ICED Conference 2008 » Educational Excursions

Educational Excursions

EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS:Wednesday Afternoon and Thursday Morning

EDUCATIONAL EXCURSIONS: WHAT ARE THEY, and WHAT ARE THEY FOR?

Educational Excursions are popular events at POD conferences; why? First, they allow participants to become better acquainted with the conference locale—its flora, fauna, history, and other interesting information about the surroundings. Second, educational excursions provide an informal setting for participants to meet and network with conference colleagues. Many strong professional relationships have been forged on educational excursions—some of which have grown into lasting, warm friendships. For more information, click here.

WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON
(Educational Excursions 1-3)

Museum of Ancient Life (E-1)

E-1/Wed pm
Registration Fee: $35 (until June 4th)
On-site Fee: $40

The “Museum of Ancient Life” at Thanksgiving Point is a unique, outstanding attraction of Utah. Taking advantage of the numerous fossil finds of the Utah deserts, where conditions for fossil preservation have been ideal for millions of years, the Museum hosts the largest collection of mounted dinosaurs anywhere in the world. There are over sixty of these giant creatures, including the famed 120-foot long and aptly-named Supersaurus, as well as hundreds of smaller specimens, many of which are not to be seen elsewhere. This carefully designed paleontology museum presents a unique and memorable experience, and is one of the world’s best introductions to the ancient, familiar-yet-foreign, world of the dinosaurs and ancient life.

(E-1/Wed pm) Wednesday afternoon, June 11, 12 noon-4:45 pm
Excursion participants will meet promptly at noon in front of the University Guest House (east side towards the mountains). As they board the bus/van, they will receive a boxed lunch to eat en route. Arriving at the “Museum of Ancient Life,” they will be met by their excursion guide, Dr. Brooks Britt, Brigham Young University professor of geology. An enthusiastic scholar and a popular teacher, Dr. Britt has been involved in recent fossil finds in Utah which have made headline news. Earning his PhD at the University of Calgary, Dr. Britt has also curated museum shows and led excursions throughout the West. Dr. Britt will help make the museum excursion an impressive and memorable experience. Participants will return UGH by 4:45 p.m.

Heritage Park and Village (E-2)

E-2/Wed pm
Registration fee: $20 (until June 4th)
On-site fee: $25
Note: This excursion is offered Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Nearby “Heritage Village” is a living history site within the 450-acre “This Is The Place” Heritage Park. At Heritage Village, you’ll get an informed glimpse into the daily life of pioneers who settled in the American West circa 1850. In more than 40 original and replica homes and businesses you will find costumed “villagers” demonstrating crafts, trades, and homemaking skills typical of 19th Century Utah.

Besides experiencing pioneer life, visitors always enjoy their self-guided strolls through the village’s foothill locale which provides gorgeous views of the entire Salt Lake Valley. On a spring day in June, you should expect verdant green with abundant flowers, sunshine, and cool breezes.

For informative Park/Village Web sites, click here.

(E-2/Wed pm) Wednesday afternoon, June 11, 2:00-5:00 pm
Meet in front (east side, towards the mountains) of the University Guest House at 2:00 p.m. Ride in van to Heritage Village to disembark for 2-hour, self-guided walk. Return in van to UGH by 5 p.m. Wear good walking shoes, long pants and a light, long-sleeved shirt and a sun-protecting HAT. Wear/bring sunblock; mountain sun burns skin easily.

Red Butte Garden (E-3)

E-3/Wed pm
Registration fee: $25 (until June 4th)
On-site fee: $30
Note: This excursion is offered Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Nearby Red Butte Garden is the largest botanical garden in the Intermountain West. With 18 acres of formal gardens featuring spectacular floral displays and 3 to 4 miles of hiking trails, Red Butte Garden cultivates the human connection with the beauty of living landscapes.

For more information about Red Butte Garden, click here.

(E-3/Wed pm) Wednesday afternoon, June 11, 2:15-5:00 pm
Excursion participants will meet promptly at 2:15 p.m. in front of the University Guest House (east side, toward the mountains). A van will transport them the short distance to Red Butte Garden where they will be met by their naturalist-guide for a 1 ½-hour garden tour. They’ll walk through ( and learn about) the “Four Seasons Garden”; the fragrance, herb, and medicinal gardens; and the “Waterfall Garden,” to name but a few. After the tour, there is a quarter- to half-hour to explore Red Butte Garden’s “natural area” or to visit the small garden-museum gift shop. Return in the van to UGH by 5:00 p.m. Wear good walking shoes, long pants and a light, long-sleeved shirt and a HAT. Wear/bring sunblock; mountain sun burns skin easily.

THURSDAY MORNING
Education Excursions 4-5

Heritage Park and Village (E-4)

E-4/Thurs am
Registration fee: $20 (until June 4th)
On-site fee: $25
Note: This excursion is offered Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

For informative Park/Village Web sites, click here.

Meet in front (east side, towards the mtns.) of the University Guest House at 9 a.m. Ride in van to Heritage Village to disembark for 2-hour, self-guided tour. Return in van to UGH by noon. Wear good walking shoes, long pants and a light, long-sleeved shirt and a HAT. Wear/bring sunblock; mountain sun burns skin easily.

Red Butte Garden(E-5)

E-5/Thurs am
Registration fee: $25 (until June 4th)
On-site fee: $30
Note: This excursion is offered Wednesday afternoon and Thursday morning.

Red Butte Garden is the largest botanical garden in the intermountain West. With 18 acres of formal gardens featuring spectacular floral displays and 3 to 4 miles of hiking trails, Red Butte Garden cultivates the human connection with the beauty of living landscapes.

For more information about the Red Butte Garden, click here.

(E-5/Thurs am) Thursday morning, June 12, 9:15 am-12:00 noon
Excursion participants will meet promptly at 9:15 am in front of the University Guest House (east side, toward the mountains). A van will transport them the short distance to Red Butte Garden where they will be met by their naturalist-guide for a 1 ½-hour garden tour. They’ll walk through ( and learn about) the “Four Seasons Garden”; the fragrance, herb, and medicinal gardens; and the “Waterfall Garden,” to name but a few. After the tour, there is a quarter- to half-hour to explore Red Butte Garden’s “natural area” or to visit the small garden-museum gift shop. Return to UGH by 12 noon. Wear good walking shoes, long pants and a light, long-sleeved shirt and a HAT. Wear/bring sunblock; mountain sun burns skin easily.

Thursday, June 12, 9:15 – 12 Noon:

SUNDAY MORNING
Education Excursions 6-7

Tabernacle Choir Morning Concert (and Transfer to the SL International Airport) (E-6 or E-7)

E-6/Sun am OR E-7/Sun am
Registration fee: $10 (until June 4)
On-site fee: $15

A visit to Utah is not complete without seeing (and hearing!) the world-famous Mormon Tabernacle Choir. ICED conference goers will have this once-in-a-lifetime experience as the final activity of the 2008 conference. After the live, half-hour, Choir performance, ICED participants will transfer by coach to the S.L. International Airport for their departing flights home. (OR, they can remain in the downtown area at their leisure and make their own arrangements for travel to the airport.)

For more information about the Tabernacle Choir, click here.

(E-6 /Sun a.m.) Sunday morning, June 15, 8:00-11:30 am:
Tabernacle Choir Morning Concert (and EARLY Transfer to the SL International Airport)

A motor coach will pick up ICED participants and all their luggage in front (east side) of the University Guest House at 8:00 a.m. for the short drive (guided/narrated by a local ICED member) to the Tabernacle Choir concert. Luggage remains stowed on the motor coach during the concert. Immediately following the concert (10:15 a.m.) the ICED guide will lead you to the motor coach for the short ride to the SL International airport. You will arrive at the airport between 11:15 and 11:30 a.m.. (Allow two hours before your flight departure time.) Bon voyage.

(E-7/Sun am) Sunday morning, June 15, 8:00-12:45 pm:
Tabernacle Choir Morning Concert (and LATER Transfer to the SL International Airport)

A motor coach will pick up ICED participants and all their luggage in front (east side) of the University Guest House at 8:00 a.m. for the short drive (guided/narrated by a local ICED member) to the Tabernacle Choir concert. Luggage remains stowed on the motor coach.. At the end of the concert (10:15 a.m.), you will have time for a guided tour of Temple Square (offered in dozens of languages) or to explore the downtown area until 11:45 a.m., when you will re-board the motor coach for the short ride to the SL International airport. You will arrive at the airport between 12:30 and 12:45 p.m.. (Allow two hours before your flight departure time.) Bon voyage.