Many of modern aviation’s advancements are rooted in Los Angeles history—so we consider our childlike giddiness over the roar of a jet engine to be an appreciation of local culture. With dozens of airports of all sizes in Southern California, watching planes take off and land is practically a spectator sport. From ocean-crossing jumbo jets at LAX to legacy aircraft in Van Nuys, these are the best places to go plane spotting in LA.

In-N-Out near LAX

You can scope out landing planes either at the beloved burger spot or the runway-adjacent park across the street. You’ll find yourself almost directly underneath the airliners’ final approach, so hopefully you don’t mind your Double-Double with a side of jet fumes.

9149 S Sepulveda Blvd 

Dockweiler State Beach

This South Bay beach is the perfect spot to take in sun, surf and sand—oh, and the occasional jumbo jet flying directly overhead. Dockweiler sits less than a half-mile from the Los Angeles International Airport runway, perfect for spotting all of those over-the-ocean departures.

S Marine Ave, north of Imperial Hwy

Clutter’s Park

This strip of sidewalk harbors nothing more than a few benches and a couple of telescopes, but the narrow park has the perfect hilltop vantage point of LAX’s southern runway.

E Imperial Ave at Sheldon St

Photograph: Michael Juliano

Santa Monica Airport

SMO is an incredible place to celebrate LA’s rich aviation lineage—it was the birthplace of…