Whilst talking to friends and family about some of the best things to do in the city, one key activity that they all seemed to avoid taking part in was flying in a helicopter. Whilst I liked the idea of visiting Madison Ave and Broadway and all of the other tourist hotspots, I knew that the one thing that would really make my trip to NYC complete would be by doing something that I’d never done before – and that, quite frankly, scared the living daylights out of me. For someone who hates flying, it wouldn’t have made any sense whatsoever to go on a helicopter ride – and yet, that’s the exact reason why I wanted to do it. I told my travel partner of my plans, sent her links, and bam, it was settled. We’d be seeing New York from the sky (the best way to see it!) – and it was incredible.

A breeze shook my hair from the open window as we flew over the city, which was swathed in bright sun and was absolutely beautiful. Flying with FlyNYON, with a pilot that both put us at ease and made us laugh out loud, it was a really incredible experience. I think that helicopters are officially my new favourite mode of transport.

Harlem

Brooklyn

Manhattan

Staten Island

From canoeing in the Hudson River, to going on endless food tours, to watching Mean Girls on Broadway, to visiting a rooftop bar and watching the sun set – everything we did in the city was incredible. We stayed at a gorgeous little Airbnb where we became good friends with the hosts and their array of pets, and it truly felt as though we’d walked into a concrete jungle wonderland.

New York quickly became one of my favourite cities in North America – and I even have plans to return next year!

Have you guys ever been to New York, or plan on visiting? Let me know in the comments below!