5 Unique Fly-In Vacation Destinations Made for Pilots to Enjoy

Imagine: on your final approach, you look down and see the beautiful remote location where you and your family will be spending the next week. You touch down, taxi to your tiedown, and everyone gets out and looks around. Wow, they say, I never imagined we'd come to a place like this.

Exotic vacation destinations can require navigation skills, mountain flying experience or short field landing and takeoff talent. Here are five fun and breathtaking destinations for now or when your flying experience grows.

1. There's a lot of buzz about Gaston's White River Resort (3M0) Lakeview, Arkansas in the private pilot media, a family resort with year-round trout fishing.
2. Seeley Lake (23S) in Montana's expansive Swan Valley has luxurious rooms for you and hangars for your airplane. Free boating provides water-based access to the local steakhouse for a fun night out. In winter, snowmobiling is available.
3. Lajitas Golf Resort in Texas includes Lajitas International Airport (89TE) for easy access by their private pilot guests and pretty much anyone else who wants to visit this remote but breathtaking golf resort. There's plenty for the whole family to enjoy including a zip line, stand-up paddleboarding, horseback riding, sheep hunting and mountain biking in rugged Texas terrain.
4. Yellowstone Airport (KWYS) is two miles away from Yellowstone National Park, with rental cars available at the airport and lots of places to stay nearby. Ask about free pilot campsites at the airport, too.
5. Rapid City Regional Airport (KRAP) is home to a unique flying opportunity, as pilots can not only enjoy vacationing in the nearby Black Hills of South Dakota, but get a nice view of the Mount Rushmore National Monument. It has been reported that contacting Ellsworth approach on 119.5 and asking for the "Mount Rushmore Flyby" may get you vectors for a nice tour, but be aware that it's a busy area with a military base nearby.

And a bonus a little closer to home: this Flying Magazine article gives tips on visiting KFFA in North Carolina, historic Kitty Hawk Airport.

Cross-country flying is a fantastic way to see the country and enjoy a unique vacation spot. If you need upgrades for your navigation equipment or some additional training to prepare for the trip, our We fly program can help you get ready for your adventure.