Top California Travel Picks For The Universal Nerd

In recent years, nerd culture has become more and more popular, from Star Wars to Game of Thrones. This coming weekend, San Diego will see thousands of nerds traveling from all around the word to visit the hub of nerd culture: San Diego Comic Con. San Diego’s streets will be flooded with drivers, and more than a few will probably end up needing to take traffic school California. For those nerds who prefer to avoid that circus, however, there are a few other notable travel destinations in California.

Computer History Museum

For those nerds that enjoy a more traditional type of nerd-dom, outside of the various movie franchises, comic books, and TV shows, there is the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, California. The museum’s mission is to chart the history of computers, from the huge monstrosities that took up entire rooms to the more modern, sleek devices of today. The museum features an exhibit that allows and encourages visitors to attempt some basic programming. Another exhibit explores the history and future of self-driving cars. Even though every good nerd knows if CA teen drivers are better drivers and that self-driving cars may lead to the robot uprising, the Computer History Museum is still worth a visit.

Rocky Horror Picture Show at the Nuart Theater

The Rocky Horror Picture Show came out in 1975, and it was an immediate cult classic. Audiences have kept this strange movie alive for over 40 years now, while other odd movies in the same vein, like The Apple or Rocky Horror’s semi-sequel Shock Treatment, have faded into obscurity. Theaters all over the country will occasionally have a showing of the movie, but very few theaters have shown it as long as The Nuart (where they’ve been having showings since 1988), and even fewer still do the full interactive experience. That experience includes members of the audience dressing up in eye-catching attire and a pre-show with games and an entertaining treat for first timers. Probably the best part of the show is the shadow cast. The shadow cast is a lovely group of people who dress up like the characters in the movie and act it out, with a few embellishments, in front of the screen. Keep in mind, the movie is rated R, but it’s an experience that everyone should have at least once. When you go, be sure to tell everyone that it’s your first time.

Universal Studios Hollywood

For people who love movies (and who doesn’t?), Universal Studios Hollywood is an absolutely essential experience. The magic of the movies comes to life in this amusement park. Dinosaur fans can enjoy Jurassic Park: The Ride, while fans of the Transformers will be sure to love the Transformers ride. Even people who don’t love the movies about giant robot cars can enjoy the ride (which some have said is more fun than all the movies in that franchise combined). The Studio Tour covers so many topics that there’s something to love for everyone. Movies explored in that hour-long tour include War of the Worlds, Jaws, King Kong, Psycho, and The Fast and the Furious franchise, plus the chance to go by many other movie sets and props. Even frequent visitors to the park make time for the Studio Tour.

The real appeal for the nerds of the world, however, is the recently opened Wizarding World of Harry Potter. For fans of the books or the movies, it’s a thrill to explore the village of Hogsmeade. There are also two rides, one of which features the characters from the series. Visitors can choose their wands, buy their robes (and other souvenirs), and drink some butterbeer. The Wizarding World of Harry Potter cannot be missed by any Harry Potter nerd.