We have stayed in airpark communities far and wide. When creating this list we considered several criteria. First, an airpark community is first and foremost just that–a community. We needed to see a sense of fellowship, camaraderie, and an overall family feeling for an airpark to make our list. Second, we needed to see beauty. We wanted to see the natural beauty of the area as well as the beauty of the homes and common grounds. Third, we looked for convenience. How close is the airpark to shopping, dining, fuel, hospitals, recreation, entertainment, etc. Fourth, overall grooviness. Some airparks offer a rich history, some offer state-of-the-art amenities, and whatever they offer, they just need to have that little je ne sais quoi. In the meantime, below is a list of some of the most amazing ones we have found. We will keep adding to this list, so stay tuned and come back for a visit frequently!
Halifax River and the Port Orange Bridge, Florida.
Spruce Creek Fly-In Community, Florida:
Location: Located just a few miles south of Daytona Beach, this is one of the world’s largest and most famous fly-in communities. Spruce Creek is made up of approximately 5,000 residents living in 1,300 homes, most of these with hangars to house their aircraft.
Community: What really sets Spruce Creek apart is the sense of community and family. With social clubs such as bridge, gardening, motorcycling, flying, reading, EAA chapter, among others, there seems to be something for everyone! Many parties happen throughout the year including, in chronological order: Wing-n-Wheels (aircraft, collector cars and motorcycles are on display), Easter egg hunts, what they call their “Summer Olympics Bash”, a back-to-school party, a huge fall carnival and feast, and Christmas with Santa. Christmas celebrations are serious fun as Santa Claus arrives in an airplane with Rudolph in the back seat! They also have an annual Christmas parade known as “Toy Parade” with cars, airplanes, golf carts, and more all decked out for the holidays! There are also many movie nights, a bonfire and other ongoing activities. Owners of multi-million-dollar estates join two-bedroom-condo owners to celebrate life in pure friendship. This is exactly what we mean by community and the very reason Spruce Creek made it to number one on our list!
Amenities and Facilities: Residents can enjoy a championship golf course, restaurants and other services offered by businesses inside the community. Walking, rollerblading, bicycling, jogging, etc. are easy to accomplish in the 25+ miles of trails and taxiways. Of course, the abundant surrounding water makes a great setting for canoeing, fishing, swimming, kayaking, paddle boarding, etc. Spruce Creek is exclusive and private. It is a gated community with 24-hour patrolled security as well as surveillance cameras that record all activity automatically.
About the Area: There is so much to do nearby! Among favorite things-to-do are Dunlawton Sugar Mill Botanical Gardens which are only two miles away. Daytona International Speedway is 10 miles away. Daytona Aquarium is seven miles away. Ponce de Leon Inlet Lighthouse and Museum is 15 miles away. The possibilities are practically endless at Daytona Beach!
Runway and Fuel: Spruce Creek used to be a U.S. Navy airfield during WW2 and as such it boasts an impressive runway: 150 feet wide, 4,000 feet long, paved and lighted with GPS approach. Catering to the aviation community, it offers Jet-A and 100LL fuel along with aircraft repair shops and, of course, flight lessons.
Location: Where does one go to combine the love of aviation with the love of horses? Jumbolair Aviation & Equestrian Estates in Ocala, FL is just that place since Ocala is the Horse Capital of the World!
Community: As you can only imagine, when an entire community shares two passions, sparks are sure to fly! (Pun intended.) Neighbors are friendly and love to get together to go on a flight, practice equestrian sports, or simply spend time together.
Amenities and Facilities: Jumbolair is a beautiful setting where, surrounded by mature oak trees, you will find its first-class Equestrian Center with a 16-stall barn, an additional seven-stall private barn, and a 100’ by 200’ (20,000 square feet) covered riding arena with a four-horse equineciser, GGT footing, and full-length mirrors! The staff live there and they make sure the horses are fed up to four times per day, their stalls are cleaned three times per day, and they are kept safe 24 hours per day. The equestrian center also offers the following services: veterinary and dentistry, farrier, physical therapy, chiropractic, grooming and tacking, and saddle bit and fitting. Add to the extensive list a climate-controlled tack room, four stallion fields, Schaefer fans in each stall, hemp bedding, automatic water dispensers, covered wash racks and a TheraPlate that even humans would envy, and you have a true state-of-the-art facility!
In addition to the equestrian center, Jumbolair offers a fitness center with Nautilus exercise equipment, and a ballroom that accommodates more than 300 guests, complete with a full chef’s kitchen. Jumbolair is also home to the American Honor Foundation Museum where visitors will be able to see and engage with artifacts and memorabilia from World War II, the Vietnam War, and various other conflicts.
About the Area: Ocala, Florida is home to the Ocala World Equestrian Center, many golf courses, and world-class shooting ranges. In Ocala you will find more crystal clear springs (first magnitude) than anywhere else in the world. Silver Springs State Park, home of America’s largest spring, is only seven miles away. Here you can enjoy a variety of outdoor water sports including kayaking, canoeing, and paddleboarding or you can save your energy and board a glass bottom boat (invented here!) and see the beauty of the network of springs under your feet! The next day you can visit the Ocala National Forest and enjoy swimming, fishing, snorkeling, canoeing and boating in its more than 600 lakes and rivers. Visitors can also enjoy hiking, horseback riding, viewing migratory birds and manatees along with some of the most rare plants in the world.
Ocala is also right in the middle of many great cities that offer a huge variety of things to do. Orlando and Daytona, with all of their attractions (Disney World, Universal Studios, SeaWorld, Daytona International Speedway, to name a few) and beaches are only about 80 miles away. Gainesville is about 30 miles away. Tampa and Jacksonville are only an hour and a half drive. Not feeling up to the drive? No problem, that’s what your airplane is for!
Runway and Fuel: At Jumbolair, owners and guests taxi to the largest, licensed, private runway in all of North America! It is an asphalt runway measuring 7,550 ft long by 200 ft wide (large enough for John Travolta to land his full-size jets) with GPS approach and PAPI lighting. Groovy!
Location: What we love most about this aviation community is how peaceful, private, and secluded it feels while still being very close to everything. Located just 60 miles east of Dallas, you have all the conveniences of one of the largest metropolitan areas in the United States. Couple that with good southern hospitality, and who can resist?
Community: Tailwind hosts an annual fly-in which is among the best we have ever been to… Not only do they serve food and the ability to fly in to their airpark, they also have raffles, contests, a host of kids’ activities, best of show awards and even a flour-bomb drop contest! The fun goes on all day, too… Groovy!
Tailwind also hosts an Easter egg-drop and an annual Christmas party for its residents, and there always seems to be some sort of aviation activity going on–they have even flown to OshKosh in formation! These events and the events above are great excuses to bring young and a-little-less-young together to create that family environment that acts as glue to hold a community together.
Amenities and Facilities: The airpark boasts a full-maintenance facility with several A&P mechanics and certified, experienced IAs; flight instruction; and aircraft rental.
About the Area: Tailwind Airpark is only two miles away from Canton which offers many conveniences, completely removing the need to go into the big city. For starters, Canton has a quaint, adorable downtown square with restaurants and even a tea room. You will find a community theater, and various little shops. Downtown Canton is a great place to spend an evening out.
Shopping abounds beginning with First Monday Trade Days – a truly Texan experience and claimed to be the largest and oldest continually operated flea market in the world! Shoppers from all over Texas and the surrounding states know it to be THE place to buy home goods, antiques, clothing and jewelry, arts and crafts, gifts, and collectibles. With 100,000 shoppers, over 5,000 vendors, over 400 acres, and over 700,000 square feet of covered shopping, this is not to be missed! Talk about all your holiday shopping done in a single place! Who needs Amazon?! But don’t let the name fool you… It actually takes place Thursday through Sunday before the first Monday of each month. Mark your calendars accordingly if you are in the area…
Additional shopping can be accomplished at the WalMart Supercenter in Canton, and at the Tanger Outlet Mall in Terrell, (25miles).
Entertainment Venues include Canton and Garden Valley are home to the Van Zandt Country Club and the Garden Valley Country Club, respectively. Here you can enjoy great food, golf, tennis, swimming and fun for everyone.
If fishing, boating, swimming or camping is on your agenda, take advantage of the nearby lakes and reservoirs: Lake Tawakoni (29 mi), Lake Tawakoni State Park (22 mi), Lake Fork (37 mi), Mill Creek Reservoir (7 mi), Purtis Creek State Park (23 mi), or Cedar Creek Reservoir (32 mi).
The Splash Kingdom Water Park is only two miles from Tailwind Airpark! Splash Kingdom offers fun rides and attractions and you can even book birthday parties and private events at this fun venue.
In addition to the county fair and year-round street festivals, parades, rodeos, car shows, carnivals, and concerts, Canton’s annual hot-air balloon festival is an experience to be remembered with a fly-in, a car show, a 5k glow run, live music, and other fun activities for kids of all ages!
And then, of course, you are only 60 miles away from Dallas, so the possibilities are endless!
Runway and Fuel: The runway is lit and measures, 4000′ x 40′, 2600 feet paved, 1400 feet grass overrun to the south. Fuel is available.
Location: Set against the backdrop of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Heaven’s Landing is a gated fly-in community that truly lives up to its name! Located 6.5 miles NW of Clayton, GA, this beautiful airpark boasts all the fun Rabun County has to offer.
Community: This is Georgia–what can we say? Georgia knows the meaning of southern hospitality! Neighbors are friendly and truly enjoy each others’ company. With so much to do, you will consistently see a group of neighbors heading out to do something together. Kids roam free and so do lovable pets! It really is a family feeling!
Amenities and Facilities: The homes in Heaven’s Landing are spectacular. A very strict architectural control committee makes sure this is the case. Many of the lots by the runway have hangars or hangar homes on them so they can taxi right into and out of their property. Many other homes in the airpark are not by the runway in order to take advantage of the stunning mountain views. For these homes, there is a sensationally designed hangar facility, complete with, “Wilson bi-fold aluminum doors, standing seamed roofing, a full bathroom, heat, and windows that aesthetically cause these hangars to look nothing like hangars at all!”
The impressive clubhouse is another beautiful onsite structure. It is the social focal point for the community. It is open daily to all members of the community and can also be booked for private events. With seating of upwards of 200 people, the private lounge and dining room with outside veranda offer ample room for even a wedding to take place.
The clubhouse also features a fitness center with racquetball, wally ball, billiards and recreational areas. The dressing rooms feature steam rooms and sauna. Plans are in place for a large swimming pool and Jacuzzi that will afford views of the runway and gorgeous mountains.
About the Area: From art galleries to antique shops, biking, gem mining, golf, hiking and backpacking, horseback riding, hot air balloon rides, hunting and fishing, restaurants, movie theaters, shopping, skiing, tennis, waterfalls, wineries and ziplines, Rabun County seems to have it all!
Very close to Heaven’s Landing you will find many activities, including Black Rock Mountain State Park (8 mi); Foxfire Museum (7 mi); Goats on the Roof (10 mi); Hambridge Arts Center (17 mi); Moccasin Creek State Park (15 mi); Rabun Arena (12 mi); Tallulah Gorge State Park (18 mi), to name but a few.
Within an hour of Heaven’s Landing you will find even more fun at: Babyland General Hospital (40 mi); Blue Ridge Scenic Railway (66 mi); The Factory (27 mi); Mark of the Potter (26 mi); Scottish Tartans Museum (29 mi); Smoky Mountain Center for the Performing Arts (27 mi); Unicoi State Park (32 mi).
A little bit further away but still worth the trip if your time allows, you will find even more to do! Heading NORTH: Biltmore Estate, Asheville, NC (97 mi); Heading SOUTH: Comedy Barn Theater (104 mi); Dixie Stampede, (102 mi); Dolly’s Splash Country and Theme Park (103 mi); Georgia Aquarium (113 mi); Six flags Over Georgia (124 mi); Stone Mountain (105 mi).
At Lake Burton and Lake Rabun one can water ski, go knee boarding, tubing, jet skiing, and fishing.
The Chattooga and Tallulah rivers offer whitewater rafting and kayaking, horseback riding, fly fishing, hunting, rock climbing, and camping.
There is even something for the snow lover to do… yes, in the south! Skiing, snowboarding, sledding and tubing is available in nearby resorts across North Carolina and Tennessee. Cataloochee is only 80 miles away and Sapphire Valley is even closer at 40 miles away!
There are two fabulous golf courses close to the airpark.
Runway and Fuel: The 5,200-foot paved concrete runway features an FAA certified GPS approach and pilot controlled lighting. Though it accommodates most private aircraft, it is for exclusive use of the members and guests. Fuel is available onsite and is some of the lowest priced 100LL and Jet A fuel in the country–40% less than what we pay at home!
Aviation Estates in Other Countries: All of the above airparks are in the USA. Not surprising because almost all airparks are located in America. Beyond the USA, however, countries like Australia, South Africa, and some parts of Europe have seen the development of aviation estates that cater to luxury living alongside the passion for flying. We can’t wait to visit those as well!
Did we forget to include your favorite one? Please comment so we can add it to the list and so your fellow captains can benefit!
We are a family of pilots / aviation enthusiasts / adventure seekers who take traveling, flying and fun very seriously! We have been at it our entire lives and we bring you the ease and convenience we wish we had long ago. How often have we gone on an adventure only to find it a hassle to get around once we land? How about finding a nearby, suitable place to stay? That's what we are here for! We make your adventure and / or business travel easy and doable!
As we all know, fly-ins are opportunities for us pilots to showcase our aircraft, attend workshops, connect with fellow aviation enthusiasts, share... Read More
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