Airports With Hidden Areas That You Need To Know About
The climate of air travel isn't what it used to be. With so many incidents taking place over the past few decades, there are heightened forms of security that passengers need to abide by before they can soar the sky, and also while they wait. It's reached a point that flying has become a hassle. Thankfully, some airports around the world are making improvements to help alleviate the stress people face. For example, one airport provides a pet relief area while another has a gym and even bedrooms for rent! You might not be able to find them all easily, so continue reading to learn where these hidden airport areas are located.
Hidden Gardens At Honolulu Airport
As if Hawaii wasn't beautiful enough, the Honolulu Airport has hidden gardens for your amusement. While they're not exactly "hidden," many people tend to pass them by without noticing. The folks that do discover them label them as "hidden."
Their real names are the Cultural Gardens, and they are Japanese, Chinese, and Hawaiian themed. You can find them by the Y concourse near the main international terminal lobby. If you walk through the Asian Airline Lounges, you'll walk right through them.
Yoga Room At Chicago O'Hare
Knowing you have a long flight ahead of you can be mentally draining unless you're sitting in first class. It can be even worse after you've just finished an extensive journey through the air. Well, don't worry because Chicago O'Hare has you covered.
In Airport Terminal 3 Rotunda, on the Mezzanine level right by the Urban Garden, there is a yoga room. One can reflect, recharge, and relax before or after a takeoff. The dimensions are 16 x 15, and there is a ceiling mirror to help you perfect your poses.
Secret Bedrooms in Las Vegas McCarran Airport
If you've ever been to Las Vegas to have a good time, you know how wild and tiring it can be. Those lucky enough to live there or who are close enough to drive probably won't find this useful, but others who need to fly to Vegas will see the value in this feature.
Located at McCarran Airport are private bedrooms where you can get some shut-eye. For five bucks an hour, you can sleep to your heart's content and even have access to a gym and showers.
Hidden Shower Room In Taiwan Taoyuan Airport
If you to travel to Taiwan, be sure to keep your head up. In the Plaza Premium Lounge of Zone A in the Taiwan Taoyuan Airport, you can see a shower sign on top of a small doorway entrance.
It will lead you to a delightfully free shower service. The only stipulation is that you need to buy a towel at the Salon Spa located around the corner from the showers. Also, you only get 15 minutes of hot water, so you'd better make it quick!
The Chapel At The Amsterdam Airport
You usually don't think of the airport as a very spiritual place. Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport provides just that by giving travelers a lovely non-denominational "Meditation Centre." It has a reading room packed with spiritual materials, a meeting room, and a quiet room for prayer.
It came around in 1975 after a Roman Catholic ministry established it. Throughout the decades, this meditation center has become a place where people of all faiths can spend their downtime.
Pet Relief Areas In Atlanta Airport
It sounds like the folks at Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport know what they're doing. Pet owners adore their furry little pals a ton, so whenever a place has extra accommodations for them, it's a bonus.
In this airport, you can find a relief area for not only service animals, but for regular pets as well. How cool is that? If you don't feel like using the indoor facilities, you can head out near the domestic terminal by the ground transportation where there's a fenced-in doggo park.
Observation Tower On Top Of The LAX Theme Building
In the center of the always-crowded LAX airport rests a flying saucer-shaped building called the Theme Building. It's an iconic Los Angeles building constructed in 1961 that cost $12.3 million to make.
Between 1997 and 2013 there was a restaurant in there with a futuristic interior designed by Walt Disney but it was later closed to make room for the Bob Hope USO Center. Now, visitors can take an elevator to the top, where they will find the observation deck.
There's A Dentist At JFK Airport
People in need of dental work who travel through JFK Airport never need to worry about missing a dental appointment, thanks to the facility there. Since 1950, there's been a dental office in business.
The current dentist, Dr. Trager, took over in 1985 and has helped the establishment grow over the past 30 years. You can find it in Cargo Area A, Building 14, where Dr. Trager handles everything from simple cavities to implants. Around 95% of his clients work at the airport, but Dr. Trager still gets patients who have had mishaps at JFK.
Visitor Terrace At Munich Airport
If you're traveling abroad and find yourself at Munich's airport, do yourself a favor and seek out the 9,000 square-foot outdoor visitor's terrace. You can locate it in Terminal 2 on the 7th floor. Before getting there, you need to walk through a glass tunnel on level five, which is a bit exciting.
Once you arrive, there will be exceptional views. You can use one of the telscopes to get the best possible sights from the airport while you're there.
Experience Center At The Incheon International Airport
If you travel through the Incheon International Airport, take a journey to the Gate 31 on the third floor by the passenger terminal. Once there, you will find the Korea Traditional Cultural Experience Center.
If you do decide to check it out, you'll be in for a sweet surprise. There are free craft workshops, with demonstrations in making macrame, paper art, and kites. You don't have to register or anything like that, you need only to find an open seat.
The Green Roof At The Burlington, Vermont Airport
"Encore was selected from a competitive procurement process to develop and install a commercial-scale solar project located on the rooftop of the airport parking garage," encorerenewableenergy reported. Finding this roof would indeed be a challenge.
The beautiful creation cost $500,000 of taxpayers money. There are thousands of lovely plants that line the pathways that make you wish you could stay up there forever. Sadly, the green roof has lost some of its luster of the past few years due to a lack of proper maintenance.
In-Terminal Hotel At The Vancouver International Airport
If you walk two minutes from the luggage carousels, directly above the U.S. departures terminal, you'll find the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. This hotel offers soundproof rooms that travelers can book in increments of four to eight hours if they wish.
If you're experiencing jet lag, they have specialized services for that as well as more than 120 spa offerings. There is also an award-winning restaurant called the Globe @ YVR where you can feast on a deluxe buffet breakfast.
Secret Tunnels Of The Denver International Airport
There have been many conspiracy theories concerning what's going on under the Denver International Airport. People thought there was a military base or a secret alien holding, but that isn't the case at all.
It's been confirmed that there's an underground city with a freeway system. It's where they carry travelers' luggage from plane to plane to baggage claim. With over a million square feet of space, Denver police even enforce the speed limit down there to keep things safe.
The Atrium Rockers At Douglas International Airport
Douglas International Airport in North Carolina takes hospitality very seriously. In 1997, the airport placed rocking chairs in the tree-lined atrium exhibit for added comfort and style. It gives people an authentic "southern porch" feel.
Well, it was such a success that it became a permanent fixture. Portico Furniture handcrafted each rocker with glue-free interlocking joinery construction. Once you sit down in one, the comfortable double scooped seat makes it hard to find the power to get up and catch your flight!
Interfaith Chapel At Dulles International Airport
Washington Dulles International Airport is another site that allows people to get spiritual while they wait for their flight. If you wish to get away from the hustle and all the noise, head to the Interfaith Chapel found across from Gate A32 in Concourse A.
It's open seven days a week 24/7, and everyone from employees to passengers has a chance to utilize it. The staff consists of licensed and ordained clergy, as well as trained volunteers.
The Fountain At Detroit Metropolitan Airport
"Travelers are greeted by our beautiful water feature, located in the center of McNamara Terminal. Inspired by the lines of a flight map, the 39 ft. wide fountain designed by WET Design of Burbank, CA, is an ideal meeting spot or lounge area," metroairport reported.
This one isn't as hidden as the others, obviously, but there are folks who walk past it and miss the meaning behind it. Some people think it's a random spout of water, but that isn't the case.
Underground Connector Tunnel At Hartsfield-Jackson International
Atlanta has the pleasure of making this list twice. Remember the pet-friendly relief spots, and now this. What we're talking about are their underground connector tunnels. You can head down there to catch fast inter-terminal trains.
While you're taking this speedy transportation, you'll pass some art and photography exhibits, much like this rainforest display you see in the picture. The tunnel that connects concourses A and B has the wiring exposed, which gives it a minimalist, industrial vibe.
Observation Tower At Burlington, Vermont Airport
Back again with the Burlington International Airport, but we're not talking about a green roof this time. If plants don't interest you all that much, you can always make your way to the old Air Traffic Control Tower.
It's now an observation tower which provides one of the best views in the building. You can watch planes speed pass as they take off and witness them land as well. You can find the observation tower on the east on the second floor.
Quiet Area At Minneapolis Airport
The Minneapolis Airport is an old one that has a noise problem. The architecture also isn't terribly interesting to look at while waiting for a flight. The best thing going for this location is their upper-level seating area, known as the quiet area.
You can find it in the Lindbergh Terminal overlooking the atrium. It might be hard to find, but we promise it's worth the scavenger hunt if you've got the time to spare because it is very peaceful.
The Walking Tunnel At Dubai International Airport
Dubai has so much money that it has created advanced security systems that make them look like big brother. By the end of 2018, they implemented an artsy, creative, and colorful video customs to scan faces.
The information they secure from the scans determines if you're free to go or not. We must be in the future now. It's a walkway tunnel that replaces the security clearance counter found in Terminal 3.
