Travel Tips

Seattle’s Rich Train History Brings out the Inner Child in us All

Boys and girls of all ages love trains and trains have played a vital role in the history of this country and Seattle Washington and the Northwest in particular. In fact, the roles of trains on this part of the country have in the past been so vital that there are a few museums dedicated to that very important mode of transportation. Trains were essentially lifelines for the populations here for many years. While their importance seems to be diminishing in today’s society, their importance throughout the history of our country remains.

If you truly are a train lover, then it shouldn’t be difficult to talk you into stopping by Seattle’s Train Center before and after touring the museums dedicated to trains and their importance in history. The Train Center offers a wide selection of model train parts and pieces that would make excellent additions to your collection or a great beginning to a collection for you or your little one.

After you’ve whetted your appetite for trains and gotten your little one all excited about them, it is time to talk a walk back in time to the Northwest Railway Museum. Here you can learn about railway history or even choose to take a ride on one of the trains that departs for several excursions throughout the day. Most of the trips are 65-75 minutes long and a great treat for young and old alike. Perhaps the greatest thing about this museum is that their main objective is to educate the public about the important role that railroads had in the development of this part of the country.

If you’re really interested in sharing your love of trains with the ones you love, you may consider taking a turn on the Spirit of Washington Dinner Train. This is a great way to not only get the experience of riding the rails but to take in some of the beautiful Washington scenery and have a gourmet meal in the process. During the months of November through April up to two children ride free with a paying adult. There are certain restrictions as to the type of seating, but it is a great time to enjoy the experience at a greatly reduced price. There are also special events such as Murder Mystery Trains and Magic and Illusion shows in addition to certain holiday events as well. Be sure to check out what’s going on while you’re visiting Seattle and see if this is something that might interest you and your family.

If you are up for a not so short drive to Pasco (about three and a half hours from Seattle), you might find the Washington State Railroads Historical Society Museum well worth the trip. Be sure to remember that the museum is only opened on Saturday and that the hours are limited so this is a trip you need to plan in advance to take. The greatest thing about this museum to me is the fact that there are neat little stories, like the blackboard that recorded the first snowfall at the depot each year and others such as this. It’s the little stories that don’t necessarily make history that do make lasting impressions and I’m glad to see this particular story is being shared. Just remember, when visiting any of these depots, museums, and train tours that you absolutely must bring your inner child with you in order to properly enjoy them.

When visiting Seattle Washington, it is probably quite impossible not to notice the beautiful scenery that surrounds this great town. I can think of few cities in America that are so strategically located to take advantage of the best of nature. Not only are the surroundings lovely, but the climate is also very mild for most of the year. The drawback for some is the rain as it rains about 50 percent of the time in this city. I suppose that I could sacrifice humidity and stifling high temperatures in exchange for a few rain showers, but that’s just me.

It would seem that I am not the only one that has noticed the beauty that seems to surround the Seattle area as there are several national parks in these areas that are a sure sign someone else has noticed. In fact, that is what I’ll be discussing. The national parks that are within easy driving distance of Seattle Washington. If you love nature, any of these parks has a great deal to offer and if you are really adventurous, you can try visiting them all (though I really feel you would be hard pressed to get the most out of your experience in a national park after just one day).

The first national park on my list is the one that comes first to my mind when I think of Seattle even though it is a monument rather than a park. It is called the Mt. St. Helens National Volcanic Monument and was created for the purposes of research, education, and recreation. Within the 110,000-acre National Volcanic Monument the environment is left to its own devices in recovering from the disaster. The last time Mt. St. Helens erupted was in 1980.

The next national park on my list is indeed a national park it is called Mt. Rainier National Park and is only a short drive from Seattle. Mt. Rainier is an inactive volcano and the park was founded in 1899. This park receives visits from nearly two million people each year. There are many activities that can be enjoyed here from camping, hiking, horseback riding, mountain climbing, and fishing to taking simple nature walks in order to enjoy the beautiful scenery. This is one park that I really don’t recommend trying to conquer in a day, there is simply too much ground to cover and you might miss something really cool if you rush through. I understand that time is limited and you may not have the time to properly explore all the park has to offer on one vacation. If that is the case, I seriously recommend finding one or two things to do and see while there and concentrating all of your efforts on those things.

Located about two hours outside of Seattle, Washington is the North Cascades National Park. Often referred to as the North American Alps, this mountain range is spectacularly beautiful. There are many activities available within the park such as camping, hiking, mountain climbing, fishing, and float trips along the Skagit and Stehekin rivers. For me, simply enjoying the stunning views of this national park would be enough without the benefit of the other activities that are available. This is a great way to spend a day, two days, or even an entire vacation. I especially recommend river floating if you have children. It is a great way to enjoy your time together and fairly enjoyable for everyone. You may even be able to get them to take the headphones off for a little while.

Everyone has certain things that appeal to him or her most about a prospective vacation location. For me, a great amount of appeal comes in the things I can see, touch, smell, and experience. Nature is one of the things that we can’t always experience at home or if we can, we simply take it for granted. While on vacation, the ability to experience the best that nature has to offer is a wonderful thing. I hope you will visit at least one of these parks during your visit to Seattle.

You may be wondering where you can go for your next vacation. Maybe you have already been to Hawaii, London, and Paris. Its time to try an Italy vacation. You may have even been to Rome already and disliked the crowds and the “touristy” feel. If you prefer the countryside and don’t mind the beautiful scenery you should go to Tuscany for your Italy vacation. You should also go to Tuscany for your Italian vacation if you are interested in art and architecture because this region boasts some of the best in those categories.

There are twenty regions in Italy and Tuscany is a region found in central Italy. It has some of the most beautiful landscapes in the world and many famous artists have achieved some spectacular pieces of art using the Tuscan landscape for a backdrop during the Italian renaissance. The capital of this region is Florence. In fact 350 out of a 1000 of Europe’s most important artists of the 2nd millennium lived in Florence. Six places in Tuscany are UNESCO protected sites. That means that they have been placed on a list maintained by the international World Heritage Program that aims to name, catalogue and protect sites that are deemed to be of outstanding cultural value for humanity. There are 851 such sites worldwide and you can see 6 of them on your Tuscan Italian vacation. These include the historical centers of Florence, Siena, San Gimignano and Pienza. They also include the Val d’Orcia and the square of the Cathedral of Pisa which is famous for its leaning tower.

The historic centers of the cities you may visit on your Tuscan Italian vacation are protected sites mainly for their magnificent architecture. The Duomo is a cathedral in Siena that represents great Italian Romanesque culture. In Florence you must visit Santa Maria del Flore which is another cathedral with beautiful architecture. The Ponche Vencho Bridge in Florence is an amazing old bridge held up by stilts but has several shops built along its edge. San Gimignano is a small town on a hilltop. It is a walled town and is known for its medieval architecture.

Its fourteen towers may be seen from several miles around. Through wars and disasters, San Gimignano has been able to keep its beautiful fourteen towers and you will be able to see these works of art on your Tuscan Italy vacation. The Val d’Orcia gained its place on the list of protected sites because it truly exemplifies beautiful landscape. With rolling hills and small quaint villages you must make sure you see this area when you go on your Italian vacation.

Another reason why you may want to visit Tuscany and specifically Florence is that this was the place where Leonardo da Vinci was born and spent his youth working in the studio of a well known Florentine painter. Most known for the Mona Lisa and The Last Supper it is said that his landscapes and artistic style came from growing up in this region. You will be able to visit the hamlet near the hill town of Vinci where Leonardo da Vinci was born on your Tuscan Italian Vacation.