Public viewing area

A public viewing area is a space set aside for members of the public to safely view sites of interest, such as

• Austin-Bergstrom International Airport (KAUS), Family Viewing Area is located near the State Aircraft Pooling Board (fancy talk for where aircraft belonging to the State of Texas gets maintained and stored) at the end of Golf Course Road. and faces west to runway 17L/35R. The Family Viewing Area also has paved parking, grassy areas, a picnic table.^[1]
• Baltimore–Washington International Airport (KBWI), has the Thomas A Dixon Jr Aircraft Observation Park located just to the south of Dorsey Road which is a viewing area complete with parking, picnic tables, trash cans, and a playground. The BWI Loop Trail also runs through the park.^[2]
• Charlotte-Douglas International Airport (KCLT) in Charlotte, North Carolina has the Charlotte Airport Overlook which is located on the west side of the airport on Old Dowd Road, near the threshold of 18C. It is also equipped with a large parking lot, benches and picnic tables.^[3]
• control tower.^[4]
• Cherry Capital Airport (KTVC) in Traverse City, Michigan, has a public observation area on Boon Street, north of runway 10/28 and west of runway 18/36.
• Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (KDFW) has a public viewing area located at Founders Plaza. The 6-acre (2.4 ha) plaza features a granite monument and sculpture, post-mounted binoculars, piped-in voices of air traffic controllers and shade pavilions. In 2010, a memorial honoring Delta Air Lines Flight 191 was dedicated at the plaza.^[5]
• Milwaukee, WI has a public viewing area located on the north edge of the airport along Layton Avenue providing parking and rebroadcast of ATC communications.^[6]
• control tower
  where the public can safely view operations.
• DeKalb Airport (KDKB) in DeKalb, Illinois has a viewing area set up at the east end of the hangar
  row.
• Sunset Road next to the longest two runways at the airport. Tower communications are available on FM radios.^[7]
• Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (KMSP) has a viewing area located at the end of Cargo Road next to the FedEx Shipping Center where plane spotters can see aircraft land and take off from two different runways. Picnic tables, trash cans, and parking are provided.^[8]
• Briley Parkway
  (TN-155). Picnic tables, trash cans and parking are provided.
• Palm Beach International Airport (KPBI) in Palm Beach, Florida has a viewing area in a small park on the south side of the field on Perimeter Rd, just east of the approach end of Runway 31. Picnic tables, trash cans and parking are provided.
• Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood International Airport (KFLL) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida
  has three viewing areas. The Ron Gardner Aircraft Observation Area is on the south side of the approach end of Runway 10L, just east of the Animal Shelter. Picnic tables, trash cans and parking are provided. A loudspeaker monitors the tower. Another observation area is located on the top level of the Hibiscus Parking Garage. A third viewing area is just south of Runway 10R in the Airport Greenbelt Park.
• Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport (KFXE) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida has a viewing area southwest of Runway 8. Picnic tables, trash cans, and parking are provided. A loudspeaker monitors the tower.
• Hinckley Airport in Hinckley, Illinois has a picnic table along the grass strip for people to watch the aircraft operations and skydivers returning. The airport is used mostly for glider operations (Windy City Soaring) and skydiving, the skydivers (usually) return to a clearing just north of runway 9/27.
• helicopters
  ) other airport operations are easily viewed and photographed.
• $100 Hamburger restaurant overlooking the main apron and runway
  , this also has a patio outside where visitors can enjoy the weather, view the aircraft operations and have meals. When the restaurant is closed the patio remains open for seating.
• Phoenix Deer Valley Airport in Phoenix, Arizona has a patio area facing the runways adjacent to the terminal building and a restaurant with a view of the runways. Radio receivers for the Ground Control and both Control Tower channels allow one to hear the radio traffic.
• Manchester Airport in Manchester, England has had public viewing areas since the airport opened in 1938. The "Runway Visitor Park" not only allows viewing of aircraft movements, but also has a café, aviation souvenir shop, and several aircraft on display, including retired Concorde G-BOAC and others.
• Scottsdale Municipal Airport in Scottsdale, Arizona
  has an outside patio with benches and control tower audio accessible thru the terminal building. While glass windows separate the ramp from the patio (making pictures difficult) and excellent view of the ramp and runway is afforded. Control Tower radio traffic is also heard in the terminal itself.
• Raleigh Durham International Airport
  (KRDU) has Observation Park which provides sweeping views of RDU’s 10,000-foot runway and is located near the Air Traffic Control Tower. It has an elevated observation area, radios that play tower communications, and a picnic area. Free parking and restrooms are provided.
• Van Nuys Airport has a public viewing center on the east side of the airport near the intersection of Woodley Ave. and Waterman Drive.^[9]

Railroads

• FM radios. Trains magazine also sponsors a webcam
  to allow viewing of via the Internet.
• auto train and the Tropicana
  juice train.
• GP10 and caboose. There is a Starbucks
  coffee shop on the other side of Harwood Avenue from the viewing platform and there are several restaurants within an easy walk in downtown Homewood.

• Lock and Dam No. 15 in Rock Island, Illinois on the Mississippi River
• Olmsted Locks and Dam in Olmsted, Illinois on the Ohio River
• Lock and Dam No. 12 in Bellevue, Iowa on the Mississippi River
• Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant near Lewiston, New York, on the Niagara River, has an extensive interpretive center known as the Niagara Power Vista.
• Hoover Dam near Boulder City, Nevada, on the Colorado River, has an extremely large interpretive center and tour facility.^[10]
• Parker Dam near Parker, Arizona, on the Colorado River, has a basic viewing area with views of the dam and interpretive signs.

Construction sites

These are, by necessity, often temporary in nature. Harkening back to the "

Sports venues

Some stadiums provide locations where the public can view games in progress without entering the stadium or paying for an admission.

• Bruce's Planespotting guide
• Airport Spotters Wiki
• Homewood Viewing Platform

References