind to ourselves and others. These small shifts, over time, can create a life that feels rich, engaged, and deeply our own.
In the end, joyspan is about remembering that we get to define what a meaningful life looks like now—and that the best days can still be ahead, not behind.
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Slang Phrase of the Day
Phrase: Mood capsule
Meaning: A mood capsule is a small activity or item that helps capture and preserve a feeling, memory, or emotional moment you want to return to later.
In a sentence: "After our Sunday afternoon piano session, I lit my favorite lavender candle and jotted down a few thoughts in my journal—it was my little mood capsule to revisit whenever I need a moment of calm."
Good News of the Day
Tortoise on the Tracks: Quick-Thinking Train Staff Rescue Runaway Pet
In an unexpected turn of events, a pet tortoise caused a brief disruption to rail service in Oxfordshire, England, after it wandered onto active train tracks. The curious reptile, later identified as “Mr. T,” had somehow escaped from a nearby home and found its way onto the railway line—creating both concern and a moment of surprise for commuters.
Fortunately, a sharp-eyed passenger noticed the slow-moving shell in harm’s way and alerted station staff. The railway crew quickly sprang into action, carefully lifting Mr. T off the tracks before any trains passed. Once safely rescued, the tortoise was treated to a bit of lettuce and water at the station café while awaiting a reunion with its owner.
Within a few hours, Mr. T’s grateful human companions came forward to claim their runaway pet, relieved to discover their tortoise had not only survived its great escape but had become a minor local celebrity in the process. Thanks to the attentiveness of passengers and the compassion of railway workers, this story had a safe—and heartwarming—ending.
The rescue reminded many that even the slowest creatures can land in fast-moving danger—and that sometimes, community care and watchful eyes make all the difference.
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RetireHub Trivia
Want more trivia? Play our “Nostalgia Trivia Game” on our site! We add fresh questions daily, so there’s always something new to test your knowledge.
Not into trivia? No worries! We’ve got plenty of other fun games to enjoy, like:
Which sitcom followed George and Louise moving “on up” to a deluxe apartment in the sky? |
Which African Great Lake is generally considered the principal source of the White Nile? |
Which U.S. document opens with the words, “When in the Course of human events…”? |
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