Biggest Tourist Surprise

[ChoralScholar]

Inspired by the 'Biggest Tourist Disappointment' Thread:

What landmarks did you visit, fully expecting them to suck, but were actually pretty cool?

For me, it was the USS Alabama in Mobile. I visited it when I was about 20, thinking "I could really care less about this." But instead, it was very cool, and it sparked my interest in history.

[phillybri]

1. Washington, DC...

I didn't really appreciate all the monuments when I was a kid. When I went last year, it just blew me away...

Especially the FDR Memorial...

[MuseRider]

4. Me too.

We went about 10 years ago, just my husband and I and I loved the whole experience. I did not think I would. The capper for me was the Vietnam Memorial. I knew it would affect me but it nailed me. I wore a POW bracelet for years and years and I found the mans name on the memorial and they made an etching of it for me. I cried off and on for days. We ended up going back several months later with our kids.

[terrya]

2. The CN Tower in Toronto.

Last time I was in Toronto, I FINALLY went up to the top of the CN tower. VERY cool views, it was quite informative AND I stood on the "glass floor" 1,800 ft about the ground. I had a great time. :-)

[damnraddem]

3. Cosmosphere in Hutchinson, KS.

Small but world-class space museum. It's also where Apollo 13 and Gus Grissom's long-lost Mercury capsule (was it 8?) were restored. Good display of Germany's WWII Peenemunde (sic), including a restored V-2 rocket. It's a Smithsonian affiliate museum.

[ChoralScholar]

5. BUMP.... for the afternooners

[GOPisEvil]

6. The set for the movie, The Alamo.

It's outside Bracketville, TX, and is just campy as all hell. You can walk around it, stand behind it, pretend you're John Wayne. Big fun. Much cooler than I thought it would be.

[ChoralScholar]

8. is it better than the ACTUAL Alamo? EOM

[GOPisEvil]

9. Well...I had low expectations for the movie set.

Those were exceeded.

I had higher expectations of the real Alamo and was disappointed.

The real one is better, because it's real, but I had more fun at the fake one.

[XNASA]

7. Door County Wisconsin

Gorgeous, peaceful and devoid of corporate franchises.

Also, The Biltmore Estate in Asheville, NC. That's livin'!! You might have seen it featured in the movie "Being There".

[Misunderestimator]

10. Wexford, Ireland

Little town on the east coast of Ireland. Spent two months in autumn there years ago, and figured that it would be miserable. Well, the weather was pretty miserable, with sunshine on only a few days. But I LOVED the town. Some fifty pubs (must have been a 10/1 ratio of townperson to pub) with Guinness flowing... mighty fine experience :). One night in my fave spot, a police officer came in... the pub went silent and everyone got up and started filing out the door. Apparently the pubs were supposed to close at a certain time, but they all stay open past that time until the cops come by. No fines... just a polite exodus.