Top 5 Travel Spots for the Geeks

Sports fans have their Halls of Fame and arenas to visit, Elvis lovers have Graceland, but where can geeks go on vacation? Well, Sweet Lemon is here with a few suggestions for you to check out on your next nerd-out vacation.

San Diego, CA

San Diego offers small town appeal with plenty of beaches and lots of sunshine. It is California’s second largest city, and home to “Old Town,” which is considered the state’s birth place. San Diego is also a foodie’s paradise. But, if all of that isn’t enough for you, there are several geeky ventures as well. First of all, San Diego is home to the world’s largest Comic-Con International Convention. You get to see some of your favorite stars on varying panels, participate in geek-centric games, and view some of the globe’s most intriguing cosplay.

Another up-and-coming annual event is Nerd HQ. Zachary Levi of “Chuck” fame, started the the international comic book and entertainment festival in 2010. It features the latest in technology, as well as exclusive panels, parties, and autograph signings.

Austin, TX

Austin is nicknamed the “Silicon Hills” and for good reason. It is home to many of the world’s largest tech companies, and it has a similar start-up feel to Silicon Valley. It also hosts the annual SXSW Interactive, which attracts hordes of geeks from around the world for its tech, gaming, and entrepreneurial panels.

U.S. Space and Rocket Center

Located in Huntsville, AL, the U.S. Space and Rocket Center is a geek must-see. If you like, you can register for a weekend filled with spaceflight history classes, model rocket ship building, and underwater astronaut training. You can also pilot a flight simulator, and experience the same 3g forces astronaut’s endure in their centrifuge.

London

Fans of Harry Potter and Dr. Who go nuts over their filming locations throughout the London area. The London Science Museum is also a popular attraction for its IMAX theater, Turing, and “Exploring Space” exhibits. In addition, it has a “Making the Modern World” exhibit, which demonstrates technological changes from the 1700′s through today. And, London also hosts the Nine Worlds Geekfest, an annual sci-fi convention that celebrates geek culture.

Silicon Valley, CA

The Silicon Valley seems to be a natural and expected choice for geeks, and why shouldn’t it be? It is the headquarters of tech powerhouses such as Apple, Google, Yahoo!, Facebook, Intel, Adobe, and more. Intel has its own museum in Santa Clara, where you can see how computer chips are made. And, don’t forget to visit the Apple company store in Cupertino, which is Apple’s first employee store. It doesn’t sell computers or iPhones, but it is the only storefront (globally) that sells Apple logo apparel and accessories.

Do you have other geek destinations you recommend? Let us know in the comments below!

By