New York by Helicopter

The next time you get out to New York and are looking for things to do there, seriously consider a helicopter tour. To fully get a sense of the scale of Manhattan and the surrounding areas, it’s best to see it by air.

Liberty Helicopter does a great job of showing people the sights by air and offers lots of packages for every budget, starting from rides 6 minutes in length up to 45 minutes.  They use state of the art aircraft called the Eurocopter EC 130 and well trained pilots. My dad and I took a short tour of South Manhattan on a cool December evening and felt very safe.

Our tour was 8 minutes long and cost $110 per person.  Since it was the last flight of the day and the weather was poor, the pilot extended the trip a few minutes.

Liberty Helicopter also offers New York helicopter service and transfers if you are looking for something more than helicopter sightseeing.

Brooks moments before taking off

We had to wear lifejackets because the flight was over water. In addition, we had to go through a security scan exactly the same as you do when you board any flight these days.

Headsets are provided for all passengers and cameras are allowed on board. You can book the whole bird for yourself if you like, but we opted for the more economical “share with others” option.

Seats are comfortable and suitable for six foot, two hundred-plus pound guys like me.   The actual flight experience is very smooth and calm.  There were no sudden jerking or dropping sensations.

Seconds before lifting off

Actually, the experience is incredibly fun being inside a helicopter.  In fact, you’ll have to remember to not let the helicopter ride itself overwhelm the reason you’re there in the first place, which is to take in the view and sights of New York by air.

South Manhattan Looking at Ground Zero

If the cost of the helicopter ride is prohibitive, the next best option in my humble opinion would be the observation deck in the Empire State building.

For admission to over 40 of New York City’s best attractions (including the Empire State Building) I always check out New York Pass for the best deals.

Here is a short video clip of my experience:

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