Big Apple Helicopter Tours to see NYC from a new perspective

Just imagine seeing all of New York in just 15 minutes! All you need to do is fly above the traffic and noise and buildings to see New York like you never have before. Of course for flying you will need a helicopter, which is a thrill in and of itself.

Your amazing helicopter tour begins at the Downtown Heliport, located near Battery Park and Wall Street. Climb aboard and rise above the crowds and see from on high the World Financial Center, the Empire State Building, the famed art-deco Chrysler Building, the Woolworth Building and the Met Life tower. Then turn away from the island and head to Ellis Island, get a close up look at the Statue of Liberty, and then turn right, and follow the great Hudson River up to the George Washington Bridge near the northern end of Manhattan.

For more information on how you can visit New York via helicopter, contact Viator.

Take a tour of one of the world’s greatest landmarks. You get a boat ride, too!

You probably already knew this, but it is nice to have one’s suspicions confirmed- according to NYCTourist, the five “must-do” activities for families in New York are:

•    The American Museum of Natural History: Dinosaurs; giant whales on the ceiling; an awesome sky show at the planetarium. You name it, its inside this amazing building filled with mysteries revealed, little-known creatures and anything else your imagination can, or sometimes cannot come up with.

•    Broadway: Singing, dancing, drama- the Great White Way will light up you and your family’s life like no other experience. Yes, its expensive, but there are ways of saving lots on your tickets, either on the internet or getting tickets at the last moment in Times Square. Don’t miss giving your family memories that will last a lifetime.

•    NY Skyride: Take the elevator up, up, up to the top of the Empire State building and enjoy a 30 minute virtual tour in a simulator which is a one-of-a-kind. Passengers move in synch with the 18-foot high-definition screen while flying above the streets and landmarks of NYC.

•    Statue of Liberty and Skyline Cruise: going to the SOL is like getting two great activities rolled into one. A fun boat ride with the best view of the NYC skyline imaginable; and an exciting and educational tour of one of the greatest landmarks found anywhere in the world. Take the kids, you won’t regret it.

•    NYC Food Tasting & Cultural Walking Tours: really get down to the nitty-gritty of what NYC is all about. It’s about the culture, and where better to explore the culture than in the neighborhoods and the unique foods offered. It’s something different and sure to please.

Statue of Liberty

Winter might be the best time of year to visit the Statue of Liberty. Lines are shorter with less tourists and natives willing to bundle up against the cold winds blowing up river. But if you are a hardy soul and don’t mind the chill, then you can save yourself hours of time on line and have a great experience.

Most people choose to visit the great sculpture, which was a gift from the French people in the 1870s, via ferry boat from Battery Park in Lower Manhattan. But if you really want to beat any possibility of crowds you can sail over to Liberty Island from Liberty State Park in Jersey City, New Jersey. Same tour, shorter lines.

After a visit to the statue take the ferry over to Ellis Island and tour the Immigration Museum. It is a wonderfully told story of the people who sought the American Dream as they fled poverty, persecution, and violence in their homelands. There is no doubt you will come away inspired and thankful that the United State of America has been a safe haven for so many, and an opportunity for more.

There is no charge to visit the island, but unless you swim or have your own boat, you will have to pay $13 for the roundtrip ferry ticket. An audio tour of the museum is $8. For more information you can go to the website of the National Park Service, who administers the park and museum.

Visitors to New York should know about a great way to save money and time when they visit some of New York’s most beloved attractions, CityPASS.

For only $79 for an adult and $59 for a child, New York CityPASS allows holders to strut right past the lines for tickets to the following six destinations, at about half the price it would cost if the entrance fees were paid for at each site.

•    The Empire State Building
•    The Metropolitan Museum of Art
•    The American Museum of Natural History
•    The Museum of Modern Art
•    Either the Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island Tour or a Circle Line Cruise
•    Either Top of the Rock or the Guggenheim Museum

The CityPASS is valid for nine days from the time the first attraction is visited. You receive with your tickets in-depth information about each site, including hours of operation, location, a map and tips.

Next time you are in New York, consider getting a CityPASS to ease your stay and make it the best visit to the Big Apple that you ever had.