# 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:** 2
**Author:** ![Reno\_Nevada](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Reno\_Nevada](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reno_Nevada)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/21 "2009-06-12T14:31:59Z")
Johnson Space Center, here in Houston Texas. Go to the [Space Center Houston](http://www.spacecenter.org/) to get a tour of JSC, including the Apollo-era Mission Control Center. The tour includes different things of nerdly interest depending on what is going on. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/22 "2009-06-12T15:02:55Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > How about [Legoland](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Legoland_California) amusement park in California? I think the first [LEGOland](http://www.legoland.dk/?lc=en) in Billund, Denmark has additional nerd value. I know Tokyo’s not that unusual a vacation destination, but I’ve always thought of [Joypolis](http://www.sega.co.jp/joypolis/tokyo/home_e.shtml), the Sega theme park, as the ultimate nerd playground. ---
**Author:** ![xnylder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/x/bbce88/32.png) [@xnylder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/xnylder)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/23 "2009-06-12T16:12:48Z")
[Greenwich](http://www.greenwichwhs.org.uk/). With the Royal Observatory, the National Maritime Museum, and Greenwich Park (the UK’s oldest enclosed Royal Park), there’s plenty for science and history nerds alike! ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/24 "2009-06-12T16:18:28Z")
Answer: They don’t go on vacation. They’re nerds. What? ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/25 "2009-06-12T16:28:25Z")
Disney Star Wars theme weekends [http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/special-events/star-wars-weekend/](http://disneyworld.disney.go.com/parks/hollywood-studios/special-events/star-wars-weekend/) ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 6:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/26 "2009-06-12T18:03:07Z")
Wherever you go, include some [Geocaching](http://www.geocaching.com/). ---
**Author:** ![chiaone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c37758/32.png) [@chiaone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chiaone)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 6:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/27 "2009-06-12T18:40:49Z")
Wow – thanks everyone! Especially Anne Neville, who pointed out that a _very_ similar thread already exists (and in a nice way!). All of your suggestions are fantastic, but in response to Balthisar’s question, I suppose I mean a D&D-playing, videogame-FAQ-writing, toy-collecting, anime-watching, occasionally-cosplaying-but-not-comfortable-talking-about-it-in-public sort of nerd. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/28 "2009-06-12T18:49:18Z")
> [@MaxTheVool](#): > > 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.) Is anyone doing bus tours? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/29 "2009-06-12T20:12:20Z")
Nerds with a lot of time and money, apparently, love flying to New Zealand to check out all the locations where Peter Jackson shot “Lord of the Rings.” > **[Tolkien tourism](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tolkien_tourism)** > > Tolkien tourism is a phenomenon of fans of The Lord of the Rings fictional universe making media pilgrimages to sites of film- and book-related significance. It is especially notable in New Zealand, site of the movie trilogy by Peter Jackson, where it is credited as having raised the annual tourism numbers. > The Lord of the Rings film series by Peter Jackson, based on J. R. R. Tolkien's novel of the same name, were shot at locations throughout New Zealand. Many of these places have been preser... Or, there’s always a pilgrimmage to JRR Tolkien’s grave. [http://community.roughguides.com/planning/journalEntryActivity.asp?JournalID=65292&EntryID=65008&n=Tolkien’s+Grave](http://community.roughguides.com/planning/journalEntryActivity.asp?JournalID=65292&EntryID=65008&n=Tolkien's+Grave) ---
**Author:** ![Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Gala\_Matrix\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gala_Matrix_Fire)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/30 "2009-06-12T20:27:45Z")
I recently learned about a quilting cruise to Alaska. For quilting nerds. ---
**Author:** ![gustp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gustp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gustp)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/31 "2009-06-12T20:38:45Z")
Pittsburg is great place for a nerd vacation. Loads of fantastic bridges. Amazing building designs all over downtown. George Westinghouse and Andrew Carnage stuff. The home of Heintz ketchup. It’s just a great city far people interested in unusual things. ---
**Author:** ![tr0psn4j](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/958977/32.png) [@tr0psn4j](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tr0psn4j)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2009, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/32 "2009-06-12T20:41:54Z")
[Long Beach has an amazing aquarium.](http://www.aquariumofpacific.org/) 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/33 "2009-06-15T01:42:24Z")
These links seem to be seeking me out lately. It’s kind of like when you start dating someone new, and they drive a mint-green Cadillac DeVille, you suddenly start seeing them everywhere . . . is there a name for that? (Besides “stalking” of course, because -yes- I see now that is in fact Vinny again . . .) Ahem. Anyhoo, here’s another one that popped up: > **[RoboGames! (formerly ROBOlympics)](http://robogames.net/index.php)** > > RoboGames (formerly ROBOlympics) is the largest robot competition and Expo in the United States. ---
**Author:** ![Lucky\_13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lucky_13/32/13209_2.png) [@Lucky\_13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lucky_13)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/34 "2009-06-15T04:53:54Z")
Two places no one thas mentioned on this thread yet: [Powell’s City of Books](http://www.powells.com/info/places/burnsideinfo.html) in Portland, OR, and the Akihabara district of Tokyo, which is full of electronics stores and maid cafes. ---
**Author:** ![Kalypso](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/df705f/32.png) [@Kalypso](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalypso)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 6:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/35 "2009-06-15T06:12:10Z")
What about any vacation that centers around traveling to a Con of some sort. My friend is desperately trying to get me to plan a vacation around Dragoncon in Atlanta. If I could afford it I would. I always plan a mini vacation around Macworld every January (not sure what I’ll do now that Apple has pulled out). ---
**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 15, 2009, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/36 "2009-06-15T12:47:26Z")
> [@gustp](#): > > Pittsburg is great place for a nerd vacation. Loads of fantastic bridges. Amazing building designs all over downtown. George Westinghouse and Andrew Carnage stuff. The home of Heintz ketchup. It’s just a great city far people interested in unusual things. But you’ve missed [us blowing up an old bridge](http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/news/19382612/detail.html). ---
**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 15, 2009, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/37 "2009-06-15T14:37:27Z")
[Article from the San Francisco Chronicle with some geek destinations.](http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2009/06/12/TRGU17UVVH.DTL&type=travel) ---
**Author:** ![gustp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/fbc32d/32.png) [@gustp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gustp)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 4:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/38 "2009-06-15T16:36:11Z")
Another nerdy place to go for a vacation is the city of Buffalo NY. Back around 1900 it was one of the most up and coming cities in the country. This is reflected in a lot of the really cool things that are still left over from this era. The history of electrical generation is interesting in Buffalo and I think it was the first city in the USA to be electrified. The Erie canal and all it’s history and importance to the USA is good to look into. Some of the first skyscrapers in the world were built there and they are beautiful. It’s also sadly a good study in severe urban decay and the results of cutting up a city with expressways. I Like Buffalo and always enjoy visiting there. ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 15, 2009, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/39 "2009-06-15T17:53:34Z")
> [@Lucky\_13](#): > > Two places no one thas mentioned on this thread yet: [Powell’s City of Books](http://www.powells.com/info/places/burnsideinfo.html) in Portland, OR, and the Akihabara district of Tokyo, which is full of electronics stores and maid cafes. “Maid cafes”? Are they what I think they are ([Anna Miller’s](http://megatokyo.com/strip/28))? ---
**Author:** ![Auntbeast](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Auntbeast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Auntbeast)\ **Post date:** [June 16, 2009, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478/40 "2009-06-16T01:10:11Z")
I confess I spent way too much time looking at the google map of Mae East. Kinda bummed me out it was across the street from a mall. I’ve always imagined it being much larger, more intimidating and far more secure. Or at least I hoped so. Then again, maybe it was 12 stores below ground with nuclear rockets, hungry lions and rabid feminists guarding the NOC. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/unusual-tourist-destinations-for-nerds/499478.md?page=1)