Education and Adventure Meet in Aspen with Performing Arts, Written Word, Rock Climbing, Ranching, River Surfing, Rocket Building and More
ASPEN, Colo. (Spring/Summer 2010) - As travelers become more discerning about with eyes on the wallet, learning vacations have become more alluring, combining vacation with enrichment, whether it comes in the form of an educational seminar or volunteer experience. Aspen offers abundant opportunities to grow - whether learning a new sport, engaging in environmental activities, or elevating an artistic vocation. Following are some of Aspen's best educational opportunities for kids, teens, adults or the whole family.
CULTURAL AND INTELLECTUAL ENRICHMENT
Aspen Writers' Foundation, Colorado's oldest nonprofit literary center having served readers and writers since 1976, offers summer writing camps for kids and teens, summer writing series for adults, as well as Aspen Summer Words (June 20-25, 2010), a literary festival and writing retreat for book lovers of all ages. (970.925.3122; www.aspenwriters.org)
• FOR KIDS: Scribes & Scribblers creative writing camps for kids are offered in one or two-week sessions in July and August. A creative adventure with words, young authors write plays and poetry, make books and finish the summer with an author party, performance or exhibition. Five-day sessions start at $275 a person.
• FOR ADULTS: Aspen Summer Words (June 20-25, 2010) has been hailed as one of the nation's top literary gatherings. A five-day celebration of words, stories and ideas, the festivals consists of a morning writing retreat, an afternoon literary festival, and professional consultations with agents and editors, bringing some of the world's most interesting and engaging literary talent to Aspen. Pricing information is available at www.aspenwriters.org.
Anderson Ranch, a learning community dedicated to creativity and growth through the making and understanding of the visual arts on five scenic acres in Snowmass Village, offers summer art workshops for kids, teens and adults. This summer, participants who bring a friend new to the program receive a 25 percent discount on their registration. Anderson Ranch welcomes students of all levels of experience - absolute beginners to professionals. (970.923.3181; www.andersonranch.org)
• FOR KIDS: The children's program, for kids ages 6 to 8 and 9 to 12-years-old, sparks imagination and enhances inherent creativity through the making of visual art. In each workshop, children explore meaningful ideas and processes that lead toward authentic work in a variety of media. Class size is limited, offering each child plenty of individual attention, and the children's classes are offered in the Evelyn and Martin Siegel Children's Workshop Building, a 1,500-square-foot facility with a porch and courtyard area where students can work. Four- and five-day classes start at $275 a person. Scholarships are available.
• FOR TEENS: The teens' program is taught by many of the Ranch's artistic staff at locations throughout the campus. With classes in photography, painting and drawing, and music video production, teenagers between the ages of 13 and 19 are taught the creative process in a supportive environment for young adults. Five-day classes start at $425 a person. Scholarships are available.
• FOR ADULTS, with skill levels ranging from absolute beginners to professional artists, Anderson Ranch offers more than 140 workshops in ceramics, painting, drawing, film sculpture, furniture design, and more, taught by prominent artists and educators who share their skills and experience with more than 1,400 students. Workshops range in length and price, and scholarships are available.
• FOR THE FAMILY: Family Day Workshops let parents and kids (age four to six) get their hands dirty and use their imaginations together. Each workshop investigates a different art project, including a variety of mixed media techniques, and themes are appropriate for younger ages. Talented children's art instructors teach each technique, but workshop content is not divulged until the day of the session. Supplies are included and each child must be accompanied by an adult. Cost of day sessions is $75 for one adult and one child, and $100 for one adult and two children.
Theatre Aspen, a homegrown theater company that performs a rotating schedule of productions in the Kaufman Theatre Tent in Rio Grande Park, offers multi-week summer courses for children and teens. (970.925.9313; www.theatreaspen.org)
• FOR KIDS, age 5 to 7 and eight to twelve, two-week courses (Monday through Thursday) cultivate stage presence while they learn from the masters. Summer 2009 courses vary in emphasis and start at $450 a session.
• FOR TEENS, ages 12 to 18, Theatre Aspen's "Summer Conservatory," performing Walt Disney's Aladdin Jr., offers advanced training and the opportunity to study with top artists and educators from across the country. (audition required; class costs $900 a person). The "Movie Star Camp" includes the creation of movie through learning the technical aspects of working on camera, from hitting marks and camera angles to industry terminology and actors' "codes of conduct." (Class costs $525 a person).
The Aspen Institute aims to foster values-based leadership, encouraging individuals to reflect on the ideals and ideas that define a good society. Through its seminars, young-leader fellowships around the globe, policy programs, and public conferences and events, the Aspen Institute provides a neutral and balanced venue for discussing and acting on critical issues. (800.410.3463; www.aspeninstitute.org)
• FOR ADULTS, there are dozens of seminars available at the Institute's picturesque Aspen campus throughout the summer, which are designed as non-traditional leadership programs that bring together participants to learn from the greatest thinkers of all time with Socratic-style discussions led by skilled moderators.
ENVIRONMENTAL EXPLORATION
Aspen Center for Environmental Studies (ACES) is a nonprofit organization that provides a bridge back to nature for an increasingly urbanized society and a sanctuary for wildlife in the heart of Aspen. Summer programs include free, guided nature walks atop Aspen Mountain and at the Maroon Bells in addition to nature tours of the historic mining town of Ashcroft. The following are just some of the more than 100 unique programs for children, adults and families, including day-long, two-day and five-day age-appropriate summer programs for children ages four to sixteen. (970.925.5756; www.aspennature.org)
• FOR KIDS: Little Naturalists sessions, one-hour programs for children ages four and five, expose the young ones to their natural worlds, teaching them about all the little things growing outside. Session topics vary and are held every Friday of the summer at the Hallam Lake campus for $7 a child.
• FOR KIDS: Farm & Wilderness Camp and Little Ranchers take place at ACES' Rock Bottom Ranch. These five-day camps for kids ages six to ten and explore ranch and farm life with activities like gardening, milking goats and feeding chickens, as well as exploring the nature preserve. Prices start at $150 a person.
• FOR ADULTS: Environmental courses for adults are offered through the summer at the Hallam Lake and Rock Bottom Ranch campuses. ACES brings instructors from all over the country to teach and share their passion for the natural world in courses that focus on Rocky Mountain wildlife, mushrooms, field photography or the art of nature journaling. Prices vary.
• FOR THE FAMILY: Families in Nature, a program at Hallam Lake, invites parents to explore nature alongside their children. See the outdoor surroundings with fresh eyes, curiosity and imagination instinctive to children, and learn new tips, tools and inspiration to enhance outdoor time together and nurture children's' bond with the natural world. The program is recommended for children age seven to ten, and three-hour sessions are offered throughout the summer. Prices start at $30 per family (for ACES members).
Camp Eco, a licensed Colorado day camp with week-long sessions, uses the forest, meadows, rivers and ponds in Aspen as educational resources and venues for eco games. While exploring and discovering, children learn the importance of natural areas, and this hands-on program aims to influence future generations' concern and care for the earth. (970.274.2267; www.campeco.com)
• FOR KIDS: Camp Ecology (ages 5-8) teaches children about environmental stewardship through games, nature hikes, crafts and visits to the Aspen Center for Environmental Studies. Different themed weeks cover topics including Native Americans, Aspen animals, dinosaurs, forests and more. Day and week-long sessions are available, starting at $85 a day for drop-in campers.
• FOR KIDS: Camp Eco Sports (ages 7-10) fosters sportsmanship and leadership while learning new activities in Aspen's beautiful parks and open spaces. Camp weeks are themed for specific sports, including soccer, basketball, baseball or multi-sport weeks, and short nature hikes take campers beyond the playing field to discover nature. Day and week-long sessions are available, starting at $85 a day for drop-in campers.
Aspen Science Center was founded by educators who believe that the study of science contributes to all aspects of a well-lived life. (970.300.4784; www.aspensciencecenter.org)
• FOR ALL AGES: Physics-Is-For-Kids BBQs and Lectures are presented in collaboration with the Aspen Center for Physics and take place on Wednesday afternoons throughout the summer (mid-June through mid-August). Scientists participating in the Center's programs engage more than 200 kids and parents in lively scientific discussions about galaxy formation and quantum physics while enjoying barbecue fare and games. Open to children of all ages; admission is free of charge.
ON THE WILD SIDE
Camp Aspen/Snowmass offers daily and weekly programs for kids (starting at age two-and-a-half), teens, adults, families and groups with activities ranging from mountain boarding and skateboarding to paintballing and early-season snowboarding and skiing. Aspen/Snowmass Camp is open Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., June 1 to Sept. 4, 2009. The following camps are a few of the program's highlights.
• FOR KIDS: Ultimate Base Camp, for children ages six to ten, offers mountain boarding, skateboarding and horse trail rides in addition to swimming, ice skating, hiking and crafts. Single-day and five-day sessions are available.
• FOR KIDS: Rocket Camp invites campers to study, build, design and launch their own rockets. The two or three-day series are designed for four to ten-year-olds and include a rocket to take home, snacks and a spectacular Friday launch when non-participating guests are encouraged to join in the excitement.
• FOR ALL AGES: Mountain boarding, mountain biking and skateboarding private instruction with professional coaches is available throughout the summer. On a mountain board, winter meets summer on wheels as participants tackle downhill terrain and jumps in the specially designed park. On a mountain bike, conquer the challenging, technical single track on Snowmass, home of an annual NORBA competition. On a skateboard, learn how to drop into ramps and execute tricks at local parks with the help of professional coaches.
Aspen Expeditions, an outdoor outfitter, leads guided adventures around Aspen, ranging from rock climbing on Independence Pass to ascending a 14er (a mountain higher than 14,000 feet). With vacation windows shrinking, Aspen Expeditions can plan the details of an outdoor adventure, so visitors can commence their Aspen activities as soon as they arrive. (877.790.2777; www.aspenexpeditions.com)
• FOR ALL AGES: Aspen's Four Mountain AdventuresTM packages the best outdoor pursuits, allowing visitors to sample some of the most exhilarating outdoor experiences in the Roaring Fork Valley. With premier guides and qualified instructors, participants fly tandem over Aspen on a paraglider, fly-fish in the Gold Medal waters of Aspen's mountain streams, climb rock faces on breathtaking granite cliffs, and kayak or raft down exhilarating rapids.
Aspen Kayak Academy is owned by Charlie MacArthur, who has more than 20 years of teaching experience and is known for pushing the boundaries of river sports. New this summer, MacArthur is teaching river surfing using a stand-up paddle board and an oar to "surf" standing waves in the Colorado River. (970.925.4433; www.aspenkayakacademy.com)
• FOR TEENS AND ADULTS: Learn to tackle Aspen's rivers in a kayak or river surfboard. For kayak students, Aspen Kayak Academy offers pool-rolling session in the Aspen Recreation Center pool; half-day, full-day and multi-day private and class lessons; and nine-week teen camps. Aspen Kayak Academy Instructors offer stand-up paddling instruction and guided river surfing.
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For visitor information, visit http://www.aspenchamber.org/, or call 1.888.290.1324 or 970.925.1940.