Compare Spirits of Appalachia: Craft Beer, Vineyards & Moonshine Legends by Road Scholar vs Hawaii: Ocean and Islands Adventure by Discover Corps

Day 1
Independent Arrivals, Welcome Dinner, Orientation
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: D Hotel: Assembly Inn
Afternoon: Independent arrivals at the Assembly Inn. Check in between 3:00 - 5:30 p.m. Registration for our program will be from 4 - 5:30 in the lower lobby. Spend some time walking around the lovely grounds. Concrete and gravel paths surround Lake Susan or venture out with your map to explore the campus.

Dinner: Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room--a relaxing treat after your day of travel. Enjoy Montreat's dinner buffet and select one of two main entrées (or have both), good-for-you vegetables, a full salad bar, bread, and of course, something for your sweet tooth. Sweet and unsweetened tea, coffee, variety of milk choices, as well as cold or hot water (with tea or hot chocolate).

Evening: Our opening program/orientation will be at 7 p.m. We'll provide some information about Montreat, go over the schedule, and you'll have an opportunity to meet your instructor for the week. We know you're tired from your travels, so we'll finish up around 8 p.m. with some "get to know you" activities, and then refreshments and fellowship in the lobby.

Day 2
Winemaking in WNC, Sierra Nevada (with lunch), Two Wineries
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: B,L,D Hotel: Assembly Inn
Activity note: Must be able to board a small bus or van, walk for 45 minutes without needing to sit down. 3 field trips today. Time will range from 30 minutes to an hour to each site.

Breakfast: (Early morning coffee out around 6:30 a.m.) Our breakfast buffet is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Is breakfast your favorite meal of the day? If so, you're in for a treat this week! Breakfast options change daily, incorporating lots of your favorites: biscuits and gravy, sausage, bacon, scrambled eggs, grits, hash browns, French toast, pancakes, oatmeal (not the packaged kind either), and lots of others. Standard offerings include fresh fruit, cereal, yogurt, granola, baked pastries, orange juice (and another juice option). Fresh coffee or hot tea will start your morning off right!

Morning: We will begin our day with an introduction to the history of winemaking in North Carolina, with particular attention to the Asheville region. The process for crushing the grapes, fermenting, and bottling will be explored. We will also learn about the variety of grapes and wine that are found in this area. Right after class, we will depart in our provided transportation for a trip to Sierra Nevada in nearby Mills River, where we'll have a guided visit and then lunch at Sierra Nevada.

Lunch: Lunch at Sierra Nevada. Choose from a variety of salads, burgers, pizza, and lots of other options.

Afternoon: After lunch, we will visit two local wineries, Burntshirt Vineyards and St. Paul Mountain Vineyards. Here, we'll attend a presentation where we will be introduced to the varieties of grapes they grow and the types of wines they produce. This will be followed by a wine tasting. The Chocolate Wine has been the favorite so far!

Dinner: Dinner in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Evening: Evening program is something fun (recreational activities, storytelling or a music concert)!

Day 3
Moonshine, Wine/Food Pairings, Intro to Beer, Free Afternoon
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: B,L,D Hotel: Assembly Inn
Breakfast: Breakfast is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room.

Morning: We begin the day exploring briefly the history, legends, and process of making moonshine. Join us to learn about the early Scotch-Irish settlers who introduced the practice of whiskey making to the states and the impact of the whiskey tax on the poor of Appalachia, who would make moonshine to make ends meet. Hear about what moonshine and NASCAR hold in common. The class will also learn about Popcorn Sutton, a legend in the history of moonshine and whiskey distillation. We'll enjoy a sampling of moonshine from a local distillery. After a refreshment break, we will return to the classroom to talk about food and wine pairings, and then begin our discussion of craft beer, the practice of which dates back to ancient Egypt. We will explore the history of beer making, the process of brewing beer, and the reasons for its success in this area. We'll also learn about an array of craft beers and their ingredients.

Lunch: Lunch is served from 12:30 - 1:30 in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Afternoon: Free afternoon to enjoy the area on your own. Directions to places of interest will be available.

Dinner: Dinner will be served from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room

Evening: Evening program, (perhaps some Ghost Stories!) from 7:00 to 8:00 games/cards and tv available in the lobby for fellowship at all times. Perhaps a movie on a big screen, if the group is interested.

Day 4
Beer & Food Pairings, Beer Making, Brews Cruise, Dinner Out
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: B,L,D Hotel: Assembly Inn
Breakfast: Breakfast is served from 7:30 - 8:30 a.m. in the Assembly Inn Dining Room. Do you like sausage links or patties the best?

Morning: With our presenter, we explore the culture of spirits, wines, and craft beers in the state and throughout the region, looking particularly to the continuing growth of spirit production. We will discuss Beer and Food Pairings, and learn about equipment, supplies, and recipes to make your own brews at home.

Lunch: In the Dining Room.

Afternoon: This afternoon, we have quite the adventure. We will go into Asheville to join the Brews Cruise, the big yellow bus with a smile! Brews Cruise is the original and first brewery tour in Asheville. Thousands have experienced their tour over the past 10 years. Included is the opportunity to talk with some of Asheville’s most experienced brewmasters. Their leaders love to engage everyone in sampling a wide variety of beers, understanding the brewing process, the history of beer, the way to taste and even pair beer with food, and offering a behind-the-scenes peek of a brewery. This session will last from approximately 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. and you will visit 4 different breweries.

Dinner: We will have a late dinner out in Asheville together. If possible, we will have dinner at Asheville Brewery Company (but may go somewhere else if we have already been to this location). Menu items include fun appetizers (wings/nachos/chicken fingers/hummus), salads, pizza, pastas, and a variety of sandwiches and burgers.

Evening: Returning after dinner, we will relax for the evening.

Day 5
Cooking and Brewing Beer, Pub and Grub Crawl in Black Mtn.
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: B,L,D Hotel: Assembly Inn
Breakfast: In the Dining Room.

Morning: This morning, we will begin our process of mixing the ingredients and cooking our own home brew. After a refreshment break, we'll continue our cooking and brewing process, learning all the ins and outs of home brewing.

Lunch: Lunch will be available in the dining room. You may want to eat light today, to enjoy more of the foods and beers from the pub and crub crawl in the afternoon.

Afternoon: Our afternoon adventure starts out at the Swannanoa Valley Museum, where we'll learn about the history of the Swannanoa Valley. The history of the region is interpreted in a unique collection of photos and artifacts from the Swannanoa Valley that relate the history of the settlement not only of the Swannanoa Valley, but also of Buncombe County, Asheville, and Western North Carolina. From there, we will kick back and experience some of the best pubs and eateries in Black Mountain! There is no better way to drink up the flavor of this wonderful town with new friends than to take this 2 1/2 to 3 hour guided walk through town. View an article on Creative Mountain Food Pub and Grub Crawl in Travelroads.com. We will stop at 6 places representing pubs, restaurants and a local brewery. At each stop, we will introduce you to local brew or cider paired with great snacks made by our local culinary chefs. Historical fun facts and trivia will be a part of the experience.

Dinner: In the Dining Room (if you have room left for more food!)

Evening: Settle in and be entertained by folk tales of the Appalachian region.

Day 6
Bottling Our Beer, Program Concludes
Location: Montreat, NC Meal: B,L
Breakfast: In the Dining Room.

Morning: This morning, we will bottle our beer. If time allows, we’ll also have a practical introduction to the North Carolina Alcoholic Beverage Control Commission (ABC) at one of its stores in nearby Black Mountain. Checkout is required by 11 a.m., and lunch will be served at 11:30 a.m.

Lunch: In the Dining Room or take a box lunch with you. This concludes our program. 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!

Day 1: Arrive in Honolulu and Meet the Group

Meals: Dinner

Upon arrival in Hawaii’s capital, Honolulu, you’ll be be met at the airport and taken to your hotel just steps from the world famous Waikiki beaches. After a relaxing welcome dinner together, we’ll get to know one another and discuss the schedule for the week ahead.

Day 2: Journey to Oahu’s North Shore & Experience the Aloha Spirit

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll set out for Hawaii’s iconic North Shore, famous for its big waves and stunning landscapes. Spend the morning in the historic Waimea Valley with a local organization helping to preserve the valley’s cultural heritage and rainforests. Assist with a reforestation initiative, swim in waterfalls, and see why the ancient Hawaiians deemed the valley sacred centuries ago. In the afternoon, we’ll continue to Na Mea Kupono, an eco-farm that is home to Hawaii’s staple crop, taro. We’ll be hosted by this local family for a Hawaiin-style paina, or gathering, for our dinner as we learn more about their role in farming on the island.

Day 3: Climb Diamond Head & Sail out to Sea on a Catamaran

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

Hawaii’s South Shore is crowned by the now extinct Diamond Head volcano. We’ll take a hike this morning to the top of the rim to get a panoramic view of Waikiki from above. For those who opt not to hike, we’ll have the option to visit the Bishop Museum, home of the royal Kamehameha family and now housing an array of artifacts covering Hawaii’s vast Polynesian heritage. After lunch in Waikiki, we’ll hit the sea on a catamaran ride over the turquoise Pacific waters.

Day 4: Fly to Maui & Explore the Tropical‘Iao Valley State Park

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

Enjoy a free morning to explore Waikiki. Head to the beach for a surf lesson with the Waikiki beach boys, check out the area’s cafes and shops or simply relax on white sand beaches only steps from your hotel. We’ll take a short mid-day flight across the Hawaiian archipelago to the Valley Isle of Maui. After landing, we’ll head over to the towering emerald peaks of the ‘Iao Valley on Central Maui for a guided hike of the state park. A location revered by the ancient Hawaiians, the valley also served as the site of one of Hawaii’s most important battles as King Kamehameha I tried to unite the islands in the 1700’s. Later in the evening, unwind at our Kaanapali beachfront hotel.

Day 5: Snorkel off Lana’i & Lend a Hand Protecting Sea Turtles

Meals: Breakfast and Lunch

We’ll have an early breakfast before cruising to the scenic coastline of Lana'i island with the Pacific Whale Foundation. Spend the morning with breakfast on the boat (expect large boat with other travelers) and then 1.5 hours of snorkeling. Scout for wild dolphins, including acrobatic spinner dolphins, friendly bottlenose dolphins, and curious spotted dolphins. Conservationists from the Foundation will narrate your journey and take about everything from whale migration to plastics in the ocean to reef health.

We’ll return to Maui and, after lunch, spend our first afternoon volunteering alongside the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. Home to one of Hawaii’s largest sea turtle rescues and land based coral nurseries, we’ll join their staff on beach and marine debris cleanu , specifically collecting coral fragments. Take these pieces of coral back to the research center and aid in cutting them into smaller pieces to be grown at the center for a period of 8 months - something that would take the reef 20 years to regenerate! This coral is eventually placed back into the reef to bring back areas that are dead or dying.

Day 6: Maui Ocean Center Volunteering & Farewell Luau

Meals: Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner

After breakfast, we’ll spend another morning helping the conservation team at the Maui Ocean Center Marine Institute. On Maui and other Hawaiian islands, sea turtles are being threatened as their habitat is increasingly depleted. Green turtle populations are being impacted by events such as the 2018 hurricane that washed out the most important nesting beach for this species in the entire archipelago. We’ll continue to lend a hand on our projects while learning about some of the initiatives in place to preserve the fragile ecosystem both on land and underwater, including going out with the team to find turtles and tag them for research purposes.

Later in the afternoon, we’ll head back to the hotel where you’ll have some free time to enjoy the beach, swim in the ocean or venture into the coastal town of Lahaina. Tonight, we’ll enjoy a special farewell dinner together along with a traditional island luau.

Day 7: Depart Maui or Continue on for the Post-Trip Extension

Meals: Breakfast

Enjoy breakfast at the hotel and check-out of your rooms. The rest of the day is free to relax at the beach or explore nearby Lahaina until your flight home, or continue on to our optional post-trip extension along the gorgeous road to Hana.