Ever since I was a little girl playing “travel agency” in the basement with my sisters, I’ve had a fascination with learning about and visiting places all across the globe. In those days we had no internet, so we contacted Convention and Visitors Bureaus across the country requesting copies of their latest magazines until our file cabinets were overflowing with all kinds of brochures and information that we could share with our imaginary customers (that’s what my parents get for homeschooling us and taking away the television! ;-)).
Indeed, even as a piano teacher one of the highlights each year for several years was traveling to various cities throughout the United States for the annual Music Teachers National Association conference. Any excuse to plan a trip, right? Plus, a bonus since it was tax deductible! I don’t make it to the national conference as frequently any more, but I still love our annual state conference as an excuse for a weekend excursion!
During a full summer of traveling this year, as I lay in a hammock outside our cabin in the woods of Gimli, Manitoba, I was suddenly struck with the idea of launching a travel blog. And so was borne “Hammock in the Woods: a world of inspiration for those who love to travel.”
So if you’re a fellow travel-lover, feel free to come join the adventure over at Hammock in the Woods, and let me know if you have any ideas you’d like to see or posts you’d like to contribute. I want it to be a treasure trove of inspiration for all of us!
Donna Pinaire says
Natalie, we want to plan a short trip to somewhere 6 or less hours away. Do you have any suggestions?
natalie says
Ooh, that’s a great question, Donna! Do you want more of a quiet, natural setting? Or something more city with things to do and see?
Donna Pinaire says
I think more city with things to do.
natalie says
Ok, so here are a few ideas…
Kansas City – this is probably more of an obvious choice, but here are some of the specific things that could be cool to include in a KC itinerary:
1. Lousiburg Cider Mill – A fun shop where you can watch them make their famous cider donuts, and of course grab one (or a dozen!) to test taste.
2. Overland Park Arboretum & Botanical Gardens – A lovely, but easy, place to walk around and enjoy the peace and beauty of the variety of gardens.
3. National World War I Museum – I thought this was a really interesting and informative museum that brings light to more of what was going on in the years preceding the war.
4. Brookside Park – This is a fabulous little part of the city with quite a few shops and food places. We especially loved having breakfast at Heirloom Bakery & Hearth and J’adore Home and Garden right across the street was our favorite shop!
5. Baramee Thai Bistro – A small, authentic Thai restaurant with open air seating that was delicious! Just north of the Crown Center area.
If you want a little less city, another of our favorites is Lindsborg, Kansas (a.k.a. Little Sweden USA). There’s not as much to do as KC, but still an enjoyable place for a short visit.
1. Seasons of the Fox – We stayed at this delightful bed and breakfast and thoroughly enjoyed the hosts, the room, and the delicious breakfast!
2. The Old Mill Museum – A fascinating little piece of history about this part of the country.
3. Birger Sandzén Art Gallery – A serene setting with a variety of art. We enjoyed taking our time walking through and had the place almost to ourselves.
4. Coronado Heights – A cool place to get some fresh air and a good view of the plains.
5. Dala Horses – It’s fun to just walk along the streets of the town, visit the shops, and look for all the colorful and artistic dala horses throughout the area.
Anyway, you might have already explored both of these options and/or have other ideas, but these are a couple that come to mind as favorites for us within a 6 hour drive. You’ll have to let me know what you all decide to do!