Another thing on my 101 in 1001 list was to take a helicopter trip.
I was a little nervous before going. Aeroplanes I was used to (even more so on this trip!) but helicopters seemed a little more lightweight and prone to… problems. There had been extremely dense fog and visibility wasn’t looking too good. That didn’t help with the nerves.
But once we were belting down the freeway to the airport, I started to feel a bit better. The sun came out and burned any remaining mist that was looming.
I took the tour with San Francisco Helicopters who were nothing but very friendly and informative. Because I was a solo traveller, I got to sit in the front of the helicopter (the dream) and get all the front row action. There’s nothing like taking off in a helicopter. There’s no big run up to lift off, you simply “levitate”, I guess. It feels scary and wonderful at the same time!
I popped some fab shots I got on Instagram but here are few more:
Sutro tower with Alcatraz in the background
What I like most about this one is you can see St Anne of the Sunset church which had been the starting point for the stairway tour I had taken the day before (which you can read about here)
After the trip, we were treated to coffee and cookies in a private airport whilst the other group did their tour. And then it was right back to San Francisco.
The best bit I think could be summed up in this video:
If you’re looking for a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, there is little else better than seeing a city you love from a completely different angle.
For return transport, all your safety information, the flight with a capable and knowledgeable pilot and time to chill out in the airport, you’re looking at approx $200.
But trust me, the memory is priceless.
SF Helicopters also do private tours that include dinner and drinks!
