Taking off Travel blog

Albany International Airport (ALB) has come a long way since its origins as the first municipal landing site for planes on a polo field three miles north of the city. The airport played host to many of the most famous aviators of the early 20th century, including Charles Lindbergh. These days, it is a busy commercial airport, with around 180 arrivals and departures each day. We’ve already looked at attractions around JFK and LaGuardia, but what do you do on a layover in Albany?

State Capitol Staircase, Albany, NY

Exploring History

One of the best things to do in Albany is to explore the city’s history. As the oldest surviving European settlement from the original 13 colonies, it has a lot to explore. Options include the Georgian home of Revolutionary War general Philip Schuyler, which dates from 1761 and includes 18th century furniture and art. The Albany Institute of History and Art is another must see. It is one of the oldest museums in the US and was founded in 1791.

From Shakers To Slater

The Shakers played a major role in the area’s history, including providing some of the land that became part of the airport. The Shaker Heritage Society preserves this history and offers you the chance to visit America’s first Shaker settlement – a 770 acre site. Explore history from a different perspective by visiting the USS Slater, a refurbished Cannon Class destroyer escort. Also worth a look when it’s reopened is Cherry Hill, which houses a collection amassed by the Van Rensselaer and Rankin families over 176 years.

Read more »

Want to know where to park when taking a business trip? Here are our most popular airport parking locations at the moment. I’ve also included links to our posts on things to do near some of the major airports.

1. (MDW) Chicago Midway Airport Parking - Chicago Midway Airport is ten miles from downtown Chicago; you can get to central Chicago in less than 30 minutes. It has three concourses and serves more than 17 million travelers a year. There are hourly shuttles to O’Hare International. Layover In Chicago Midway Airport (MDW)
2. (IND) Indianapolis Airport Parking - Indianapolis International Airport is seven miles from Indianapolis, with plenty of options for getting to the city quickly. It serves around seven million passengers a year, taking them to more than 100 destinations. Ten Things To Know About The New Indy Airport
3. (ALB) Albany Airport Parking - Albany International Airport is located four miles from Albany and is the main hub for the Capital Region in eastern New York State. it serves three million passengers a year, with more than 200 flights per day.
4. (ORD) Chicago O’Hare Airport Parking - One of America’s busiest airports, serving 70 million passengers a year, O’Hare International is 20 miles northwest of downtown Chicago. There are excellent transport links to the city.
5. (JFK) John F. Kennedy Airport Parking - John F Kennedy Airport is the busiest airport in New York. Thirty million passengers travel through the airport each year. JFK is located 15 miles southeast of downtown Manhattan, with excellent transport links to the city. Layover In JFK – Things To Do

Read more »

Fort Worth has the only cowgirl museum in the world

In our last post we looked at things to do in Dallas when on a layover in Dallas Fort Worth Airport. But let’s not forget about the other major city near this airport – Fort Worth. It started life as an army outpost but is now a prosperous city, with large natural gas reserves underground. However you can still get a feel for its proud Western heritage with some of the attractions on offer.

Sundance Square

One place to get a feel for the city’s heritage is Sundance Square, where a modern shopping and entertainment complex is housed behind renovated storefronts that date from the turn of the 20th century. Great food and live performances are only some of the attractions, and you can also choose to tour the area in a horse drawn carriage or a trolley. Read more »

Reunion Tower, a famous Dallas landmark

Whenever Dallas comes up in conversation, I visualize tall buildings, wide open spaces and that show – you know the one I mean. J R Ewing, played by Larry Hagman, is a legendary bad guy, and you can bet that somewhere in the world, someone is still watching his antics. But there’s so much more to this thriving metropolitan area than the part we’ve seen on TV. I set out to find out what you could visit while on a layover at Dallas Fort Worth Airport.  DFW lies between Dallas and Fort Worth, two major Texan cities just over 30 miles apart. If you’re on a layover you can take your pick of things to do in either city.

Things To Do In Dallas

If you enjoy exploring marine life, as I do, then visit the Dallas World Aquarium. Located in the historic distric, the aquarium is housed in several refurbished old warehouses from the early 19th century, as well as some purpose built modern structures. This attraction offers an adventure from the time you walk through the door. The aquarium has species from around the world, while you can also unmask the secrets of the Orinoco and explore Borneo. There are regular talks on conservation issues as well as performances by a Mayan troupe.

Enjoy The Outdoors

Located in East Dallas near White Rock Lake, the Dallas Arboretum offers another way to enjoy nature. The 66 acre attractions features a range of gardens with different blooms, as well a Spanish mansion built in the style of the 1940s. There’s even a fitness trail for those who want to combine sightseeing with a workout. During the year, there are special events and concerts, so there’s always something to see. While you’re there, consider visiting White Rock Lake itself, for bird watching, horseback riding or a nine mile walk around the lake. Read more »

Entryway art for the new terminal by Joe C Nicholson

The new Indianapolis Airport opened in mid November. Here are ten things you should know about the new Indy Airport.

1. The new Indianapolis Airport has been planned for more than 30 years and cost $1.1 billion to build. No state or local tax dollars were used for this.
2. The terminal is 1.2 million square feet. You can see how it was built via the time lapse video here.
3. The airport is 16 minutes from downtown Indianapolis. The new address for the airport is 7800 Col. H. Weir Cook Memorial Drive, Indianapolis, IN 46241. Here’s a map.
4. The Indy Airport has special lanes in the security screening section for frequent flyers, travelers with special needs, families with young children and casual travelers. Once screened, you can move between concourses without needing to be rescreened. Here’s TSA’s guidance on technologies used at the new airport.
5. The Indy Airport was built with accessibility in mind to reduce climbing and walking distances.
6. There’s no need to park at the airport; valet parking is available for less just a short distance away at our Indy airport parking facility, Indy Park Ride and Fly.
7. It includes the first Indianapolis 500 Grill where you can eat and then shop for racing collectibles and clothes at Brickyard Authentics
8. The terminal has art by 15 artists – including local artists – showcasing a range of art forms and mediums. This includes poetry related to travel and flying. The original artwork cost almost $4 million
9. This is an environmentally friendly terminal, designed to reduce aircraft fuel use, use natural lighting where possible and promote recycling, with stations for glass, paper and aluminum throughout. There’s also no need for shuttles to rental cars.
10. Baggage handling is speedy, with bags checked in curbside screened and sent to the planes, and arriving baggage getting to the carousels within two minutes.