Sometimes you need a few more miles for the next status
tier, other times you just want a mini-vacation, day trips are great
solutions. Instead of going on a two day
cross country trek for miles, a little hop somewhere can do the job just
as well; you can’t claim to experience a city just by their airport. Here are a
few cities that make great day trip material.
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| United Airlines 757 at SFO |
San Jose (SJC) – I really like San Jose, the airport is short
cab ride to downtown, walkable once you get there. While in town, I recommend the Technology
Museum; it has really interesting stuff like a robot that draws your picture
and computer chip making equipment. There
are also a few good places to grab a bite in the area too. The weather is usually outstanding too.
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| San Jose Tech Museum |
San Antonio (SAT) – San Antonio usually has cheap fares and
is a very easy city to tour. The airport
is about 15 minutes by cab from the Alamo (free tours). From there, take a stroll on the river walk
and grab a bite at one of the many restaurants along the river. The boat rides are cheap and fun too. It can get hot in the summer, but you don’t
feel it that much by the river.
San Francisco (SFO) – San Francisco
has a lot to offer, Alcatraz tours (book in advance), great sea food, In-N-Out,
sights, the water front, and the trollies.
All of this is a (expensive for public transit) BART ride from the
airport. Very easy to day trip, but the
BART is a little long, so allow extra time. SFO isn't the most predictable airport, inconsistent security wait times and fog regularly causes delays. There are usually cheap transcon flights, so it's worth a shot.
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| San Francisco Sights |
Boston (BOS) – Take the T (subway) into town for $2. It’s maybe a 20 minute ride to get to Boston
Common. Boston has a few sights all
within a short stroll, like the capital building, old cemeteries, and other
historic buildings. There is also a
lovely park along the Charles River for a stroll. Another quick hop on the T and you are back
at the airport. BOS is also a nice airport to chill in if you have a connection, free (and fast) wifi, good views, and a nice terminal for Continental, US Airways, and Delta. The United, jetBlue, and American terminals are difficult to spend time in.
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| Massachusetts State House, Kodak B&W Film + Fisheye |
