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.
Pukeahu National War Memorial Park honors New Zealanders who served overseas and commemorates the more than 30,000 New Zealanders who died during a conflict. It was created in 2015 to enhance the National War Memorial. “Pukeahu is a special place for New Zealanders and visitors to reflect on this country’s experience of conflict and our role in peacekeeping and how this has helped shape our national identity,” Deputy Chief Executive Delivery, Manatū Taonga Ministry for Culture and Heritage Tamsin Evans said in a December 2018 news release.
The Pulteney Bridge is a historic bridge in Bath, England, spanning the River Avon. It was constructed in 1774 to link the city with the Pulteney family’s land, which they wanted to develop. Robert Adam designed the bridge, which features a unique Palladian style with shops built on both sides. It has been classified as a Grade I listed building. Within two decades of its completion, the shops were expanded, and the façades were altered. Floods damaged the bridge by the end of the 18th century, but it was rebuilt with a similar design. In the following century, renovations were made to the shops, including cantilevered extensions on the bridge’s north face. Later in the 20th century, preservation efforts were carried out to restore the bridge’s original appearance, making it more attractive as a tourist destination.
The Avon River runs through the heart of Christchurch, and punting along the river in a handcrafted flat-bottomed boat is a peaceful way to take in the city. Boats depart from the historic Antigua Boat Sheds, then pass through Christchurch Botanic Gardens.
Quake City tackles the devastating earthquakes that struck Christchurch, their impact on the city and how the city has worked to rebuild and reinvent itself. The museum first opened as part of the Re:START container mall in February 2013 and moved to its current location in June 2017. Quake City offers a compelling and in-depth look at the earthquakes, both from a scientific standpoint and a cultural one.
Queen Emma Bridge is a floating pontoon bridge across St. Anna Bay connecting the Punda and Otrobanda quarters of Willemstad. The bridge, formerly a toll bridge, was first built in 1888 and renovated in 1939. The bridge, nicknamed “Our Swinging Old Lady,” regularly opens to allow ships to enter the bay. When open, ferries transport people from Punda and Otrobanda and vice versa.
Queen Juliana Bridge, or Koningin Julianabrug in Dutch, is said to be the tallest bridge in the Caribbean. The bridge, connecting the Punda and Otrabanda sides of Willemstad, opened on April 30, 1974, and is named in honor of Juliana of the Netherlands, Queen of the Netherlands from 1948 until she abdicated the throne 1980. On Nov. 6, 1967, during construction of the bridge, a portion of the structure collapsed, killing 15 workers.
Queens Gardens is a roughly triangular garden in central Dunedin, New Zealand, situated on reclaimed land near the original landing site for Māori waka. The area where Queens Gardens is now located was reclaimed in the late 19th century. Originally known as The Triangle, it was officially named Victoria Gardens in 1904, but it soon became known as “The Queen’s Gardens,” from which its current name developed.
Queens Park sits on 81 hectares in the middle of Invercargill, New Zealand. The Band Rotunda, built to remember the local bandsmen lost in World War I, stands at its heart. The Feldwick Gates mark the main entrance, a familiar landmark for anyone who knows the city. Beyond the gates, the park opens up into a quiet space with old trees, gardens, walking paths, and a scattering of sculptures and public art. There are animal enclosures and places for children to play. Coronation Avenue, lined with trees, cuts through the center and ties the park together.
