Have you taken your summer vacation yet? If not, you’re in luck! No matter where you’re located in the U.S., there are plenty of opportunities to take in the sights and maybe learn something new about nuclear energy along the way. Here are just a few of our recommendations:
East Coast
For those in the Washington, D.C., area, our first destination is just a short trip away. The N.S. Savannah, located in nearby Baltimore, MD, is the first (and only) commercial ship to be powered by nuclear energy—in fact, “N.S.” stands for “nuclear ship.” The ship was built in 1959 as part of President Eisenhower’s Atoms for Peace program to demonstrate the incredible potential of nuclear energy. While it has been used to transport both cargo and passengers in the past, the Savannah’s nuclear reactor was deactivated in 1971, and the ship has been docked in Baltimore since 2008.
Tours of the Savannah’s interior are not currently available to the public, but groups or individuals can arrange visits through the U.S. Maritime Administration.
If you won’t be in the Baltimore area this summer, check out this virtual tour of the Savannah instead.
Further up the coast, just outside of scenic Portsmouth, New Hampshire, you’ll find the Seabrook Station nuclear plant. Seabrook Station has been providing carbon-free, baseload energy to the New England region since 1990, simultaneously keeping energy costs down for residents and reducing carbon emissions. Though the plant is not open for tours, you can spot it from the road during a scenic drive up the coast of New Hampshire.
Midwest
Are you planning a trip to Chicago? Want to see where some of the nuclear scientists featured in Oppenheimer did their research? Make sure to add the Chicago Pile-1 site to your itinerary!
The Metallurgical Laboratory, or “Met Lab,” at the University of Chicago served as a crucial branch of the Manhattan Project, where scientists worked toward producing a self-sustaining nuclear reaction. The researchers used nuclear “piles” to measure the neutron emission from nuclear fission, which would pave the way for use of fission as an energy source.
The original site of the Met Lab—an abandoned rackets court beneath UChicago’s Stagg Field—was chosen for safety reasons. Today, the site is home to a sculpture by artist Henry Moore entitled Nuclear Energy, commemorating the monumental progress made by those researchers.
Southwest
Albuquerque, New Mexico, is home to the Atomic Heritage Foundation’s National Museum of Nuclear Science and History. The museum’s exhibits showcase monumental achievements in the nuclear field. If you won’t be vacationing in the Southwest, the museum also offers virtual tours.
West Coast
As you drive up the Pacific Coast Highway, keep an eye out for Diablo Canyon—California’s only currently-operating nuclear power plant—near San Luis Obispo and Avila Beach. Until recently, Diablo Canyon was scheduled to shut down in 2025. But thanks to a vote by the state legislature, the plant will operate for at least five more years and continue providing affordable, carbon-free power to over 3 million Californians.
Moving further inland, you’ll find that Idaho is home to several significant nuclear sites—take a day trip to Idaho Falls and check out the Idaho National Lab and Experimental Breeder Reactor-1.
Researchers at the Idaho National Lab (INL) are working on new advanced nuclear energy technologies for a variety of uses, including improved EV batteries, protecting the existing energy grid, and even outer space exploration. INL offers both in-person and virtual tours, so you can check out the lab whether or not you’ll be traveling through Idaho this summer.
Head out on a road trip 50 miles west of Idaho Falls to Experimental Breeder Reactor-I and take in even more of nuclear’s history. Built in 1951 and decommissioned in 1964, this reactor was the first to produce a usable amount of electricity from a nuclear reaction. The reactor and its accompanying museum are open to the public (no reservations necessary), and both guided and self-guided tours are available.
BONUS Round: Puerto Rico
If you’re looking for a more tropical getaway (with ties to nuclear energy, of course), Domes Beach in Rincón, Puerto Rico, is the perfect destination. This beach is known for being a popular surf spot, as well as being the site of the now-decommissioned Boiling Nuclear Superheater (BONUS) reactor. In fact, the reactor is what gave the beach its name—the dome-shaped building that houses the reactor is visible from the beach and its surrounding trails.
If you’re not planning to hit any of the destinations on our list, you can always check out the nuclear plants in your state! Many of them offer tours, or you can spot them from the road during a scenic drive.
No matter where you’re traveling this summer (or where you’re taking your staycation), you’re sure to be near a fun and informative nuclear energy destination. Add one of our favorites to your itinerary—and download our fun travel posters showcasing scenic nuclear locations discussed above!
