Tech traveller: Geek trips

Calling all sci-fi nerds, 'makers', particle physics buffs, gadget groupies and Dr Who and Hobbit fans — a host of great experiences are up for grabs.

By Kate Russell
Published 30 Sept 2016, 09:00 BST, Updated 7 Jul 2021, 16:27 BST
Police box

Police box.

Photograph by Getty Images

We geeks have a reputation for never leaving our keyboards, but if you fancy stretching your nerdy horizons there are plenty of amazing trips you can plan. The 'maker' community is thriving, with events where you can get hands-on with robots, 3D printing, coding and more. Check out makerfaire.com/map to locate events around the world. Or grab your Raspberry Pi computer and head to a 'Jam' to meet and learn from other enthusiasts.

Perhaps you've recently picked up a drone and want to learn how to fly it safely? Phantomflightschool.co.uk has a range of summer and winter holidays that will help you get to grips with your airborne tech. If you just want to know where you're allowed to fly, caniflymydrone.com lists popular attractions where you can, and cannot, unleash your unmanned aerial vehicle. The list mainly covers UK sites right now, but is growing slowly worldwide.

If you're interested in particle physics, or just curious about the universe, CERN, in Geneva, offers guided tours of the largest particle physics laboratory in the world (visits.web.cern.ch). Alternatively, you could head to California to visit NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory where you can book a free tour of the Deep Space Network operation centre.

For science fiction and fantasy fans there's an ever-growing list of movie locations that should be on your bucket list. Cardiff is home of the Doctor Who Experience, where you can step inside the Tardis. Meanwhile, Game of Thrones fans should make a beeline for Dubrovnik, Croatia, where lots of tours of Kings Landing, one of the most iconic places from the series, are available. Then there's a long-haul trip to New Zealand to Middle-earth, where the curiously Teletubbies-esque set of The Hobbit continues to be a huge and beautiful attraction. Check out the options at hobbitontours.com.

Published in the September 2016 issue of National Geographic Traveller (UK)

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