Lost Dutchman State Park in Apache Junction, Ariz. (Photo by Todd DeFeo/The DeFeo Groupe)
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.
Kennesaw Mountain National Battlefield Park offers the opportunity to connect with an important time in American history and a free outdoor experience. Located between Marietta and Kennesaw, the 2,923-acre national park offers visitors the chance to learn about an important time in history and also enjoy the great outdoors. The national park features 18 miles of walking trails, some rather steep as they approach the top of the mountain. The park features three battlefield areas: one located in front of the Visitor Center, another off Burnt Hickory Road and the main site at Cheatham Hill, which during the Civil War was called the Dead Angle. The visitor center is a logical place to start because it provides an abundance of information about what happened during the battle.
The Kensington Palace royal residence has been a residence of the British Royal Family since the 17th century. It is the official London residence of the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and other members of the Royal Family. The State Rooms of Kensington Palace are open to the public and display paintings and objects from the Royal Collection.
Located in central London between The Mall and Carlton Gardens, the King George VI and Queen Elizabeth Memorial is a tribute to King George VI and his spouse, Queen Elizabeth. The memorial was completed in 2009 and features a Grade II listed statue of George VI created by William McMillan and unveiled by his daughter Queen Elizabeth II in 1955. The updated memorial includes a statue of the Queen Mother by Philip Jackson, a relief sculpture by Paul Day and an architectural setting by Donald Buttress and Donald Insall. Queen Elizabeth II unveiled the updated memorial in 2009.
Though Klein Curaçao is uninhabited, it is one of the most popular destinations for travelers who visit the main island of Curaçao. Today, aside from a few huts on the beach, the only building on the island is an old lighthouse. There are two shipwrecks on the island, including the remains of the Maria Bianca Guidesman. The island is also the final resting place of slaves who did not survive the trip from Africa. Several charter companies offer excursions to the island. But, be warned: The water between Curaçao and Klein Curaçao is quite choppy and many people find themselves sea sick.
Construction on La Torre di Pisa began in August 1173, and at first the tower did not have a tilt. It wasn’t until workers completed three floors of the tower that its now-famous lean was noticeable, leading to a halt in construction. In 1273, work on the tower began again. However, it wasn’t until 1360 that the tower was completed.
For anyone interested in learning more about the complex maze of sewers winding its way beneath the Parisian streets, a visit to Le Musée des Égouts de Paris (the Paris Sewer Museum) is a must. The museum is located beneath the Quai d’Orsay near the famous Pont de l’Alma in the city’s 7th arrondissement and chronicles the need for sewers and their construction. Exhibits include replica and equipment used in the upkeep of the system, such as a giant ball used to clear clogs. An actual sewer line, complete with raw sewage, running below reminds museum-goers’ that while the museum and the city’s underground may be out of sight, it’s not always out of smell. A visit to the museum can take an hour or so, less for anyone who might be unable to keep their olfactory senses in check.
In April 2007, a statue was unveiled in downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, honoring Lenora “Nora” Witzel, who has been described as a pioneer and a rebel. Witzel (1875-1968) photographed Clarksville’s architecture and people for nearly three decades. She worked out of her photography studio at the ML Clothing Store on Franklin Street and is considered a pioneer of early 20th century small-town photography. Andrea Lugar of Lugar Art and Bronze Foundry in Arlington, Texas, created the life-sized bronze cast of Witzel and her dog Nettie.
