CitySights DC - Night Tour

Shearwater is a classic Newport-style schooner yacht, only recently recognized as a national landmark in 2009.  The vessel was built by Rice Brother Corporation in East Boothbay, Maine, back in a time when yachting was a rare combination of elegance and adventure; Rice Bros. were well known for building luxury pleasure yachts and produced some 4,000 hulls over a period of 64 years. The keel was laid down on January 4, 1929 and a news clip from the Boothbay Register reflects alongside a photograph "Tyler Hodgon at the old Tide Mill is getting out timbers for the schooner to be built at Rice’s. Vessel to be built of native white oak." Traditionally built from hand-hewn native white oak, she was the last boat to be constructed at that yard - likely due to the ensuing Great Depression brought on by the Stock Market Crash that occurred later that autumn.  East Boothbay was a small coastal town with shipbuilding being its only industry. About 40 workmen were employed for the construction of SHEARWATER. Her designer Theodore Donald Wells was born in Hudson Falls, N Y on October 22, 1875. He was a naval architect and marine engineer, a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers and also the Institute of Naval Architects London. His education included post-graduate work at the University of Glasgow in Scotland. He began his career as a member of the firm Herreshoff and Wells, N. Y. City in 1902. Working with Herreshoff no doubt had an influence on his designs, which bear similarities to many of the famous Herreshoff designed yachts of that time. From 1903 to 1907 he worked for Wintringham and Wells and then began practicing his profession under his own name. Mr. Wells joined the Navy Department in March 1917 and became Superintending Constructor of the Baltimore District U. S. N. Notable yachts designed and constructed under his supervision are "Viking" a 272 foot steel motor yacht built for George F. Baker in 1929 by Newport News and "Karina" a three masted schooner built for Robert E. Tod in 1932 by Staten Island Shipbuilding. Mr. Tod was a well-known offshore yachtsman as was his former yacht ‘Thistle", which competed in the Emperors Cup ocean race. SHEARWATER was launched on May 4, 1929 and photographs in the Boothbay Register reflect her graceful and elegant lines. Her first Captain, Leon Esterbrook of Edgarton, MA, arrived to take charge of the fitting out. Her owner Charles E Dunlap was a member of the Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club, Oyster Bay, NY and this became SHEARWATER’s first homeport after her completion in late September 1929. It was there in Oyster Bay that she first started to thrill those who sailed in luxury aboard her and those who were privileged to crew her on race day. Since her launching and documentation in Lloyd’s Register of American Yachts in 1929, she has had a colorful history and has been carefully maintained and restored to standards that few contemporary vessels are able to match and is truly a piece of American Maritime History. On November 7, 1942 SHEARWATER was requisitioned by the War Shipping Administration and became a member of The United States Coast Guard’s Coastal Picket Patrol during World War Two. She was painted gray and bore the numbers CG67004. Based at Little Creek, Virginia she patrolled the waters east of the Chesapeake Bay entrance and south towards Cape Hatteras. Her skipper during that period reflected on how they used their free time while out on submarine patrol to race against other yachts and in his own words "sailed in tandem with the schooner Lord Jim, racing in and out of port, up and down the east coast and winning." She was designed and built as a gaff rigged schooner but during this period was changed to a Marconi rig. She carries over 2,550 square feet while under full sail. A true veteran world cruiser, she first transited the Panama Canal in July 1946 and in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s completed a two and a half-year global circumnavigation. In December 1971 Mrs. John B. Thayer of Rosemont, wife of a former trustee and treasurer, donated SHEARWATER to the University of Pennsylvania’s Institute of Environmental Medicine. She was used by the university as a laboratory for research on physiological responses to the stresses of living and working underwater. Captained by James Shearson, she was fitted with compressors, generators, monitoring instruments and a small decompression chamber. She has participated in many Ancient Mariner and Classic yacht races in U S waters as well as racing in the Bay of Islands in New Zealand while on her circumnavigation in the early 1980’s. It is rumored she was once dismasted in the famous Newport to Bermuda race. She was last raced by the current owners in San Diego in May 1995 in the American Schooner Cup and finished second overall. She entered the yacht charter industry in 1966 whilst on the West Coast sailing to the Channel Islands and was again used to generate income to keep her shipshape while owned by the University of Pennsylvania. During the chartering industry’s infancy in the Caribbean, SHEARWATER was known as the " Queen of the Fleet". Today she continues this tradition offering the most unique sailing experience and has passed rigid Coast Guard inspections and can carry up to 49 passengers. We welcome you to join us for an excellent opportunity to experience the ambiance of a vintage sailing vessel while delighting in the splendors of The Manhattan sky-line, the Statue of Liberty or the beauty of the oceans beyond.

As you soar above the famous Hudson River you will fly right by the magnificent Statue of Liberty in all of her glory. View Governors and Ellis Island and see Manhattans Financial District before cruising past the cavernous landscape of the NYC skyline. Sites include the Empire State Building, Chrysler, Woolworth and Met Life Buildings and the USS Intrepid to mention a few. You will even catch a glimpse of the George Washington Bridge and the world renowned Central Park before heading back to the heliport. Why You Should Choose NY’s Liberty Helicopter Tour Service?
#1 IN EXPERIENCE - They have been in business and flying safely for over 28 years
#1 IN SAFETY & SECURITY - They are the founding members of the Tour Operators Program of Safety and the only helicopter company in NYC that is a member.
#1 IN CUSTOMER SERVICE & SATISFACTION - Liberty Helicopters is committed to providing its customers with the safest and most enjoyable experience possible.
THE LARGEST FLEET IN THE NORTHEAST - Liberty Helicopters has a fleet of 10 state of the art American Eurocopter helicopters.
AMERICAN EUROCOPTER IS THE INDUSTRY LEADER - Pilots choose American Eurocopter over Bell and others for their ease of maneuverability, more comfortable and quieter ride, less vibration, better visibility for pilots and passengers. All seats face forward allowing customers to see where they are going, not where they have been.
Liberty Helicopters continuously receives the annual Safety Award from the Helicopter Association International, along with being a multiple recipient of the 5 Star Diamond Award and the ERHC Fly Neighborly Award.
Many of Liberty's highly trained pilots are ex-military or NYPD. All receive regular recurrent Eurocopter factory training, specifically the requirement of the Federal Aviation Administration part 135 air carrier standards giving you an assurance of safety aboard the helicopters.
All of the aircraft crews are certified and inspected to meet the demanding standards of the Federal Aviation Administration.
Liberty Helicopters have their own 24 hours 7 days a week maintenance facility to service and maintain our fleet. All of their highly experienced aviation maintenance technicians receive updated Eurocopter factory training on a regular basis.
Liberty Helicopters have a new premier space at the redesigned Downtown Manhattan Heliport located at 6 East River Piers NY NY 10004 with their own souvenir and light snack shop for your convenience.
Multilingual staff.
No minimum passenger requirement on any of our tours.

Downtown Tour Enjoy an entirely guided one hour tour of San Francisco's most famous sites on an original open top Double Decker Bus in the San Francisco Downtown area, with unlimited hop on and off privileges up to 24 hours from first use. Some of the tour highlights include: Fisherman’s Wharf with its lively waterfront and the famous sea lions, Union Square shopping mecca, Chinatown, North Beach with crooked Lombard Street, Ferry Building and the Farmers Market, Embarcadero, Financial District, and famous Pier 39. Official City Tour This tour departs from Fisherman’s Wharf, taking you along Ghirardelli Square, the Palace of Fine Arts, and the Marina District, before visiting the iconic Golden Gate Bridge. At South Vista Point you can hop off the bus to walk across the 1.7 mile span of bridge, or you can explore the Golden Gate Bridge Welcome Center and the Presidio. The tour continues into Golden Gate Park, one of the world’s largest man-made havens, ranging over more than 50 city blocks and home to 10 lakes, making it one of the most popular places to see in San Francisco. With several stops throughout the park, you can visit the California Academy of Sciences, the De Young Museum, the Japanese Tea Garden, or the Botanical Gardens. Continuing the tour through Haight Ashbury, you will experience the so called “Hippie District”, before we head into the Civic Center area with many architectural landmarks, such as our impressive City Hall, the Opera House, Symphony Hall, the Asian Art Museum and the Public Library. From there, the tour continues to the central shopping district of San Francisco – Union Square, where you can find Macy’s Department store and hundreds of other major department stores and high end retailers. After about two hours we return towards Fisherman’s Wharf, stopping at various waterfront locations, including Pier 39 with its world-famous sea lions as well as restaurants, shopping opportunities and many attractions for more fun in San Francisco. Sausalito Tour Take this tour from South Vista Point to have the best views of the Golden Gate Bridge while driving across the bridge to North Vista Point. From there you have breathtaking views of the San Francisco Bay (weather permitting), and on a nice day you can see the San Francisco skyline, Alcatraz Island and the Bay Bridge, making it a great photo stop for every visitor. The tour continues into Marin County and stops in charming Sausalito where you can hop off the bus, stroll around, shop, dine, visit various art galleries and enjoy a relaxing lunch by the waterfront. San Francisco Night Tour This live narrated 90 minute tour of San Francisco shows you the most vibrant neighborhoods of the city! With spectacular views from the top of an open top Double Decker bus, the tour covers all major sites of San Francisco and visits the most popular areas, such as Fisherman’s Wharf, Union Square, Financial District, the Embarcadero, Chinatown, North Beach, and Nob Hill with its impressive Grace Cathedral. The tour includes two brief walking tours around Nob Hill and the Embarcadero for even more photo opportunities. Please be aware that Alamo Square is CLOSED four about 7 months as of May 2016. Official City Tour will be available with audio commentary in many different languages for various departures throughout the day, starting within the next few weeks. This will provide more opportunities for you to experience the Official City Tour in your own language instead of only having one option with the previous 3-hr Multi-Lingual City Tour each day.

Round Trip transportation is included on this authentic Floridian adventure!  Hop aboard an airboat and travel deep into 100,000 acres of protected swamps, marshes and rivers that make up the Central Florida Everglades. On this 60 minute tour you will get an in depth look at the gators, birds, eagles, trees and plants that make up our beautiful wetlands. This is Natural Florida and Wild Florida at its best! We guarantee you won’t see any development, homes, or signs of human life. Come see how good it feels to be in the middle of nowhere.     By now you have worked up quite the appetite and you will be able to enjoy a freshly prepared BBQ lunch including pulled pork, chicken, cheeseburgers and much more.  After you have licked your fingers clean you will be able to take your adventure to the Wild Florida Wildlife Park where you will see over 100 different species of animals including both native and exotic animals.  On this self-guide tour you will see sloths, lemurs, porcupines, and we can’t forget… huge alligators that you can feed!  Enjoy an animal show and learn about these amazing animals and even get your picture taken holding an alligator.  This will be an adventure you will never forget!  Guests should bring camera and bug spray. DRESS CODE: Casual & cool. You may want to bring a poncho as sometimes you can get a little wet on the airboat.     

Fun Spot America Orlando Features Fun for All Ages From high school seniors to senior citizens, Fun Spot America Orlando has the ideal level of excitement for you! That includes a choice of roller coasters, Thrill rides, go-karts and games, including: Orlando’s Only Wooden Roller Coaster - White Lightning  4 Go-Kart Tracks - 3 multi-level, 1 speed track 7 Family/Thrill Rides - Including the Paratrooper, Rip Curl and Revolver World’s Second Tallest SkyCoaster at 250 Feet  Cadet Go-Kart Track Designed for a 4, 5 and 6-year-old. A child’s First Drive 8  Kid Spot Rides for Preschooler Fun 2 Stories of Over 100 of the Hottest New and Classic Arcade Games  Perfect for younger children and adults both! With the “KidSpot,” this park is perfect for parties geared towards younger children. All of the rides in this slower speed section are designed for children between 24 inches and 42 inches tall, so there’s fun for every member of the family. This special section features 8 young child rides, including a mini fun house, Tea Cups, the El Paso Train, the Froghopper and Kiddie Coaster.  For high-speed thrills that keep you on the ground, don’t miss the extreme go-kart racing. Put your driving skills to the test with 4 patented track designs! And when you’re ready for some high-flying fun, take a ride on Orlando’s only wooden roller coaster, the brand new White Lightning! Then take the plunge on the spinning, dipping Paratrooper and watch the rest of the park swirl around you as you pick up more and more speed!      And whether you need to do some shopping before or after stopping in for the thrills and excitement at Fun Spot America Orlando, the location couldn't be better! Located right near the Premium Outlet Mall, this great location lets some play while others shop! 

VR World There are a wide variety of experiences for all types of people. Some will enjoy shooting droids in space and fighting off zombies to racing on a track, while others will enjoy flying on a paraglider or climbing a mountain. Others still will enjoy watching short films or painting in the green room. Some experiences require full body motion while others are seated activities.  Each participant gets approximately 5-10 minutes at each experience. At the gate, each participant will sign up using their real name, a screen name, an email, a phone number, and other pieces of information. While not required, if a participant signs up with their own phone number, they will receive a notification when they are at the the front of the queue for their attraction There are offering a wide selection of non-alcoholic drinks, beer, wine and liquor. Our house cocktails will not disappoint. Try the VRWorldian, Simon’s Escape, Caipirinha Assassin or Salty Borzoi to name just a few. No food at this time. There is no food inside the building, but guests are able to leave and re-enter the building during the time of their ticket.  Empire State Building The world-famous 86th and 102nd floor Observatories offer unmatched views of New York City and on a clear day one can see to New Jersey, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Pennsylvania and Delaware. 1,050 feet above the city’s bustling streets, the 86th floor Observatory offers panoramic views from within a glass-enclosed pavilion and from the surrounding open-air promenade. 200 feet higher, our 102nd floor Observatory is a private and serene perch in the middle of the greatest city in the world. The Observatories have been a “must visit” for millions each year since it opened to the public in 1931. Each year approximately four million people are whisked to our 86th and 102nd floors, consistently one of New York City’s top tourist attractions. Visit the Observatories 365 days per year, day and night, rain or shine, for magnificent views of Manhattan and beyond. The Empire State Building embodies the feeling and spirit of New York City. It is recognized not only as an iconic landmark offering some of the most spectacular views on earth, but also as an international symbol of shared hopes, dreams, and accomplishment. Accessibility: The Empire State Building is fully ADA compliant. We have handicapped restrooms on the 86th Floor Observatory and also have lowered viewing walls and binoculars. Service dogs are allowed throughout the building. Motorized and non-motorized wheelchairs are permitted. The 86th Floor has ramps to make getting around easier and lowered viewing walls so that visitors in chairs can still take in the view.