Until recent decades, educational travel was largely the domain of the young. Today, regardless of age or accumulation of formal credentials, people in their mature years more often choose to treat education as a lifelong quest, an opportunity to learn for the pure pleasure it brings. When the world is your classroom, the possibilities are virtually limitless! As the oft-quoted anonymous saying goes, "People don't mind growing older as long as they can keep growing."

For many visitors who love to learn as they vacation, Arizona offers a satisfying combination of diverse education mixed with holiday fun! Here is a wee sampling from the broad-ranging current menu of Arizona's short-term learning vacations, ranging from archaeology, astronomy, and wine blending to tracking migrating hummingbirds and discovering Mexico's border cuisine and distinctive culture.

The Elden Pueblo, located on National Forest land northeast of Flagstaff, is the ruin of the prehistoric Sinagua culture and a Hopi ancestral site that was probably inhabited between 1070 and 1275 AD. This ancient structure, much of which is still unexcavated, played a groundbreaking role in making archaeology and the history of Arizona's earliest residents more accessible to the public.

Though the site is open year round, visitors should check the Elden Pueblo web page to learn about professionally supervised dates offering a more enriched, intense program of education and participation. These programs focus on past and present pueblo cultures by investigating the clues people left behind through hands-on mapping, excavation, laboratory and analytical experiences. Public Archaeology Days, Family Excavation Week and the Arizona Archaeological Field Society's Summer Field School are a few examples of opportunities to learn about the region's ancient history. Nearby Walnut Canyon National Monument and Wupatki National Monument will further stimulate visitors' archaeological and historical interests.

Archaeological Adventures is an educational discovery program dedicated to the preservation and documentation of Arizona's archaeological sites. Its tours offer guests exciting opportunities to touch history while participating in a hands-on working field program to map and record unexplored sites. Working in cooperation with the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Archaeological Adventures leads expeditions to some incredibly scenic sites on public lands that BLM does not have the resources to excavate. As a bonus, participants can take their place in history, as their names are recorded in the official documentation records as members of a specific archaeological field project.

Archaeological Adventures excursions range from one to 10 days [minimum three participants] and can be tailored to all age groups and ability levels. The overnight trips include evening seminars on related archaeological and historic topics. Priced at US$169, a one-day program, including a professional archaeologist guide and lunch begins at 8 a.m. and ends at 5 p.m. Five- to ten-day programs vary in price depending upon group numbers and inclusions such as accommodation and number of meals provided.

If picking up just any bottle of wine at the store doesn't sound appealing, The Phoenician in Scottsdale, Arizona has the perfect solution. The resort introduced its "Barrel Blending" as a holiday experience in December 2003 and it proved so popular, the program is now a regular feature. Guests are invited to blend and bottle their own personal wine from the resort's private wine cellar.

The Praying Monk private dining room is equipped with barrels of classic Bordeaux varietals and The Phoenician's Master Sommelier guides participants through the intricacies of each flavor, matching tastes and preferences. Each participant receives instruction on combinations and percentages with recommended "classic" blends of each variety. Then an individually created "Phoenician Cuvee" is bottled, graced with a personalized label, and taken home to enjoy after aging throughout the year or to give as a gift to family and friends.

If crossing the border into Mexico seems a little daunting, there is no one better to bring along on your journey than Rio Rico Resort and Country Club's Senior Chef. The resort's location just north of the border town of Nogales makes it simple for the chef to lead guests on a day-tour into Mexico on select Saturdays year round. Itineraries are designed to introduce them to the authentic culture from which he derives his culinary inspiration.

To embrace true Sonoran cuisine and culture, the tour bypasses traditional tourist spots, offering a true insider's glimpse into the local history and lore of the city. You will be lead through the peaks and plateaus of the border town, from the wealthy neighborhoods and Ley Supermarket, to the row-housing districts and the Maquiladora manufacturing plants. The tour concludes with a carne asada meal at Las Herraduras Restaurant, a favorite among locals for its tender grilled meats, soft corn tortillas and fresh salsas.

Arizona is well-known as a birding paradise and migratory freeway for many species. One of the most incredible events each year is the hummingbird migration. Hummingbird diversity in the U.S. reaches its peak in southeast Arizona, where 18 species have been recorded. This diversity creates participation opportunities for research and education. The Nature Conservancy's Ramsey Canyon Preserve and the San Pedro House at the San Pedro Riparian National Conservation Area in southeastern Arizona are dedicated to generating knowledge about hummingbirds that can guide habitat conservation efforts for these tiny, always-fascinating creatures.

Guests are invited to watch and assist research associates in weighing, banding and feeding the delicate creatures. By learning more about the hummingbird biology, it is hoped that this research will lead to the protection of the breeding, wintering and migratory habits that hummingbirds and other species require. Dates and times vary between the two locations, but the banding is typically done between March and October. There are also a number of hummingbird field clinics and workshops offered throughout the year where you can increase your knowledge of these birds and your identification skills.

When learning about earthly matters becomes mundane, visitors can take a galactic approach at Kitt Peak National Observatory, located just south of Tucson. Professional astronomers the world over aspire to visit Kitt Peak and with the observatory's public evening program, the general public can also experience the wonder of hands-on astronomy. Professionals review the most recent advances in the field, and provide an understandable perspective of our place in the cosmos, followed by a visual journey to the stars with two of the observatory's multi-million dollar telescopes.

If the evening session is only enough to whet one's appetite, Kitt Peak also offers an Advanced Observing Program. This program is geared towards the amateur astronomer interested in using a large telescope with state-of-the-art instruments. No previous experience in astronomy is necessary and guests have the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to observe at the world's largest optical observatory. Participants in this program are treated as visiting astronomers and have complete access to the Visitor Center's considerable resources. Observe from an excellent site, dine with other astronomers, and above all enjoy exploring the universe.

Got an Arizona learning vacation to recommend for this Travel with a Challenge collection? It must be suitable for mature travelers and have a measurable track record of appealing to older people [50+]. School groups are great, but not for us! Send us an email with your suggestion and a website address, and tell us about your personal experience of it.

For complete Arizona travel information, including more educational vacation ideas, visit www.arizonaguide.com.

Tucson Visitors Bureau, www.visittucson.org.

Check out these other richly illustrated articles on Arizona featured in the Travel with a Challenge collection: Sleeping with History in Tucson, and Miraval, An All-Inclusive Resort with a Healing Touch.