Travel, adventure, friendship and fun. Who wouldn’t love to enjoy the majesty of the Alaskan shore, the beauty of autumn at our national parks, the music of Branson, Missouri, the Albuquerque Balloon Festival, and the excitement and glamour of Las Vegas – all with an enthusiastic group that shares your love of travel?
Trips like these, as well as many others are commonplace at Walnut Village, Anaheim’s award-winning, continuing care retirement community. Life Enrichment Director Judi Marsh takes great pleasure in organizing several trips per year.
Many residents have traveled their entire lives, and when they come to live at Walnut Village there is no reason to stop. In fact, with Judi’s help, travelers don’t have to worry about the hassles and details of a typical vacation. All arrangements are taken care of, including transportation, hotel reservations, moving luggage to and from destinations and special rates exclusively for Walnut Village residents, which makes each adventure with friends as fun and easy as ever.
“Most residents take a least one trip with us while living at Walnut Village,” Judi said. “But in March 2020 the pandemic forced us to take a break. Despite that short pause, I reminded residents that our days on the road would return soon and be better than ever!”
That time was during the 2021 winter holiday season, when once again, travelers boarded luxury coaches to experience the grandeur of California’s Central Coast.
The recent four-day, three-night trip began with lunch along Santa Barbara’s scenic waterfront. The travelers continued north to Solvang, dubbed the “Danish Capital of the USA,” where they enjoyed a guided trolley tour of the charming village and shopping afterward.
Feeling lucky on day two, the energetic group checked out the Chumash Casino Resort in the Santa Ynez Valley before taking a tour at the Luffa Farm in nearby Nipomo. This fun and educational stop taught travelers everything they wanted to know about luffa sponges and the opportunity to pick up some unique lotions and soaps.
Other stops that day included shopping in Harmony, a quaint little village founded in 1869 around a burgeoning local dairy industry. Residents also visited The Cambria Christmas Market. This beloved, annual event at Cambria Pines Lodge features more than two million twinkling Christmas lights, complete with themed vignettes, visits from Santa, cozy fire pits, delicious food and drink and an authentic German Christmas Market.
After spending the night in Cambria, on day three, the group visited the Elephant Seal Rookery at Piedras Blancas beach where they saw elephant seals up close in their natural environment.
Before heading back to Anaheim, day four found the group enjoying lunch at Ragged Point Inn and Resort. Perched high on a cliff overlooking the rugged Pacific, Ragged Point is the ideal place to take in the beauty and majesty of California’s Big Sur coast.
“What a way to re-inaugurate our seasonal excursions than with a tour of one of the most beautiful and unique parts of California,” Judi said. “We came out of the pandemic with a bang! We had a ball enjoying each other’s company as well as the magnificent scenery, food, sights and shopping. These types of trips really set Walnut Village apart as a senior living community.”
“I’m so glad our group trips have returned,” said resident Colleen Herren, who was an avid traveler before retiring, usually sailing on two cruises a year. “When I came to Walnut Village, it was a pleasant surprise to go on these trips with my neighbors. This is my second trip and am looking forward to more.”
Past trips have included Bryce, Zion, Yosemite and Kings Canyon national parks, Hearst Castle, Catalina Island, Laughlin, NV. and the resident favorite, an Alaskan cruise.
“Every year we come up with bigger and better trips that our residents enjoy and talk about for months and years to come,” Judi said. “This year was no exception. We ask our residents where they would like to go and many of our trips are a result of those suggestions. Not many retirement communities offer the caliber of trips that we do at Walnut Village. Our first big trip was to Branson, Missouri in 2012. The residents loved it so much that they asked us to plan others.”
And Judi did just that. Some of the benefits of traveling as a group include less expensive fares, better accommodations and the security and fun of traveling with friends. “I’m there to act as their concierge,” Judi said. “I help them plan their days, provide assistance when needed and keep everything organized so they can get maximum enjoyment from each experience.”
While residents are not required to remain with the group, most do. “I think they like the idea of sharing their experiences,” Judi said. “Our residents like to be on the move and appreciate having the option of traveling with friends. A senior living community like Walnut Village is the perfect environment to make that happen.”
Join the community and be part of Walnut Village’s next great trip! Schedule your tour today by calling 714.507.7000 or emailing walnutvillagesales@frontporch.net. Check out our Facebook page, https://www.facebook.com/walnutvillageretirement, to see more great photos of past excursions and life at Walnut Village.
About Walnut Village
Walnut Village is a multi-level senior community located in the heart of Anaheim that offers the feel of a small-town with plenty of opportunities for socializing and creativity. Rank among the top Anaheim senior living communities, Walnut Village is Senior Living Orange County at its best!
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