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.
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The Rolleston Statue is a white marble statue situated outside Canterbury Museum on Rolleston Avenue in Christchurch, New Zealand. It commemorates William Rolleston, the superintendent of the Canterbury Province from 1868 until 1877. The statue was unveiled on May 26, 1906, by Mayor of Christchurch Sir John Hall KCMG, a personal friend, who wrote, “City Council arrived in carriages to Statue.” The Rolleston Statue fell off its plinth in the 2011 Christchurch earthquake but was repaired in 2016.
The William Root House Museum & Garden showcases what life was like for a middle-class Georgia family during the 1860s. Hannah and William Root built the simple frame house circa 1845. William Root an early merchant in Marietta, and the first druggist in town. The structure was more typical of houses in the south than the grand plantations and columned mansions.
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President Theodore Roosevelt in 1903 created Wind Cave National Park. It was the seventh national park and the first cave worldwide designated as a national park. While the park is known as the home of one of the longest caves globally, measuring more than 149 miles, it is home to the largest remaining natural mixed-grass prairie in the country. The park, which covers 33,847 acres, is home to an array of animals, including bison and prairie dogs. Access to the caves has been closed since 2019 because of a broken elevator.
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Windsor Castle, dating to the 11th century, has long been associated with the English and British royal families. Since Henry I, who ruled from 1100-1135, reigning monarchs have used the castle, making it the longest-occupied palace in Europe. The castle’s original purpose was to protect Norman dominance around London’s outskirts. It also oversaw a strategically important part of the River Thames. Royals have used Windsor Castle for refuge, including during World War II’s Luftwaffe bombing campaigns. Today it is a favorite weekend retreat for Queen Elizabeth II. The castle sits on 13 acres and is accessible from London by train.
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The Wings Over Miami museum, situated at the Kendall-Tamiami Executive Airport, is about 13 miles southwest of Miami’s central business district. It houses a fascinating collection of historic aircraft, with the 1992 Grumman F-14D being the star attraction. This particular aircraft is significant because it was one of the last active F-14s to serve with the Navy before its official retirement in September 2006. Other notable airplanes on display include a 1943 North American AT6D, a 1942 Ryan PT-22 Recruit, and a 1972 Nanchang CJ-6A. Additionally, the museum has a 1943 Consolidated PBY-5, which is another aircraft worth visiting.
The bronze sculpture of former British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, created by Ivor Roberts-Jones, stands tall in London’s Parliament Square. Churchill selected the location in the 1950s. “That is where my statue will go,” Churchill said, drawing a circle in the northeast corner after Minister of Works David Eccles showed him plans for Parliament Square’s redevelopment. The statue was unveiled in 1973 by his wife, Clementine, Baroness Spencer-Churchill. Current and former Prime Ministers attended the ceremony, and Queen Elizabeth II delivered a speech. The statue is one of 12 located around Parliament Square, with the majority paying homage to prominent statesmen.
The Women’s Basketball Hall of Fame honors men and women who have contributed to the sport of women’s basketball. The Hall of Fame opened in 1999 in Knoxville, Tenn.
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The Woodstock, Georgia, community unveiled the Woodstock Memorial in May 2009. The memorial, located in The Park at City Center in the heart of the city, consists of 10 tons of polished granite and is dedicated to local veterans. The monument, designed by Robert Young, reads, “To the men and women of Woodstock, Georgia who served in the armed forces of our country preserving our freedom and our way of life Erected in their honor.”