Blogger: Rachel Kent
I have many travel dreams that are born from books I’ve read and that I hope to fulfill someday. I have been to quite a few places in my life, but currently travel isn’t as easy with a young daughter and a very busy daily life.
I would like to travel to England because of Jane Austen’s books. I’d love to see Bath, the province of Kent, the Lake District, London and many other locations. I have seen some of author Julie Klassen’s pictures of her travels, and it looks so fun! I’m not sure I’m ready to dress in a regency gown and go to a ball, but I could watch and clap from the sidelines.
I also would love to go to Prince Edward Island because of the Anne of Green Gables books. What a beautiful place it must be! L.M. Montgomery paints a wonderful picture of the timeless island in her books.
Robin Jones Gunn’s Sisterchicks in Wooden Shoes made me want to travel to the Netherlands. I want to see the fields of tulips, Amsterdam and Corrie ten Boom’s Hiding Place. An added bonus to traveling to the Netherlands would be to see my husband’s extended family. My mother-in-law was born in Holland.
I have many other lofty travel dreams, but I’ll go ahead and admit this lowly wish: I would like to go to the Universal Studios Wonderful World of Harry Potter someday. Not nearly as beautiful as the Lake District or Prince Edward Island, I’m sure, but it looks like a fun experience, and I did enjoy those books.
I got to experience Maui, Hawaii while on my honeymoon. I had dreamed of going to Maui since I was a young teenager and read Robin Jones Gunn’s Christy Miller Series. I knew of many places to go on the island because of the books and loved experiencing the famous road to Hana that Christy drove when her boyfriend Todd was stung by a bee.
How about you? What books have inspired travel dreams for you?
Have you traveled anywhere because of a book?
Have you been to any of my dream locations listed above? Anything I should know?
We go to Disney World each year, and my girls have asked to set one day aside this year to visit Hogwartz at Universal Studios! So you are not alone there. And I’d like to go, too. 🙂 We don’t fly much … saving for that Disney trip. But once at Disney, I love going to Epcot’s World Showcase, where I can “tour” different countries, watch films, ride rides (love the one in Norway). And at Magic Kingdom, the girls love Tom Sawyer Island! One of my favorite rides is the Peter Pan Adventure … because I so love that story/movie. I know it’s not the “real” thing, but it’s still a place to “have the time of your life!” 🙂
I’m glad I’m not the only one. 🙂 The advertising makes it look really fun. I bet it’s not as cool as it looks, but I’d still like to go.
I love Disneyland! I so wish it wasn’t as expensive as it is. It’s getting ridiculous.
I wanted to go to Middle Earth, but knew it didn’t exist…
…until I got to Zion National Park.
And where did I encounter trolls and elves and orcs and Hobbits? And what valley held Smaug?
Ah, now that would be telling, wouldn’t it?
🙂
I’ve been to Zion. So beautiful!
I was hiking there with my whole family and my dad and I were lagging behind so my mom and brothers decided to hide behind one of the rocks to scare us. They didn’t realize that a Chinese couple had passed us, so they jumped out at the poor couple and scared them half-to-death. 🙂 My dad and I couldn’t stop laughing. Great memory. Hopefully the tourists remember it fondly, too! They didn’t speak English.
When I was a boy I read “Tow Sawyer” and “Huckleberry Finn”, and dreamt of America.
When at last I stood on the bank of the great river north of St. Louis, hearing its ceaseless whisper to the sea, I found my dream fulfilled.
Beautiful.
When our boys were young, we camped alongside the Mississippi and I read Tom Saywer aloud. We missed your whisper, Surpreet. A crashing thunderstorm lit up the night and sent us to our car, as we relived Tom’s experience on pirate’s island. Talk about reading come to life!
🙂 The Mississippi is so impressive!
When I was 11 I read Vienna Prelude for the first time and Vienna became my dream city. I found that once I finally got to Austria and tried to trace Elisa and John’s steps through the country ( and into Germany) I had a pretty strong stance on the geography of the cities, towns and regions I had read about because Bodie Thoene describes them so well.
I even sent her a postcard from Vienna! To say thanks! 😀
I love this! I’m sure she enjoyed getting the postcard.
Don’t forget all the folks who go to the Holy Land to walk where Abraham, David and Jesus walked.
That’s my dream, Shirlee!
One of my close friends just did this!
Rachel, you need to go Glacier Park and hike, especially from Many Glacier Hotel. It’s breathtaking.
I’m going to do this one day too, when it’s more peaceful.
PEI is gorgeous, even in the dead of winter. We’ve been there, umm, please don’t loathe me, quite a few times. I’ve been to Green Gables and it IS lovely. Cavendish Beach is beautiful, as is Souris Beach (pronounced “Surrey”).
I’ve mentioned (bragged on) this before, but my MIL and I got kicked out of Green Gables for sitting on the fainting couch in the kitchen. Apparently neither of us read the “do not sit on the furniture” signs. And we were being very very silly, and giggled way too loud, as we dropped on our butts on the rather old couch. The fun part was explaining in sign language to my deaf MIL exactly what was going on.
The park ranger acted like we’d put out 4 cigars in the plush fabric, then cracked open a 6 pack and drank it all. Right in front of Anne Shirley.
We still laugh about it, and it was 16 years ago.
DO NOT SIT ON ANYTHING IN GREEN GABLES!!
I’ve been blessed with 2 opportunities to visit the Navajo Nation, and explore parts of New Mexico and Arizona with Navajo, and Mohawk, guides.
Standing in Canyon de Shelly, where my books begin, was simply surreal. But it was when I stood on the banks of the Pecos River, in Fort Sumner, New Mexico, where thousands of Navajo died because they were Navajo, and my dear friend and Navajo guide, Ted Charles, said to me “What are you feeling right now?”
I looked down at the diamonds on the water and took a deep breath. “I have much to do.”
Chills ran straight down my legs.
Anne would consider you a kindred spirit!
You are such a trouble-maker, Jennifer! And you have a beautiful gift for describing scenes. I think my cheeks reddened as I read your description of the park ranger’s wrath.
I would love to visit PEI.
Thanks for the tips about Green Gables, because I WILL visit there someday.
If I ever get to Green Gables, I will be sure not to sit down.
I have been to the Navajo nation as well. So beautiful. I wasn’t old enough to appreciate the history, so I hope to visit again soon.
I love to travel. I’m not sure I’ve been inspired to travel because of a specific book, but I’ve READ books BECAUSE of where I’ve traveled. My top five travel spots were Italy, Thailand, & Nepal with Switzerland & Germany rounding out the back end. There’s others, but yeah…now I have the travel itch.
I have the travel itch, too. My two closest friends just got back from a mission trip to Nicaragua. I have been on similar trips twice and couldn’t go this year because I’m in a different place in my life right now–with a young child and all. It was hard to be left behind because I LOVE Nicaragua and the people we get to work with down there. They are so amazing. Someday I will take Katie with me.
Rachel, my family hits the road. I did that with my two boys, one was still in his diapers. We try to travel every year, but it’s not always possible. Our trips so far are limited to some far away states and Canada. Children get used to rides. I love to drive, my husband too. We can drive for two weeks. I love it. I pack a few books to read. I take my journal and jot down settings. I might use something in my writing. Oh, you got me started now. I love to travel.
Reading the Bible has inspired me to travel to Heaven. Ever since I was a child it became my dream place. 🙂
I am looking forward to worshiping God in Heaven as well!
Oh, Rachel, the travel bug is biting hard today! 🙂 I also dream of England, and my family and I are planning a trip year after next. We’re saving our pennies in the meantime.
My husband and I also honeymooned in Hawaii and traveled that Hana Highway. 🙂 It was a beautiful road on the way in, but then the Seven Pools were closed to visitors because of a hurricane that had come through over our wedding weekend. All those hairpin turns on the way back….well, I was glad to be back to our condo. I would love to see Hawaii again, but I think this time I would stick with Oahu and the Big Island.
My husband drove and I almost got us lost. It was a good test of our communication skills! 🙂
I’m so excited for you about the England trip! That will be amazing, I’m sure.
Reading is kind of like traveling in your head 🙂 Since I was born with Wanderlust, reading both satisfied my itch for new places and made me want to travel more. And yes, all the places high on my “want to see” list came from books – England, primarily. I’m very thankful my husband had a job that required travel – and rewarded frequent flier miles! Those trips inspired new stories! And so I pass on the Wanderlust…
“Reading is kind of like traveling in your head.” I completely agree, Sarah. Wonderful, isn’t it! 🙂
Yes, you do! Your books make me want to travel, too.
I want to travel to Scotland.
I want to travel to Narnia.
I want to travel to Wales.
I want to travel to too many places on the east coast to name or see in a single trip. Or two.
I want to travel to the 18th century, but only if I can absolutely no doubt about it get back.
Those are all book related, either my own or another author’s.
Yes, Narnia!
Definitely Narnia!
Narnia was also a dream of mine as a child. I hope animals can talk when we get to Heaven! 🙂 Well, I did when I was a child. I’m not sure I want to hear what my dog has to say now-a-days.
Oh how I would love to visit the 500 year old restaurant in Poland described in “The Amber Room” or was it “Florians Gate”? And P.E. Island and middle Earth…but the dream…to visit the ruins of ancient Nineveh in Iraq. I’ve spent 11 years off and on writing about Nineveh, I would so love to go there. But Iraq continues to be “extremely unsafe” as that big eagle guy in muppet treasure island says. And very expensive to get to. Ah well, that’s why they call them dreams right?
Nineveh would be a very scary trip to make these days. 🙁 So sad because there’s such rich history in Iraq and Iran.
Kristen, I’m from Poland. Where is that restaurant located? What city? My husband wants to go to Poland, but first I want to visit places I mentioned earlier. I will get there in a few years, I believe.
Like you, Rachel, I am a fan of the Harry Potter series and have thought about going to Universal. Really, I have almost no excuse because I live in Florida (well maybe finances and a busy life are a bit of an excuse). Here are a couple of tips in regards to Orlando. First, stay at hotel outside of Orland. The places in the Orlando area are obscenely over-priced and it’s an easy commute from nearby places such as Ocoee or Winter Garden. The second tip is about summer. Summer in Florida means fewer tourists, so the park will be less crowded (and there will be better deals on the hotel prices if not at Universal). On the other hand, it is HOT, so if you come in the summer, bring lots of water, sunscreen, and an umbrella. The umbrella will help not only with typical afternoon thunderstorms, but will help arm you against the sun as well.
Another place I would love to travel to because of a book is Middle Earth which, unfortunately, is impossible. However, the movies based on the books introduced me to the amazing beauty of New Zealand. Going there is on my wish list.
A trip to the UK and Ireland is even higher on the list. James Herriot’s books instilled in me a desire to explore the Yorkshire Dales and the books (both fiction and non-fiction) that I’ve read about the Tudors have made me want to visit Hampton Court. Because of my love of Arthurian legend, I yearn to visit Wales where Merlin, according to legend, grew up. My love of Yates’ and Seamuus Heaney’s poetry plus my love of Irish folk and fairy lore draws me to Ireland. So far, I haven’t had the finances to travel outside the U.S. but I’m hoping to be able to do so within the next five years, if God says the same.
A few people have commented on Tom Sawyer. I enjoyed The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and I love Huckleberry Finn (the book and the character). In the 1990s, I lived for a year in St. Louis, MO. During that time, I made it a point to travel to Hannibal, MO, Samuel Clemens’ hometown. That was a wonderful experience! One of the eye-openers for me was to see the Mississippi River there. I had been living in (and returned to) New Orleans where the river is brown and muddy. In Hannibal, it is a clear, sparkling blue and it is wider than it is in New Orleans. As I stood on a hill, looking down at the river, I saw an island in the middle of the water. Covered with trees, it looked untouched and I felt as if I had been transported back to the mid-nineteenth century. I could imagine that island as the place Huck and Jim ran away to early in the book and I wondered if this very island had been the Twain’s inspiration.
Thank you for this post, Rachel. It’s fun to think about the places books take us and make us want to go explore. The most wonderful part of books for me is that, through them, I can travel to and live in places I will never be able to go to in real life–and I can revisit them anytime I want. I take repeat trips back to Yorkshire, Middle Earth (especially The Shire and Rivendell), Hogwarts Castle, and Narnia.
Have a great weekend! 🙂
I have heard a rumor that there is going to be a Harry Potter land at the Universal Studios in Hollywood soon, too.
That would make a trip there much more affordable for me, but I’m not sure I can convince my husband to agree to go! He didn’t like Harry Potter.
Thanks for the Orlando travel tips though! I definitely want to go back to Orlando to explore. I haven’t been able to vacation there since I was 7. I went recently, but only for a conference.
I hope you can persuade your husband to go. Maybe he’ll have enough fun walking around Diagon Alley that he’ll become a Potter fan. 😉
You’re welcome in regards to the tips, but I hope for your sake that Harry Potter land comes to Hollywood.
My daughter is currently Potter-obsessed, so I’m longing for Universal Studios, just so I can see her enjoy it. Like so many others have said, I’d love to see England, Scotland, PEI, and also do the Laura Ingalls tour. Another place I’ve dreamed of is Chincoteague Island. It’s funny how the locations in books from my childhood seem more vibrant than the books I read today. Does that say something about a child’s imagination? Or does it suggest that books have somehow changed?
Very interesting question!
I think those classics do have a way of sticking with us.
I grew up taking trips to Chincoteague and Assateague. Great places to visit as kids, since we love the Henry books. I’ve fed the wild ponies on the beach cereal out of my hands. I’m sure that’s highly discouraged these days, but it was the 70s, when there were far less rules.
PS: I think early imprinting is the strongest.
Okay, okay…Prepare yourselves…I MET Marguerite Henry! At a children’s book fair. I was in 5th grade, right at the height of my horse-book craze, and I’d read almost all of her books. I think I just silently grinned at her. I still have her autograph 🙂
Great post, Rachel. It’s also appropriate because I just got back from an eight-day vacation where I toured some of the Laura Ingalls Wilder sites.
I’ve known a group of women online for 10 years, but we had never met in person. We took the opportunity to get together at the 40th anniversary of Little House on the Prairie show cast reunion and drove from Wisconsin to De Smet, SD to Walnut Grove, MN, to Spring Valley, MN and finally to Burr Oak, IA before returning to Wisconsin. Got to cross the Mississippi River and saw a paddle boat too. It was amazing!
Prince Edward Island is also on my places to visit.
Hope you have a great weekend.
I saw some pictures from this event! I would have loved to go!
I’m glad you had a great time.
Thanks, Rachel. Not sure how much into LIW research you are, but next year in Brookings, South Dakota is LauraPalooza. This is a much more academic look at the life of Laura and the times in which she lived. You can find out more at http://beyondlittlehouse.com/laurapalooza-2015-2/
What I would do to travel. This year we’re heading to Glacier National Park and Yellowstone Park. High on my list is Alaska. I’m not sure when I will get there, but I can dream. After Alaska, I want to go to Hawaii. Other states I have to visit: Washington, Florida, California, and Nevada. These are high on my list. Then I want to visit countries in Europe. I would like to go to Egypt, New Zealand, Africa.hold on to this dream. Until I die, my list will grow. With God’s blessings, I will be able to visit many places on earth.
Enjoy Yellowstone. We camped near the west entrance to the park a few years ago.
It’s my husband’s favorite place.
You sound like me! I have quite the travel list.
I have been to almost all of the states. I think I have 11 left, including Alaska.
You are going to LOVE Yellowstone. It might be my favorite place on Earth…so far, anyway. 🙂
I got chills while sitting on a hillside overlooking the Sea of Galilee while our tour leader read the Beautitudes. Going for a boat ride on the sea (lake, really) was special. Most of the Holy Land has been commercialized, but a few places close to nature can’t be too different from Jesus’ day.
How special, Terri!
I can imagine that that trip would be absolutely breathtaking.
I want to go to Narnia because:
“What happens in Narnia – Stays in Narnia”
I once went on a trip and my wise Aunt Jenny told me:
“A journey of a thousand miles begins with a cash advance.”
The traveler sees what he sees, the tourist sees what he has come to see. – G.K. Chesterton –
I live in Alaska and have done research by traveling to the locations of my Gold Rush books. Beautiful scenery and very fun trips!
Oh, wow!Alaska is on my lips for many years.
Stops in the following locations have been inspired by books:
-Skagway for a bus tour loaded with info about the Klondike Gold Rush
-Nantucket and Martha’s Vineyard
-Orchard House in Concord, MA (Little Women)
-Salem, MA
-Lake Placid, NY
-Belle Meade plantation outside Nashville (Tamera Alexander’s books)
-Williamsburg in Virginia
-Provence & Paris
-More ghost towns in California, Nevada, Arizona, and Idaho than my parents would care to admit. “Just one more,” I whined from the back seat while bumping along yet another dirt road. 🙂 Phyllis Whitney’s book Domino inspired my obsession. Bodie is still one of the best.
Future dream trips would include many of the places already mentioned here, plus:
-Topkapi Palace in Istanbul
-The Oregon trail
-Gavelston, TX
I think a writing retreat in England is in order. Let’s get on that!
Haha! I can’t imagine planning the Books & Such retreat in England. That would be an adventure, for sure.
Ever since reading Thor Heyerdahl’s “Kon-Tiki” and his adventures across the Pacific Ocean, I’ve wanted to go to Easter Island and see the giant statues. How could anyone make them?
I’ve also loved Anne of Green Gables and hope to make it to PEI some day.
In fourth grade, we moved to my grandfather’s ranch outside of Jordan, Montana, and all of Laura Ingalls Wilder books stood on the bookshelf in the bunkhouse. When my sister and I went to Nashville to move my daughter back to Montana, you couldn’t keep us from driving through Mansfield, Missouri and Laura and Almanzo’s farm and museum. It was like visiting old friends, to see Pa’s fiddle, and the bread plate saved from the fire, and to learn that Laura was only 4′ 11″ tall and Almanzo was 5′ 4″! Such a shock. We’d looked on them as being close to six feet.
Several years later, I made my husband go to DeSmet when we went through southeast SD. If you love the Little House books and ever have a chance, go there. They have gathered buildings from the books–the real ones, and do a lovely tour of Pa’s house in town where they lived during the Long Winter. Another party now owns the land where Pa homesteaded, and the buildings are gone but the location is there. I was most surprised to see the land is rich black loam and full of life, when I’d gotten the impression from the books that it was close to worthless and could not grow anything.
But the one place I most want to go to, and ask God to make it one day, is the Marble Collegiate Church, where Dr. Norman Vincent Peale preached for so many years. I think it would feel like home.
Loved this post, Rachel, and it made me think of authors I’d like to meet because of their books. Thanks a lot!
Easter Island is a great one! That would be a wonderful adventure.
I SO hope I can see the Little House places. I would love to do that some day.
Two years ago, I read Down the Yukon by Will Hobbs to my kids which begins in Dawson City, Yukon, Canada. We’d also been studying the Klondike Gold Rush as part of our homeschool. Since we live in Alaska, this is almost in our backyard, so we decided to drive over to Dawson City, Yukon, for Memorial Day weekend. We got to tour the rebuilt Palace Grand Theater, which was featured in Down the Yukon as well as a gold dredge and other pieces of history.
Our family has been blessed with quite a few travel opportunities, some with connections to books, but Dawson City is the only place we’ve ever visited solely because we’d read a book and wanted to see it. Surprisingly, it’s a trip the kids bring up often as one they enjoyed!
When I first read Jan Karon’s Mitford series as a teenager, I desperately wanted to visit Boone and Blowing Rock, NC. I never imagined I’d get the opportunity. When I moved to NC as an adult and had a chance to visit both places, I was overjoyed … although a tad disappointed when Father Tim and Cynthia weren’t waiting there to greet me. 😉
I visited both as a Karon fan too. I still have photos of the Episcopal church there… so like Father Tim’s! Those places would have been wonderful without the books, but with those stories and characters tucked in my heart, even better.
Uncle Billy lives forever in our hearts, and his vernacular has imprinted itself upon our family lexicon, don’tcha know.
Very long story short:
I now live in Perth, Australia because of a magazine article I read when I was thirteen.
P.S.: I L O V E Zion National Park.