What makes you decide, I want to travel THERE?

Lots of random things can get me interested in a place and wishing I could visit. Watching House Hunters International on HGTV is one of my inspirations.

My son thinks I’m nuts.

“Why do you want to watch a show where people are looking for an apartment?” he asks. I tell him it’s not about the apartment or house (though I do get a kick out of what a home might look like in the Ukraine, say, or Hong Kong). It’s the little snippets of exploring a city’s main square, or what it might be like to have a view of one of Amsterdam’s canals outside my bedroom window that keep me tuned in.

Sigh . . . .

(And I am going to tell you about a city I am dying to visit as a result of one of those HGTV shows in a post coming soon.)

But in the meantime, I’d like to introduce you to my favorite magazine, National Geographic Traveler. If you are a travel dreamer like me, I can tell you that this is the magazine that makes me want to curl up in my favorite chair and linger over nearly every page and photograph. It’s the best thing that shows up in my mailbox each month (yes, it only has to beat out flyers and bills, but it’s still awesome).

Why do I like this magazine? Well, first of all, it’s down to earth. As much fun as it is to occasionally drool over the high-end travel magazines, the bottom line is that I am not every likely to plunk down $300 a night to stay in a fancy pants hotel. My budget cannot handle browsing in shops that feature Chanel or Fendi. And I am definitely not going to start packing heels and a cocktail dress so I can spend a fortune on a four-hour, gourmet feast.

National Geographic Traveler offers more affordable (and usually more fun and funky) hotel suggestions. It focuses more on what to do than on ways you can spend money. For travelers like me who love going to Europe, articles like this one about the Beaujolais region in France are perfect. Just looking at the photos makes me want to go!

And for folks like my sister who prefers exploring closer to home, there are wonderful articles like the one below. I think it’s fascinating to learn about some of the places that were revered by Native Americans. These natural wonders existed eons before the construction of such iconic architectural marvels as Notre Dame or the Taj Mahal.

So if you like to fuel your travel dreams with intriguing stories and world-class photos, you might enjoy treating yourself to a subscription, or take a trip to your local library to enjoy the latest issue of National Geographic Traveler.

I can hardly wait to take some time to savor my copy over the weekend. Happy Labor Day weekend!