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.
Basilica di Santa Croce or Basilica of the Holy Cross is the principal Franciscan church in Florence and the largest Franciscan church in the world. Construction on the church began on May 12, 1294, and the building’s original location was outside the city walls. Legend says St. Francis founded Santa Croce. Some of Italy’s most illustrious Italians, including Michelangelo, Galileo and Machiavelli, are buried in the Santa Croce.
The imposing Gothic abbey, a former Benedictine monastery, towers high above the Roman baths and the street below. Osric, King of the Hwicee, founded the parish in 675, and new churches were erected in the 12th century under John of Tours and during the 16th century. One of the building’s most unique features is the ladder of angels located on the west front. According to one account, Bishop of Bath Oliver King designed the ladder based on a dream he had about ascending and descending angels.
Battelle Riverfront Park is a 4.1-acre park near Columbus City Hall in downtown Columbus, Ohio. The park was established in 1983. It is named after Gordon Battelle and was funded by the Battelle Memorial Institute.
Battery Park is a 25-acre public park located at the southern tip of Manhattan Island. The area has been known as The Battery since the 17th century. The area was so-named because of artillery batteries that were positioned there in the city’s early years to protect the settlement.
Battlefield Park commemorates the Oct. 9, 1779, Battle of Savannah during the Revolutionary War. On that day, an allied force of more than 5,000 French and American troops attacked the 2,500 British soldiers defending the city. It was the second bloodiest battle of the American Revolution, and roughly 800 troops were killed or wounded during the fight. The attack failed, and allied forces retreated from Savannah on Oct. 18, 1779; the city remained under British control until 1782. The city of Savannah purchased the land in 2003, and the park built on the site includes a modern recreation of a redoubt.
The Bay of Pigs Monument is a tribute to the soldiers who lost their lives in the Bay of Pigs Invasion that took place in Little Havana, Miami, Florida. The monument features the names of the fallen soldiers engraved on it, and an eternal flame burns on the top as a symbol of their courage. The monument was dedicated on April 17, 1971, by several hundred Cuban exiles, Miami Mayor David T. Kennedy, and then-Senator Lawton Chiles. President Richard Nixon sent his best wishes for the occasion via cable.
Judge William O. Beach paved the way for wine production in Tennessee when he opened this winery in 1987. While Beachaven produces a number of sweeter, fruit-flavored wines, it also produces a strong assortment of drier wines. For starters, consider sampling the Syrah and Cabernet Sauvignon. For anyone unsure about the wine, the tastings are free, as is a brief tour of the grounds. The winery’s highly popular Jazz on the Lawn series in summer months features free music at the winery.
