Here’s hoping the 2021 Tokyo Summer Games (which are really just the postponed Summer 2020 Games) go off without a hitch, pandemic or otherwise. And, while no spectators have been allowed to attend this year’s games in Toyko, we can still watch the competitions from the comfort of our own homes. If you’re like most fans, whether you got the opportunity to attend the games live in the past or simply followed along on television, somewhere along the line you thought “I could have been a contender.” To get you into the spirit, competitive or just friendly, we’ve rounded up some Summer Game-related places to visit.
U.S. Boxing Hall of Fame: Boxing first became an Olympic sport in 1904 and many Olympian contenders went on to become famous boxers in the professional world of the sport. A visit to the International Boxing Hall of Fame, located in Canastota, New York, (about 50 miles from Brennan Beach) will provide lovers of the pugilistic sport a bit of history as well as a view of titles, belts, and other things associated with famous boxers. FYI, Olympians who went on to world-wide fame include Riddick Bowe, Floyd Patterson, and Oscar De La Hoya. Visit ibhof.com for more information on the museum.
The Olympic Museum in Squaw Valley, California: Squaw Valley, the site of the 1960 Winter Olympics, was a struggling ski resort in the Lake Tahoe area of California when it was chosen as an Olympic site in 1956. It is now one of the largest ski resort areas in the country and is home to the Olympic Museum which houses exhibits related to the winter games. You can visit the museum as well as three buildings that remain from the original Olympic Village when you stay at Tahoe Valley Campground, which is about an hour away. Visit squawalpine.com for details.
Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum: Originally built as a memorial to those who served in World War I, the structure was expanded when it was set to host the 1932 Summer Olympic Games. The Coliseum was the site of competitions for field hockey, gymnastics, and both track and field and equestrian events. In 1984, the Coliseum was again home to the Olympic games, hosting the 1984 Summer Olympics and in 2028, the Coliseum will make history when it hosts the summer games for the third time. A great way to see it is through a tour with viator.com. Book one and then book your stay at Soledad Canyon RV Campground to be close to the LA Experience.
Babe Didrikson Zaharias won both a gold (for both javelin and high hurdle) and silver (in the high jump) in the 1932 Olympics, but she is also a member of the World Golf Hall of Fame as she went on to be considered one of the greatest women golfers of all time. Stay at Bulow RV Resort in St. Augustine and plan a visit to the World Golf Hall of Fame and learn a bit about the sport that has had a limited appearance in the Olympics but will be part of the competition in Tokyo. For details on the HOF, visit worldgolfhalloffame.org.
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