Best "little" airports?

[aero99]

What are some of the better aiports around the country to fly to for fun?

Thinking about planning a cross country to hit about 10-15 different states for site seeing and vacationing.

Resorts, Fly-in communities, anything not "Big City".

I know some of you out there have been to some interesting spots on the map. Tried to find a good website with no real luck other than the burger stops.

 

[surfnole]

Cedar Key Florida, on the west coast west of Gainesville. No facilities on the field, but a lady will pick you up in an huge old 1940s/1950s car and drive you to town about 1 mile away.

Venice Beach Florida, a free cab ride (five dollar tip usually) to Sharkey's restaurant right on the Gulf of Mexico. Watch the sunset over the water.

Walker's Key Bahamas. Just 30-45 minutes off the coast of Ft. Pierce. Nothing there but a runway, a little marina and a hotel. Great fishing and diving (including the shark rodeo - go diving with sharks during a .

Bimini Bahamas, less than 30 minutes off the coast of Miami.

Lakeland Florida has a good..CHEAP restaurant right on the field. All the locals go there.

 

[jaybird]

West Coast FL

I second Cedar Key. Also Cross City not too far away. They have a pig there and you can buy it a beer and it opens it and drinks it too. Crystal River is close by also. They have springs that you can swim in and the river leads right to the Gulf of Mexico. They just re-did the runway, and they have a grass strip too. All of these airports are within 40 miles of each other. PM me for specifics.

 

[bigD]

In CA - Santa Paula and Oceano.

In TX - Llano for BBQ at Coopers.

In AZ - Sedona.

 

[TX_Pilot]

AMEN to BigD's post about the stop in Llano. Coopers is worth the trip. Going all the way down there from the panhandle tomorrow as a matter of fact.

McGehees Catfish also. Just across the Red River north of Gainesville, TX.

 

[c172]

Up here in the northeast

How far north are you planning to fly?Northeast P.A. is a real nice place to stop . A real nice airport to stop at is 9n3. Stop in and say hi to Billy NICE GUY !!!!

 

[chperplt]

If you head far north, BHB and RKD are very nice scenic trips in the spring and summer.

 

[Sinca3]

Well in the S.E.

I would have to say St. Simons Island about 1/2 between JAX and SAV is a great little airport. They have a courtesy car you can take into downtown about 5 min away.
Have to 2nd or 3rd the Cross City airport just to see the pig!
Also Catalina island off the CA coast is alot of fun to fly into.

 

[navigator72]

come to Maine

come to maine....Sanford (sfm) has a nice little restuarant. The head up the coastline to Rockland (RKD) then a little further downeast to Bar Harbor (BHB) Say Hi to the girls at Acadia Air, borrow the van and head into town for a lobsta-roll.
Goodluck, can I come with you?

 

[prodigal]

live to fly and fly to eat!

I strongly second St. Simon's Island (GA). It's worth the trip just to eat at Barbara Jean's . . . best seafood I've ever eaten, and I've eaten a lot.
Also second Sedona-breathtaking. In that same vein, try Grand Canyon West. Breathtaking approach from over the Canyon; stop and have an Indian taco.
In Albuquerque fly into Coronado and get a crew car and drive down to Sadies on 4th. St. NW for some killer carne adovado.
Also in the SE try FQD, Rutherford Co., NC. Great little cafe on the field, the 27A Cafe. Gotta have the banana pudding for desert.
True story: a while back someone broke into the 27A and the only thing they stole was the banana pudding!
Have fun.

 

[Av8trxx]

While the pig sounds really cool, an awesome lil spot to stop into is the "Flying W Ranch"- N14 in Lumberton, NJ. I used to do ferry flights there from San Diego from time to time and it has everything: a remodeled motel, a bar & restaurant, tennis courts, golf course and even an aircraft shaped pool with a refreshment deck!

Check it out http://www.flyingwairport.com/

 

[TurboS7]

My favorite is SAN, you can sit on that little cafe on top of the FBO and watch all the jets and little guys land. It is not a little airport but since it only has one runway maybe it will qualify

 

[MetroSheriff]

Catalina Island - try the buffalo burgers

Santa Barbara - burgers at the Elephant Bar (not small)

Harris Ranch (CA) - great steak dinners (real short strip)

Llano (TX) - bbq

Just for starters...


Just

 

[bigD]

Added bonus of the Elephant Bar at Santa Barbara:

Hot UCSB Sorority girls as waitresses.

 

[ShawnC]

If you are looking for a good aviation airport, I would also visit Spruce Creek(7FL6), its just south of DAB. You will see so many cool aircraft, and there are many formation flights that they fly during the weekend. Call ahead and you can probally arange a tour.

Oh yeah St. Augstine is a good place to stop too. You can see some nice looking Extras there. If you stop by Aerosport, look for Matt Edson (airplane nut, and excellent aerobatics pilot), and say hi to Angie if they are there.

Sorry for the edit, wanted to add a little more and didn't feel like adding another post to the list.

 

[TurboS7]

Big Bear-SoCal-another great place for a burger run. My wife flew me in there right after she got her private in Illinois, she was impressed.

 

[TurboS7]

McAllen, TX another great one, you can walk to the mall from the airport. Less than 1/4 mile.

 

[rudderdog]

I-39 ........... there's no place like home.

 

[SeaBass]

If you make it to the great lakes area....

KMCD - Mackinaw Island...good clean family fun, known for the abundance of fudge shops, forts and horsedrawn carriages.

3W2 - Put-In-Bay, Ohio...take all of the fudgeshops on Mackinaw Island and replace them with bars and that is 3W2. (Still a lot of fun even if you are not drinking.) Lots of history for this area, we kicked the British's arse during the war of 1812 in Lake Erie at this spot.

Enjoy!

SeaBass

 

[Ravengirl]

I second these

Definitely try Catalina and Santa Barbara, they're both amazing, especially in the summer. Catalina is a beautiful flight in late afternoon. See if you can spot buffalo when you take off out of there. The backside of the island is a great photo op if that's your thing.

Santa Barbara is nice in the morning after the haze burns off. Go to Mercury Aviation there, they have some WONDERFUL cookies inside =). If you go in over the water, be prepared for some breathtaking views, especially if there's a red tide, the ocean will be every color of the rainbow, and you'll only be 1000' above it!

I love Big Bear too, but you might not want to go there in the summer. The density altitude will try to keep you there once you fly in. I went with my instructor in a 152 in July once, and our climb rate heading out was a pathetic 50' per minute. There's a meadow at the east end of the airport, and once you clear the trees, you'll circle, and circle...and circle...and circle...but I will admit, the approach in over Big Bear Lake is something you must see!

Can you tell I like the airports around here?

Stephanie