There’s nothing quite like hopping onboard a plane, ordering a drink, and enjoying a great meal en route to a relaxing vacation. Ha! That’s the way flying used to be. Right? Well, now you can do that without ever leaving the ground.
All around the country, enterprising restaurateurs have been turning airplanes and flight settings into dining and/or bar locations. Flight-themed taverns are taking off. GO Airport Shuttle has assembled some of the best spots to discover. And, if you don’t have enough time, or don’t want to even leave the airport, we have some of the best layover spots to enjoy, too. Wings up, everybody.
Perhaps, the most adventurous version is the revitalized TWA Hotel at New York’s Kennedy Airport. The sweeping Eero Saarinen design will transport you back to the early 70s when the first 747s called JFK home. Inside, sits the deep red Sunken Lounge surrounded by sky-high windows to the world. Right nearby sits “The Connie,” a refurbished 1958 Lockheed Constellation converted into a bar/restaurant/lounge, where you can relive the glory days of bush pilots and propellers and true First Class.
Keeping with the pre-jet fascination is PSAir in Palm Springs where you can book “flights” every weekend and get your own boarding pass for an experience of dinner, cocktails and entertainment. Or head over to Carry On in Phoenix for a 90-minute “vacation” in a jumbo jet cabin with a simulated travel experience, including destination-inspired cocktails and menus.
For straight up cocktails, wine and beer, close to the airport, try Birds of Paradise in Massachusetts. It’s easy to book your seat, and walk-ins are always welcome, with no TSA screening either. But, if you want to be REALLY close to a runway, without having to go through security, check out the new super food hall concept right next door to LAX, the Proud Bird. And if you’ve always wondered what being an air traffic controller was like, the FlyteCo Tower in Denver offers three floors of brewery, restaurant and entertainment.
Depending on your sense of humor, coupled with how you truly feel about flying, you might be able to handle the Wigwam in Upstate New York. There’s a story behind the design, but if you’re ever in the neighborhood, fly in, so to speak.
You’ll also find several delightful versions of repurposed airplanes all around the globe. Here’s a sampler for the world traveler.
But let’s say you don’t have enough time to leave the airport, maybe just a short layover, but you still want a pleasant interlude between flights, away from the many private airline lounges, now cramped and over-crowded, according to the New York Times.
GO Airport Shuttle can recommend some of our customers’ favorite airport bar/restaurants. They’re all pleasant get-aways while you’re getting away. You may even start including some short connecting flights just to see what they’re all about. After all, how many Vino Volos can you visit?
Everyone seems to be talking about Atlanta these days. Is it the whole “Hollywood South” thing? The super growth vibe? Regardless, ATL has turned into one of the world’s busiest airports, and One Flew South is the airport bar/restaurant port of call. Nominated twice for James Beard Awards, you should rush over to Concourse E and discover a good dose of Southern charm and hospitality. For breakfast you can start out with a “Red Eye Martini” then finish off with a perfect Mint Julep for dinner.
Another must-visit airport favorite is Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge at the Nashville airport. An offshoot of the Tootsie’s in town, this is billed as one last shot at the best of Nashville before you leave town. Hot chicken sandwiches, local brews, and honky-tonk music. Always the music!
Another example of a local top quality restaurant/bar with an airport location is in San Diego. Catching a connecting flight in SD is no big problem when you have Stone Brewing in Terminal 2 waiting for you. With 12 local brews on tap, and plenty of wine and whisky choices, you can sit back and relax, go over your emails, and catch your breath before your next flight.
As long as we’re on the West Coast, you might find yourself with a layover in the San Francisco. Actually, you might want to schedule a little layover there once you’ve been to SFUncork’d. Think of it as some of the best wines from Napa and Sonoma, plus 12 California craft beers, without ever leaving the airport. You’ll get a good taste of what California offers.
If you’ve been looking for a relaxing airport bar where the “last call varies with the last flight of the day,” then head to Dallas-Fort Worth. The DFW Flying Saucer has been serving up excellent craft beers for over 30 years. As a matter of fact, they have a in-shop award contest for whoever actually imbibes over 200 unique brands. Those Texans, always gotta’ be the biggest, or the most.
Louisville, Kentucky has turned into a convenient connection city lately, which puts you in a seat at the bar of Books & Bourbon for a sampling of some of Kentucky’s finest blends, 85 in all, so you might think hard about catching that next flight.
As long as you’re into cocktails, you could plan a visit to the home of what some people claim is the world’s first cocktail, the Sazerac. And right there in the New Orleans Louis Armstrong Airport sits Bar Sazerac. It’s located at Level 2 Departures, and you’ll feel like it’s a departure from other airport bars you’ve been shying away from. Bar Sazerac is meant to provide some of that Nawlins’ spirit when you don’t have the time to get into town.
Everyone probably has their favorite airport bar. Maybe because it’s home, or maybe because you’ve had to visit the same client for the last six years and you’ve landed on your favorite spot while you’re on the road. So let us know what it is and will check it out. We promise, we’ll do everything we can to not make it too popular and ruin it for you, but GO Airport Shuttle believes travelers need to know the best ins and out of airline travel these days. That’s been our secret to success!