Vacation ideas for the inner nerd in you


Planning a vacation, but don’t know where to go? Whether you’re an out and proud geek or prefer to show off your nerdy side behind closed doors, there’s plenty of incredible places to visit where you can dork out all you want. You’ll be glad you made an effort to visit these spots, even if your friends and family don’t share your enthusiasm for the nerdier things in life.

Vacation ideas for the inner nerd in you

American Classic Arcade Machine

Kids have it so lucky these days. They don’t have to leave the house to get their video game fix. Back in the day, we had to go down to the arcades with a pocket full of quarters if we wanted to play something. If you’re yearning for those simpler times, then you’re in luck. The American Classic Arcade Museum in New Hampshire is home to 300 of those machines which you can play to your heart’s content. There’s so much to choose from that you’ll be able to lose hours of your life jumping from one machine to the next. This is the best place to spend your vacation if you’re yearning for some nostalgia.

Tunisia

At first glance, this might not seem like the perfect destination for a lover of all things geeky. However, hiding away in the country are some locations that will be incredibly familiar to any hardcore “Star Wars” fans out there. A lot of the scenes set in Tatooine were filmed right here, including the iconic Jawa Rock. Explore places like Matamata and Ajim for a more in-depth look at the film’s real-life setting, and marvel at how they turned these cities into sci-fi worlds all those years ago.

Harry Potter’s Wizarding World

J.K. Rowling never imagined that “Harry Potter” would be as big as it is. No author dares to dream that they’ll be responsible for one of the biggest series in the world, especially when they’re starting out in the craft. Out of the popular book and films series has come several physical attractions, including Harry Potter’s Wizarding World at Universal Studios in Orlando. So much effort has gone into recreating every detail of the series, including iconic locations like Diagon Alley and Hogsmeade, that you’ll feel you’re truly part of the wizarding world.

Vacation ideas for the inner nerd in you

New Zealand

Any idea where both “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” were primarily filmed? Well, if you hadn’t guessed, the answer is New Zealand. The country’s incredible landscape became a primary feature in the fantasy film series, with Mackenzie Country and Waikato just two of the places used in the final releases. New Zealand has become such a popular destination for nerds that they now offer guided tours of the different locations so you can see exactly where everything was filmed.

Akihabara Electric Town

If you’re a real nerd, then a visit to Japan needs to be on your bucket list somewhere. It’s a geek’s paradise, especially in the big cities like Tokyo. To get the best fix of nerd culture, though, you need to make a stop in Akihabara Electric Town. It’s home to many of the country’s biggest video game crazes, with stores selling official merchandise everywhere you look. Tons of games, particularly those by Nintendo, come out of Japan, so you know you’re in safe hands here. Plus, if you’re more into anime and manga over video games, Akihabara has still got you covered. There are merchandise stores for those too.

Being a nerd has never been so good. After years of being the underdogs, people finally appreciate the things we love because they’re becoming more mainstream. That’s probably why there are so many amazing places to visit that are suited just to our tastes. We can expect plenty more to crop up over the next few years.

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