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Avenidas

Re-Inventing Aging

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Learning & Leisure

watercolor class at Avenidas
Learning & Leisure

Whether you want to exercise your body or keep your brain fit, try your hand at watercolors or creative writing, learn a foreign language or play a game of chess, the Avenidas Learning & Leisure program offers you all that and more.

Dance class at Avenidas
Learning a new line dance is one way this group keeps their brains and bodies engaged and moving.

There are so many benefits to continuous learning—​it can improve your self-confidence as you master a new subject, and it helps keep your brain healthy when you take on new challenges and explore different hobbies.

Besides the professional knowledge you’ve acquired, it’s important that you keep up with practical skills such as working with finances, communicating effectively, or using technology.

Having interesting activities that you pursue during your leisure time can help you fight boredom and meet new people. Take a course in a subject you might enjoy such as writing, digital photography, craft making or acting. You never know what other interests you could discover!

All Classes & Activities

For more information, contact Tracy McCloud, Center Director, at or call

1 (650) 289-5436


Learn, Laugh, and Grow!

Avenidas offers numerous courses to keep you learning and developing. Research studies have shown that studying music or learning to play an instrument can improve your concentration, enhance verbal memory, spatial reasoning and literacy skills. Avenidas has a choir and a string orchestra people can join, as well as musical jam sessions and workshops on learning the ukulele and the harmonica.

Members of the Uku-u-Ladies play their ukuleles at the Avenidas 50th birthday bash
Uku-u-Ladies performing at Avenidas’ 50th birthday bash

Register Now for Spring 2021 Classes

Please register early for your classes—space is limited. Also, if we do not reach a minimum number of students, classes may be cancelled.

Download Class Schedule
Register Online

Groups & Clubs

In addition to structured classes that run for weeks at a time, Avenidas also has many drop-in lectures, games, and clubs, such as the Chess Club and the “Aveneedles” knitting group.

Several other well-loved activities include the Current Events group, who like to debate all the hot topics of the day, and the Improv workshop that guarantees laughter will take place! So challenge yourself to pick a topic that you’d like to learn more about, or an activity you want to pursue, and come to Avenidas to continue your learning journey.

Group photo of Avenidas hikers at Skyline OSP
Avenidas Hiking Group members at Skyline Open Space Preserve.

Upcoming Events

detail of Raphael's painting "Parnassus"

A Class on the Classics

Mar4
$30 – $40
Thursdays 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Each week we will overview of one of the great plays, poems, novels ever written.

Event Details » about A Class on the Classics

Bust of William Shakespeare in London

Shakespeare Club

Mar8
Free
Mondays 10:30 am – 12:00 pm
Join Phil Lumish and the club members every Monday to read one of the Bard’s great works.

Event Details » about Shakespeare Club

pose like a famous painting contest: Shirley Hollis as Frida Kahlo in "Me and My Parrots"

Art Appreciation with Shirley Hollis

Mar8
Free
Mondays 12:00 pm – 12:30 pm
Enjoy twelve weeks of “travel” to visit the art and artists of various under-represented countries and continents.

Event Details » about Art Appreciation with Shirley Hollis

illustration of mouth position for different sounds

Beginning Lipreading B: Vowels

Mar8
Free
Mondays 1:00 pm – 3:00 pm
Whether or not you wear hearing aids, you can learn and practice techniques like lip-reading to ease communication and improve word understanding.

Event Details » about Beginning Lipreading B: Vowels

All Classes & Activities

The Latest in Learning & Leisure

Shop the Avenidas Holiday Boutique

Our Online Shop Is Now OPEN!

December 14, 2020

We’re excited to be able to offer one-of-a-kind knitted items for purchase in our new, online shop.

Read Post » about Our Online Shop Is Now OPEN!

peppermint, gingerbread, and hot cocoa illustration for Winter 2021 class insert

Register Now for Winter 2021 Classes

November 17, 2020

New classes for Winter 2021: Hot Topics in Psychology and Law, and Virtual BaDuanJin Exercise. New format for Creative Writing.

Read Post » about Register Now for Winter 2021 Classes

assortment of knitted goods available at the 2019 Aveneedlers Holiday Boutique

Aveneedlers Prepare for Online Holiday Boutique

September 8, 2020

Members of the Aveneedlers club aren’t letting a little thing like Coronavirus stop them from knitting up a storm in preparation for their holiday boutique.

Read Post » about Aveneedlers Prepare for Online Holiday Boutique

Avenidas Fall 2020 classes illustration (stylized autumn trees)

Register Now for Fall 2020 Classes

August 28, 2020

Registration opens Monday, August 31st for Avenidas members and Thursday, September 10th for non-members.

Read Post » about Register Now for Fall 2020 Classes


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Contact Information

450 Bryant Street
Palo Alto, CA 94301
Phone (650) 289-5400
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Tax ID

Avenidas is an Internal Revenue Code section 501(c)(3) organization which may receive tax-deductible contributions. Our tax identification number is 94-1480548.

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