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.
The Indiana World War Memorial Plaza in downtown Indianapolis, Indiana, was originally built to honor the veterans of World War I. It was conceived in 1919 as a location for the national headquarters of the American Legion and a memorial to veterans. Today, the American Legion Mall is located at the north end, and the Veterans Memorial Plaza with its obelisk is located at the south end. The centerpiece is the Indiana World War Memorial, which was modeled after the Mausoleum of Halicarnassus. The Indiana World War Memorial is home to a military museum, the Shrine Room and an auditorium. The Indiana World War Memorial was designated a National Historic Landmark District on Oct. 11, 1994.
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CNN HAS CLOSED ITS STUDIO TOURS.
Ted Turner co-founded CNN in 1980 and helped transform the way people consume news. The outspoken Turner, who at one time owned the Atlanta Braves, still finds ways to make headlines even though he’s been out of the news business for years. For those interested in how modern newsrooms operate, the 55-minute Inside CNN Atlanta Studio Tour gives a behind the scenes look at what goes in to the making of a newscast watched by 2 billion people globally.
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Thanks to mechanic Ernest Holmes, Chattanooga is inextricably linked to the world of towing. Holmes invented the tow truck in 1916 in Chattanooga, Tenn. Today, those trucks are indispensable emergency vehicles throughout the world. So, it makes sense the International Towing & Recovery Museum would open here in September 1995. Over its more than 20-year history, the museum has amassed a collection that includes antique and modern tow trucks, photos and related toys. Outside the museum stands the Wall of the Fallen memorial, which includes the names of towers killed in the line of duty.
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The Interurban Railway Museum in Plano, Texas, was completed in 1908 by the Texas Electric Railway as its Plano station. The railway used the building until 1948, when it ceased operations, and it stood vacant until 1990, when the city of Plano renovated the building for use as the Interurban Railway Museum. The museum is home to Texas Electric Railway No. 360, a restored car. The Plano Conservancy for Historic Preservation has operated the museum since 2001.
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The Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum features an incredible collection of military and civilian aircraft. The museum housed on a historic aircraft carrier at Pier 86 at 46th Street in the Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood on the West Side of Manhattan.
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The Jaffe Fountain dates to 1874, the same year as the death of its namesake, Daniel Joseph Jaffe, a German merchant who arrived in Belfast in 1850 to establish a linen export business. The fountain originally stood in Victoria Square, where it commemorated Jaffe’s role as the founder of Belfast’s Jewish community and the builder of the city’s first synagogue in 1871. In 2007, the monument was taken to Shropshire, England, for restoration due to its deteriorated condition and was returned to its original location in February 2008. Jaffe’s legacy also includes his son, Otto Jaffe, who served twice as Lord Mayor of Belfast and remains the city’s only Jewish Lord Mayor.
The James Jackson Memorial in downtown Jefferson, Georgia, honors an American Revolution hero and general of the Georgia Militia. He is also the namesake of Jackson County, Georgia. Jackson served in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate. He also served as the 23rd Governor of Georgia from 1798 to 1801. The Jackson County Bicentennial Committee dedicated the monument, which is on the grounds of the Historic Jackson County Courthouse, on May 11, 1996.
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Author Jane Austen lived in Bath from 1801 until 1806, and the Jane Austen Centre on Gay Street explores the effect Bath had on Austen’s writings. The museum is certainly a must-see for Austen fans, but it’s also for visitors looking to learn more about historic Bath through the experiences of one of its favorite residents.