Trip Cancellation Policy
Requests for refunds less a 10% processing fee must be received at least five business days before the trip date.

Birding and History at Ridley Creek State Park
Ruth Pfeffer
Expert Birder and Trip Leader

Ridley Creek State Park is a great place for bird watching. With over 2,600 acres of woodlands and meadows, the park is only 16 miles from center city Philadelphia. We will meander on trails through a variety of habitats looking for fall migrants including hawks, songbirds and thrushes. A trip to the Park wouldn’t be complete without a visit to Colonial Plantation. A guided tour will help us to experience what life was like in colonial America. The Plantation has been a working farm for over 300 years and is restored to what it was like in the late 18th century complete with animals typical of the period and authentically clothed historical interpreters. Bring binoculars, your lunch and something to drink. We will travel by small bus. Park in the meadow next to the entrance kiosk.

Wednesday, September 19
8 a.m. – 2 p.m.
Members: $40
Non-members: $45
Trip Cancellation Policy

Walking Tour of West Laurel Hill Cemetery
Barry Jeffries
Landscape Architect and Arboretum Guide

Come join us as we enjoy the abundant natural beauty of West Laurel Hill Cemetery, located in Bala Cynwyd, Lower Merion Township. Situated high overlooking the Schuylkill River, the cemetery’s 185 acres are arranged in a “landscape lawn” manner with winding roads and undulating hills accented by distinctive specimen trees. We’ll examine its compelling landscape history and beauty as well as its stunning architectural treasures. Recognized as a national historic register site, it contains over 275 free-standing family mausoleums, commemorating the lives of many famous Philadelphians. Some notables include W. Atlee Burpee, pioneer seedsman, Anna Jarvis, founder of Mothers’ Day, and many late 19th century industrialists. We will meet at the Bell Tower/Conservatory located inside the cemetery grounds. Directions will be sent.

Saturday, September 29
1 – 3 p.m.
Members: $24
Non-members: $26
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 5 reservations left!

Fall Flora at French Creek State Park
Tim Block
Director of Botany, Morris Arboretum

Ann Rhoads
Senior Botanist, Morris Arboretum

At 7,475 acres, French Creek State Park is one of the largest permanently preserved areas in Southeastern Pennsylvania. This mostly forested park is both geologically and botanically diverse and forms the core of the Hopewell Big Woods. An important feature of the park is the Pine Swamp Natural Area, which is home to several rare plant species. On this trip, we will take you to a beautiful open meadow and into the edge of the swamp. The rare plants of this area include rough-leaved aster, brown sedge, and grass-leaved rush. This is one of the most diverse sites for fall flora we know of in the area. We will pay special attention to the several species of goldenrods and asters, and we'll be keeping an eye out for gentians and other special treats. Depending on the amount of recent rain you may want to wear shoes that are waterproof to at least the ankle. Bring your lunch and something to drink. You may want to bring insect repellant. We will travel by small bus. Park in the meadow next to the entrance kiosk.

Tuesday, October 2
9 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Members: $50
Non-members: $55
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 10 reservations left!

Felicita: A Garden Retreat

On this day-long trip we will visit Felicita, a mountain retreat and garden located close to Harrisburg. Begun in 1971 as the home of Harrisburg attorney Richard Angino and his wife Alice, the garden has been transformed from the original 54-acre abandoned farm to over 800 acres of gardens and resort. Shortly after building their home, the Anginos became passionate about their new love for gardening and began devoting time, energy and resources to cultivating their land. There now are more than 45 theme gardens and miles of garden paths and nature trails. We will have a guided tour of the Anginos' private grounds that feature a Japanese garden, alpine garden, Monet lily pond, island conifer beds, and an arboretum. After lunch we will have the chance to wander through the public garden areas on our own. These include the Italian gardens designed in the 16th century Italian Renaissance tradition, an English-style perennial garden, a butterfly garden and nature trails that wind through a canopy of mature oaks, maples, pines and tulip trees past streams, ponds and waterfalls. Tour participants must be able to walk hilly, uneven, grassy terrain. Meet at the Morris Arboretum. Park in the meadow next to the entrance kiosk. We will travel by bus.

Wednesday, October 3
7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
Members: $125
Non-members: $140
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 5 reservations left!

Birding in Pennsylvania’s Piedmont Region
Ruth Pfeffer
Expert Birder and Trip Leader

On this trip we will visit the largest parcel of privately owned open space in Montgomery County, the Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust. It consists of 720 acres of protected meadows, woodlands and floodplain forest in Huntingdon Valley, Pennsylvania, 15 miles northeast of central Philadelphia. The Pennypack Trust offers excellent opportunities for bird watching with its eight miles of woodland, meadow and creekside trails. It also boasts rolling hills with spectacular views of the 160-acre Raytharn Farm as well as beautiful old-growth forests. We will see fall migrants including hawks, songbirds and thrushes and will stop to check for butterflies in the butterfly garden. We will meet at Pennypack Ecological Restoration Trust. Directions will be sent.

Saturday, October 6
8 – 11 a.m.
Members: $24
Non-members: $26 
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 10 reservations left!

Tour of Bryn Athyn: A Visit to Three Glorious Structures

We will visit three incredibly beautiful Bryn Athyn sites, the Bryn Athyn Cathedral, Glencairn Museum and Cairnwood. Construction of the majestic Gothic-Romanesque Bryn Athyn Cathedral started in 1913 and took more than 30 years to complete. The main section is done in the 14th century Gothic style and features 56 foot ceilings. It was built with a strong “arts and crafts” influence, made possible because of the skills of authentic Medieval Guild craftsmen immigrants. Glencairn was the home of Raymond Pitcairn and was built in the Romanesque style between 1928 and 1939. Today it is a museum with stunning stained glass windows and an incredible view. It contains art and artifacts from a variety of cultures and time periods including Ancient Egypt, Greece, Rome, Medieval Christian Europe, Asia, and America. We will also see Cairnwood, home of industrialist John Pitcairn and his family. Designed in the 1890s, by the renowned architectural firm of Carrère and Hastings, it evokes the grandeur of the Gilded Age with its intimacy, beauty and elegance. We will meet at the Arboretum and travel by bus. Lunch at a local restaurant is included.

Wednesday, October 10
9 a.m. – 5 p.m.
Members: $72
Non-members: $80
Trip Cancellation Policy
FULL!

From Creek to Sewer: A Tour of Historic Wingohocking Creek
Adam Levine
Environmental Historian and Author

You can join Adam and other experts from the Philadelphia Water Department on a fascinating bus tour that will follow the
winding course of the Wingohocking Creek. Once a major tributary to Frankford Creek that provided power for many factories, the Wingohocking now runs in a sewer that drains several neighborhoods, including Mt. Airy, Germantown, Olney, Feltonville, and Juniata. We'll stop at points of interest along the way, including the Awbury Arboretum and Belfield, home of Charles Wilson Peale on the LaSalle University campus. You’ll also learn more about watersheds, and how you can help protect the streams in your neighborhoods. This trip is co-sponsored by the Philadelphia Water Department, Mt. Airy Learning Tree and the Morris Arboretum of the University of Pennsylvania. For more information on the tour or to register, contact the Mt. Airy Learning Tree at (215) 843-6333 or www.malt.org. Meet in parking lot across from Mt. Airy Learning Tree (corner of Hortter and Greene Streets, Philadelphia). (If you are interested in this trip you may also want to sign up for From Creek to Sewer: A History of Topographical Change in Philadelphia, a lecture with Adam on Tuesday, September 25 from 7 – 8:30 p.m.)

Saturday, October 13
9 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Trip Cancellation Policy

Winterthur: A Trip to Another Time and Place

Winterthur is the former home of Henry Francis duPont (1880-1969), an avid antiques collector and horticulturist. As a boy he developed an appreciation of nature that served as the basis for his life’s work in the garden. We will have a guided tour of the gardens he created. Mr. duPont selected the choicest plants from around the world to enhance the natural setting of his estate and arranged them in lyrical color combinations that provided a succession of bloom throughout the seasons. After lunch we will have a guided tour of Mr. duPont’s home, which was built in the early 20th century and designed in the spirit of 18th-and19th-century European country estates. We will see how the family entertained their guests and visit many high style rooms furnished with elegant antiques. Meet at the Morris Arboretum. Park in the meadow next to the entrance kiosk. We will travel by bus. The trip does not include the cost of lunch which will be at the Winterthur restaurant.

Wednesday, October 17
8 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Members: $68
Non-members: $75
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 10 reservations left!

Big Trees Tour: Great Old Specimens and the Japanese Tea House
Ken LeRoy
Horticulturist and Owner, LeRoy Tree and Landscape Care

Join tree enthusiast, Ken LeRoy, as we search out big trees in West Fairmount Park. We will visit the collection of oaks planted along Memorial Drive for the Centennial Exposition held in Philadelphia in 1876. We will see many great old trees planted in the arboretum area of Fairmount Park that surrounds Horticulture Hall and hope to see some beautiful fall color throughout the park. A highlight of our tour will be a visit to the Japanese House and Garden in the Park for a tour and tea tasting. This is a perfect time to visit this beautiful spot. The house is an authentic replica of a 17th century Japanese scholar’s house and garden and features traditional plants of Japan, such as bamboo, pine, hinoki cypress, and azaleas. Please wear socks as we will be taking off our shoes to enter the house. We will meet at the Arboretum and travel by small bus. Please park in the meadow next to the Arboretum entrance kiosk. Bring your lunch and something to drink.

Saturday, October 20
10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.
Members: $45
Non-members: $50
Trip Cancellation Policy
Less than 5 reservations left!

Ocean Birding Adventure
Ruth Pfeffer
Expert Birder and Trip Leader

Get away for a day’s adventure at the New Jersey shore. Shaped by storm and tides, Island Beach State Park is a narrow barrier island stretching for ten miles between the restless Atlantic Ocean and the historic Barnegat Bay. New Jersey’s largest osprey colony as well as peregrine falcons, wading birds, shorebirds, waterfowl and migrating songbirds are found here. Island Beach is one of New Jersey’s last significant remnants of a barrier island ecosystem that once existed along much of the coast and is also one of the few remaining undeveloped barrier beaches on the north Atlantic coast. We will look for birds in the varied habitats of Island Beach including primary dunes, thicket, freshwater wetlands, maritime forest and tidal marshes. Meet at the Widener Visitors Center. Dress for the weather. We will travel by small bus. Bring binoculars, lunch and something to drink.

Wednesday, November 7
7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.
Members: $58
Non-members: $64
Trip Cancellation Policy
FULL!