South West USA 2024

[Berf]

Vicky Benzing and Plum Crazy P51 are confirmed on her website for the Reno Air Show

[CWS]

Looking to do the Pacific Airshow on Huntington Beach. Tickets are available for what looks like either a spot on the beach or some chairs on the pier. Anyone been before with any recommendations ?

[verreli]

Yes, it's a great airshow and highly recommended. The year I went there was a great variety of aircraft, some of which I wasn't expecting prior to the event (ghost aggressor full display for example). The sun isn't well placed for photography, but hey, it's on the beach. It's a very popular event. Get there very early or you'll end up in a huge queue and parking will fill. The paid area is obviously the best airshow location at crowd centre but you can stand just to the left of the screens for a similar view and nip back to the car between displays or make camp on the beach (I did the car because of the potential of sand getting into camera bits). 99.8% are there for a day at the beach with the added attraction of a few planes.

Enjoy the show.

[CWS]

Yes, it's a great airshow and highly recommended. The year I went there was a great variety of aircraft, some of which I wasn't expecting prior to the event (ghost aggressor full display for example). The sun isn't well placed for photography, but hey, it's on the beach. It's a very popular event. Get there very early or you'll end up in a huge queue and parking will fill. The paid area is obviously the best airshow location at crowd centre but you can stand just to the left of the screens for a similar view and nip back to the car between displays or make camp on the beach (I did the car because of the potential of sand getting into camera bits). 99.8% are there for a day at the beach with the added attraction of a few planes.

Enjoy the show.

Thanks for the advice ! A thread has been made for it now, and yes the line up looks just a bit good already!

[bishbashbosh]

Well if you are heading directly from Las Vegas to Disney you just about pass the doorstep of Planes of Fame and Yanks at Chino!

Not to mention March AFB Museum

Thanks for the heads up on this. Just returned from the trip and had a very enjoyable afternoon at March - a great collection under beautiful blue skies with the runway alongside for an added bonus (and with a shopping mall not too far away to drop the family at!)

Managed to get on the Midway in San Diego, and also to Century Circle outside the entrance to Edwards but photography sadly no longer permitted and very much enforced!

[Berf]

Anyone doing anything unusual outside aviation or the main theme parks? Always looking for new ideas!!

[boff180]

I've got some range time booked in Scottsdale

[CWS]

This probably counts as a 'theme park' style thing, but San Diego Zoo with an extra tour of the African section, and finishing the trip watching the Green Bay Packers @ LA Rams. Can't wait! Not long left to wait .....

[boff180]

I'm either going to attempt to do San Diego zoo in 3 hours before I get my flight home or I'll go and visit Point Loma instead lol

[CWS]

I'm either going to attempt to do San Diego zoo in 3 hours before I get my flight home or I'll go and visit Point Loma instead lol

Sounds good ! I might try and go to Point Loma one evening, looks very picturesque

The misses likes zoo's and apparently San Diego is a very very good one .. I know it's famous so should be good!

Not sure how much of the zoo you could cram in, in 3 hours ... but fair play if you manage it !

Maybe enjoy the nice sunny/warm Point Loma before we head back to the UK in October lol

[bishbashbosh]

If you’re looking for a way to while away an evening in San Diego then sit outside Ballast Point Brewery on India Street with some great beers and food, and watch the civvies come in to land so close you can almost touch them.

[Wrexham Mackem]

I'm either going to attempt to do San Diego zoo in 3 hours before I get my flight home or I'll go and visit Point Loma instead lol

The misses likes zoo's and apparently San Diego is a very very good one .. I know it's famous so should be good!

Not sure how much of the zoo you could cram in, in 3 hours ... but fair play if you manage it !

The Zoo is superb (as is the Safari Park), but there's some debate as to whether you can do justice to it in a day. 3 hours Andy you'll just see a small amount of it, and bear in mind its not cheap to get in. I managed it in a day, just.

[CWS]

I'm either going to attempt to do San Diego zoo in 3 hours before I get my flight home or I'll go and visit Point Loma instead lol

The misses likes zoo's and apparently San Diego is a very very good one .. I know it's famous so should be good!

Not sure how much of the zoo you could cram in, in 3 hours ... but fair play if you manage it !

The Zoo is superb (as is the Safari Park), but there's some debate as to whether you can do justice to it in a day. 3 hours Andy you'll just see a small amount of it, and bear in mind its not cheap to get in. I managed it in a day, just.

Nice, sounds good !

Any idea how good the air museum is in the same area?

[Berf]

LA Dodgers after I arrive on the Wednesday before going down to San Diego for a few museums Midway then car and aviation at Balboa park and general photography followed by the jam band Goose at the SDSU venue fairly near Miramar. Nothing planned for the Friday and Saturday but will go to the harbour area, Gaslamp area in the evening I guess. After Sundays show heading towards Yuma and onto Pima before heading north for the Reno show via Nellis for a few hours and other odd places for photography. Meet the wife in SFO before Yosemite, more Mojave desert Las Vegas and back to LA.

[Berf]

and to keep up with the RIAT traditions - looks like we will be spared a super heat dome with it being partly cloudy 77-80 degrees (well Miramar area)

[CWS]

Well this holiday was a solid 10/10

But to anyone reading this who is planning on doing similar, please make sure you look into where to stay in LA. Jesus that place is rough, I knew it was, but it was way worse than expected!

San Diego was lovely on the other hand, gorgeous place!

Not sure I can justify going back the year after, but the Pacific Airshow have offered me free tickets .... tempting!