While the present-day village of Zagora was built during the French colonial period, the oasis has long been inhabited. The Almoravids built a castle in Zagora after 1054. In the 16th century the Saadians launched their conquest of Morocco from this dusty village. The Alaouites conquered the Draa Valley in 1642. And the rock art at Tisguinine and other sites in the valley suggest Zagora and the Draa have been inhabited for a millennium.

Online maps are a great travel planning resource and a great way to get the kids involved in a family vacation. Map the imperial cities - Marrakesh, Fez, Meknes and Rabat - as well as Berber villages, desert oasis and mountain ranges. Use online maps to pinpoint your family travel destination and get a lay of the land.

Books are a great way to introduce young children to a new adventure and get teens and tweens ready for a family trip. We've compiled a list of books about Morocco and books by Moroccan authors for children of various ages and with varying interests. What better why to begin a journey that a trip through literature?

Moroccan music is a web of rhythm and sound. And it comes in a variety of forms. Arab-Andalusian music, a classical tradition imported from Muslim Spain, combines rhythm, vocals and instrumentals in complicated musical structure called nawbat or harmonic modes. Berber music, played at weddings, festivals and tribal gatherings, are poems and tales told through song. Moroccan popular music is rooted in Arabic style but influenced by African, Western and all forms of Moroccan music.

Read Moroccan newspapers online and, in addition to brushing up on Moroccan current events, find out what's happening from Casablanca to Tamegroute and discover what Moroccans are reading about.

Online resources make learning lots of fun. Learn about Ibn Battuta, an explorer from Tangier, and take a virtual tour with this 14th century traveler. Map the routes followed by Ibn Battuta and Marco Polo and compare the two. View images of daily life and discover the Moroccan culture. Get fun facts about Morocco. Test your knowledge before you depart and again when you return. Print the information you find fascinating and take it with you on your family trip. Explain your findings to your family members and use the things you learn to make your travel journal really cool.