I am so grateful that the Club offers travel opportunities as part of its mission to educate and inform!
Nanette Stringer, Commonwealth Club Traveler

Past Trips

From the Great Wall to the Yangtze

Traveling in a small group of no more than 24 guests, you’ll have the good fortune to meet local people and to experience a host of China’s highlights, both ancient and of the moment. 

Nature and Culture of Appenzell & Engelberg

Journey to Switzerland, the world’s oldest living democracy and a matchless paradise for walking. Luxuriate in the magnificent views of the Swiss and the Austrian Alps. Discover the village of Appenzell, with its charming houses adorned by murals.

Visit St. Gallen and the Abbey Library with manuscripts dating from the 8th century. Enjoy a curator-led tour of Engelberg’s Benedictine Monastery, housing the oldest church organ in Switzerland.

Bar Harbor, Campobello Island & St. Andrews-by-the-Sea

Discover the rustic glamour of Bar Harbor, Campobello Island and St. Andrews-by-the-Sea. In Bar Harbor, Maine, visit the Abbe Museum, a Smithsonian affiliate dedicated to the culture and history of the Wabanaki nations. Board a traditional lobster boat and learn about Maine’s lobster industry. Journey to Quoddy Head State Park, the easternmost point in the United States, then discover the history and stunning landscapes of Campobello Island, Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “beloved island,” and see his 34-room cottage.

Istanbul to Athens Aboard Sea Cloud

Join Commonwealth Club study leaders Rebecca Newberger Goldstein and Steven Pinker, as we experience some of the most important sites from antiquity on an enchanting voyage along the coast of Turkey and through the Greek Isles on the legendary Sea Cloud. Also lecturing on board is Joan Aruz, Curator at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Travel in the company of these experts and thought leaders, as we explore the land of Odysseus.

With Guest Speaker Dwight David Eisenhower II

Join this unique cruise for eight nights aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star small ship m.s. Le Boréal from Honfleur, France, to Ireland, Wales and Scotland.

Minarets & Mosaics

Join author and journalist Stephen Kinzer on a journey through Iran, where vast monuments serve as testament to the extraordinary history of this country.

From Tokyo to Kyoto

Japan is a land of delicate art and bustling commerce, of rich traditions and dizzying modernity; a jumble of sights, sounds, and tastes that for visitors are truly foreign – and truly fascinating. This small group tour, limited to just 24 guests, features the highlights of Tokyo and Kyoto, engages us in local life, and takes us off the beaten path to the lovely historic cities of Takayama and Kanazawa.

Havana and the Vinales Valley

Through a series of meetings and guest speakers we learn about art, dance, medicine, history, education, religion and the economy. This is an extensive and intense learning experience built on the foundation of meeting Cubans and creating a meaningful exchange of ideas and information. Explore the old city as we learn about Havana's history and architecture. Meet with farmers and visit an artist community project in the Vinales Valley. See how small private enterprises are growing throughout the island. Converse with students during a visit to the premier art school in the country.

From the Imperial Cities to the Sahara

Morocco—a land of dramatic contrasts—invites with its ancient ruins, sacred mosques, lush desert oases, imposing Kasbahs, spirited souks, and villages where life proceeds much as it has for centuries. Our small group tour, limited to just 24 guests, takes us from the imperial cities of Rabat, Meknes, Fez, and Marrakech to the High Atlas and vast Sahara. Our eyes, and hearts, are opened to a truly foreign land, an age old culture, and genuinely hospitable people.

Aboard the Five-Star Small Ship M.V. Tere Moana

Join us for this spectacular nine-day journey from the Costa Rican rainforest through the mighty locks of the Panama Canal. Cruise for seven nights from Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica, to Colón, Panama, aboard the exclusively chartered, Five-Star m.v. Tere Moana, relaunched in 2013 after a multimillion-dollar refurbishment and featuring only 45 deluxe Staterooms.