Getting away on vacation can be difficult when you’re a geek, even if only because the thought of leaving all of your sweet tech toys behind can be impossible to bear, but there are a wide variety of events out there that will allow you to not only get away from it all, but to immerse yourself in the technology that you love, as well!
If you’ve got a thing for both microchips and flat out relaxing, here are five tech events for geek vacations:
1. Launch Fest
Ready to wrap your head around the latest and greatest new startups, products, services, and technologies to hit the market? Headed up by Reddit founder Alexis Ohanian, the Launch Fest event packs practical advice alongside real-life examples of pitches and products, giving you everything you need to increase your own chances of success with your personal projects!
Besides building your professional toolkit, you’ll have a great time mixing and mingling with some of the keenest minds in business, adding to your contact list and paving roads that promise to lead to future collaborations – and future success.
When and Where: This year’s Launch Fest event will run a full day on May 2, 2013, in the unique southern city of New Orleans, Louisiana.
2. BarCamp Orlando
Blessed with a loose format that still encourages active participation by all, BarCamp Orlando will be bringing together code geeks with an interest in technologies like Ruby, HTML, PHP, C, and Java, helping everyone to walk away at least a little enlightened in regards to their languages of choice.
The heavy learning is offset with fun networking moments, free t-shirts, a complimentary lunch, and even a possible after-party, helping you to build relationships, both personal and professional, that promise to carry you into the future.
When and Where: Pay a visit to beautiful, sunny Orlando, Florida, on Saturday, May 18, 2013, for your chance to take part in the random geeky fun offered by the BarCamp Orlando event! If you plan to stay for a day or three in order to check out the beaches, visit OrlandoHotels.org for great rates on great accomodations!
3. OpenTech 2013
This year’s iteration of OpenTech has a broad and all-encompassing itinerary, bringing together geeks of all kinds in order to discuss everything from web design to effective non-profit management. Each track features a punchy title, leading to interesting subject matter, ensuring that you’re able to get the very most out of every workshop that you attend.
When and Where: Also taking place on May 18, 2013, OpenTech gives you the option to bypass New Orleans and head to jolly old London, England, instead, giving you a taste of modern technology and deep history, all at once!
4. Converge 2013
With no sharp focus at all, Converge 2013 in Edinburgh will bring together technology enthusiasts from all around the region, all with the goal of helping you and every other attendee to better understand the way that the myriad of modern high-tech tools at our disposal have the ability to combine, producing real, measurable effects on our work and personal lives.
Enthusiasm, collaboration, and good conversation are all key here, so be sure to bring your thinking cap and your sociable attitude! Info
When and Where: Vacation destinations don’t get much more unique than Edinburgh, Scotland, and that’s exactly where you’ll want to be on May 31, 2013 if you want to attend this year’s Converge 2013 event.
5. GeekOut 2013
As if taking a trip to the tiny country of Estonia didn’t represent a cool enough vacation as it is, Java enthusiasts will find everything they need at GeekOut 2013 to keep their minds – and fingers – busy for the foreseeable future!
When and Where: Did we just say that Edinburgh was at the top of the list for unique destinations? Hold that thought, and check out the city of Tallinn, Estonia, from June 12-14, 2013, in order to take in everything that the GeekOut 2013 event will have on tap.
