Class trips Academic and cultural Arts and crafts Personal development Sports and adventure In their own class

In their own class Two groups of courses defy the categories. First up is Elderhostel (613/530-2222), the granddaddy of learning vacations. Last year, more than 300,000 people worldwide went to 47 countries on learning vacations with this nonprofit organization. You must be 50 or older to participate, and for the more strenuous programs, such as kayaking and tennis, you should also be in good shape.

Accommodation is often in university residences. Last year in the Gaspé, participants learned to use the Internet, others did circumpolar studies in Siberia and Antarctica--and almost everything else everywhere in between. Courses start at $385 for six to seven days, including accommodation and meals, with many offered in Canada. They also offer exciting programs in which two to three generations interact in domestic settings.

And then there's the school that Mickey built: the Disney Institute (1/800/496-6337). In Orlando, Fla., you can take short classes in cooking, rock climbing and gardening, in addition to Disney stuff such as cartoon animation, photography and TV production. Although not cheap (a couple and one child would go through more than $5,000 in a week), Disney does know how to make things fun.

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