This beautiful planet we live on has many mesmerising attractions, and viewing them from the sky makes them all the more beautiful. Taking a helicopter ride is already a thrilling experience and having a bird’s-eye view makes it even more memorable.
Helicopter tours also give you a different perspective on attractions or a destination. A guided walking tour is a fantastic way to experience a city or area. But when you soar over it, you can truly see its beauty. Helicopter rides also allow you to reach areas that aren’t accessible on the ground.
The world has tons of beautiful destinations and attractions to explore. Viewing them from above without being limited in what you can see is a fantastic option. So get comfortable as we take off on the world’s most scenic helicopter tours.
The Most Scenic Helicopter Rides
Viewing lush greenery, a beautiful city, or light blue ocean reefs is a blissful experience, especially from inside a helicopter. Take a look at these most scenic locations for a helicopter tour.
Helicopter Ride: New York City
The Big Apple, home to one of the most expensive hotels in the world, is also a mesmerising city to see from the clouds. The Manhattan skyline is an iconic sight, with multiple skyscrapers glistening on a sunny day.
Take off and admire the Statue of Liberty located on Ellis Island, or soar over the legendary Yankee Stadium and take in the view. New York has a bunch more attractions that you can view from the skies. Central Park and the George Washington Bridge are also amongst the city’s most remarkable sights.
You can enjoy the city views during the day or at night. When all the skyscrapers of New York light up in the evening, you’ll see an almost entirely different city.
Find our favourite tour of the Big Apple here.
Helicopter Ride: Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg
Pigeon Forge is a mountain town and well-loved vacation destination with special Smoky Mountains helicopter tours. And right next to Pigeon Forge, their neighbouring city of Gatlinburg is known for being the gateway to the Smoky Mountains.
Combining helicopter rides of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge is a must if you are ever in the area. Together they share the glory of the Smoky Mountains. You can also enjoy views of Downtown Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountains National Park, Dollywood, and much more.
Tours generally take around 25 minutes and you get to experience views from both the two cities with the Smoky Mountains as the main attraction.
Find the ideal Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg tour here.
Helicopter Ride: Australia’s Great Barrier Reef
Located just off the coast of Queensland is the world’s largest coral reef system, the Great Barrier Reef. This reef in the Coral Sea is home to over 1 500 species of fish and still houses prehistoric sea creatures.
One way to experience it is by snorkelling to admire these species, but that’s only one part of what makes this reef system so unique. When you book a helicopter ride, you’ll get to see the vast stretch of turquoise water and admire the whole reef system from above.
During a helicopter ride to and from the reef, the views of Whitsunday Island and the reef formation makes it all the more mesmerising. Tour regularly goes on for hours, which is fine since there is a lot to admire.
Find the best Great Barrier Reef helicopter tour here.
Helicopter Ride: Hawaii, Kauai
Kauai in Hawaii has jaw-dropping attractions over the entire island, with a lot of them only accessible through the sky. The fourth-largest island in Hawaii is nicknamed Garden Island because of the lush greenery.
The island has made countless movie appearances because of how amazing it looks. And tours around the island is one of the best ways to experience the Napali Coast. The best helicopter rides on the island are flights over Mount Waialeale, Waimea Canyon, and Manawaiopuna Falls.
Even a 60-minute tour isn’t enough time to explore the entire island. The mesmerising views and lush greenery makes Kauai one of the best scenic helicopter rides.
Find the best helicopter tour of Kauai here.
Helicopter Ride: Santorini, Greece
Santorini, the Greek Island, is one of the most beautiful places to fly over. The volcanic island is located between Ios and Anafi and has an array of white houses and hotels. Just above the Aegean Sea, Santorini is a village-like area atop a cliff.
This scenic helicopter tour location will have you flying over Megalochori and tons of famous vineyards in the area. Other notable locations are views of the Nea Kameni, the Caldera, and the black sand beaches located at the bottom of the cliff.
Flying over this island is a treat in itself and is made even better if you take a tour right before sunset. The golden sunset is impressive, especially as you make your way back and see the island light up.
Find the ideal Santorini helicopter tour here.
Helicopter Ride: Fox Glacier
Snowy mountains that stretch across what feels like the entire horizon are some of the most beautiful things you can experience. Fox Glacier, located along the west coast of New Zealand’s South Island, is a glacier that stretches for eight miles.
Already one of the most visited glaciers in the world, flying over it and looking down, Fox Glacier looks like an endless snowy wonderland. Most tours offered here always include you landing on a high point on the snow. And viewing the glacier while on top of it is what makes this tour even more mesmerising.
The Fox Glacier might be a bit chilly, but the cold won’t bother you once you view this fantastic attraction. The glacier is an excellent place for anyone who seeks an adrenaline rush, especially if you decide to hike here too.
Find the ideal Fox Glacier adventure here.
Which Scenic Helicopter Tour Will You Take?
Scenic flights are a great way to experience attractions from a new perspective. With so many notable scenic flights available globally, choosing one is an easy feat. The hardest decision is deciding which spectacular view you want to experience first.
Last updated on October 13th, 2023 at 02:57 pm