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 tmccloud@avenidas.org or call

1 (650) 289-5436

First page of Summer 2024 class listing PDF for Avenidas

Register for Fall Classes

Registration opens Tuesday, September 3 for members and Thursday, September 12 for non-members. Classes are a mix of in-person sessions, on Zoom only, or hybrid. Each class is labeled with an icon to help you see the format at a glance.

Space is limited in some classes. Please register early.

Avenidas is closed November 28 and 29, as well as from December 24 through January 1, for Winter Closure. Most classes and clubs are not scheduled to meet.

Print Schedule Register Online

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

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.