City Sightseeing San Francisco - 3 Day Hop-On Hop-Off 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.

Your helicopter flight experience begins with a greeting and check-in from our friendly operations staff, followed by a thorough safety briefing in the comfort of our modern and spacious guest lounge. After the safety briefing, we will head out to the helicopter and use your own camera for some photos in front of your helicopter before boarding. Cameras and video recorders can be taken with you on the helicopter for more fantastic memories of your flight over picturesque Sydney Harbour and beyond. Upon take-off enjoy full panoramic views of the Sydney skyline, Pacific Ocean and the historic port of Botany Bay. Within minutes of departure your experienced and skilled pilot will have you above the glistening waters of Maroubra Beach and tracking north along the coast at 500 feet. You will contour fly the picturesque coastline of the Eastern Suburbs beaches including Coogee, Clovelly and also the world famous Bondi Beach, the aquamarine waters sparkling against the Sydney sun. Admire the spectacular houses of Dover Heights and Vaucluse perched on the chiselled sandstone cliffs as you continue northbound to Manly Beach and Sydney’s northern suburbs. See the city lights sparkling as your pilot takes advantage of the last light to give you a magical helicopter experience. Your experienced pilot will guide your aircraft over magnificent waters of Sydney Harbour giving you a view of icons such as the Sydney Harbour Bridge, Sydney Opera House, Taronga Zoo, Watsons Bay, Rose Bay and Manly Beach. Looking towards the horizon you can see the rest of Sydney stretching out towards the Sydney Olympic site and further afield to the foothills of the world renowned Blue Mountains. The sun sitting low on the horizon makes for breathtaking colours and magical pictures as the city illuminates and the day turns into night. As you start your return journey to the heliport you will fly past some of Sydney’s great sporting arenas including the Sydney Football Stadium and the Sydney Cricket Ground, as well as Randwick Racecourse. Throughout the flight your pilot will be providing you with informative commentary via Bose voice activated headsets, you will also be able to talk with the pilot and your other passengers whilst on the helicopter.

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.

City Sightseeing Amsterdam - discover all the things to do in this cultural city Discover the city with City Sightseeing's 9 Hop On Hop Off stops, located about the city. Marvel at the original works of the famous Dutch artist in the renowned Van Gogh Museum and Contemplate the heart-rending history of the Jewish community with a visit to the home of the diarist Anne Frank. There are plenty of museums to explore including the Amsterdam's Historisch Museum, Rembrandt House Museum, Madame Tussauds, the Diamond Museum and the Jewish Historical Museum. Other must-see attractions include the Amsterdam Dungeon, the Royal Palace, and Madame Tussauds. You won't be short of things to do in Amsterdam Stake a bet at the Casino, relax in the Hard Rock Café, meander through the Red Light District or encounter the Heineken Experience. If you're looking for souvenirs and gifts, take a stroll around the many shops and boutiques and also discover the multi-ethnic spirit of Amsterdam at the Flower Market and Flea Market. City Sightseeing Amsterdam is wheelchair accessible ​Amsterdam Ice Bar Your combination ticket also includes Amsterdam's Xtracold Icebar. By far the coolest attraction in town, fashioned  completely from ice – with frozen furniture, walls and even glasses! You’ll be given special thermal clothing and gloves to wear before you step into the frosty bar with a temperature of 14 degrees Fahrenheit (negative 10 degrees Celsius)! Once inside, spend 30 minutes relaxing at leisure, enjoying either a Smirnoff cocktail or Heineken beer; or take part in a 3D ride experience over icebergs and along steep cliffs in a frozen landscape.

PISTE SAFARI Do you dream of a real-life safari? Set out on a journey to meet the most emblematic of the large mammals. Drive the 10km trail in your own vehicle or travel on-board one of our 4 x 4 bush trucks and cross vast plains where over 1,000 animals and 250 different species roam free. A total immersion in the world of wild animals awaits you! Find yourself face to face with the major animal groups from the world over: you're invited to visit the lions, rhinoceros, tigers as well as wolves, elephants and giraffes! Warning: please note that driving in a vehicle without a roof (convertibles, open-top vehicles, motorbikes, trail bikes...) is not allowed in the Safari Trail, for a matter of safety. If your vehicle does not have a roof, please take a ticket for the Raid 4x4 guided tour (depending on the number of seats that are available). TEMPLE DE LA JUNGLE NEW ! The Temple de la Jungle is a mix between adventure and discover thanks to its suspended bridge, that immerses you in the animals environment up to the treetops. Sharing their space with small Asian antelopes and pot-bellied pigs, macaques are fascinating by their social behaviors so close to ours. A new playful universe for the delight of the whole family. CHEMIN DE BROUSSE Welcome to Africa! Planète Sauvage invites you on a journey: one surprise after another awaits you on the pedestrian part of the Bush Trail! You will meet Kirikou who will take you to his brand new village! Immerse yourself in the world of this famous character, as small as he is brave! Visit his hut, play music with the percussion instruments and confront Sorceress Karaba's fetishes! Continue the trail which will take you to Madagascar to discover its famous wild lemurs, roaming freely all around you! Experience the exotic environment and discover the life of the herds of giraffe and rhinoceros from new observation points! CITE MARINE A waking dream! The Marine City is a unique aquatic area where you can go for a memorable time discovering its group of dolphins! Every day you can admire the new show, "Noah's treasure". The adventures of a young explorer who discovers a group of dolphins are told and illustrated with jumps, pirouettes, water jets and special effects! Enjoy the gentleness, the bond formed with and the wonder of the dolphins! Extend your encounter in the depths of the 100m-long underwater gallery for complete immersion and an exceptional view of the world of the dolphins. SENTIER DES INCAS NEW ! This new universe is a lakeside promenade in South America. Squirrel monkeys surrounding you are surprising thanks to their agility and parrots brighten the landscape with their flamboyant colors. Take a break watching the flamingos and have fun watching the coatis game !

Get up close and personal to Manhattan's famed Macy's 4th of July fireworks spectacular, aboard a fun and casual cruise on the Hudson.  Circle Line gives you a front row seat to the brilliant display of pyrotechnics.  Premium Experience tickets include festive 4th of July menu and open beer, wine and soda bar.