We’re Going To Do The Pan Am Experience!

As you guys may have figured out, Joe and I like to travel. But we like to think our travel is different from that of most people. Oh sure, some people like to go to the Caribbean, or to Italy or to go hiking. And some of those are nice sometimes (well, except the hiking. I’m not a hiking sort of person). But for us, especially for me, the more unusual, the more different, the more of an adventure, the more off the beaten path, the better. And if you can add a little kitsch to it, well, THEN my life is just complete. So when a friend posted an article on Facebook about the Pan Am Experience, my eyes perked up. I did some research and quickly realized we could potentially visit during our trip to Phoenix, the Grand Canyon, Las Vegas, Disneyland and Los Angeles this fall (UPDATE: we did! Click here to read about it!), so I learned as much as I could about it.

It sounded really cool! Here’s what their website says about the experience:

Relive the Magic of Flying Onboard a Luxurious Pan Am 747

“From its birth in 1927, Pan American World Airways was the pioneer airline whose routes spanned 6 continents and more than 80 countries. Almost a century later, the name Pan Am is still a very powerful brand, and inside this Southern California motion picture studio sits an exact replica of the airline’s Boeing 747 and everything that made it so special.

Your Pan Am Experience begins at our exclusive First & Clipper class check-in desk. where our Pan Am customer service agent provides each passenger with a 70’s style boarding pass, ticket jacket and first class carry-on tags.

You’ll be invited into the Clipper Club where you’ll have an opportunity to peruse the vintage Pan Am memorabilia including authentic uniforms, airline seats, handbags, artwork, and more. You can mingle with other enthusiasts at the Clipper Club lounge, share stories, and make new friends.

Soon thereafter, you’ll board “Clipper Juan T. Trippe”, our dedication to Pan Am’s first Boeing 747, where you’ll be sprung back in time to the 1970s. As soon you set foot inside the aircraft, your Stewardesses adorned in original Pan Am uniforms will welcome you onboard with a fine cocktail of your choice as Frank Sinatra’s soothing voice will transport you back in time.

With libation in hand, we encourage you to explore the aircraft – from First Class on the main deck, to Clipper Class aft of the galley, and the Upper Deck dining room. The interiors of each cabin have all been uniquely restored to Pan Am’s original cabin décor and branding elements.

Before we “take off”, the crew will perform an in-flight safety demonstration followed by a brief welcoming message from the flight deck. Soon you will be asked to take your seat as a stewardess sets your table for a truly memorable dining event. Main Deck passengers will sit back in plush Sleeperette seats and relax in a quiet, intimate dining setting while Upper Deck passengers will climb the winding staircase and enjoy a dynamic social atmosphere. Everything from the china to the glassware is authentic with careful attention to the exquisite service delivery of the era and menu offerings of Pan Am.

In classic Pan Am style, you will be served a delightful, gourmet five-course meal, starting with bread selections and appetizer choices like shrimp cocktail or tomato and mozzarella drizzled with a pesto glaze. For the main course, we serve a traditional Chateaubriand carved from the trolley. Guests with dietary restrictions may request in advance a choice of Roasted Chicken with Peppercorn sauce or a vegetarian pasta entree that is sure to please. Each meal comes with garden fresh vegetables and roasted potatoes. Your fourth course is a fine selection of fruit, cheese & biscuits accompanied by port wine. And finally your fifth course is a dessert cart with a large selection of digestifs. Tea & coffee completes the meal.

At the end of your flight, we offer all passengers an optional tour of the various production sets at Air Hollywood, including the original cockpit from cult classic Airplane! as well as sets and props used in major motion pictures such as “Bridesmaids”, “The Wolf of Wall Street”, and the hit television show “Lost”.

For the first time since Pan Am ceased operations, you can now relive the magic of this golden era in travel. We cordially invite you to personally experience this unique “flying” opportunity in the tradition of Pan Am.”

DOES THAT SOUND COOL OR WHAT??? Since I got Joe to say we could try to go (it did’t take a whole lot of arm twisting at all), the last hurdle was getting a reservation…and apparently they are NOT easy to get. Like, as in “they generally only offer the event once every 2 weeks and have space for less than 50 guests per event” not easy to get. As it turned out, we lucked out and of the exactly 2 nights we could even possibly do this during the course of our vacation, one of them was one of the nights in October they were going to offer the Pan Am Experience. So reservations for the next few months went on sale last week and guess what? I GOT A RESERVATION! So yeah…we’re doing the Pan Am Experience in Los Angeles! I can hardly wait!

Stay tuned…trip report to follow this fall…

Feature photo courtesy of Mike Kelley / Air Hollywood

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