How Can Travel Empower Young Girls?

In honor of International Day of the Girl, we’ve asked five female travel writers to write a letter to a younger version of herself, telling the girl tales of the experiences she can look forward to, and the lessons she will learn from travel.

Through stories of language lessons realized from crashing a car into a ditch in Spain, or the realization after visiting a Tanzanian village that it doesn’t matter if your jeans are trendy, these women reveal the educational power of travel, and how essential it is for every girl to explore the world.

Read the letters on AOL Travel>>

We’d also like to celebrate some of the adventurous women who pioneered new frontiers of exploration. A visit to these sites and others that celebrate women in travel may just fuel the dreams for the girls of a new generation.

Aviation fans can’t miss Amelia Earhart’s childhood home in Atchison, Kansas. Find out what to do while you’re here, plus where to eat and local tips. See the guide>>

Western women are some tough cookies, and you can learn about the cowgirls, pioneer women and other adventurers who cultivated the Wild West on a road trip through Texas and Oklahoma. See the route>>More International Day of the Girl Stories:

In sharing these stories we hope you are inspired to Raise Your Hand for girls’ education, helping us spread the word on this crucial effort.

Civil War driving tours in Southeast Tennessee

Here is a part of the U.S. that makes travel to it easy–and inexpensive with planning.

Southeast Tennessee tourism has handily divided aspects of travel to this region of the U.S. into various themes. There’s the Music Trail, the Farm Trail, the Artists and Fine Crafters Trail, the Religious Trail, and the Civil War Trail.

Each theme highlights a unique aspect of Southeast Tennessee culture, traditions and history. Click on the Music Trail link and there you are in a history lesson from Blues to Bluegrass. A calendar provides info about where you can hear the area’s music and purchase music-related items.

The Civil War Trail is a do-it-yourself driving tour that takes travelers past the places where soldiers traveled. There is a mix of museums, battlefields, railroad beds and historic houses that span 10 counties. (Click here to order a brochure.)

Even if you don’t have the chance to head here any time soon, the Web site offers a fascinating trip into the past.

For example, did you know there was a group of female rebels who made up an all female unit? Click here to find out more.