fly-over-helicopter-catch-sight-empire-state-building-one-world-trade-center-and-hudson-river

NYC by air

To be eye to eye with the Lady of Liberty would be an incredible gift. To be able to soar above the George Washington Bridge would be a miracle. To swoop and loop in between of the Empire State Building and Freedom Tower would be down-right insane. Look, up in the sky! Is it a bird, is it a plane?! Nope, it’s your heli-tour of New York City.

Upgrade your sightseeing

We know the general rule of thumb is to never succumb to tourist, or even tourist-like, behavior; but with so many legendary sights to see and so little time, this becomes a tourist trap hard to resist. No other excursion takes you to such heights and tours the city’s most iconic landmarks in record time (really, there is no competition). Typically 15 to 30 minutes to explore from the residential neighbor New Jersey to fun-land Coney Island, with a bird’s eye view of the bustling grid of NYC’s streets.

It is the ultimate aerial experience offered by many private helicopter companies who aim to unveil extraordinary landscapes and landmarks of the city and its surroundings in a very loud, very comfy aerodynamic device, but always with style and grace.

We’re taking the scenic route!

Most journeys begin at the Downtown Manhattan Heliport or Pier 6 in Lower Manhattan, where sleek, luxury aircrafts are inspected before takeoff. Raised steadily into the air, the world below spirals into slow-mo; and the views, well the views are as expected.

Jaw-dropping that is. The famed skyline comes to life as you soar amongst the world’s tallest buildings. It’s as humbling as it is awe-inspiring; and, a plus, you won't have to worry about flies swarming in your gaping mouth at this altitude (approx 1000 ft). And in the background, the sky and waters blend seamlessly to create a beautiful spectrum of blues and lavenders with the frequent white ripples of soaring planes or cruising yachts, the horizon is endless reaching far into the green forests of upstate New York, and the island of concrete protrudes in an otherworldly 3-D effect around you as the life left below disappears into the shrinking streets … And yes, you’ll want to bring your cameras, iphones, androids, whatever - bring them all!

The Big Apple Helicopter Tour of New York is a crowd favorite, it is (mostly) safe and (mostly) informative - the chances of crashing are under 10%, and the pilots are friendly experts of the city, giving a play-by-play commentary into the heavy-duty headphones. They’ll tell the story of the iridescent One World Trade Center and memorialized Ground-Zero, the deals gone sour in the Rockefeller Center, the hopeful fables of Ellis Island, and of the hearts broken on the Brooklyn Bridge. Truly magnificent.

Personalize your tour

With about a million and one National Landmarks (okay, 114), you’ll want to pick and choose your monuments wisely. Most private tours allow clients to create a tailor-made aerial experience and ensure a top-of-the-line personalized service.

For the ultimate sports fans, it can be the Yankee Stadium, the MetLife Stadium, and perhaps Madison Square Garden; for the aficionados of natural beauty and a thumping green thumb, it should be the New York Botanical Gardens, Central Park, the Bronx Zoo, and perhaps the fairways of Westchester; for the (American) history buffs, the Statue of Liberty of course, Governors Island, and Grant Tomb; and for the admirers of architecture, it will be the Art-Deco inspired Empire State and Chrysler Buildings, Beaux-Arts style Flatiron Building, and the multitude of concrete, glass, steel, or brick masterpieces that share the same constructional heritage … so basically the entire skyline and everything in-between. Okay, very doable.

Specialty flights

Other tours come with special features to enhance an already unimaginable experience. Discover NYC by air and sea at night with VIP Night Helicopter Flight and Statue of Liberty Cruise and take a water taxi to Jersey City, where your luxury chopper awaits to begin a tour amongst the city’s bright lights, concluding with an hour-long cruise along the New York Harbor, and topped with a champagne toast on Liberty Island - ah, a cheers to freedom!

There is also a special tour for the cosmopolitan who’s always on the move. A private helicopter transfer is available from Lower Manhattan to most New York airports (that is if you don’t already have a private chopper), to bypass excruciating traffic or public transportations while gaining some last minute inspiration from World Financial Center, where Warren Buffett perfected his craft (and you will, too). Think about it: hours behind roaring taxis? … or 10 minutes with your head (and body) in the clouds enjoying a spectacular view of the concrete kingdom.

Book your helicopter tour now if …

  1. Bus and walking tours are overrated and outdated
  2. You love to make your Instagram followers envious
  3. You’ve always been jealous of Superman

Contact our real estate agency BARNES New York

Voir cette page en Français

Subscribe to our newsletter.
Every week, a smile, a discovery, a secret place, a recommendation.

Pin It on Pinterest