How to Make the Most of A Layover
You could avail yourself of the buffet in the business class lounge and watch and entire season of Dexter on your laptop, but where’s your sense of adventure? Sure, there are some airport lounges that are incredibly luxurious, but they shouldn’t be your only stop. Should you find yourself laid over in one of these cities, here’s how to get the most out of it.
How to make the most of a layover in LA
Los Angeles (LAX)
Head to Marina del Rey—just 15 minutes and a $25 cab ride away—where you can stroll a boardwalk past working fishing boats and look out over some of L.A.’s biggest yachts, docked at one of the world’s largest man-made harbours. Chow down on fish tacos at the casual Beachside Restaurant and Bar, which sits right on the water, or grab some oysters or calamari at Chart House, where you can catch the sunset and see the stars (both real and metaphorical—it’s a favourite hangout of the LA Lakers).
How to make the most of a layover in Singapore
Singapore (SIN)
Singapore’s Changi International Airport is located as little as ten minutes by cab from some of the city-state’s famous “hawker centres,” which offer safe, clean, and really delicious dishes. Head to a small one like the East Coast Lagoon Food Village, which is just down the street from the main terminal or, if you have a little more time, go a little beyond, to the 350-plus stalls at the Old Airport Road Food Centre. Just a few bucks will get you Hainanese-style chicken satays, black-pepper crab, or rojak, arguably Singapore’s signature meal, a fresh mix of fruits, fried dough fritters and bean curd, all coated with peanut sauce.
How to make the most of a layover in Paris
Paris (CDG)
Just north of the City of Lights, Charles de Gaulle International Airport is linked to Paris by a fast, efficient suburban rail (RER) system. Tracks literally run underneath the terminals, and less than 10 Euros (and about 20 minutes) will have you at the hub of Gare du Nord. Walk west and up the hill of Montmartre, into the 18th arrondissement. View the work of famous former residents Dali, Picasso and Van Gogh at Espace Dali and the Musée de Monmartre, take in the panoramic views of the city from the steps of Sacré Coeur or head to the Rue des Trois Freres for some of the city’s best fondue at La Refuge des Fondus.
