Guidebooks are annoying. Just because some editor who doesn’t know me tells me which restaurant is the best or what attraction is a must-see doesn’t make it a must-see attraction. Sightseers’ Delight is dedicated to the weird, the quirky and the fun. After all, traveling is fun.
If it’s not, you’re doing it wrong.
All of the places highlighted in this ever-growing database are great. Sightseers’ Delight has visited them all. We think you should make a point to see every one of them. But, this is not a guidebook. Just a webpage to help you plan your next adventure.
Albert Park was laid out in the 1880s and is famous for its stunning views of Auckland and the harbor. The park stands on the site of the former Albert Barracks, which was built in the 1840s and is among Auckland’s early European military forts, which itseld was buolt on the site of Te Horotiu pa. A statue of Queen Victoria was erected in the park following her Diamond Jubilee in 1897. The park is also home to a Boer War memorial.
The Rock is more myth than reality. Still, the former federal penitentiary attracts more than 1 million visitors annually as a museum. Some of the country’s most notorious criminals were incarcerated on The Rock at one time or another. Several tried to escape, but none were successful. Or, were they? Even though the prison closed in the 1960s, its stories about remain legendary to this day.
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The Alexander & Baldwin Sugar Museum is located in former mill manager’s house located next to what was once Hawaii’s largest working sugar factory. The museum, located in the historic plantation town of Puunene, Maui, showcases the history of Hawaiian sugarcane plantations and how the industry shaped the community.
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The Flood Control Act of 1941 and the Flood Control Act 1944 authorized the construction Allatoona Dam, but World War II delayed the start of work. Construction began in 1946, and reservoir started to fill in during December 1949, eventually flooding the town of Allatoona. In January 1950, the dam and power station were operation in January 1950. Today, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers owns and operates the dam.
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The Allatoona Lake Visitor’s Center offers a brief look into the history of the lake and the local area. Among the many educational displays are subjects covering Native American history, the local mining industry, wild life, recreation, hydropower, the Battle of Allatoona Pass and much more.
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After Atlanta fell, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood began marching toward Nashville, Tenn., hoping to break Sherman’s supply line. Hood attacked at Union troops positioned at a railroad pass southeast of Cartersville. The Battle of Allatoona Pass on Oct. 5, 1864, is among the Civil War’s bloodiest battles, and roughly 1,600 soldiers on both sides died. The railroad has been rerouted, but the battle site now sits on the edge of Lake Allatoona and is part of Red Top Mountain State Park.
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All Hallows-by-the-Tower is a historic Anglican church located on Byward Street in the City of London, England. It was dedicated to All Hallows (All Saints) and the Virgin Mary and was sometimes called All Hallows Barking. According various sources, it is believed to be the oldest church in the City of London, founded in AD 675. However, recent research has cast doubt on this claim. Despite surviving the Great Fire of London in 1666, the church suffered significant damage during the Blitz in World War II. It underwent extensive reconstruction and was rededicated in 1957. The church served as the guild church of Toc H, an international Christian organization founded by Tubby Clayton, who served as the church’s vicar from 1922 to 1962.
The Altare della Patria (or Altar of the Fatherland) is perhaps better known as the Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II (or the National Monument to Victor Emmanuel II). Many also call it the Wedding Cake. Sitting between Piazza Venezia and the Capitoline Hill, it was built to honor Victor Emmanuel II, the first king of a unified Italy. The monument is also the location of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and features an eternal flame and the museum of Italian Unification.
The Amelia Island Museum of History provides visitors with an overview of the island’s history, starting with its Native American occupants and continuing through modern times. The museum is located in the former Nassau County jail.
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