You can't mention the Santa Monica Airport without bringing up a bit of controversy. To its neighbors, it's a noisy, dangerous nuisance. But for those of us who don't live underneath its flight path, SMO is an incredible place to celebrate LA's rich aviation lineage; it was the birthplace of the commercial airline-pioneering Douglas DC-3. Above all, its public observation deck is the best place to hear the roar of jet engines only feet from an active runway.
Hour to Kill: Santa Monica Airport
Have an hour to kill in Santa Monica? Take a seat along the tarmac and watch private jets come in for a landing on the observation deck SMO.
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