DECEMBER 2025
GVREC.ORG
Winter at GVR: A New Season of Experiences This winter, GVR makes it easy to enjoy and give the gift of experience. Buy gift certificates in $25 increments to be used for class registration fees (not supply fees), day trips, and event tickets, offering a simple way to share GVR’s many opportunities. With the 2026 Winter Recreation Catalog arriving Monday, December 8, you will find an entire season of programs running January through April. From creative learning to active days out, live entertainment, fitness, and time to unwind, this season offers many inviting choices. Registration opens Monday, December 15 at 8 am for online and in-person sales, with phone registration beginning Tuesday, December 16 at 8 am. Register for classes and buy event tickets at GVRec.org. You can also do so Monday through Friday, 8 am to 4 pm:
• by phone at 520-625-3440 • in person at the West Center Box Office, 1111 South GVR Drive. Leisure Education: Learn, Create, and Grow This winter’s class lineup features a wide range of new ways to learn, make, and experience something fresh. The 2026 catalog includes dozens of new subjects across creative arts, cooking, wellness, cultural exploration, and nature studies. Members with a creative streak will find new offerings such as Abstracting Florals in Motion, Illustrated Dictionary Art, Cobweb Wet-Felted Scarf, Customized Doormats, and Fur and Feathers: Pet Portraits in Pencil. Those interested in developing culinary skills can explore flavors from around the world through French Cooking: Coq au Vin and Crème Brûlée, Greek Cooking: Baklava, Irish Cooking: Millionaire Shortcake, and New Orleans Cooking: Jambalaya. Wellness and movement courses expand again this season with Adaptive Chair Yoga; Aquatics for Arthritis; Pilates for Health, Back, and Joints; Egoscue Method for Pain Relief and Posture Alignment; and Unwind and Restore. Members looking to build communication and confidence may enjoy Conquer the Fear of Public Speaking, Acting, or Genealogy in Story. Nature and cultural learning is also well represented. New offerings include Discovering Desert Critters, Secret Lives of Sonoran Desert Insects, Shorebirds: Nature’s Globetrotters, and three virtual travel experiences featuring Argentina, Venice, and Puerto Rico. This is only a sample of what is available. The catalog contains many more classes for members who want to try something new throughout the winter months.
Day Trips and Travel Adventures GVR continues to expand its travel opportunities with excursions near and far. Borderlandia’s Taco Tours return with more dates for exploring Nogales, Sonora through its food and cultural stories. Members can also journey south to Magdalena de Kino, a colorful pueblo mágico filled with murals, plazas, and the history of Padre Kino, guided by Borderlandia’s Alex LaPierre. Sports fans will find several day trips designed around major events, including visits to see the Phoenix Suns take on the Orlando Magic, the Arizona Diamondbacks face the Detroit Tigers, and the final round of the Cologuard Classic, where championship golf is set against Tucson’s scenic backdrop. Car enthusiasts can take part in a special trip to the BarrettJackson Car Auction in Scottsdale, known internationally for high-energy auctions and remarkable collector vehicles. For those who enjoy music and entertainment on the road, a visit to Barleens Lunch and Show offers an enjoyable outing that includes a hearty meal and round-trip transportation from GVR. Performances, Concerts, and Special Events This season brings a wide mix of concerts, tribute shows, comedy, theater, and dances. Fans of classic rock and vocal harmonies can look forward to Eagle Eyes, celebrating the music of the Eagles, along with Forever Everly, a lively rockumentary/concert dedicated to the Everly Brothers. The Neil Diamond Story, Valens to Valli with Nick Gallardo, and Continued on page 6