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Thursday, October 15, 2026

I Love Geeky Attractions, and Here's a Fast Five of Them!

 A lot of people want to see Paris, or cruise to Alaska, or hike in the Grand Canyon, or see Buckingham Palace.  But what if you're bucket list isn't like everyone else's?  I just thought I would share some of the crazy, but a little geeky things that have fallen on my bucket list.

































1.    The Headquarters of the United Nations, International Territory, Manhattan, New York.  I just finally had the opportunity after all these years to visit this hallowed ground.  Since 1952, this complex in the city has been their official headquarters.  They do have offices in Geneva, Switzerland, Nairobi, Kenya, and Vienna, Austria; but this is the official headquarters and this is where all 193 delegates of the general assembly meet to discuss vital socioeconomic and human rights issues around the world.


I went through a lot of security and even had to have a badge to even get in the visitor's center.  A security guard escorted me from the security area to the meeting building directly to where I would find my tour.  In that area there were a lot of things.  They have an amazing bookstore, enormous gift shop with items from all over the world, a cafe, and more.  They also have another security stop where you prove you have a ticket for the tour, they check everything again and give you an ID for your specific tour.  A lot of security.  But, technically you've left the United States, so it's to be expected.



For $29, I got a guided tour and it was pretty thorough and lasted about an hour and a half.  I learned a lot.  I saw great exhibits, meeting rooms, and so much more.  I learned a lot about how the United Nations works and how many different things they are working on all at the same time.  We even ran into Michael Waltz, our current Ambassador to the United Nations.  You may think this is just plain nerdy, but they are there to make the world a better place.  It was amazing, and I highly recommend it.



https://www.un.org/en/visit/tour   




https://history.state.gov/milestones/1937-1945/un   




https://news.un.org/en/news  




https://www.reddit.com/r/visitingnyc/comments/1v2hxi7/is_it_worth_it_to_tour_the_un/  




https://www.congress.gov/crs-product/R47715   



































2.    The Supercollider Complex at CERN, Geneva, Switzerland.  This was not my bucket list; it was my husband's.  However, I was really glad I went.  This was years ago, and it was one of the earlier things on any list we were able to do.  We were actually on our way to the Alps and Lauterbrunnen, but we stopped to stay a night and get some rest in the area.  Turns out we were staying at the apartment complex where the physicists stay when they come to work.  Needless to say, it was easy to get a tour.




I didn't know it then, but we felt like Sheldon Cooper of "Big Bang Theory" as we got to see how it works, the collider itself (part of it).  It is a 27 kilometer in circumference ring.  And we got to see a lot of the equipment they use.  It was educational, interesting and I felt like I'd been transported to another planet.  If you ever get the chance; do it.































































3.    The Griffin Museum of Science and Industry, Chicago, Illinois.  Believe it or not, this was one of my favorite places to take a day trip to when I was a kid growing up in northern Indiana.  To be fair, it's not just me.  This museum is ranked one of the best of its kind in the world, and the largest science museum in the western hemisphere.  We've seen all the museums around.  That's a huge claim to fame.




I can't explain what this museum taught me and how they kept me entertained.  They have a nuclear submarine.  They have the Fairy Castle; the largest doll house in the world.  They have a simulated coal mine.  They have a hall of whispers.  They have so much to do that you probably can't do it all in a day.  I've been several times and I guarantee that if I went back today, I would find something new and interesting.



It's $26 for a ticket, but it's so worth it!  There's so much to do that no one should miss this one!































































4.  City Hall, Gamla Stan, Stockholm, Sweden.  This one breaks my heart.  I was in Stockholm and I've just told you how I am about the United Nations whose members have won 12 Nobel Peace Prizes, so imagine how I felt that it was closed during my visit!  



This city hall is probably the most famous city hall in the world, largely because this is where they award those Nobel Prizes.  The Peace Prize is not the only one they award.  There are several other categories and the laureates are all remarkable people in their fields.




Most of the time, you can book a guided tour to see this beautiful and remarkable place.  Unfortunately, I didn't get to and I'm not sure that I'll ever be back in Stockholm.  If I go back, I'll make sure I can tour this fascinating spot.  The building is centuries old and still is a seat of government.  It's beautiful and can also be rented out for special occasions, as long as it's not during the Nobel presentations!




































































5.    Hobbiton, the Movie Set, Matamata, New Zealand.  That's right, "Lord of the Rings" fans can visit the iconic movie set used in the Peter Jackson films that brought the J. R. R. Tolkien books to life.  I'm planning on visiting this next year, so hopefully that will cross this one off my to do list.  No, I'm not going all the way to New Zealand to see this, but it is close by Hamilton where I'm going for another reason.




Now, that being said.  It will cost you around $130 at least to take a tour of this site.  It is in the middle of nowhere, so you'll either have to drive or take a tour that brings you from the city to the site.  There are various ones available.  Most tours last about an hour and a half and you get to wander through the village where Sam, Frodo and Bilbo legendarily lived.  Is this a geek spot?  Oh yeah.  I can't wait to go!
































There you have it!  What's on your geeky bucket list?  Let me know and I'll check into the details!  I love doing some of the off beat things.  I don't always like to do what everyone else does and I do like to do what I want to.  Don't be afraid to do travel your way instead of doing what everyone else does!



I'm always busy and I've done some of these things, so check out my YouTube Channel "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" that's me!





There will always be more travel stuff with me!  Like & Follow & Subscribe to this and my channel for more!  Enjoy!
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Wednesday, October 7, 2026

Halloween is coming & This Week I Have 5 Great Places for You to Go!

 I love Halloween!  It's probably because I was born in the fall, but who knows?  The season is upon us, and if you'd like to do something special; here's some ideas on this week's fast five!

































1.    Sleepy Hollow, New York.  New York folks love literature, and keep it alive today with possibly the highest concentration of literary agents in the world.  Is it any surprise that they took Washington Irving's "The Legend of Sleep Hollow" to heart?  Irving lived in the Hudson Valley for most of his life and spent a lot of that time living in Tarrytown.  When the village of North Tarrytown was incorporated as Sleepy Hollow, was anyone really surprised?



These people celebrate Halloween for over a month.  There are blazing bridges, performances of not only Washington Irving's "Legend of Sleep Hollow" but also Edgar Allen Poe stories, parades, events, and some of those historic mansions in the area are really done up for the tours that time of year.  You'll really get your creep on in an old fashioned way in Sleepy Hollow.




https://hudsonvalley.org/halloween-in-sleepy-hollow-country/   




https://visitsleepyhollow.com/   




https://www.travelandleisure.com/sleepy-hollow-new-york-travel-guide-12116617   




https://adventuresinfamilyhood.com/halloween-sleepy-hollow-country.html   




https://visitsleepyhollow.com/events/month/2026-10/   
































2.    Croton on Hudson, New York.  Just a hop skip from Sleepy Hollow, you'll find this gem.  You'll see serpents, and windmills, and carousels, and they're all made of blazing pumpkins!  It's called the Great Jack-o-Lantern Blaze and it's all over town.  This town loves Halloween and fall and pumpkins.



This has become one of the areas biggest events.  There is a charge to visit the blaze, but it's spectacular!  The whole town gets into the game with special food at the restaurants, events, parades, and more for six weeks in the fall.  They are paired closely with Sleepy Hollow, so if you go to one, you should really check out both!




https://pumpkinblaze.org/   




https://hudsonvalley.org/events/blaze/   




https://www.tripadvisor.com/Attraction_Review-g47560-d23971908-Reviews-The_Great_Jack_O_lantern_Blaze-Croton_on_Hudson_New_York.html   




https://www.newyorkhauntedhouses.com/halloween-attractions/croton-on-hudson.html   




https://westchestermagazine.com/things-to-do/great-jack-olantern-blaze-croton-pumpkin/   






























3.    Telluride, Colorado.  Welcome to the Telluride Horror Show!  For six weeks this city celebrates all things horror and Halloween.  The annual Horror Show is largely a film festival with, you guessed it, horror movies.  Telluride is one of those places where the locals appreciate scary stuff.  They have shows, haunted tours, lamplight cemetery tours, a Halloween Parade, parties, pub crawls and so much more.  



There's so much to do that it keeps everyone busy for weeks, and draws thousands of visitors.  There are a lot of historic locations in the city, and  most of them hold haunted tours during this season.  So, if you want to watch some scary stuff and visit some haunted places; this could be for you!




https://www.telluride.com/discover/blog/2025-halloween-happenings/   




https://www.lodgingintelluride.com/blog/things-to-do-for-halloween-in-telluride   




https://www.telluridehorrorshow.com/   




 https://www.telluridemuseum.org/2025/10/halloween-on-the-hill/                    




https://www.telluridekidsguide.com/Halloween_Guide.php   


































4.    Anoka, Minnesota.  Did you know that Anoka is the official Halloween Capital of the World?  I didn't.  I would have thought maybe Hell, Michigan or Salem, Massachusetts, but nope.  Anoka, Minnesota.  The question is why?



Many moons ago in the late 1800's, Anoka had a problem around Halloween.  Local children were playing some awful pranks and setting things on fire.  The people of this one of a kind town decided to go with it and so their festival was born.  They have all kinds of events from pumpkin contests of various kinds to a giant bonfire.  They have blazing jack-o-lanterns, corn mazes and of course; all things Halloween.




Since 1937, when one of the locals went to Washington DC to make Anoka the official Halloween Capital of the world, they have proudly held the title.  Here's something I love.  Like other Halloween towns I've been to, some of the stuff is there year round.  But the biggest celebration is in the fall during September and October.





https://anokahalloween.com/   




https://www.anokacountymn.gov/4377/Getting-to-Anoka-Halloween-Celebrations   




https://www.travelandleisure.com/how-to-visit-anoka-minnesota-halloween-capital-11823260   




https://www.spookylittlehalloween.com/blog/anoka-mn-halloween-capital-of-the-world   




https://twincitiesfamily.com/anoka-halloween-capital-of-the-world/   









































5.    New Orleans, Louisiana.  Where do you go from the Halloween Capital of the World?  New Orleans.  This one goes without saying.  They have cemeteries that are famous tourist attractions.  They are proudly well known for Voo Doo.  They party in the streets in the French Quarter.  Halloween is natural there.




If you want a great adventure for Halloween, this is it.  They have parties, parades, ghost tours, and all kinds of spooky stuff.  In true New Orleans tradition; they overdo it for decor and liveliness.  You won't sleep while you're visiting, as none of us ever do, but you will have a really good time at all the events throughout the season.




https://www.neworleans.com/events/holidays-seasonal/halloween/   




https://www.frenchquarter.com/french-quarter-new-orleans-halloween/   




https://www.kreweofboo.com/   




https://www.axios.com/local/new-orleans/2026/10/01/best-halloween-parades-parties-events-witches-brunch   




https://www.witchesbrew.co/pages/halloween-new-orleans/?srsltid=AU7gw4XOyclR2UTELbrtD65V_bdAQ4XW1eGK4bsU8yDAqKCgn4I_G6Yv   





There you have it.  Halloween is one of my favorite holidays.  I know it can be controversial, but I just like to have fun.  Don't get too overthinking about it and just go and have a great time.  I've given you some places that you can visit anytime during the fall and have a spooky time, so get out there and do something this fall!


If you'd like to see what I'm currently doing, check out my YouTube Channel, "Adventures for Anyone with Terri Dixon" That's me!


https://www.youtube.com/@adventuresforanyone2026  



Okay now, Autumn and Halloween are waiting!  What are you waiting for?  Enjoy!

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