When I was asked to go to Las Vegas for work, I knew I wanted to pack in as much down time as possible. I hadn’t been there since I was 19 and wanted to experience it as an adult. So when I got an email from Vimbly asking me if I wanted to experience one of their offerings, I quickly scanned the list to see what I wanted to do.
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There was one that stood out: a nighttime helicopter tour of the Strip. The company brings together the best activities in dozens of destinations, whether it’s tours, classes, or shows.
So after a long day working a trade show, I had a quick dinner and made my way to the bus lot at Aria, where I was staying. The bus from Maverick Helicopters was there waiting for me with a dozen or so other passengers from around the Strip. We made one more stop before a quick and somewhat chaotic drive to the airport. After checking in and being weighed, we were given something resembling champagne and told to wait until our names were called.
A few minutes later, my name was called with a group of three Japanese girls and a French guy. There was the chance for a photo op, which I declined, before we hopped inside. The girls sat in the back and I sat up front with the pilot. The small helicopter had plenty of room for views of the city thanks to the windows that wrapped around. We put on our headsets, heard a few words from the pilot, and we were off!
The flight was short but sweet. The city truly comes to life at night and it’s easy to recognize the iconic sights by the colors of the building. The pink dome of the Adventuredome at Circus Circus, the green tinge of the MGM Grand, the white beam of light from the Luxor pyramid. Then, of course, there’s the Eiffel Tower at Paris and the Stratosphere tower. Further north, you can see the totally different skyline of downtown Las Vegas and Fremont Street.
Before long, we were back on the ground and bussed back to our respective hotels. All up, we were in the air for about 10 minutes and from pick up to drop off, it was a little over an hour. If you’re looking for the best views of Las Vegas, it’s not from the Eiffel Tower or Stratosphere: it’s from the air! Book your own trip through Vimbly.
Thanks to Vimbly for sponsoring my helicopter flight with Maverick Helicopters.
That looks really awesome! Even if it was such a short ride :)
I wonder if you saw what a tour like that would have cost if you had to pay for it? Would love to go on a helicopter ride once I hit the States but I’m not sure where the price levels are at.
I haven’t ever taken this helicopter ride, Maria. I’m sure it’s a beautiful view, but sometimes from commercial air flights you also get a great view of the strip on the approach. I’ve also gotten excellent views of the Grand Canyon from commercial flights heading into Las Vegas.