EAA AirVenture 2026

Days 1–2 Pennsylvania to Wisconsin

Heading to Oshkosh, WI

Casual drive there with a couple of campsites, and Parks on the Air.

6 photos

Shore of Lake Michigan at the Illinois Beach State Park

Closeup of the rocks and surf from the lake

Campsite setup, along with the radio and antenna for some Parks on the Air

Dinner was Hillery's Bar-B-Q. This was nostalgia from my childhood

Pork shoulder dinner with fries and fried okra

An easy two-day drive with a park activation at each stop. At Illinois Beach I found the BBQ joint my family went to before I was five, still open, with a cooker I’d swear I remembered.

Two days of driving and a couple of hours on the third day.

I kept an easy pace heading up to Oshkosh. I first stopped at Mosquito Creek State Park in Ohio and camped for the night, then made my way to Illinois Beach State Park just north of Chicago. This park holds some memories. I used to live in the area when I was young (before 5), while my mom was going through her Navy school at Naval Station Great Lakes. My memories from that time are spotty, but I do remember the state park, and the BBQ. The place we used to go, Hillery’s Bar-B-Q, is still there, and when I walked in, the cooker looked familiar. I’m not sure if it’s an accurate memory or not, but it was a unique part of the kitchen and it stood out to me. I set up my radio and antenna at both parks and had successful activations for Parks on the Air. These shorter travel days gave me plenty of rest, and let me get into Oshkosh and still have a productive day around all the airplanes!

Days 3-5 Oshkosh, WI

EAA Airventure

An aviation enthusiasts dream

96 photos

Found a spot at the very packed Camp Scholler. Decided to stay in the back of the truck this time

First views entering into the airfield side

Gee Bee racing plane, such a unique design and bigger in person than what it looks like in photos

Would I fly this ultralight? Without hesitation, yes!

Piper Comanche's got a whole section to themselves this year. This was great to see!

DC-3 in the American Airline's Flagship livery

Adorable pedal planes for the kids, with working propellers while they pedal.

Just as cool as airplanes, the Time Machine DeLorean from Back to the Future

Closeup of the Warbirds "Red Star" aircraft

Engine cowl open of an Airbus A350 to see the inner plumbing

Arrival of the only privately owned Mig-29 in the United States

Demonstration of BETA Technologies all electric airplane

A Macchi AL60-F5 painted up as a school bus. Peanuts side.

A Macchi AL60-F5 painted up as a school bus. Sesame Street side.

Stinson 10A in WWII era Civil Air Patrol livery

NASA T-38 painted to celebrate America's 250

C-45 (Beech 18) taxiing in for parking in the Warbird area

Several A-26s parked in the Warbird area

A Japanese KM-2, developed from the Beechcraft T-34

Homebuild area. Row of Long-AZ and VariEze

A-10 after a low pass, pulling up to go back into the pattern

Gathering for the WomenVenture26 group photo

National Archives "Freedom Plane" flyover

RAF Red Arrows arrival, smoke on to make the American Flag

Hot Air Balloon with a powered parachute airborne in the distance

Warbird flyby. Lead by a P-38, and a B-29, DC-6, and the only airworthy PB4Y-2.

The most awesome firework show, including lasers, explosions, firworks, drones, and an airplane with fireworks!

Everything from a Wright Model B to an F-22 in the same week. I also met Xyla Foxlin and got to talk about the Pietenpol, the same aircraft I started building with my father years ago.

EAA Airventure is a paradise for aviation enthusiasts.

I arrived to a very packed Camp Scholler, the EAA’s campground at AirVenture. I found a spot I could squeeze my truck into and decided to sleep in it instead of setting up my hammock. I then headed out to the airfield to watch airplanes and meet up with the Piper Comanche people at Comanche Town. While there, I got to see aircraft from every era fly, from the Wright Model B to the F-22, and everything in between.

WomenVenture, which promotes aviation for girls and women, was well represented this year, and I happened to stumble across their group photo, where I was given a shirt and invited to join in. After that, I watched Xyla Foxlin give her keynote speech for WomenVenture. I’ve been following her Pietenpol Aircamper build on YouTube, along with her other projects. She’s a smart, outgoing young woman, and a great role model for younger girls who want to get involved in aviation and STEM. It was an honor to meet her in person and have a quick chat about the Pietenpol; an aircraft I began building myself with my father when I was younger. Unfortunately, we were never able to finish it, and after his death I wasn’t in a situation where I could take on the completed sections, wood, and other materials. I do still have the plans, though, so one day I might be able to tackle that project!

My time at Oshkosh ended with the night airshow, and the best fireworks show I have ever witnessed. They went all out in a way that screamed “Murica”! Choreographed to music, there were lasers, explosions, fireworks, drones, and even an airplane flying through and around it all with its own pyrotechnics! I’m quite certain the international visitors to the US for the World Cup, who’d just discovered the joys of ranch dressing, would have had their heads explode if they’d witnessed that show.

Days 6-7 Wisconsin to Pennsylvania

All great adventures come to a close

Another National Park visited

13 photos

Green tunnel heading into the National Park

Small dune at one of the beaches on the shore of Lake Michigan

Zoomed in shot of the Chicago skyline just sticking over the horizon

Closeup of a rocky patch with the surf washing over it

A little bit of motion blur on the surf to create unique perspective

One of the several Century of Progress Homes which were showcased in the 1933 World's Fair in Chicago that were barged and trucked to Beverly Shores after the fair

I love the sign posted on this road that passes through the Beverly Shores section of the National Park

Great Marsh section of Indian Dunes National Park

Mt. Baldy sand dune which reaches 126 feed above the water level of Lake Michigan

Set up at the Dunewood campground with hammock and my radio for some Parks on the Air

Indiana Dunes on the way home, where I eavesdropped on an impromptu tour and ended up talking with the man giving it: the local chief of police, and a fellow Marine.

Another national park checked off the list.

I had a bit of a fast trip back home because of events that weekend I wanted to be back in time for. Leaving Oshkosh on Thursday, I had a fairly relaxed drive to Indiana Dunes National Park. I arrived early enough to explore various areas of the park and enjoy the diversity this small national park provides. In the “Century of Progress” home area, I came across a group, and it appeared one of the guys was local and had some knowledge, so I listened in on the “tour” he was giving. I made a small comment and got to chatting with him, and found out he was the chief of police for the small community there, Beverly Shores, and got to hear some interesting stories about how not-so-quiet that quiet community is. I also noticed the “Semper Fi” tattoo on his forearm, which sparked additional conversation and connection. While I can be a bit introverted, it does please me to meet strangers on my journeys who turn out to be kind, respectful, and, in this case, informative.

The last day was a longer drive back home and was uneventful, which is great for a long drive. Lots of potty breaks though. My bladder is NOT what it used to be.