Being Geek Chic is a blog about one woman navigating the male-dominated industries of production and tech. It's written by Elizabeth Giorgi, Founder, CEO and Director of Mighteor - one of the world's first internet video production companies. Learn more about Mighteor here.
Growing up in Minnesota, you learn two things early: 1. Paul Bunyan may not be real, but he’s real in our hearts. 2. The headwaters of the Mighty Mississippi call the state home. As a land-locked liver who formerly dwelled near 10 lakes within 10 minutes, you miss water. Long for it even. So when I started planning a little birthday shindig for my besties, I decided that there was nothing more important than spending an evening near the sound of aqua making its token gurgles.
Enter the Covington Inn. An amazing tugboat docked at the St. Paul Yacht Club on Harriet Island under the shadow of smaller of the Twin Cities. Was a delighted to stay there? Immensely. Was I charmed by its every detail? Completely. Would I tell you to stay there? Absolutely.
As my love of traveling has evolved, my love of staying in odd places has grown even more. You can always stay at the Holiday Inn, but a Holiday Inn is the same in St. Paul as it is in Santa Fe as it is in Moab as it is in New York. Why shouldn’t our restful hours also be an experience? Why should these bed dwellings also not transport us?
Well, I think they should.
So how does one find experiences like these? I’m here to help. In the case of the Covington Inn, you can simply go check out their website should you find yourself in St. Paul, Minnesota. And as it turns out, the owner wants to move onto her next adventure, so if you want to buy it… well, that might be a worthwhile thing for you.
But this isn’t an ad for the Covington so let’s move onto the rest of my resources:
First, you need to bookmark this site: Design Tripper. This helpful web wonderland compiles all the best places and gives you real user reviews of the accommodations. And truly, these places are not your average dwellings. Treehouses? Check. Yurts? You got it. Vintage charm? Plenty.
Next, skip AirBnB (seriously, the company is full of some questionable people) and check out VRBO. This helpful acronym stands in for Vacation Rentals By Owner. They are really best for amazingly huge places that will host your entire family if they want to get away. This is what my family does and it’s lovely and amazing every single time.
And lastly, make a note of The Guardian’s helpful interactive map, which can be found here. They’ve mapped out all the best/weirdest international hotels and you are the lucky recipient of their hard work.
There’s just something about checking into the “Captain’s Quarters” instead of room 410 that makes travel all the more delightful.
If you really just read this post because you love the movie The Life Aquatic, I’m sorry. But not really. There is plenty of Wes Anderson love in my archive, which you can partake in here.
The day I became a Whovian is almost as important as the day I became a woman. It was certainly less traumatic. It was also the day when I decided I needed to see that damn space machine in person before I died.
Friends, I saw it. And I touched it. And it’s glorious.
The entire reason Cardiff was even on my travel radar was because of Doctor Who. The show is filmed in the city and the BBC recently opened The Doctor Who Experience as a tourist attraction in the off months when the show isn’t airing. In a strange way, the City of Cardiff is lot like a living set for the show. Wandering through the city you’ll come upon random landmarks that look familiar. Like the building where Donna Noble worked. Or a random house that looks awful familiar. For super astute fans, a day wandering Cardiff can be crazy fruitful.
I loved that the city embraced their status as a Whovian mecca. Doctor Who spin-off Torchwood was also filmed in Cardiff and when the showed killed off the beloved character Iantos, a shrine popped up that has just never gone away. How can you dislike that?
The Doctor Who Experience itself leaves something to be desired unless you are under the age of 12. It’s a lot of flashing lights and smoke machines all wrapped into a storyline that Matt Smith so deftly acts through. However, for me, and I expect for the people who read this blog, the real highlight is just the stuff. The freaking sets and props and icons that make Who, well, Who.
As a filmmaker, I’m just obsessed with props and sets from a technical execution stand point, so I can be made to appreciate virtually anything from the film industry if done well. But in the context of one of my favorite shows, well, I was in heaven of sorts. The team at BBC have expertly curated a collection of Who memorabilia from the beginning to modern times, so there’s something from basically any fan’s favorite era. Unless you loved that 90s TV movie… I am not sure there’s much for you.
This is definitely a two hour to three hour walking tour if you look at everything and truly dive into the details. Others can probably do it in an hour, but I’m guessing that’s not your style if you’re still reading this. It’s pricey. Especially when you consider that what most fans are likely doing is taking a train from London Paddington to Cardiff. It’s a two hour train ride, so don’t try to jam it into one day unless you’re especially time crunched.
After spending your day walking Cardiff, enjoying the waterfrot and taking in all the Whovian love, I recommend staying nearby in the Mermaid Quay area for a little food and old school childhood geekery. Roald Dahl called Cardiff home and the nearby Roald Dahl Pass is surprisingly charming and fun.
Nearby there are a ton of cute restaurants, but group consensus seemed to be that Bayside Brasserie was a clear winner. It’s patio has a lovely view and seems to capture the real charm of Wales. I’m also just going to say right now that I just eat at Pret continuously when I’m in England, Ireland or Wales… so what that says about me… you decide. I freaking love it.
Wales also has a surprisingly fun culture on the weekends. The area is set up for street performers and general outdoor amusement, so if you can stick around for a while, definitely do. You might even catch a glimpse of the Doctor.
Taking a trip sometime soon? Consult our Geek Travel Guides before you go. Maybe we’ve been to your destination!
