# Unusual tourist destinations for nerds? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 11, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478 "2009-06-11T19:20:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chiaone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@chiaone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiaone)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/1 "2009-06-11T19:20:24Z")
Full disclosure – I’m attempting to write a short article on this subject that I someday hope to publish (no doubt to minimal amounts of online fanfare). I’m looking for 12 or 15 unusual destinations that would be particularly appealing to stereotypical nerds like me. The first example I thought of was “the self-proclaimed future birthplace of fictional character Captain James T. Kirk,” [Riverside, Iowa](http://www.riversideiowa.org/). Any input? ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/2 "2009-06-11T19:35:22Z")
I give you [Condon, Oregon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Condon,_OR). Two kids out that town, Linus Pauling and William Parry Murphy, earned a total of 3 Nobel Prizes. That’s gotta be a record for Nobels per capita. Don’t just visit. Move there, have some kids, raise some nerds. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/3 "2009-06-11T20:23:53Z")
How about [Legoland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legoland_California) amusement park in California? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/4 "2009-06-11T20:25:47Z")
We had a thread last month on [where to go for a geek vacation](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=516155). ---
**Author:** ![h.sapiens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e0b2c6/32.png) [@h.sapiens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/h.sapiens)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/5 "2009-06-11T20:32:06Z")
[Metropolis, Illinois](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Metropolis,_Illinois). There’s a Superman museum, an annual Superman celebration, and a local newspaper called the “Metropolis Planet”. ---
**Author:** ![madmonk28](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/madmonk28/32/20811_2.png) [@madmonk28](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/madmonk28)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/6 "2009-06-11T20:51:47Z")
Isn’t there a town in Idaho that claims to be the future birth place of James Kirk? Also, Area 51. ---
**Author:** ![Ephemera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8baadc/32.png) [@Ephemera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ephemera)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/7 "2009-06-11T20:54:53Z")
Iowa. It’s in the OP. ---
**Author:** ![Oakminster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/77aa72/32.png) [@Oakminster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oakminster)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/8 "2009-06-11T21:10:44Z")
Hunstville, AL has some sort of space/rocketry museum, I think. Roswell, NM has UFO stuff. ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/9 "2009-06-11T21:14:37Z")
[Albuquerque NM - Museum of Nuclear Science](http://www.nuclearmuseum.org) I hear you can get a field trip to the Trinity site where they tested the first A-Bomb. ---
**Author:** ![GorillaMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/50afbb/32.png) [@GorillaMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GorillaMan)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/10 "2009-06-11T21:31:23Z")
[Vulcan, Alberta](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vulcan,_Alberta). Unashamedly cashing in on the coincidence of names. ---
**Author:** ![MaxTheVool](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/9fc29f/32.png) [@MaxTheVool](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MaxTheVool)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/11 "2009-06-11T21:44:06Z")
Silicon Valley, in general? You can drive around and at least look at the corporate headquarters of Google, Ebay, Netflix, Apple, HP, Electronic Arts, etc. Then you can go to Fry’s Electronics. Somewhere around here must be the fabled garage where Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak built the first Apple. (They both attended my high school, btw.) ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/12 "2009-06-11T22:32:36Z")
I recently travelled to [Wuppertal, Germany,](http://www.urbanrail.net/eu/vrr/wu/wuppertal.htm) for pure nerd value. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/13 "2009-06-11T22:50:47Z")
The [Computer History Museum](http://www.computerhistory.org/)in Mountain View, California. Babbage machines, a chunk of the original Eniac a primitive hard drive that was about 36" across and lots of other stuff. I was utterly fascinated by the displays. My wife was utterly fascinated by my utter fascination. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2009, 10:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/14 "2009-06-11T22:56:52Z")
I was going to say, wherever a planetary transit of the sun is visible. But I guess that’s not what you want. Fine, JRRT’s grave. ---
**Author:** ![Basandre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bcef8e/32.png) [@Basandre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Basandre)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/15 "2009-06-12T01:00:48Z")
> [@Icarus](#): > > [Albuquerque NM - Museum of Nuclear Science](http://www.nuclearmuseum.org) > > I hear you can get a field trip to the Trinity site where they tested the first A-Bomb. Only two weekends a year, it’s closed the rest of the time. First Saturday in April, first Saturday in October. Also, it’s on the northern part of White Sands Missile Range, something of a drive from Albuquerque. ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/16 "2009-06-12T01:14:50Z")
[EBR-1](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Experimental_Breeder_Reactor_I) (Experimental Breeder Reactor 1), near Arco, Idaho. They do tours and everything. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 9:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/17 "2009-06-12T09:44:19Z")
> [@chiaone](#): > > I’m looking for 12 or 15 unusual destinations that would be particularly appealing to stereotypical nerds like me. The CERN particle accelerator near Geneva, Switzerland. ---
**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/18 "2009-06-12T12:10:52Z")
What’s a stereotypical nerd? Computer/tech nerd, D&D nerd, just a socially awkward nerd? I’d recommend Ghent, Belgium, and go see the castle. But I’m an omni-nerd. ---
**Author:** ![Student\_Driver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3da27b/32.png) [@Student\_Driver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Student_Driver)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/19 "2009-06-12T13:09:34Z")
Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. Home of [Funspot](http://www.funspotnh.com/), the largest arcade in the world, which itself houses [The American Classic Arcade Museum](http://www.classicarcademuseum.org/), a huge rotating collection of hundreds of pre-1985 arcade video and pinball games. I went a couple of years ago, and am patiently awaiting the day I can return. Fun, fun place. ---
**Author:** ![GuanoLad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guanolad/32/42_2.png) [@GuanoLad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GuanoLad)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/20 "2009-06-12T13:33:21Z")
Not sure if this is nerdy or geeky, but [Astoria, Oregon](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Astoria,_Oregon) is a popular place for _Goonies_ fans to visit. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478.md?page=2)