Our original destination was Oceano L52, but it had the usual marine layer over the airport, so we diverted to Santa Maria (KSMX) for lunch instead. Santa Maria is known to get low stratus often in the morning hours and early evening, especially in the summer. When parking at Santa Maria be very careful not to WALK across the RED LINE painted on the ground around the terminal building. It's right next to transient parking. I know from first hand experience the Santa Maria cops will be all over you! You go through the side pedestrian gate to get to the restaurant, and the waiter will let you back out the gate to the tarmac when your finished. Pepper Garcia's is the Mexican restaurant inside the big terminal building. There is a view of the airport from the restaurant, but to be honest, the food was not that great. Next time we will try the restaurant inside the Radisson Hotel. The Santa Maria Museum of Flight is on the opposite end of the airport, at the northwest corner and is a long walk from the terminal building. I would recommend just taxing over there, and they don't mind you parking your plane in front of the museum. The museum has an F-4, A-4, and some other planes, a Norden bombsight, and a huge amount of scale models and dioramas of famous flights and planes housed in 2 hangers, one of which was used for the movie "Rocketeer".
Flight Planning at SkyVector.com
Wow, that museum looks pretty cool! Wish I could have seen all those models, and I don't miss that red line. Sounds like a great trip, nice landing.
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