Wow: Delta Sky Club LAX Terminal 3 Review

After being in the works for four years, The Delta Sky Club at LAX Terminal 3 recently opened in April 2022. It’s a beautiful and spacious lounge that is fully equipped with multiple bars, a Sky Deck, showers, and a lot more.

Check out what the experience is all about in the review below and if you ever go to visit let us know what you think!

Getting to the lounge

The Delta Sky Club at LAX Terminal 3 is located on the departures level between T2 and T3. Once you get close, you really can’t miss it.

The new lounge was part of an even larger project that involved re-doing Delta’s Terminal 3 in a substantial way.

Highlights of the new Terminal 3 include:

  • A centralized headhouse that consolidates check-in, security and baggage claim 
  • 32 self-serve kiosks and 46 check-in positions 
  • A 250-foot digital backwall featuring helpful info like Delta Sky Club volume 
  • Five baggage claim carousels
  • Seven new security lanes

If you’re coming from Terminal 3 you’ll be able to experience the new terminal but because we were on a connection going through Terminal 2 we didn’t really have that opportunity.

Note: When the Delta Sky Way at LAX project is complete in 2023, Terminals 2 and 3 will be a consolidated.

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Delta Sky Club LAX entrance

Access

We gained access to the lounge since we were flying Delta and we had Amex Platinum cards but there are various ways you can gain access to Delta Sky Clubs.

As soon as we entered the lounge I noticed there were five self-service kiosk stations with a few staff members attending them and it occurred to me that this would be an automated entry.

I absolutely hope other lounges head in this direction because it just makes things so much easier.

Delta Sky Club LAX kiosks

Because Brad and I were together they asked if we had separate entry which we did based on us each having a Platinum Card so we checked in separately.

All we had to do was scan our boarding pass and swipe our cards and then that was it.

Access granted.

I did see there was an option to add a guest so if that’s what you need to do it looks like that will be easy to accomplish on the kiosk.

After enjoying a little 21st-century kiosk automation, we made our way up the escalator in this stunning lobby, where fixtures designed to resemble waves rolling in the ocean hang from the ceiling and immediately impress.

Delta Sky Club LAX escalators

Exploring the lounge

As soon as we made our way past the wood-screened area, which marks the official entrance to the lounge, I could tell this was going to be one of the more memorable legacy carrier lounge visits I’ve had in recent memory.

Delta Sky Club LAX lobby

The swankiness is undeniable.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

The lounge was spacious and had a steady flow of traffic but did not ever feel overcrowded.

That’s no surprise considering that it’s over 30,000 square feet — one of the largest in the Delta network.

Delta Sky Club LAX food area

We took a right upon entering and made our way towards the corner of the lounge where we had some nice runway views while also being close to the food and drink area.

Before grubbing out, I made my rounds around the lounge to check everything out and was continuously impressed by the design and layout.

There’s a lot of seating options and no shortage of power outlets and USB ports making it extremely easy to get comfortable and charge your devices at the same time.

You’ll definitely have no excuse for your device going dead at any point.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

Floor to (nearly) ceiling windows line the lounge offering great runway views for many guests.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating with outside view of planes

If you’re unable to secure a view looking out, the views looking in to this swanky interior can also delight. It didn’t take long for this lounge to win me over.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

I liked the area with the little privacy pods for getting work done or talking on the phone.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating
Delta Sky Club LAX seating

These cozy little phone booths could be a great place to focus if the lounge gets a bit busy. Inside each one you can find a power outlet and USB port. Sensors will trigger the light when you open the door.

These are perfect for people like me who rely a lot on speech to text dictation. And hopefully this will attract some of those people that can’t help themselves to using speakerphone in the lounge…

Delta Sky Club LAX privacy booth

For those trying to get work done out in the open there’s a beautiful wooden work table for eight. Semi-private cushioned cubbies resembling a nice NFL locker room surround it.

A printer station can be found in the corner.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

This is right by where you’ll find the entrance to the bathroom (more on the amazing bathrooms below).

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

Just beyond the work table area, there is a bar area which once again has plenty of outlets built-in.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

There’s also a large media wall that was playing ESPN.

You’ll find comfortable seating options in front of it that give off a very fitting cinema vibe.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating with TV
Delta Sky Club LAX seating with TV

Near the media wall a flamboyant little nook with a mosaic mural featuring glass tiles imported from Italy, known as the “Coffee Grotto,” will certainly catch your eye.

Delta Sky Club LAX coffee grotto

It’s a nod to the golden age of Hollywood and it seemed to be popular because it stayed busy for almost the entire time. Eventually, after several passes, I got a shot with only a few people in it.

Delta Sky Club LAX coffee grotto

Also in this part of the lounge was another seating area partitioned off with some Hollywood Hills inspired design.

Delta Sky Club LAX seating

Just like the other side of the lounge you also have great runway views along with the backdrop of mountains. Catching LA on a pretty clear evening was a nice finishing touch to this trip.

Delta Sky Club LAX views of Delta planes

Later on during our visit, we made our way over to this side because our gate was located right next to it so we could watch our plane come in from where we were seated.

Delta Sky Club LAX view of jet bridge

Always love a lounge visit where you can keep an eye on your gate and it makes it that much sweeter that you only have a short walk to get there.

Delta Sky Club LAX view of Delta plane

One final thing I meant to mention was that you can find help desks near the entrance of the lounge along with kiosks.

Delta Sky Club LAX help desks

Dining

This Sky Club had some high-quality dining options.

To kick off the dining experience, first I made my way to the drink section where I found a lot of different options.

Delta Sky Club LAX beverage station

They had regular Starbucks brewed coffee along with decaf and a hot water dispenser.

Delta Sky Club LAX coffee station

Different types of Harney & Sons tea packets were available including green, mint, and earl grey.

If you want more flavors, head over to the drink station on the other side of the lounge and you can find different types like chamomile and several others.

That’s also where you can find the stations for making your own espressos and cappuccinos.

Delta Sky Club LAX tea station

They also had different types of infused water including some with fresh strawberries. Infused water always sounds so good and refreshing to me… until I drink it. I think it’s that watered-down taste that just makes me want to put down the glass.

Delta Sky Club LAX infused water station

Sparkling water is very different story, however.

For sparkling water enthusiasts like myself they had a Bevi machine, although you could also choose Aha from the Coke Freestyle machine right next to it.

Delta Sky Club LAX Bevi station
Delta Sky Club LAX Coke freestyle machine

Next to the drink station, you could find a variety of snacks and potato chips.

Delta Sky Club LAX snacks

After figuring out the drink situation, it was time to check out the real food.

The lounge features local chefs on a quarterly basis via the Local Flavor program so they are constantly mixing up something special.

I started by checking out the different types of sandwiches which included vegetarian options.

Delta Sky Club LAX sandwiches

The main attraction for myself and most people that I saw had to have been the juicy brisket.

As someone from Texas, I have high standards for such a dish and it did not disappoint at all. Not only was it tasty but it also was fresh and just kind of blew my mind how good it was. Definitely did not expect that.

Delta Sky Club LAX brisket

Other dining options included spicy tofu and a Thai vegan broth along with tomato basil soup.

For sides they had Ruby Rice, steamed broccoli, and a variety of vegetables and dishes like coleslaw. Bread rolls were also plentiful.

My measuring stick for judging the quality of food in an airport lounge is: can you get full only eating items you truly enjoy?

In this case, the lounge passed this test with flying colors.

Delta Sky Club LAX vegetables with ranch dip
Delta Sky Club LAX salad station

They also had a meat and cheese selection which looked pretty appetizing.

Delta Sky Club LAX meat and cheese station

For dessert, they provided an apple tart dish and multiple types of cookies which are the only things I didn’t truly care for.

But that also probably had to do with the fact that we just had an amazing chocolate chip cookie on board Delta First Class flying from Houston (IAH) to LAX.

So I think I was a little bit over the limit with sweets at that point.

The other side of the lounge also had a buffet center where you could put together your food items. I think it was a little bit smaller but it was also a lot less busy than the one we were sitting by.

Delta Sky Club LAX food station

At the end of this food area there is a hidden candy corner where you can find glass jars full of different types of candies like flavored Tootsie Rolls and other types of “classic” wrapped candies like taffy.

Delta Sky Club LAX candy bar

Bar

There are two main bars in the lounge: one indoors and one on the Sky Deck.

Delta Sky Club LAX bar

The bar inside is located right in the middle of the lounge and it’s pretty much on the opposite side from the one on the Sky Deck.

Delta Sky Club LAX bar

The servers at both bars were very good and I was really happy to have such great service.

The bar will serve you up complimentary drinks although you will need to pay if you want one of the signature cocktails or premium alcoholic beverages.

The complimentary beverages include:

Wine

  • Sparkling Brut
  • Chardonnay
  • Pinot Grigio
  • Rose´
  • Cabernet Sauvignon
  • Pinot Noir

Beers & Seltzer

  • Michelob Ultra Draft
  • Regional Craft
  • Michelob Ultra Cucumber Lime Seltzer
  • Samuel Adams Just the Haze IPA NA

Spirits & Liqueurs

  • New Amsterdam Vodka
  • Damrak Gin
  • Plantation 3 Stars Rum
  • Camarena Silver Tequila
  • Old Forester 86 Proof Bourbon
  • Dewar’s Scotch
  • Kahlua
  • Saint Brendan’s Irish Cream

As for the signature cocktails, you’re gonna be spending around $9 to $12 for most drinks.

If you want premium spirits then they have a variety of those including vodkas, gin, rum, tequila, whiskey, scotch, and cognac.

Prices are typically around $7 to $10 but can get much more expensive for some of the higher end products like Johnny Walker Blue Label.

Brad decided to try one of the signature cocktails called the Flower District Margarita. A tasty drink and the St-Germain elderflower liqueur put a nice twist on a margarita.

Delta Sky Club LAX flower district margarita

You can also take advantage of a pretty broad selection of champagne, wine, and beer.

You’ll have to shell out some cash (~$5) for premium craft or imported beers such as Blue Moon or Dos Equis.

Unfortunately, the bar is still without Dom Perignon so you can’t currently use your miles for a glass or bottle. I’m really hoping that that option comes back soon.

Later on, we spent some time out on the Sky Deck which was an awesome experience.

Because I have almost exclusively flown United, American, and Southwest I’ve only had one prior visit to a Delta Sky Club at PHX but it did not have a Sky Deck.

For the longest time I’ve been wanting to experience one and I don’t think there could be a better place to do so than the one in LAX considering how awesome it feels outside especially during the evenings.

It’s not a surprise that it remains open all year round.

Delta Sky Club LAX Sky Deck

On the Sky Deck, you could find different types of seating from bar seats to comfortable chairs.

Delta Sky Club LAX Sky Deck

A lot of the seats looking out towards the runway were taken outside which was no surprise given how great it felt. However, there were plenty of open seats along the bar.

(If you don’t see a bartender at the bar just approach the bar and one will probably come out to serve you from the inside.)

Delta Sky Club LAX Sky Deck bar

Bathroom

The bathrooms are to the left after you enter the lounge and you’ll find them in a beautiful hallway that also is home to the showers.

Delta Sky Club LAX bathrooms

The men’s bathroom was huge with quality and very private stalls.

Delta Sky Club LAX mens bathroom

It was also clean and smelled good so it was about as good as you will be able to get.

Delta Sky Club LAX mens bathroom

I didn’t get a chance to check out the showers but based on the status of the bathrooms and all of the photos I’ve seen, I’m sure those were top notch.

Final word

As a travel blogger, I’m constantly researching experiences before we ever give them a shot and so rarely am I ever surprised.

But on this occasion, this was our final connection after traveling for roughly 3 weeks and I did not do my homework before heading to the lounge.

That meant that the entire experience was a true surprise and I was unexpectedly blown away which is something that does not happen very often.

Our First Class flight with Delta was also an enjoyable flight and so I’m really becoming a pretty big Delta fan.

Red Rock Canyon State Park Guide (California)

The unique orange-and-white desert cliffs and buttes at Red Rock Canyon State Park (not to be confused with Red Rock National Conservation Area in Nevada) offer exciting hiking and exploration opportunities that are perfect for novice hikers and families alike.

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Although not very well-known, Red Rock Canyon in California has been used in several well-known Hollywood movies, including The Mummy and the opening scene from Jurassic Park. While no actual dinosaur fossils have been found at the park, Red Rock Canyon is full of other fossil-rich strata dating back as far as twelve million years ago.

Related: Best national parks in Southern California

The unmistakable orange and red cliffs at Red Rock Canyon State Park. Photo by Matthew Dillon.

A variety of Native American peoples once inhabited the canyon region, and the area offers a fine collection of pictographs and petroglyphs as evidence of their once-thriving civilizations.

Ritual sites of the original Coso people were found in the El Paso Mountains of the park, a tribe known for trading goods and services with other native tribes as far west as the Pacific Coast.

Their predecessors, the Kawaiisu Indians, also inhabited the area and left evidence of long, challenging food-gathering trips to remote regions including the Mojave Desert and the infamous Death Valley.

Perhaps as a means of creating more heat during the colder months, the Kawaiisu learned to live in larger groups of sixty to one hundred people during the winter, but branched out into smaller groups during the warmer months of spring and summer.

History places many different names on the Kawaiisu populations, including Tehachapi, Paiute, and Caliente, but the indigenous Kawaiisu Indians simply referred to themselves as “Nuwa” or “people.”

They were a friendly people that got along well with their neighbors and participated with other tribes in ancient methods of hunting, gathering, and the important trading activity on which their lives depended.

In fact one of the more dramatic rock features located at the edge of the El Paso Mountains range was a trade route used by the Kawaiisu and other Native Americans for thousands of years, and then later by European settlers as they traveled westward toward the Pacific.

Vegetation at Red Rock Canyon includes the very same Joshua trees whose tough leaves were used by early Native Americans to make baskets and sandals, and whose flower buds and seeds were used as an important dietary staple.

Joshua trees are native to the Southwest and mostly found in the Mojave Desert at places like Joshua Tree National Park. These beautiful trees can live for hundreds of years, though their ages are difficult to ascertain because they don’t grow rings.

Part of the yucca genus, they rely exclusively on yucca moths for pollination. These moths lay eggs in the flowers of the trees and deliberately pollinate the Joshua trees so that, when the eggs hatch, the caterpillars will have seeds to eat.

Even more fascinating, scientists have discovered certain species of yucca moths pollinate only certain varieties of Joshua trees, creating even more incredible evidence of one of best examples of coevolution in the world.

Charles Darwin at one time remarked that the relationship between the Joshua tree and the yucca moth was “the most remarkable fertilization system ever described.”

A row of Joshua trees at Red Rock Canyon State Park. Photo by David Seibold.

Unfortunately the future is bleak for these trees as a recent study in 2011 predicted that 90% of Joshua trees will be eliminated in the next sixty to ninety years as a result of climate change.

Thousands of years ago, Joshua trees were able to survive rising temperatures because their seeds were widely dispersed by large mammals like the now-extinct Shasta ground sloth.

However, today only small rodents like squirrels disperse their seeds but not far enough for the trees to migrate into more suitable climate zones. Thus, with rising temperatures, the Joshua tree population will likely suffer a drastic decline in the near future.

If you ever visit the park after a rainy winter when the wildflowers are in bloom, you’ll be dazzled by the brilliance of their unique colors and hues.

As for wildlife at Red Rock, it’s quite likely that you’ll come across roadrunners, lizards, and squirrels, as well as hawks and desert mice.

The park offers a few short trails that are perfect for beginners and families.

The Hagen Canyon Trail will take you past some of the interesting rock formations, such as Camel Rock and Stony Window. It’s only one mile long and can easily be done in forty-five minutes or less.

Another popular trail is the main trail, also known as the Red Rock Canyon Trail. It’s a loop trail about a mile long, and it too offers a fairly easy trek. Along this trail you’ll get up close to many of the strange sandstone formations and also come across a few “caves,” which are actually crevices.

Many visitors opt to do both of these hikes since they’re short, easy, and can be completed together without too much trouble.

Photographers may get more out this location than anybody else, however. At sunrise and sunset, these rocks come alive with deep red and orange tones that allow for spectacular desert shots.

Tip

  • The best seasons to visit the park are spring and fall. Temperatures in the summer often soar above 100°F, so be sure to stay hydrated and take all proper precautions.

Getting There

The park is 25 miles northeast of Mojave on Highway 14.

Nearby Destinations

  • Fossil Falls (49 miles; 55 min)
  • Alabama Hills (94 miles; 1 hour 30 min)
  • Los Angeles, CA (121 miles; 1 hours 50 min)
  • Pinnacles National Park (250 miles; 4 hours 10 min)
  • Sacramento, CA (358 miles; 5 hours 10 min)
  • Lassen Volcanic National Park (539 miles; 7 hours 50 min)

Coit Tower in San Francisco, California

Also known as the Lillian Coit Memorial Tower, Coit Tower, rises 210-feet and sits atop Telegraph Hill in San Francisco, California. The tower was built back in 1933 after Lillie Hitchcock Coit donated 1/3 of her estate to beautification efforts of San Francisco. The eccentric Lillie Coit was a bit of a rebel in her time. Back in the late 1800s, she smoked, gambled, and wore trousers before such things were ever socially acceptable for a woman. Her cavalier ways eventually wound up leading her to join in with local firefighter efforts, Knickerbocker Engine Co. No. 5 to be precise. She’d ride along on calls, accompany them in parades, and actually became an honorary firefighter and a mascot of sorts.

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Portrait of Lillie Hitchcock Coit
Lillie Hitchcock Coit

Coit’s bequest of 1/3 of her estate amounted to $118,000 and two memorials were built in her name. One was a sculpture of three firemen (found in Washington Square) and another was Coit Tower. The architect behind the tower was Arthur Brown, Jr. and it took a total of five years to complete the construction of the tower. Some people believe that Coit Tower was designed to resemble a nozzle of a fire hose, but it’s been said that the resemblance is nothing more than a coincidence.

Coit Tower
Cit Tower seen from its base.

Inside of the tower there are several murals to check out, most of which were commissioned by the Public Works of Art Project back in the 1930s as part of the New Deal employment program for artists. The murals depict racial equality as well as issues related to capitalism, labor, and finance. There were over 25 artists who worked to produce these art pieces. Many of these frescoes were considered radical back in the 1930s and a great deal of violence actually broke out due to protests over the artworks. The tower had to be locked up for some time until the violence died down and though it reopened months later, some of the controversial paintings were painted over.

Coit Tower Mural
Photo by Ed Bierman
Coit Tower Mural
Photo by Ed Bierman

As you approach the entrance of the tower you’ll notice several trails winding around Pioneer Park, the park that surrounds Coit Tower. Try to take a little time to wander through these trails and see if you can catch a glimpse or at least some sounds of the local inhabitants — a flock of wild parrots. (There’s actually a film about these parrots called The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill.) The parrots got to this area back in the early 1900s when it was legal to import wild parrots into the US and the birds were brought over from South and Central America by the millions. Most of them are cherry-headed conures, though there are some other types that show up from time to time.

Parrot swarm
A flock of wild parrots. Photo by Andrew Fitzhugh

The view from the observation deck inside the tower is one of the best views of the San Francisco Bay Area. The observation deck affords a 360 degree view of the entire city and surrounding bay. The only issue with getting photographs is that the windows are a bit narrow and since there is such thick concrete barriers between each window, it’s a bit difficult to capture wide-angle shots or panoramic photos. Still, there are some great views to be seen from this tower. You’ll be able to see a close up of the iconic San Francisco skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge, Alcatraz, and the East Bay.

San Francisco from Coit Tower
The Bay Bridge seen from Coit Tower
The Bay Bridge seen from Coit Tower.

One thing that surprised me when we visited was that the top of the tower is open and exposed. This could obviously be a problem if it was raining so you want to keep an eye out on the forecast and try to get out there on a clear day.

Coit Tower
Photo by Brandi Korte
San Francisco from Coit Tower

An elevator ride will get you to the top so you don’t have to worry about taking tons of stairs, although you will have to take some stairs. Sometimes during busy weekends this line can get a little long and move along quite slowly so be prepared for that. There’s also a small gift shop at the bottom of the tower (where you purchase your elevator tickets) so you can check that out — it’s also where the murals are located.

Gift Shop at Coit tower
Photo by Justin Yap

Tickets for adults are $6 for California residents and $8 for non-residents. If you read through the reviews online you’ll see that an appreciable amount of people don’t think the $6-8 is worth it. I happen to think that it was worth the money for the simple fact that the view is great and it’s an iconic tower of the city and I just enjoy trekking to the top of these type of structures. I think a $5 charge might be a little bit more in line with expectations but I didn’t mind shelling out just a couple of extra bucks for the experience.

The tower is open from 10am to 6 pm May through October and 10-am to 5pm from November to April. Parking on the tower is limited so if you’re planning on visiting during a busy weekend you will probably struggle to find a place to park and be forced to wait in an outrageous line. For that reason, my advice is to get there early or simply try to visit during a week. Or you can also look into taking Muni’s #39 Coit bus that runs between Fisherman’s Wharf and Coit Tower.  Finally, if you’re traveling by foot and in the mood for a little bit of exercise then try to access the tower via the Filbert Street stairs on the eastern slope of the hill.