Click through our slide show for photo highlights of the airport, plus how to find the free observation deck.
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.
Good for: Reliving your childhood giddiness over planes taking off and landing.
For that moment when: You need a break from the 405/10 interchange traffic—or a unique place to eat your lunch.
Getting there: From South Bundy Drive, turn west onto Airport Avenue and then right onto Donald Douglas Loop; park in the lot to the left. Alternatively, the 6, 14 and 44 lines on the Big Blue Bus stop just outside the airport entrance.
The observation deck at Santa Monica Airport (3223 Donald Douglas Loop South) doesn't have set hours, but you won't see any planes depart between 11pm and 7am on weekdays and 11pm and 8am on weekends.
