You're a Geek - loud and proud. Now where can you go on a vacation?
You love your geekdom. So where on earth (or not) can you go to enjoy vacations for geeks?
Derogatory as the terms Geek, Nerd, Dweeb, Dorks and the like may sound, this is no longer an applicable insult. In fact, today’s times of technology advances have allowed for geeky as being smart and sexy. And the vacations for Geeks will want you being one of them as soon as you have mastered quantum physics
It is Geek-chic to be an intellectual and travel.If you’re a Geek – that’s cool, in fact, these days some of the hottest celebs are closet geeks. TV shows like Mythbusters and the spin-off Head Rush have brought about a whole subculture into the fore. These days it’s Uber-cool to be a nerd and shout that from the rooftops.
Have a look at ex-Mythbusters presenter Kari Byron…she’s sexy, smart and very hip. Adrianne Curry from America’s Next Top Model is a self-confessed gamer often found in her Comic-Con staple – Princess Leia/Imperial Officer costume.
A Harvard graduate with a degree in psychology, scientific journalist and a political activist against terrorism and counter-terrorism, Natalie Portman, who was born in Israel, is fluent in Hebrew and has also added French, Japanese, German and Arabic to her list of languages. Natalie has been quoted as stating, “I’m going to college. I don’t care if it ruins my career. I’d rather be smart than a movie star”. Beauty and brains…it is just irresistible.
Bottom line, if you have spent your childhood in some assumed shame of being a nerd, that’s totally over! You need to step out of the geek closet and proclaim your mental gifts with MENSA pride and enjoy being smart. Vacations for geeks do not include any of the above nerd(ettes) – sorry 🙁
Famous Nerd(ettes)
Kari Byron
Natalie Portman
Adrianne Curry
GEEKS JUST WANNA HAVE FUN
Spare a thought for the nerds. So, just what are the best vacations for geeks? If there’s no Wifi, they’re not going to be happy. Rob them of Warcraft and they’ll be beating down the door for the nearest airport to take them back to cyber wonderland..
Okay, it’s established. You’re a geek. Sometimes it’s obvious; sometimes you can pass for just, ummmm…. different, but deep down, you’re a geek.You would totally prefer making puns and learning about rocket engines than sipping cosmos and making inane conversation with strangers.
Your friends love you for it, but sometimes you just need to get away and take a break. Be with your people. There are so many fascinating places to visit, it’s hard to narrow down the list, but here are a few of the best places to get your geek on and check out some of the coolest phenomena in the world.
"All I have to worry about are the Klingons, the Dominion, and the Maquis. I feel like I’m on vacation".
The vacations for geeks itinerary of brilliant ideas and things
The European Organization for Nuclear Research
Meyrin, Switzerland
A definite inclusion in the vacations for geeks itinerary.This facility is the site of the Large Hadron Collider, the most powerful particle accelerator on our humble planet. Here, two high-energy beams of particles, guided by superconducting electromagnets, race around in separate pipes in opposite directions until they collide. Tours of the world’s biggest physics laboratory are free of charge. Guided tours, which are recommended for anyone over 12, are about two hours long. If you can’t get all the way to Switzerland, take a virtual tour on their website at http://visit.cern/tours/online-visits.
Aurora Borealis
Svalbard, Norway
https://www.visitnorway.com/places-to-go/svalbard-islands/northern-lights/
This incredible natural light display is a result of atoms colliding with charged particles at high altitude. The best place to see this is in Svalbard, Norway, sometime between November and January, when it’s night-time all day long.
This is a great option if you’re travelling with non-geeks, or “mainstreamers,” as there are outdoor adventures to be had, too, like dog sledging along the snow WHILE you see the northern lights. Who can resist that?
Kennedy Space Center
Cape Canaveral, Florida
https://www.kennedyspacecenter.com/
Experiential vacations at their best. Here, you can tour Mission Control, feel what it’s like to ride in a rocket on their Shuttle Launch Experience, and even have lunch with a real live astronaut.
If you’re travelling with family, take advantage of the Astronaut Training Experience (ATX), and you and your tribe can prepare for g-force and take a spin to the International Space Station. Vacations for geeks is definitely looking better all the time..
Hayden Planetarium
New York, USA
https://www.amnh.org/our-research/hayden-planetarium
In the heart of the Big Apple, The Hayden Planetarium uses state of the art Hayden Sphere Star Theatre to run daily shows explaining the birth of the universe and the solar system itself. Home of the largest cosmic atlas in the world, the planetarium is located in the American Museum of Natural History, so there is a plethora of other things to do while there. Since it’s in New York City, there’s a ton of other things to do for the mainstreamers in your posse.
Oh! And, this was the centre of the whole Pluto-ain’t-a-Planet scandal (poor Pluto!), so if you have strong opinions about THAT, you can weigh in on the debate here.
Museo Galileo
Florence, Italy
https://www.museogalileo.it/it/
Go here to see the actual instruments that Galileo used for his experiments, as well as temporary exhibits about Leonardo da Vinci and the scientific achievements of Pompeii and the Roman Empire. And, for some reason, it also has an exhibit that lets you see Galileo’s thumb, index, and middle finger. If you’re into that.
You can book a guided tour that lasts about 90 minutes, or, make your own tour any day of the week. Kids under six can enter for free. If you can’t make it to Italy, take a virtual tour at
https://www.museogalileo.it/en/museum/explore/permanent-exhibition.html.
Computer History Museum
Mountain View, California
http://www.computerhistory.org/
If computers are your thing, this is THE place to go. About an hour south of San Francisco, this museum holds an incredible array of computers (pun intended!), including some of the first Cray supercomputers. Learn about industry giants like Apple, Adobe, HP, and Cisco, or sit in a Waymo self-driving car – whatever your fascination, you can learn about it here. You can even take a trip down memory lane and play Pong!
There are daily tours led by Docents, and you can call ahead for a schedule and reservations. If you can’t get out to Mountain View just now, you can visit their website for a virtual tour.
Once you have satiated on the endless array of bytes and code, you can then stay in the Techno Mecca of Silicon Valley and take in the sights of headquarters to some of the most illustrious tech royalty such as Google, Apple, Facebook, Adobe, eBay, Intel, SanDisk and a great many more. This is the vacations for geeks nirvana!
Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum
Washington, D. C.
https://airandspace.si.edu/visit
This classic museum is on practically every bucket list out there. It has the largest collection of air and space crafts, period. Learn about the moon landing or time and navigation, or Amelia Earhart and the Wright Brothers. You could literally spend two days here and still have more to see.
If you’ve got kids, check out the nearby Udvar-Hazy Center which offers sleepovers – yes, sleepovers! They usually offer one a month, and here, you can explore the space shuttle Discover and a Concorde jet. Sleepover hosts plan lots of crafts and games to amplify the learning experience. Ages 8 to 14; parents welcome.
Stargazing in the Desert
Atacama Desert, Chile
Situated in northern Chile, this 600-mile stretch of high altitude desert nearly always has perfect skies for unparalleled stargazing. Plan your visit so that you can spend the day in Calle de la Luna, or Valley of the Moon. Here, the salt formations reflect the light of the sun and create a constantly changing prism of all the colours of the rainbow across the landscape.
The stone formations and sand dunes in the Valley of the Moon look remarkably like the surface of the moon itself. Once you’ve seen it during the day, stay for the stars, and you definitely have an out of this world experience.
You can book a tour through a local hotel on Trip Advisor or any number of travel sites.
What to bring on your nerd vacation?
While you’re on these incredible experiences, be sure to record them so you can revisit once you get home. Here are three gadgets you need for your trip:
Olloclip Filmer’s Kit – a filmer’s dream, this kit comes with a slew of lenses a pivot grip for professional level filming
DxO One Camera – This little device the size of your palm turns your iPad or iPhone into a DSLR camera. Enough said.
Tile-Mate – Watch Tile Mate to your phone, key, etc. and press a button to hear it beep when you can’t find it so you can focus on your vacation, not your incidentals.
Check out tech travel and get excited!
So, what other ideas could be the best vacations for Geeks if you are part of the new Nerd Chic?
Star Wars Hotel in Matmata, Tunisia
The Sidi Driss Hotel.
Hotel Sidi Driss is, or certainly should be, the pilgrimage destination of any hardcore “Star Wars” fan. This is the spot where most of the unforgettable scenes of the saga were filmed. The planet Tatooine childhood home of Luke Skywalker will instantly be recognized by any Star Wars fan. Consider this a fantasy stay but be prepared to get what you paid for . Not exactly the Ritz.
Panama Canal
Witness the sheer marvel of construction at a time that belies the advancements in engineering. Back in 1881 the French began the engineering miracle that is the Panama Canal today. They quit the project mainly due to the high mortality rate. The US took over in 1904 and completed the job by 1914.
Star Trek Experience at Las Vegas Hilton
All I have to worry about are the Klingons, the Dominion, and the Maquis. I feel like I’m on vacation.-Benjamin Sisko, Star Trek: Deep Space Nine, “Accession”
International Spy Museum – Washington DC
007 comes to life – decades of real spy gadgetry to behold. You can discover more than 200 gadgets, vehicles, bugs, cameras, weapons, and technologies used for espionage
San Diego (ComicCon)
Ah yes, the initiation ground for all wannabe Geeks – dubbed “The Largest Pop Culture Event in the United States”. Of all the vacations for geeks, this has to be the one to do.This is one of the jewels of the Nerdom dynasty. With a red carpet arrayed with super heroes and villains from the pages of comic books, sci-fi movie icons and gaming avatars, this is a court of techno jesters and masterminds.
Not to be missed by any self-respecting vacationing Geek, the ComiCon remains a mainstay on the social calendar of all in the tribe.
2019 Comic-Con International: San Diego will begin on Thursday, 18 July – diarize for a Ninja assault!
Middle Earth Tour in New Zealand
The mystical land of the Hobbits. Lord Of The Rings becomes your reality as you travel to the landscapes and experiences of the country starring as Middle-earth – Aotearoa New Zealand. See for yourself the magical and enchanting lands of The Shire.
Doctor Who Tour in Cardiff, Wales
BritMovieTours provides a 4-hour ride through the city of Cardiff with stops where the rift crack opened, Amy Pond’s village, Rose Tyler’s workplace and plenty more for the Dr Who junkies.
Sites are found all about the capital and so taking the bus tour is probably the smartest move to explore the Doctor’s home base. You get to walk around at the various sites, take the Dr Who vacation snaps.
Don’t worry—you won’t be cramped aboard for the entirety of the tour. The bus makes stops to allow passengers time to stretch, take pictures and investigate sites by foot. As you enjoy the bus tour, you’ll learn about the making of Doctor Who, hear trivia and watch relevant clips from series. Dress up is optional but encouraged.
Chicago Museum of Science and Industry
Check out a German submarine (U-505) captured during World War II, a 3,500-square-foot model railroad, the first diesel-powered streamlined stainless-steel passenger train (Pioneer Zephyr) and a NASA spacecraft used on the Apollo 8 mission. and so much more that you’re guaranteed a full day of geeky wonder.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter
Ok, definitely not nerd-exclusive. This is for pretty much anyone. Even if you lived under a rock and had never read or seen the movie, the Wizarding World of Harry Potter will be getting your attention instantly.
Prepare to be drawn into the magical world of Harry Potter with the Diagon alley, the Hogwart Express train and the famous castle.
The experience is epic, totally immersive with real wands you can buy from Ollivander’s, the escape from Girngott’s ride, Butterbeer and tons more.
New York City – the Museum of Natural History
The museum is host to a massive collection of artefacts, displays and exhibits revealing the secrets of the beautiful natural world.
The Akihabara District of Tokyo
This should absolutely be on your techno bucket list. Known as the electronics district, Akihabara shops are renowned for selling the latest gadgets before anyone else does — or will.
Stay At Home
Tell everyone you’re going to Albania for 14 days. Get 10 takeout restaurants on speed-dial, move the refrigerator to the basement, buy the biggest screen available, stock up on 2 weeks of Red Bull, set up Playstation4/X-Box and Wii, take the phone off the hook, power down the mobile. Secure the eye-drops and yoga flex the hands. Take a deep breath
In conclusion, with all the incredible learning experiences out there, get your geek on and go exploring. When your friends see the pictures and hear the stories you bring back, they will geek out more than you!
Also, if you are into tech, which you no doubt are, check out Best mobile apps for travel
So, vacations for geeks really look almost more exciting and interesting than any average sightseeing or beach vacation. Darn! Where’s my Trekkie power…I want to be a geek!
