Airport Layover Contest: TIPS FOR HOW TO WIN!

Layoverilloc by Wendy Perrin

You've got two weeks left to enter our Airport Layover Contest for the chance to win a Palm Centro smartphone and maybe even a three-day trip to The Regent Palms Turks and Caicos. Conde Nast Traveler contributor Michael Kinsley will be picking the winning layover ideas (with a little help from me) and then testing them when he flies around the world in September. (Yes, the same Michael Kinsley who founded Slate and hosted CNN's Crossfire and whose latest book Please Don't Remain Calm just came out.)

After studying the layover suggestions submitted so far, Mike has key advice for anyone who has not entered the contest yet or is dreaming up another layover idea (remember, you can submit as many entries as you want before the July 31 deadline):

Tip #1: Surprise us!
"There have been many helpful layover suggestions," says Mike, "but so far most have been unsurprising (and a few have even been downright dull). If you really want to win one of these phones--and I've been using one lately; they're pretty cool--then come up with something surprising. The first contest entry, for example, says that if you're at Honolulu Airport go to Waikiki Beach. We all know that Honolulu has Waikiki Beach. But the fact that there's a great Los Angeles beach right behind LAX is more interesting."

Tip #2: Think like a storyteller.
Mike will be writing about his layover experiences for an article in the magazine, so consider what locations and activities would make for the most entertaining article. Think weird.

More tips after the jump.

Tip #3: Think in terms of six categories.
After mulling over how the best layover ideas submitted thus far could mesh together into the perfect itinerary for the article, we realize we'll likely end up choosing one of each of the following six types of layover (why six? We've got six Palm Centro smartphones to give away!):

1. an airport with a nearby beach (within, say, 10 or 15 minutes of the airport)
2. an airport with a nearby museum (the Smithsonian's Air and Space annex that's only 2.5 miles from Dulles, for instance, is better than having to go from an airport to a famous museum all the way downtown)
3. an airport with a great restaurant nearby (but one that takes you out of the airport environment)
4. an airport with some unusual activity not normally found in an airport (e.g., a spa)
5. an airport close to great shopping (something along the lines of the Mall of America just 5 minutes from Minneapolis-St. Paul International, although a more exotic locale would be better--and keep in mind that Mike is not checking luggage)
6. an airport near some adrenaline-pumping activity (where Mike could go for, say, a 60-minute rafting trip or a two-hour scenic hike)

A layover devoted to sightseeing could work too, but only if the sightseeing were something very, very odd.

Tip #4: Think 2 to 6 hours in length.
Mike will probably have about 4 to 8 hours between flights, so the length of the layover activity-- from the time you leave the airport until the time you return--should be in the 2-to-6-hour range.

Tip #5: Think internationally.
We've gotten many more layover ideas for domestic airports than for the rest of the world. We'd love to see more ideas for Asia, South America, Africa, and the South Pacific in particular.

The place to enter the contest is here. Good luck!

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Comments

It seems like better entry guidance could have been provided out of the gate.

As for preferring LAX over Honolulu--maybe he needs to stay away from the drinks cart. I know which beach I'd rather be on--with my Mai Tai and Mahi Mahi.

Oh, and good luck with the security lines at LAX, when you get back from the smoggy beach. ;-)

Posted by: thetravelingpilgrim | July 17, 2008 at 02:48 PM

Walk from the terminal through the elevated walkway to the RENFE train station. The trains run every 30 minutes at approximately 15 and 45 minutes after the hour. The trip takes less than 30 minutes and you exit at the Plaza Catalanya. Enjoy a short walk down the famous La Rambla to the Plaza Sant Jaume. Just off the plaza is located a unique tour company, Barcelona Glides, providing guided tours of the old town and much of the waterfront on Segway people movers. The familiarization process takes a few minutes and then you are off on a two hour tour. Sites include most of the Gothic Quarter and ancient the Roman part of the city. You will also see the magnificent cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, the Town Hall and the seashore. Your tour returns to the starting point passing through the impressive park of the Arc de Triomphe in the Ciutadella and the Santa María del Mar Church. You may want to call from the airport (+34 932 689 536) and make reservations to insure a spot on the intimately-sized tours. One of the amazing things about a Segway is that you can see four times as much as you would on a walking tour. Another cool thing is that you become an attraction to both the locals and the tourists as they gawk at your unique means of locomotion. It is truly a blast!

After the tour, retrace your steps to the Plaza Catalunya and take the double-deck hop on hop off tour bus to see most of Gaudis most well-known buildings. The bus comes with earphones and the narration is in several languages. If time permits you can get off the bus at Parc de Guell and get an amazing view of the city while walking around this planned neighborhood that Gaudi imagined as an enclave of creativity. You get a chance to touch and feel his mosaics and walk through the gardens. There is a great outdoor café on the upper level. The bus returns you to Plaza Catalunya and you catch the RENFE train back to the airport. This trip can be done in as little as 4 hours door to door if you dont take the bus tour. The bus tour can be tailored to meet your schedule and can easily be done in less than 2 hours. If your travel doesnt take you to Barcelona, you can also do a Segway tour of Madrid.

Posted by: lross002 | July 27, 2008 at 08:34 PM

Barcelona Spain is the place where you can blend the very old with the very new. See ancient Roman fortifications from your state-of-the-art green machine. Start this unique layover by walking from the terminal through the elevated walkway to the RENFE train station. Catch a train to downtown Barcelona for about $6. The trains run every 30 minutes at approximately 15 and 45 minutes after the hour. The trip takes less than 30 minutes and you exit at the Plaza Catalanya. Enjoy a short walk down the famous La Rambla to the Plaza Sant Jaume. Just off the plaza is located a unique tour company, Barcelona Glides, providing guided tours of the old town and much of the waterfront on Segway people movers. The familiarization process takes a few minutes and then you are off on a two hour tour. Sites include most of the Gothic Quarter and ancient the Roman part of the city. You will also see the magnificent cathedral, La Sagrada Familia, the Town Hall and the seashore. Your tour returns to the starting point passing through the impressive park of the Arc de Triomphe in the Ciutadella and the Santa María del Mar Church. You may want to call from the airport (+34 932 689 536) and make reservations to insure a spot on the intimately-sized tours. One of the amazing things about a Segway is that you can see four times as much as you would on a walking tour. Another cool thing is that you become an attraction to both the locals and the tourists as they gawk at your unique means of locomotion. It is truly a blast!

Posted by: lross002 | July 27, 2008 at 08:37 PM