# Touristy things you went to that don't exist any more **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 14, 2026, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073 "2026-05-14T17:32:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/61 "2026-05-14T21:31:03Z")
I was taken to Faver’s, a seafood restaurant in Tallahassee when I was a kid, a seafood restaurant that was widely regarded as a place you _had_ to go if you were in the area. > **[You know you're from Tallahassee if... | You know you are from Tallahassee if...](https://www.facebook.com/groups/ImFromTally/posts/499771423421458/)** > > You know you are from Tallahassee if you remember sitting on the rocking chair porch, drinking sweet ice tea while waiting for your table at Faiver's Restaurant at Ochlockonee Bay at the Bridge in... ---
**Author:** ![kitap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/b9e5f3/32.png) [@kitap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kitap)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/62 "2026-05-14T21:32:37Z")
Storybook Gardens at the Wisconsin Dells. i don’t remember it well except I loved it. There was a place at Rocky Mountains National Park where people would - I believe it was at a lake - hold up peanuts in shells for birds to grab. i want to say they were Steller’s Jays but it’s been 50 years or so. They don’t let you do that anymore. We visited Cypress Gardens in Florida in about 1974. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/63 "2026-05-14T21:34:01Z")
_Tempus_ keeps _fugit_-ing right along. I blame Silver Springs demise on a certain cartoon rodent. The little bastard. ---
**Author:** ![Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/q.q.switcheroo/32/5713_2.png) [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.Q.Switcheroo)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/64 "2026-05-14T21:34:16Z")
Sony Wonder Technology Lab was a tech/computing/robotics museum in Midtown Manhattan. I mainly remember the exhibit where you could insert a card into a reader and make your name travel across the room on an LED-powered “zipper sign,” which had 11-year-old me gaping in awe. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/65 "2026-05-14T21:35:58Z")
Cypress Gardens is now Legoland. Big whoop. ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/66 "2026-05-14T21:38:56Z")
> [@Q.Q.Switcheroo](#): > > exhibit where you could insert a card into a reader and make your name travel across the room on an LED-powered “zipper sign,” which had 11-year-old me gaping in awe. I suspect that today’s 11-year-olds have a higher “awe” threshold. You’d need an exhibit that would create a robot-duplicate of them, and let them watch _ **that** _ travel across the room! ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/67 "2026-05-14T21:40:24Z")
And blow a hole in the wall! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/68 "2026-05-14T22:02:34Z")
DogPatch USA. (Actually in Arkansas…or was. Sad 😏 alas no more 😢) ---
**Author:** ![Sherrerd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sherrerd/32/8_2.png) [@Sherrerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sherrerd)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/69 "2026-05-14T22:14:46Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > And blow a hole in the wall! 😄 Yeah, that would make for a kid-magnet attraction. (And also make lots of work for contractors!) ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/70 "2026-05-14T22:14:57Z")
Yup, Sea World Ohio is a place I’ve been. Epic memories of feeding the dolphins. (I was in Ohio for my dad’s cousin’s wedding. The Bride’s Dad paid for our fancy hotel room, irritating his sister (my grandmother), so she paid for everyone’s ticket to Sea World. This meant that my Dad’s brothers or their wives bought food for the dolphins for all the grandchildren, rather than just their own, and two sets of dolphin food was a lot, so I shared more with my mother than I might otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/71 "2026-05-14T22:15:01Z")
> [@Sherrerd](#): > > Thanks for that–I expect I’ll lose a lot of time exploring it. I grew up in SoCal and of course loved D-land, Knotts, Universal Studios, Marineland of the Pacific, and all the rest that are either gone or greatly changed. Yes, thanks to @Spoons from another SoCal kid. ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/72 "2026-05-14T22:23:26Z")
You’re welcome, everybody. I found that site some years ago, and have since spent hours diving into it. Note that it is updated frequently, so after you’ve looked at all you want to see for now, check back in a week or two. There will likely be something new or changed. But yeah. Set aside some time to explore it. Like I said, I’ve spent hours there. ---
**Author:** ![teelabrown](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/teelabrown/32/8412_2.png) [@teelabrown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teelabrown)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/73 "2026-05-14T22:30:30Z")
My family always stopped at Pea Soup Andersen’s restaurant in Buellton, CA when traveling north. It was very touristy, and I think my dad liked it because he could fill the kids up pretty cheaply. But it closed a couple of years ago and is no more. The motel connected with the restaurant looks like it’s still there, though. ---
**Author:** ![Eureka](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/74df32/32.png) [@Eureka](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eureka)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/74 "2026-05-14T22:34:28Z")
I grew up East of St. Paul, MN. In December, we’d always go downtown to see Dayton’s Christmas show, where they’d make some storybook come to life. I remember “the Polar Express” and Santa Bear in particular. It’s possible that’s still a thing, but Dayton’s itself is long gone. ---
**Author:** ![batsto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b2d939/32.png) [@batsto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/batsto)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/75 "2026-05-14T22:35:39Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > There will be a mention in the Hall Of Fame to any Dopers that visited New Jersey’s Action Park. I was there several times. Never saw anyone get hurt though. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/76 "2026-05-14T22:36:23Z")
Philadelphia in the ‘60s (‘70s?) had **Aquarama** , a Marineland-type of aquarium. My folks still have the plate hung up in the kitchen. Of course, that was after a visit to the **Franklin Institute** where you could walk around inside a GIANT HEART! Then have your hair stand up while placing your hands on the VanDerGraff Generator. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/77 "2026-05-14T22:39:05Z")
> [@Czarcasm](#): > > While some tourists visited, it was for the most part a business center. A coworker of mine visited there on 9/8/2001 and took a picture from the observation deck. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/78 "2026-05-14T22:51:24Z")
[Freedomland U.S.A.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Freedomland_U.S.A.) Frontier Town (in the Adirondacks). Western themed amusement park. New York World’s Fair (1964-65) Expo 67 The big banyan tree in Lahaina, Hawaii ☹ (It seems to have survived the big fire in 2025, but it is closed to tourists) ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 10:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/79 "2026-05-14T22:54:12Z")
Top of the World Trade Center (Billy Crystal was up there the same time as we were) . Had dinner at Windows On The World on my birthday. ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [May 14, 2026, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073/80 "2026-05-14T23:02:05Z")
> [@teelabrown](#): > > My favorite ride at Disneyland was Monsanto’s Trip Through Inner Space. It was the one which made it seem as if you were shrunk down to molelcular level, and was narrated by Paul Frees. Alas, it’s long-gone, but you can find a fragmented videotape of it somewhere on youtube. > > Is The Wild Ride Of Mr. Toad also extinct? Many people loved that attraction, but it became dated. Mr Toad is still there and updated. I liked several favorite defunct Disneyland attractions. We used to also go to Marineland (gone), and POP (Pacific Ocean Park- gone) and Santa Claus lane- > **[A trip down Santa Claus Lane](https://www.coastalview.com/news/a-trip-down-santa-claus-lane/article_a8eb1ebc-cb92-11ea-a8e6-6b8e0a6e83bf.html)** > > In 1948, a group of enterprising people, the Santa Claus Corp, created a village of shops themed and named after Christmas images. The village sat on the Coast Highway near gone- and Santa’s Village by Lake Arrowhead- mostly gone > [@CalMeacham](#): > > [Martian Landing Site Monument, Grovers Mill, New Jersey](https://www.roadsideamerica.com/story/2749) A funny thing I found out about that- the supposed "panic’ was greatly exaggerated by newspapers, who were in a war with Radio over ad revenue. > [@LSLGuy](#): > > Beyond that, little inside their perimeter is still as it then was. Several attractions that Walt had a hand in are still there, altho all updated. Autopia, mr Toad, Jungle Cruise, Riverboat (pretty much unchanged), the Railroad, Carrousel, Mad tea party, Pete Pan, and more. You can spend a whole day “Walking in Walts Footsteps” (which is a several hour paid tour, and I recommend it. Last attraction Walt personally worked on was Pirates of the Caribbean. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/touristy-things-you-went-to-that-dont-exist-any-more/1030073.md?page=5)