Cool California Airports

Hands down the best airport to go is Shelter Cove (0Q5).

You beat me to it! I've been really wanting to make the trek up there but need to find a good fogless day to go. Here's a good photo of the place.

I also have to make a local mention of Schellville (Sonoma Valley Airport)(0q3). No fuel or FBOs on field, though it's located in the Bay Area between Petaluma, Novato, Napa and Santa Rosa so there's ample access. The main runway 7/25 is 2700 x 45 ft, and the north/south runway 17/35 is marked restricted (1500x50) and used by the owner who provides Boeing Stearman/T-6 rides over Sonoma County. The airport is pretty much exclusively populated by vintage aircraft and warbirds, and is the self-proclaimed "Home of the Taildraggers." Going there on a weekend is like going to a museum of vintage aircraft, since everyone opens up their hangars and hangs out. (One guy just built a Curtiss P-40.) Just don't expect anyone in the pattern to have a radio. ;)

Petaluma Municipal (O69) 7 miles west has fuel and a popular on-field restaurant called "The Two Niner Diner."
 
...and Hayward(all sorts of low-tight turns in that pattern and you're right next to all the OAK arrivals) are the airports I have the most fun flying into here.

I'm a big fan of the North Field at Oakland, and the pattern for runway 27L. Left traffic, 600 ft TPA, and you have to remain northeast of the departure corridor for runway 29 so it essentially consists of two tight 180 degree turns, and downwind takes you right by the terminal.
:beer:
 
I've flown to almost every airport in the state, but I keep going back to Shelter Cove...

Shelter1.jpg


Shelter2.jpg
 
You beat me to it! I've been really wanting to make the trek up there but need to find a good fogless day to go. Here's a good photo of the place.

I also have to make a local mention of Schellville (Sonoma Valley Airport)(0q3). No fuel or FBOs on field, though it's located in the Bay Area between Petaluma, Novato, Napa and Santa Rosa so there's ample access. The main runway 7/25 is 2700 x 45 ft, and the north/south runway 17/35 is marked restricted (1500x50) and used by the owner who provides Boeing Stearman/T-6 rides over Sonoma County. The airport is pretty much exclusively populated by vintage aircraft and warbirds, and is the self-proclaimed "Home of the Taildraggers." Going there on a weekend is like going to a museum of vintage aircraft, since everyone opens up their hangars and hangs out. (One guy just built a Curtiss P-40.) Just don't expect anyone in the pattern to have a radio. ;)

Petaluma Municipal (O69) 7 miles west has fuel and a popular on-field restaurant called "The Two Niner Diner."
Wow, talk about local. I was going to reccomend Sonoma Skypark. Saturday at noon there's a great hamburger bbq.
 
Just got back from Mohave. Had a decent Rueben at the Voyager reasturant in the old tower and watched them roll SpaceShipOne out of the hanger. Catalina is interesting and it was $25 to land in October, not $50. Pricey but it is a privately supported airport so I suppose you can feel good about supporting it. Frazier Lake has a grass strip AND a man-made seaplane channel which I think was once a cow trough. Cant imagine anyone using it however.

I wish there were more aiports that were gateways to destinations..like something near Six Flags, Venice Beach or next to the Lassen Volcanic NP.
 
WILLOWS They have a good restaurant and are famous for their pie.

And there's a Wal-Mart right across the street. :)

Personally my favorite trek was Oakland to Crescent City. The coast scenery is just breathtaking. Of course I managed to forget my camera. :( The postcards picked up in Crescent didn't quite do it justice.
 
What no norcal airports? KAUN has a good restaurant. Chester is pretty and will challenge you with the DA.
 
KLSN Los Banos

Land, park near the "terminal", walk out the gate and down the road to the nearest intersection and you will find "Me n Ed's Pizza".

IMHO best pizza ever. I used to fly there to get the 100 dollar take-out.

Me-N-Ed's - Los Banos
846 W. Pacheco Blvd.
Los Banos, CA 93635
(209) 826-1056
 
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