#NerdsUnite: 5 travel destinations to tickle your nerdy pickle

#TalkNerdyToMeLover's Marcela De Vivo

Sometimes, there’s nothing more fun in life than being a nerd.  Who else will get that sense of pure joy from buying a wand from Olivanders’, dressing up as Princess Bubblegum at some of the biggest conventions in the country?  Here are some fun vacation destinations for all the nerds-at-heart.

The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

We all want to go to The Wizarding World of Harry Potter--they even serve real butterbeer there!  Who hasn’t at least once wanted to try butterbear?  It just sounds so delicious; and who could possibly beat the ambiance of The Three Broomsticks?  You can also ride a hippogriff, and visit Hogsmeade as well as the infamous joke shop Zonko’s at Diagon Alley.  All the places you always wished were real now actually are.

Best of all (at least for those west of the Mississippi), there’s soon to be a Wizarding World of Harry Potter expansion at Universal Studios in LA. 

Ghibli Museum

Love Spirited Away?  Howl’s Moving Castle?  How about classics like Kiki’s Delivery Service and Totoro?  You might want to pay a visit to the quaintly whimsical Ghibli Museum.  Included in the entry fee is a screening of a Ghibli short film (what a treat)--plus, there’s an exhibit modeled to look like Hayao Miyazaki’s office.  There’s even a lifesize cat bus!

Even better, the Ghibli Museum is located a mere half hour outside of Tokyo--which may very well be an all-you-can-eat pop culture buffet for all the nerds out there.

Middle Earth

Okay, you knew it was coming: in a list of popular nerd locations, how could we not include New Zealand (AKA Middle Earth)?  You can even visit Hobbiton, which is even more lush and green in real life than it is in the movies.  Did you know 6% of tourists to New Zealand actually cite Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy as their main reason behind visiting?  That’s quite a lot.  Plus, you’ll find endless other activities in the idyllic New Zealand.

Tatooine

And speaking of past film sets in exotic places, you might want to pay a visit to Tatooine.  Real life Tatooine is actually located in Matmata, Tunisia.  True Star Wars fans can even spend the night at Luke Skywalker’s childhood home, which is in fact located at the Hotel Sidi Driss.

Comic Con

Okay, so maybe it’s not the first thing that pops to mind when you think of vacations, but when we’re talking nerd destinations, Comic Con might just be the nerd capital of the world!  Plus, San Diego Comic Con is located close to the beach, during the dog days of summer--so when you’re not busy camping out on the sidewalk all night waiting to get into the Doctor Who panel discussion, you can go soak up some rays at the beach.

For the nerd in us all, Comic Con is quite the sight for sore eyes.

The options for nerd-destination vacations are near-endless--from bigger budget trips across the world to Tunisia and New Zealand, to more local jaunts to places like New York and/or San Diego Comic Con, you’re sure to enjoy yourself!

Marcela De Vivo is a freelance writer for RedSeven Leisure and has contributed to several travel sites and blogs. She loves exploring the world and is always looking for fun and interesting destinations to visit.

#nerdsunite