Flying Private to the Party: Private Aviation to Luxury Events

25th Annual Palm Beach International Boat Show
Palm Beach, Florida
March 25 to 28, 2010
Intracoastal Waterway and Flagler Drive in West Palm Beach

Can’t clear out your calendar for a few days of globetrotting across Switzerland? Don’t fret because there are plenty of luxury events taking place here in the U.S. in the coming months that will be equally as riveting. Just days after the start of BaselWorld, the folks over at Show Management will be kicking off the Palm Beach International Boat Show on March 25, 2010. Billed as one of the “Top 10 Boat Shows in the Country,” PBIBS showcases more than $350 million worth of boats, yachts, and accessories.

Palm Beach International (PBI)

• Palm Beach County operates a system of four airports, with each serving the private aviation community in its own way. PBI will be your landing center of choice. Of the three runways at PBI, two are dedicated to general aviation and use the south side of the field for dropping off and picking up passengers, or aircraft parking is mandatory.

• The three FBOs at PBI include Galaxy Aviation, Jet Aviation, and Signature Flight Support.

• A favorite of Donald Trump, PBI is located approximately five miles from where some of the main boat show activity will be taking place.

3rd Annual Pebble Beach Food & Wine Festival
Pebble Beach, California
April 8 to 11, 2010
Various clubs and resorts on the peninsula

With names like Thomas Keller, Wolfgang Puck, Masaharu Morimoto, Roland Passot, and Charlie Trotter in the lineup, this is one West Coast gourmet event that should not be missed. Only in its third year, it is already well on its way to becoming one of the foremost festivals for the foodies of the nation. If you aren’t within driving distance of this exclusive area of the California coastline, we suggest flying your Hawker 700 or Challenger 601 into the Monterey Peninsula Airport. But before the pilot signals that it is time to fasten your seat belt, here are some of the stats:

Monterey Peninsula Airport (MRY)

• MRY is only a 20-minute drive from the famed Pebble Beach resorts that will host the culinary events, including The Inn at Spanish Bay, The Lodge at Pebble Beach, Casa Palmero, The Beach & Tennis Club, and the Lexus Grand Tasting Tent.

• The facility encompasses 498 acres with two parallel runways and can be found four miles west of downtown Monterey on Highway 68.

• Del Monte Aviation, Monterey Bay Aviation, and Monterey Jet Center are all full-service FBOs at MRY.

• Though size-wise, it is considerably smaller than the Teterboro or Van Nuys airports, it still carries its weight in celebrity names. Dignitaries like Pope John Paul II and John F. Kennedy have flown into and taken off from MRY.

• Other private aviation options include the San Jose International Airport, located approximately 90 minutes north, or San Francisco International Airport, which can take two hours by luxury car.