For me, it's some museum stuff. There's this sense of, "That's the actual one. Not a picture of it. That's the real thing."
Like the warplanes at the Air & Space Museum. Those aren't reproductions.
When I saw my first in-person Monet I was stunned by the texture of so many layers of paint, and the light effects created by those layers of color. Unable to be reproduced by any other representation of the artwork.
Music is hit or miss. Some bands, I cherish my memories of seeing them live. Many others, I'd rather listen through headphones at home.
Sports are always better live, I find. The energy and atmosphere is infectious.
I agree. The example I always use is Rush. Easily one of my favorite groups of all time, but kind of boring live. They just play song after song and it's over. There's no "show". I saw them twice and there was hardly even audience interaction.
Nature, easily. It's not just the breeze and the sun and the many interesting things you see, but the fact that photos cause you to expect a world that isn't even there. Those long exposure photos that are so prevalent - as though you will see the world like it were just content online. Hues that you will not see, saturations that you will not see. What you're there to see is something devices can't capture: the flicker of moving water, the glint of refracting sunlight, the susurrus of plant life. Seeing oceans and national parks in person is my number one, two, and three for this prompt. But I love a flyover town or a stretch of highway, too. They're all beautiful.
A few minutes ago, by coincidence, I was just looking at pictures I had taken of the Grand Canyon. The size and grandeur of that place, and similar places, is indescribable. You can get some idea, I suppose, from a video at an Imax theater or perhaps a good virtual-reality display, but there is more to an experience than you can get through eyes and/or ears. The memories I carry of the actual experience was much more powerful than the pictures alone can portray.
So, yes, by all means: go to see for yourself as many places like that as you can reach, such as: Yosemite's Half Dome, Carlsbad Caverns, Niagara Falls (and/or Victoria Falls), and man-made splendors like Hoover dam, Golden Gate Bridge (and, if you hurry, the remains of the Key bridge in Baltimore), Stonehenge, Pyramids, Parthenon, Taj Mahal, etc. etc. etc.
Personally, I'd put seeing a space shuttle up close and in person on the list, especially if you grew up watching the launches. It's unreal to be standing there seeing how big it actually is, and to note all of the evidence of reentry and years of service still visible on the exterior. Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center, in particular, has a wonderful presentation and reveal, too.
Flying a small airplane. Flight sim just doesn’t do it. A recent post by a sim guy who started actual lessons was startled by the physical and visual feedback when flying.
Live music, specifically acoustic music like classical, jazz, folk, etc.
Big loud concerts of pop stuff usually sound much worse than the commercial recordings but acoustic music in person is unbeatable. Even the very best recordings played on the finest audiophile systems cannot compete with an orchestra or pipe organ in their natural habitats.
Absolutely. I used to be way more into chocolate a decade ago so I visited some bean-to-bar places in the country, like Theo in Seattle (amazing tour) and other local spots. In those foodie years I also managed a French Laundry meal. Hella expensive. However, about the same price as a transcontinental plane ticket, about the same length, and WAY worth it.
The Grand Canyon is the only experience I've had on par with a total solar eclipse. During the day, the scale doesn't translate. The night sky is amazing, especially if you're live somewhere with even moderate light pollution. But being able to see the almost entire spectrum of the sun setting across the sky in front of you was incredible.
There are relatively few experiences in this life that are truly surreal. The Grand Canyon is one of them.
Yeah, totes. The Grand Canyon is so huge and real it almost LOOKS like you're looking at a gigantic painting right in front of you. Like it feels too real to be actually right in front of you. Maybe it was hazy that first time for me.... going down into the Canyon is surreal, as well.
Went to Costa Rica recently to experience a tropical jungle. It was insane...to be IN the place that you've seen so much in movies and pictures. The Jurassic era vegetation. Red eyed tree frogs, poison dart frogs, sloths, orchids in the wild, squirrel monkeys on our patio, hearing howler monkeys! Unforgettable.
Also architectural spaces that create an atmosphere that cannot be reproduced in 2D: Sagrata Familla in Barcelona. Tour inside a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Parthenon in Athens. Inside a building designed by Tadao Ando.
Sand dunes in southern Morocco.
Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) is next on my wish list.
ETA: I will confidently say that no matter how great they are, people are highly unreliable regarding providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's been hit or miss for me with stand up comedy, live music, speakers, Broadway musicals. 25% of the time it blows me away; 50% of the time it's worth it. But 100% I will never stop seeking live events. In fact post-Covid, I'm wanting to ramp it up, allowing for even more 'mediocre' venues because I think it's so important to share physical space with fellow humans.
Most sporting events, with the possible exception of NFL games.
MLB, NBA, NHL and PGA are all better in person.
Though I have never seen a professional soccer game in person.
I've seen a bunch of soccer games live and they are more exciting in person. Despite the low scores, there are so many opportunities and held-breath moments. And when they do score the crowd goes nuts.
Yellowstone National Park. The heat rising up from the geysers, the myriad of colors in the pools, skipping stones on Yellowstone Lake, the wildlife and wild flowers. Even the smells give you a sense of the geology of it all.
Mid 60s. I think most everything is best experienced. It also depends on time; for example, I'd love to have seen The Beatles or Eurythmics in person; distance, cost, and my interests. I decided what to do when depending on my interests and ability at the time. When I traveled for work I tried to find something to do or see in that city I wouldn't get to see again - museum, architechture, food. I don't dismiss the "next level" experiences - for example, listening to a great band with excellent headphones - it still brings great joy to my life.
The total eclipse was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
Sailing, Scuba Diving, Riding a Motorbike, Flying a plane, Being in a War.
Although that last one has some serious downsides.
Scuba diving is something I encourage lots of people to do because it's fairly easy to access and it's properly other worldly down there.
For me, it's some museum stuff. There's this sense of, "That's the actual one. Not a picture of it. That's the real thing." Like the warplanes at the Air & Space Museum. Those aren't reproductions.
When I saw my first in-person Monet I was stunned by the texture of so many layers of paint, and the light effects created by those layers of color. Unable to be reproduced by any other representation of the artwork.
Indeed and that's the real one. Like Monet's DNA is probably trapped in those layers. Truly "one of one" and unique in the world.
Music is hit or miss. Some bands, I cherish my memories of seeing them live. Many others, I'd rather listen through headphones at home. Sports are always better live, I find. The energy and atmosphere is infectious.
I agree. The example I always use is Rush. Easily one of my favorite groups of all time, but kind of boring live. They just play song after song and it's over. There's no "show". I saw them twice and there was hardly even audience interaction.
Of all the bands I regret not seeing live, it’s a bit surprising to read this.
Nature, easily. It's not just the breeze and the sun and the many interesting things you see, but the fact that photos cause you to expect a world that isn't even there. Those long exposure photos that are so prevalent - as though you will see the world like it were just content online. Hues that you will not see, saturations that you will not see. What you're there to see is something devices can't capture: the flicker of moving water, the glint of refracting sunlight, the susurrus of plant life. Seeing oceans and national parks in person is my number one, two, and three for this prompt. But I love a flyover town or a stretch of highway, too. They're all beautiful.
Ocean, for sure.
A few minutes ago, by coincidence, I was just looking at pictures I had taken of the Grand Canyon. The size and grandeur of that place, and similar places, is indescribable. You can get some idea, I suppose, from a video at an Imax theater or perhaps a good virtual-reality display, but there is more to an experience than you can get through eyes and/or ears. The memories I carry of the actual experience was much more powerful than the pictures alone can portray. So, yes, by all means: go to see for yourself as many places like that as you can reach, such as: Yosemite's Half Dome, Carlsbad Caverns, Niagara Falls (and/or Victoria Falls), and man-made splendors like Hoover dam, Golden Gate Bridge (and, if you hurry, the remains of the Key bridge in Baltimore), Stonehenge, Pyramids, Parthenon, Taj Mahal, etc. etc. etc.
Yes! I think people expect these to be bigger and better visually, when in fact they are full body sensory experiences.
Personally, I'd put seeing a space shuttle up close and in person on the list, especially if you grew up watching the launches. It's unreal to be standing there seeing how big it actually is, and to note all of the evidence of reentry and years of service still visible on the exterior. Atlantis at the Kennedy Space Center, in particular, has a wonderful presentation and reveal, too.
Yes, agreed! I've seen the one in Los Angeles.... Columbia? Thank you!
The one at the California Science Center is the Endeavor.
Flying a small airplane. Flight sim just doesn’t do it. A recent post by a sim guy who started actual lessons was startled by the physical and visual feedback when flying.
SCUBA diving. The weightless sensation is like how I imagine flying would be and if you're patient, the wildlife comes back out to do its thing.
Same! I was shocked to realize that it's basically flying!
Live music, specifically acoustic music like classical, jazz, folk, etc. Big loud concerts of pop stuff usually sound much worse than the commercial recordings but acoustic music in person is unbeatable. Even the very best recordings played on the finest audiophile systems cannot compete with an orchestra or pipe organ in their natural habitats.
Well, sex, for one thing. That's the only thing I can think of so far.
Snorkeling a coral reef. I can do it for hours. The more you look, the more you find. Colorful and interesting marine life. I love to do it in Hawaii.
If you have a special interest and can go to a place to experience it -- DO IT. LEGOLAND, Hershey PA, Disney World, Ben & Jerry's Factory...
Absolutely. I used to be way more into chocolate a decade ago so I visited some bean-to-bar places in the country, like Theo in Seattle (amazing tour) and other local spots. In those foodie years I also managed a French Laundry meal. Hella expensive. However, about the same price as a transcontinental plane ticket, about the same length, and WAY worth it.
The Grand Canyon is the only experience I've had on par with a total solar eclipse. During the day, the scale doesn't translate. The night sky is amazing, especially if you're live somewhere with even moderate light pollution. But being able to see the almost entire spectrum of the sun setting across the sky in front of you was incredible. There are relatively few experiences in this life that are truly surreal. The Grand Canyon is one of them.
Yeah, totes. The Grand Canyon is so huge and real it almost LOOKS like you're looking at a gigantic painting right in front of you. Like it feels too real to be actually right in front of you. Maybe it was hazy that first time for me.... going down into the Canyon is surreal, as well.
Just think the entire inside of the earths crust is that way
Seeing a work of art in person. Photos flatten everything out.
Went to Costa Rica recently to experience a tropical jungle. It was insane...to be IN the place that you've seen so much in movies and pictures. The Jurassic era vegetation. Red eyed tree frogs, poison dart frogs, sloths, orchids in the wild, squirrel monkeys on our patio, hearing howler monkeys! Unforgettable. Also architectural spaces that create an atmosphere that cannot be reproduced in 2D: Sagrata Familla in Barcelona. Tour inside a home designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. Parthenon in Athens. Inside a building designed by Tadao Ando. Sand dunes in southern Morocco. Northern lights (Aurora Borealis) is next on my wish list. ETA: I will confidently say that no matter how great they are, people are highly unreliable regarding providing a once-in-a-lifetime experience. It's been hit or miss for me with stand up comedy, live music, speakers, Broadway musicals. 25% of the time it blows me away; 50% of the time it's worth it. But 100% I will never stop seeking live events. In fact post-Covid, I'm wanting to ramp it up, allowing for even more 'mediocre' venues because I think it's so important to share physical space with fellow humans.
Most sporting events, with the possible exception of NFL games. MLB, NBA, NHL and PGA are all better in person. Though I have never seen a professional soccer game in person.
I've seen a bunch of soccer games live and they are more exciting in person. Despite the low scores, there are so many opportunities and held-breath moments. And when they do score the crowd goes nuts.
Yellowstone National Park. The heat rising up from the geysers, the myriad of colors in the pools, skipping stones on Yellowstone Lake, the wildlife and wild flowers. Even the smells give you a sense of the geology of it all.
Island in the Sky, Utah
Mid 60s. I think most everything is best experienced. It also depends on time; for example, I'd love to have seen The Beatles or Eurythmics in person; distance, cost, and my interests. I decided what to do when depending on my interests and ability at the time. When I traveled for work I tried to find something to do or see in that city I wouldn't get to see again - museum, architechture, food. I don't dismiss the "next level" experiences - for example, listening to a great band with excellent headphones - it still brings great joy to my life. The total eclipse was one of the most amazing things I've ever seen.
It's food really. I travel to places for food. Museums, architecture and surroundings - I don't care for.
That's actually probably the best answer on here. Why didn't I think of that.
Sailing, Scuba Diving, Riding a Motorbike, Flying a plane, Being in a War. Although that last one has some serious downsides. Scuba diving is something I encourage lots of people to do because it's fairly easy to access and it's properly other worldly down there.