Summer Seminar
Trip 1: Niagara Falls, NY
Trip Leaders
Tom Jones
585-267-6170
thomas.b.jones@rochester.edu
Jane Eggleston
850-445-4587
jegg221@gmail.com
Pat Carmen
585-766-3451
pcarmen@tampabay.rr.com
Trip Cost
*Price TBD* for members and guests
Non-member guests must create an Osher online account in order to register for trips.
After you register, open the registration confirmation email you will receive, then click on the link within the email to fill out the questionnaire specific to this trip.
Trip Itinerary
| Time | Event |
|---|---|
| 7:45 AM | Departure from Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at RIT |
| 8:45 AM | Rest stop at the Clarence Service Area on the Thruway |
| 9:35 AM | Arrival at Niagara Falls State Park (Goat Island) Take the Cave of the Winds tour. |
| 11:10 AM | Departure from the park. Travel to Bella Vista Ristorante. |
| 11:25 AM | Lunch at Bella Vista Ristorante overlooking the Niagara River. |
| 1:10 PM | Departure from the restaurant. |
| 1:25 PM | Arrival at the Niagara Aquarium. Talk and tours of the two facilities. |
| 4:15 PM | Departure from Niagara Aquarium. |
| 5:45 PM | Estimated arrival at OLLI RIT. |
Some walking and standing are involved. Dress for the weather — rain or shine. Wear comfortable walking shoes. If you need a cane or walker, please bring one and use it. Don’t forget your camera. This trip is NOT wheelchair accessible.
On our first trip of the 2026 season, we will experience Niagara Falls from the American side. We will stop first on Goat Island to take the Cave of the Winds tour. This involves a short multimedia presentation, and then we take the elevator down to the base of the falls. The boardwalks bring you into the spray, especially if you climb up to the Hurricane Deck. If you have mobility issues, you should limit yourself to the lower levels. NOTE: Plastic rain ponchos will be provided by Niagara Parks, but they no longer provide plastic sandals, so good footgear that can survive getting wet is essential.
Our lunch at the Bella Vista Ristorante has three choices. Make your choice when you receive the questionnaire for this trip.
- Roasted Pork Tenderloin
- Chicken parmesan (with or without cheese)
- Eggplant Parmesan (Vegetarian)
Meal choices include rolls and butter, coffee, tea, decaf coffee or ice water, chef’s choice of dessert.
If you have special dietary needs, please indicate so on the registration questionnaire.
After lunch we will take the bus back into town for a visit to the Niagara Aquarium. This will include a talk and a live animal encounter. We will visit both the original aquarium and the new Great Lakes 360 building. This will mean walking a short distance to the Great Lakes 360, with its exhibits on life in Great Lakes waters.
Related Lectures (Hybrid Format)
On Tuesday, June 16 at 10 am, all members are invited to a free talk featuring two speakers. The first lecture will be presented by Samuel Beck-Andersen, Associate Director of Invasive Species Programs and Coordinator of the Finger Lakes Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management at the Finger Lakes Institute, at Hobart and William Smith Colleges. His topic is “Addressing Invasives Species Across 17 Counties in the Finger Lakes.” Sam has deep roots in the Finger Lakes area. He has a degree in Natural Resources Management from SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where he studied forestry, ecology, and the human dimensions of resource management.
The second speaker will be Timothy McDonnell, who will talk about the special geologic history that gave us Niagara Falls. Tim is a professor emeritus at Monroe Community College and the former Coordinator of the New York Geographic Alliance. He is also a member of Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at RIT, and he has led many different courses since 2006. The title of his presentation is “Why is Niagara Falls Here?”