Are you a bookworm or more of magazine page flipper?  

I love to read, and I go in spurts of reading.  The whole kids, homeschooling, after school tutoring, and household managing thing might have something to do with my reading dry spells, but if I haven't read anything in a while I get a hankering for a good book.  

I have always loved historical fiction, but as I was thinking about this blog topic I noticed that many of my favorite novels have dynamic settings that have inspired my travel.  

This next part might give away my nerdy historical book secret away, but hang with me.  One of my favorite authors is Edward Rutherford.  He writes epic novels which focus on a specific place.  His stories carry the reader through tens of thousands of year of history and I love them.  He sets the stage by introducing the reader to a handful of character families that live in the chosen area of his book (Ireland, New York, Russia, Paris), and then each chapter follows the lives of these families through generations of history and how the families' lives intertwine.  What attracts me to Rutherford's writing, and keeps me going back, is the way he builds the city of the setting up over each chapter, making history come alive for me.  This was especially true when I read The Princes of Ireland and then the continuing story: The Rebels of Ireland.  So much so, that it helped inspire my 10 year wedding anniversary to Ireland.  

When my husband and I got off the plane in Dublin and started exploring that amazing city, I felt like I already knew it.  Visiting Trinity College and strolling along the River Liffy brought back characters and events and totally enriched my experience.  

So what about you?  Do you have an inspirational book that lead to a great adventure?  Here are some links to get you started. 

17 TRAVEL BOOKS FOR EXPLORERS, DRIFTERS, AND PEOPLE WHO DON'T MIND GETTING LOST
http://www.bustle.com/articles/35071-17-travel-books-for-explorers-drifters-and-people-who-dont-mind-getting-lost/page/17

20 Books That Will Inspire You to Travel
http://www.more.com/books-that-inspire-travel

And what about the kids?  This infographic makes me so happy because it allows children to see that even fantasy and fairy tale comes from the beauty of real places.  Click on the picture to see the full graphic with many kid's stories.

Kids Are a Trip is a blog that has book picks for Ireland, Spain, France, and Italy for kids and parents alike.
http://kidsareatrip.com/

Tell me about your inspirational books and let us help you plan your next adventure!

Happy roving (and reading!),

Kyleen

“Pardon me boys, is that the Chattanooga Choo Choo?”  It’s a great nostalgic tune that describes well what Chattanooga has to offer for little boys and families.  

The Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel and model train museum in downtown Chattanooga is on the National Registry of Historic Places and allows families to step back in time.  There is a replica of the first train, a wood burning locomotive, that came into the station in 1880.  Children can climb up into the engineer box and explore the knobs and gears of the big steam engine.  

My boys love seeing the bright and colorful train and I try to sneak in a walk around the manicured gardens next to it.  There is also a trolley parked next to the train.  For $3 per person you can hop aboard and learn about the trolley industry of the 1800s in Chattanooga.  

But my favorite part of the Choo Choo complex is the model train museum.  After riding up the elevator and through the lobby, you enter a long room and a miniature world.  The model exhibit shows Chattanooga and the Cumberland mountain community, and becomes my little boys’ wonderland.  Now, they have been to the museum several times and have established their favorite spots to watch the trains go around the mountains and towns. But the first time A went he was about two years old and he stayed on the raised platforms, awestruck, for 10, 15 minutes on end.  (if you have any experience with two year old boys, you will know that that just doesn’t happen, ever.)  

The museum has over 3,000 feet of track, and plenty of little curiosities that put a smile on your face.  The Model Train Museum is open seven days a week with admission only $5 for adults and $3 for children. This makes it one of the cheapest activities for families with young children in Chattanooga!  Of course, the Chattanooga Choo Choo has lots of other perks and attractions, like sleeping in an actual train car or being entertained by your waiter or waitress as you eat at the Station House restaurant.  You can check out all their information at http://www.choochoo.com, and let us help plan your choo choo experience.

Happy roving!
Kyleen

Traveling with little ones can seem like an intimidating task.  You want them to enjoy themselves and you want to get the most out of your trip.  When planning a visit to a family attraction with young children, it's important to remember that it's the little things that the littles like.  Think Christmas as a good parallel: big fancy new toy, and what do they play with all day?  The box.  Big attractions, like Disney World, are the same way.  Just take this picture for example:

I adore this picture of my son on the carousel with his Papaw.  His unbridled joy and enthusiasm make me smile every time I see it.  He rode that carousel four times.  He just couldn't get enough of it.  Little ones like repetition.  At your average mall or park carousel, you might expect to pay a few bucks to ride on the colorfully decorated steeds, but we rode this particular carousel at the Magic Kingdom in Disney World.  And at the end of an action packed, fun filled day when we asked, "What was your favorite?  The jungle boat ride?  Buzz Lightyear?  Peter Pan?", it ended up being the carousel that made his eyes sparkle and his face light up.  

As you plan your travel with little ones, don't forget to budget in some time to slow down and hit the simple stuff.  Between museum visits, city tours, and flashy amusement parks, schedule a stop to run in a grassy park or a splash in the fountain.  You'll see your littles come alive as they relax, release some energy, and relish in the simplicity of their world.

Here's one more, just for giggles.  Head thrown back, couldn't be happier.  We all need to bring that childlike joy to our attitudes when we travel (or when we're just at home too, right?).

Happy roving,

Kyleen