The Olympics bring together people from all around the world on many levels. First, and perhaps most importantly, are the athletes who compete against each other on behalf of their nations. While many of these athletes compete individually in their sport of choice, even amongst competitors,there is often a spirit of brotherhood or sisterhoodthat unites them. They are, after all, competing in a very unique stage at the true pinnacle of athleticism, which is something they all should be proud of, no matter how they inevitably place. In addition to the athletes, every four years the Olympic Games also bring people of various nations and cultures together, as they cheer for their athletes and for sporting excellence as a whole.
No matter your reason for loving them, if you can’t get enough of the games and want a little more sporting excellence in your life, you should consider taking a themed trip for your next vacation. Many past venues of the games in North America now have museumsand attractions that showcase the events they held and give some additional information on the games in general. This would be a great road trip or, if you live nearby, day trip for the serious sports fanor Olympics aficionado. Here are five of the best trips on the North American continent:
The ROX: The Olympic Experience at the Richmond Oval is located in Richmond British Columbia, near Vancouver – the host of the 2010 winter games. This new attraction offers you the chance to experience the Olympics in a personal way, with sports simulators that will allow you to experience a ski jump, white water kayaking, and many other kinds of winter sports at the venue. If you are looking for things to do in Vancouver, this is absolutely a must for any true fan of the games.
The United States Olympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is set to open in 2018, and will offer adventure to anyone interested in the Olympics or Paralympics. It is located beside the Colorado Springs Training Center, which gives visitors a view into the daily lives and the amount of training athletes go through in preparation for the games. It will also be home of the U.S. Hall of Fame for the games, so it will be a good place to gather exciting historical facts about the games as well.
Squaw Valley/Alpine Meadows is the location of a recently renovated museum at the ski resorts that hosted the 1960 Winter Games in California. There, they focus on the 1960 games, with memorabilia, films, and newspaper articles from that era, allowing you to relive all the highlights of those games. As an added bonus, if you are already at the resort to ski, admission is free.
The Lake Placid Olympic Museum in New York offers great history on the 1932 games, the first Winter Games held in North America. It has many artifacts here from the 1932 games, as well as some history on the development of sport training methodology and how some individual sports were created.
Montreal hosted the 1976 games, and while it does not have a museum dedicated solely to this event, the sites from the games are still important there and, among other things, you can even see the torch!
So what have you got to lose? Embark on a truly inspirational journey throughout North America, and experience the sights through the eyes of an incredible athlete.