San Diego's Airport Lounge is First Class

Due to all the heightened security, going to the airport these days is no longer something to look forward to.

Yet, there is one airport in San Diego that has people lined up around the corner, eager to enter - and they won't make you take off your shoes or hassle you with a hostile pat-down. Airport Lounge, nestled along India Street in north Little Italy, is anything but unpleasant.

The interior of Airport Lounge is designed to appear like the cabin of an airplane, minus the coarseness of coach, as everything about this venue suggests lavishness, from the seating to the service. White curving lines, soft colorful hues emanating from beneath the bar, and vibrant screens along the walls displaying assortments of visual stimulation create a first class venue unlike any other. And if the volume inside is cranked up too high, Airport also has a spacious outdoor garden escape where guests can order cocktails and mingle under the stars.

Airport really takes off on Friday and Saturday nights by filling their flight plan with pulse-pounding to cool-casual events imported nationally and internationally to entertain passengers. With drink names like "The Mile High" martini, to a staff decked out in airline attire, to walls illustrated with "Tokyo," "Paris," and "London," reminiscent of the 1960's Pan Am advertisements, Airport has included everything we like about flying without all the hassles of the flight.

To find out about Airport's next destination, take a trip to Little Italy and experience this excursion for yourself.

Insider Tip: Ask for the First Class martini - the name really says it all, and if you're not careful this one will definitely sneak up on you.