Tours and Special Events   

Tour the DRI Ice Core Lab to learn about research being conducted in this state-of-the-art facility where a team of scientists specialize in the development and application of leading-edge technologies for the analysis of polar and alpine ice cores. By drilling into the ice and analyzing the chemistry of the frozen water and trapped air bubbles, scientists can determine the past changes in climate, ice sheet size, and sea level, atmospheric composition, and how humans have impacted the environment and vice versa. Our tour will be led by Nathan Chellman, Ph.D. and Sophia Wensman, Ph.D., both Assistant Research Professors in DRI's Division of Hydrologic Sciences."

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign-up will open on March 6 and close on March 12. The tour is limited to 10 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.

This pre-trip information meeting is designed for OLLI members who are already registered and paid for the Shades of Ireland featuring Northern Ireland tour. During this session, our Collette representative will walk travelers through important pre-departure details, including travel logistics, documentation, packing tips, and what to expect day-to-day while on tour. This is also a wonderful opportunity to meet fellow travelers, ask questions, and ensure everyone feels prepared and excited for the journey ahead.

Please note: This meeting is not an information session for prospective travelers and will focus specifically on details relevant to those already confirmed for the trip. We look forward to gathering as a group and helping set the stage for a memorable Ireland adventure.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

OLLI is heading to the Big Apple! We’re excited to offer a new group travel experience in partnership with Collette—featuring a vibrant, immersive tour of New York City. Join us for this engaging information session where our Collette representative will walk you through the highlights of the trip, including iconic landmarks like the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and the 9/11 Memorial, as well as unforgettable experiences such as Broadway shows, guided city tours, and time to explore on your own. Whether New York City is already on your travel bucket list or you’re simply curious, come learn how you can experience “the city that never sleeps” alongside fellow OLLI members. We look forward to sharing this exciting opportunity with you!

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

"Witnesses: Holocaust Testimony in Words and Art." Remembering and presenting the voices, writings and art as firsthand documentation from witnesses to the Holocaust. Keynote Speaker: Dr. Samuel D. Kassow, Charles H. Northam Professor of History at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, will speak about the Ringelblum Archive, a collection of documents and materials created in the Warsaw Ghetto to document life in the ghetto and the fate of Polish Jews. He is widely known for his 2007 book Who Will Write Our History?: Rediscovering a Hidden Archive from the Warsaw Ghetto.

This FREE event will be at the Atlantis Casino Resort Spa. View art exhibit in Paradise Ballroom lobby at 6:00 p.m.

Please RSVP at https://bit.ly/DofR2026

Questions? Email judith.schumer18@gmail.com. 

Learn about when Fort Churchill was built in 1860 to provide protection for early settlers and westbound emigrants and to guard the Pony Express and telegraph lines. Today the ruins are preserved in a state of arrested decay within Fort Churchill State Historic Park, and visitors can walk designated trails to observe the ruins. The park also includes the renovated Buckland Station, an important way station in the 1800s for pioneer travelers on the Overland Route.

Bring a picnic lunch, hat, sunscreen, comfortable walking shoes, and water.

TOUR COST: $35 PLUS $2 Nevada State Park entry fee and $1 entry fee to Buckland Station, to be paid on-site.

https://parks.nv.gov/parks/fort-churchill

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign-up will be open April 3 and close on April 9. The tour is limited to 33 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.

Join us on a private tour of Nevada State Prison conducted by a member of the Nevada State Prison Preservation Society. The Nevada State Prison opened in 1862, even before Nevada became a state. It is one of the oldest prisons in the West and was in use for over 150 years before being decommissioned in 2012. It played an important role in Nevada's history, protecting its citizens, influencing its architecture, providing employment, and amassing an impressive list of historically significant events. In October of 2015, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places. 

Note: The Nevada State Prison Preservation Society preserves the Nevada State Prison for the education of the State's citizens and visitors regarding the role of the institution in the development of Nevada's government, the architecture of Carson City, and the protection of Nevada's communities.

TOUR COST: $25

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign-up will open on April 24 and will close on April 30. The tour is limited to 15 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.

Join us for a tour of the Stewart Indian School and Museum in Carson City. The museum is dedicated to telling the stories of the American Indian students who were educated at the school. Walk a portion of the grounds, learn about the buildings, native plants, and tour the museum. The gift shop offers native arts, crafts and books for sale. For more information: https://stewartindianschool.com/

TOUR COST: $12 (pay at the door)

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign up will open on May 8 and close on May 14. There is a limit of 25 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.

Let’s celebrate summer with great company and a potluck of delicious dishes! Join fellow OLLI members—or come meet new ones—at our annual summer picnic held at the scenic Bartley Ranch Park. It’s a perfect time to relax, reconnect, and enjoy the warmth of our OLLI community. Please bring a dish to share—appetizer, salad, main, or dessert—along with serving utensils and your own beverages. Whether it’s your signature recipe or something picked up from your favorite local spot, all contributions are appreciated! Plates, eating utensils, and napkins will be provided. We’ll plan to begin lunch around noon, so bring your appetite! We can’t wait to see you there for a joyful afternoon of good food, great conversation, and community connection in the great outdoors.

Location: Bartley Ranch Park, Flying B Pavilion
                 6000 Bartley Ranch Rd. in Reno

Join us for our Annual Membership Meeting to learn more about what’s happening at OLLI, the direction we’re headed, and to hear an up-to-date report on our financial status. While no formal election will be held, the Nominating Committee will introduce candidates recommended for upcoming Advisory Council positions.

Refreshments will be generously provided by Right at Home, Home Care.

Look for the ZOOM link in the OLLI Weekly.

Valley Wood Park Wildlife Gardens in Northwest Reno includes eight themed gardens focusing on pollinators, birds, native plants, and sustainable gardening. Each season brings its own beauty, with interpretive signs and walking paths. Learn about the birds that inhabit the garden from Lahontan Audubon Society Executive Director Diane Hong-Kone. The guided tour, led by Kitty Gillette, co-chair of Valley Wood Wildlife Gardens Task Force, is mostly on paved sidewalks and asphalt walkways. If you have any questions, please email Eileen Bidwell at eeniebee@charter.net

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign-up will open on May 22 and close on June 4.  The tour is limited to 25 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.

Join us for our 14th year of OLLI Good Time Camping from Wednesday, June 17 – Friday, June 19, 2026 at Washoe Lake State Park Campground. Camp overnight or come for the day. Please bring your own chairs, as seating is limited. 

• Wednesday, June 17 (2 p.m. check in)
  • 6:30 p.m. Campfire, Hula Dancing Ukulele & Sing-Along (bring a log for the fire)
• Thursday, June 18
  • 8:30 a.m. OLLI hikers
  • 2 p.m. Silver Dollar Chorus Barbershop Quartet
  • 3 p.m. Dennis Goldman (music, cowboy poetry & Nevada History)
• Friday, June 19 (11 a.m. check out)

Overnight camping fee - $15 per night for Nevada vehicles. Day use fee - $5 per vehicle. To be paid at the park entrance. (Current Nevada State Parks All Access Senior Permits waive these entrance fees) 

Questions? Contact Cal Wilson (775) 240-4009. 

Join us as we embark on an approximate three-mile walking tour back in time through these historic tunnels with local historian Paul Ackerman. Before May 10, 1869, traveling across the United States was a lengthy, perilous, and costly endeavor. The game changed on this date with completion of the Transcontinental Railroad. The journey from Iowa to California, which once took months by wagon, could now be accomplished in just four days! Among the engineering marvels of the transcontinental railroad, the Donner Pass Summit Tunnels, situated atop Donner Summit, stand out as one of the most crucial. While no longer in use, the historic Donner Summit tunnels, constructed primarily by Chinese railroad workers, stand as a testament to ingenuity and industry. These tunnels represent one of the most significant engineering accomplishments of the 19th century and played a vital role in uniting what would become the “Lower 48”.

TOUR SIGN-UP REQUIRED: Sign-up will open on June 12 and will close on June 18. The tour is limited to 20 OLLI members. A lottery will be held to fill available slots if demand exceeds availability.

PLEASE NOTE: Each OLLI member must sign up separately to be considered for joint attendance. Signing up for the tour does not guarantee participation. Confirmation details will be provided individually once the tour deadline has closed to let you know if you’re on the tour or not.