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University of Texas Marine Science Institute Elderhostel Program
Elderhostel is an educational/travel adventure
for adults over 55 (or accompanied by an adult over 55) who are looking for
something different. These short term academic programs are typically 6 days and
5 nights, although some may be
shorter or longer. As a large Elderhostel program provider, the University of
Texas Marine Science Institute in Port Aransas, Texas has sites in Port Aransas
(on Mustang Island), Rockport, Kingsville, Brownsville and McAllen, Texas. Our
sites in the coastal bend have varied subject matter which includes coastal
ecology, birding and coastal and south Texas history. All of our programs from
November through mid-April include a field trip to the Aransas National Wildlife
Refuge to observe and study the endangered whooping cranes. The programs held in
Brownsville and McAllen, in the beautiful Rio Grande Valley, specialize in
birding. All programs are field based and designed for active Elderhostelers.
Elderhostel programs are all inclusive. We provide all housing, meals, transportation, field trips and lectures. Tipping is expressly prohibited. You are required to provide your own transportation to and from the Elderhostel Program.
We also sponsor two exciting Elderhostel Adventures Afloat programs each year. Both are on board the beautiful hotel barge, R/B River Explorer, and take an in depth look at the history, ecology and ornithology of the area with our own UTMSI staff and invited guest speakers. The first program begins in New Orleans, LA and barges the intracostal waterway through the swamps and bayous of Louisiana low country and ends in Galveston, TX. Day trips along the way will take us to Avery Island, Shadows on the Teche and on a swamp boat tour!
The second program begins in Galveston and
barges the intracoastal waterway through the salt marshes of Texas,
including the Aransas National
Wildlife Refuge, where you’ll have the best seat in the house for viewing the
magnificent endangered whooping cranes! Another highlight of this trip is a day
trip to the legendary, 825,000 acre King Ranch, which was the inspiration for
the movie Giant. The program ends in Port Isabel on the southern tip of
Texas. Both programs are held in January of each year. For more detailed
information about the river barge itself, log on to
www.riverbarge.com. For more detailed information about the Elderhostel
programs and to register, log on to
www.elderhostel.org and type in program # 6020 for the Texas trip and/or
program # 13146 for the Louisiana trip.
Each year, usually in late March, we end our academic year with a special Elderhostel program "The Big Enchilada of Birding". The Enchilada is a fantastic opportunity for the serious birder and a great adventure for a novice. We travel from the sandy beaches of Port Aransas to the Aransas Wildlife Refuge for a close encounter with whooping cranes and end with two amazing days birding the King Ranch. Mustang Island and the King Ranch sustain an incredible variety of wildlife and more than 450 species of birds. .
The University of Texas
Marine
Science Institute
Elderhostel Programs 2008– 2009
|
Dates |
Title |
Program ID |
Location |
| Sept 11-14 | Rockport Hummingbird Festival-Nature's flying Jewels |
|
Rockport, Texas |
| Oct 20-23 |
Cruising the TX Gulf Coast Delta - A Snapshot of Nature and History |
Rockport | |
| Nov. 17-23 |
From Whooping Cranes to the Wild Horse Desert |
Port Aransas/Kingsville |
|
| Dec 8-11 |
Cruising the TX Gulf Coast Delta - A Snapshot of Nature and History |
Rockport | |
| Jan-18-22 | Exploring the Gulf Coast: Whooping Cranes, Marine Life and King Ranch | Port Aransas | |
| Feb 5- 12 |
The Louisiana Gulf Coast: Ornithology, History, Ecology |
New Orleans/Galveston River Explorer |
|
| Feb 12-19 |
The Texas Gulf Coast: Ornithology, History, Ecology |
Galveston/Port Isabel River Explorer |
|
| Feb 26-Mar 5 |
The Texas Gulf Coast: Ornithology, History, Ecology |
Galveston/Port Isabel River Explorer |
|
| Jan 25-30 | Birding The Texas Tropics: Laguna Atascosa to South Padre Island | Brownsville | |
| Feb 1-6 | Birding Hot Spot of the USA | McAllen | |
| Feb. 20-25 | Birding The Texas Tropics: Laguna Atascosa to South Padre Island | Brownsville | |
| Feb 27 - Mar 4 |
Birding Hot Spot of the USA |
McAllen | |
| Mar 6-11 | Birding Hot Spot of the USA | McAllen | |
| Mar 8-12 | Exploring the Gulf Coast: Whooping Cranes, Marine Life and King Ranch | Port Aransas | |
| Mar. 22-29 | The Specialty Birds of South Texas: The Big Enchilada of Birding! | Port Aransas/Kingsville |
For complete program description, visit the Elderhostel web site at http://www.elderhostel.org .
To learn more about the University of Texas at Austin's Elderhostel program, please visit http://www.utexas.edu/cee/elderhostel/index.html
For registration information for ALL programs, please call 361-749-6718.
Reta Person - Elderhostel Program Coordinator
Email - retapearson@mail.utexas.edu
Mailing Address:
The University of Texas Marine Science Institute
Elderhostel
Program Coordinator
750 Channel View Dr.
Port Aransas, Texas 78373
Modified: Friday, 18 April 2008 02:50 PM -0500