…and the geeks shall inherit the Earth. Starting with NYC. Our friends at Hostelbookers share the nerdier secrets of the city that never sleeps.
The Big Apple is a shining behemoth of a city that is packed full of great things to do. Behind all the glitz and glamour of one of the world’s most central cities you can find a hidden realm of geeky goodness to keep you busy. If you are travelling on a budget you can find an abundance of cheap New York hotels scattered around Manhattan and Brooklyn.
The geek’s journey to New York City should begin with a visit to one of three Midtown Comics stores, located in Grand Central, Times Square and Downtown; they are a favorite of and come recommended by the Editor of Marvel, Ryan Penagos. America’s famous comic store is packed full of books and toys that any geek or non-geek with an inclination for the imaginary will not want to miss. Inside you’ll find an eclectic collection that will bring back nostalgia of your childhood days, you don’t have to be one of The Big Bang Boys but oh, it is so much cooler if you are!
When you have finally surfaced from your browsing of Midtown Comics, head over to the Evolution Nature Store, a perfect place for nerds to go nuts and for non-geeks to find their inner geek. The store is filled with skeletons, framed butterflies, all manner of fossils from land and sea, models, insects and more. This place defines “weird shopping”, and is the perfect place to visit if you’re looking for an apt gift for you kooky friends back home.
Expand your mind with a jaunt over to the Hayden Planetarium. If there’s one thing that most people can agree on, it’s that space is really, really cool! The planetarium fills all your desires for the great beyond, with show projections onto its dome depicting such important events as the Big Bang and the creation of the Earth. If you love astrophysics and want to delve deeper into evolution, this is the place for you.
When you’re finished with the planetarium, you’ll already be in a good position to check out the American Museum of Natural History. The planetarium is located inside, but the museum itself is much larger so you’ll want to keep aside as least a day to explore all the geekiness. Geeks of any ilk will find themselves submerged in what they enjoy best: interactive information. The museum exhibits animals, dinosaurs, meteorites, the origins of humankind and more.
When you’re done with the museum, head over to Toy Tokyo where you can feel appreciation for everything Japanese. You’ll find everything here, from the old collectibles to the new shiny stuff. Whether you prefer wind-up toys, plastic action figures, old robots or other manner of Japanese gear, this East Village landmark is sure to please.
As if Midtown Comics wasn’t enough to bide you over, there’s yet another place you can check out if you’re geeky for cartoons and comics. MoCCA, or the Museum of Comic and Cartoon Art on Broadway is a great museum for returning visitors because it’s constantly changing its exhibits. Do you like Batman? Have you ever read Howl? These are just a few of the most recent exhibits that you can expect to find there.
New York City is a geek’s paradise if you know where to look, so take note and visit these places to begin your geekspedition! For more travel tips visit HostelBookers’ very own Geek Travel Map which includes tips from Top Celebrity Geeks!