Schoolchildren give their rapt attention to the tour guide at the Virigina State Capitol as he talks about the only statue for which George Washington posed. I, too, felt like an eager learner wanting to take in all of the wonder and awe of our nation's history during our road trip across hallowed ground.

When we first began planning what we initially called our "Civil War Tour," we weren't quite sure what to expect – or where to start.

It was new territory for us as we crisscrossed Virginia, Maryland and Pennsylvania. We found ourselves entering and exiting multiple states within minutes of one another. “Goodbye, Virginia,” we’d announce, only to re-enter it again on the same stretch of highway minutes later.

I guess you could call our trip more of a hodgepodge of Revolutionary and Civil War history.

From sea to sky, Anguilla is a scintillating 50 shades of blue.

You can’t help but gawk at the ocean. From the palest aquamarine to the brightest turquoise to the stormiest blue, the color show unfolds as the sun and clouds jockey for position in an equally alluring sky.

With 33 beaches on this 35-square-mile Caribbean island in the British West Indies, there are plenty of vantage points from which to appreciate its subtle shades. 

My memories of visiting Walt Disney World as a young child are faint. Fortunately, I have photos of riding Dumbo and chatting it up with Eeyore to jog my memory of that family trip.

In my 20s, I started contemplating a return visit. I thought it would be cool to visit Epcot to see all of those countries and cultures in one location. I would love to have whispered into the ear of my 20-something self, “Hang tight – travel adventures are coming.”

View of Honolulu from the summit of Diamond Head

Honolulu might be the capital of Hawaii, but it has never topped my list of island must-sees. Maybe because Oahu tops everyone else’s list with about 5 million tourists a year flocking to its shores.

About half as many go to Maui. Even fewer visit Kauai or the Big Island of Hawaii.

In my quest to be different, I have gravitated toward the less popular islands because fewer tourists made them seem more exotic. Volcanoes churning out red-hot lava, lush canyons, powerful waterfalls and black sand beaches – what’s not to like?

But who am I kidding? Hawaii is one of the most popular vacation spots for those willing to journey across some 2,500 miles of water. Sure, the flight commitment is enough to land you in Europe. But there’s something about knowing you are truly an island – or islands – unto yourself and far away from mainland civilization.