İzmit (Greek: Nikomedeia) is a city in Turkey, the administrative center of the Kocaeli Province. It is located at the Gulf of İzmit in the Sea of Marmara, about 100 km east of Istanbul, on the northwestern part of Anatolia. The population of the province (including rural areas) is nearly 1,600,000. Nicomedia was the eastern and most senior capital city of the Roman Empire between 286 and 324. Following Constantine the Great's victory over co-emperor Licinius at the Battle of Chrysopolis in 324, Nicomedia served as an interim capital city for New Roma.

To see the finds from various local sites you should drop into the museum (closed Mondays) on the seaward side of the highway beside the old railway station. The labelling leaves much to be desired, and there is actually more to be seen outdoors than indoors. Still, it does give an idea of what must have been and there's lots of information about life in ancient Bithynia. The museum also contains a fine ethnographic collection with reconstructions of different rooms within a house as well as of the inside of an Ottoman hamam (Turkish bath).

Near the ethnography museum a staircase leads up to a small park surrounding the graceful Ottoman clocktower that is the symbol of İzmit. The characteristic clock tower of the city, located between the hunting mansion and Atatürk Sculpture has been had constructed by İzmit governor Musa Kazım Bey, for the 25th anniversary of Sultan Abdülhamit II's ascending the throne. It has been constructed in neoclassical method and is made of Hereke Tavşancıl and travertine stones.

The Exploratorium worked with TÜBITAK, the Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey, to plan, design, and begin implementation of the Kocaeli Science Center (KSC) located in the historically significant SEKA Factory site, approximately 100 km southeast of Istanbul. In addition to completing the master plan for this new science center, Global Studios provided architectural review, detailed environmental and exhibit design, and fabrication oversight. The completed design package included 200 exhibits in 3 main galleries and an outdoor area.

TCG Gayret (USS Eversole DD-789), entered US Navy Service in 1946 and served as part of the US Pasific Fleet until 1973. She also served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars. In 1973, Eversole was trasnferred to Turkey and served for 22 years in the Turkish Navy until 1995. Established in 1997, a destroyer and a submarine belonging to the Turkish Navy taken out of active duty along with their original equipment were converted into a museum open to the public for educational and memorial purposes. This museum is also used for hosting and dispalying artwork such as handcrafts, pottery, models, paintings, etc of local artistists living in the Izmit community in addition to hosting book and music exhibits.

Kartepe is in a modernist building overlooking the resort's extensive ski slopes and Sapanca Lake. It features a ski school, indoor pool and a full-range spa center. The Green Park Kartepe Resort & Spa is less than 30.6 km from Izmit and the Marmara Sea. The Green Park Kartepe Resort&Spa is a 1-hour drive from Istanbul. The staff at the hotel can help plan excursions or arrange on-site car and bike rental.

Not very far from Istanbul (around 120km) Maşukiye provides spectacular picnic places. Ancient human made waterfalls work like they are just natural and the some restaurants located inside the forest are perfect places to eat fresh trout fish. It is always great to sit on a high dock and rest your eyes and mind, while the river flows beneath the dock with its musical sound. Once you fall asleep, you feel totally rejuvenated when you open your eyes!