For those who'd prefer a face-to-face or aerial view of the Lady, as well as a bird's-eye perspective on the rest of the Hudson River waterfront, check out Liberty Helicopters, which offers patrons a flight over Manhattan and its surrounding attractions.
The scenic chopper rides over the Big Apple have attracted thousands of globe-trotting tourists eager to take in all of Manhattan's historical and cultural attractions at once since 1990.
And now they're launching from Jersey City.
The company recently opened a new takeoff site at the Paulus Hook Pier in Jersey City, providing people in the Garden State with easier access to what has become a "must" for visitors to New York City.
Previously, customers had to travel to one of two lower Manhattan locations for the flights, which range from two to 17 minutes, depending on the package purchased.
Safety and security
The crew of Liberty Helicopters painstakingly ensures the protection of passengers. Individuals taking the tours are required to check their bags and luggage into lockers. Customers must provide valid photo ID and must also pass through a metal detector in order to board.
Cameras are allowed on the flights, as long as they are not so large as to obstruct the view of other passengers.
Passengers wear seatbelts as well as personal flotation devices, as the whole flight is over water. Up to seven passengers can fit per flight.
The passengers wear headphones to block out the sound of the chopper blades so they can hear the pilot's narration as he flies the helicopter towards the Statue of Liberty along the Hudson River side, and then swings around to the East River side of Manhattan.
The New York views are a treat for New Jersey residents, who don't normally get to see the Brooklyn Bridge or the United Nations from home.
In addition to an aerial view of classic New York tourist attractions, riders get spectacular views of Hoboken (introduced as "the birthplace of Frank Sinatra and location of the first baseball game"), Jersey City, and locations as far away as the Meadowlands sports complex.
Paulus Hook is not the only new addition to Liberty Helicopters. The company now offers a "Sneak Peek Tour" exclusively from the Jersey City site. At two minutes, it is the shortest and least expensive option ($30 per person), and offers spectacular views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, and downtown Manhattan - sites which are the basis of all the available tours.
"A great tour for those who are short on time!" advertises Liberty Helicopters.
Other tours available out of Paulus Hook include the "Lady Liberty" tour (5 to 7 minutes long), which offers glimpses of the South Street Seaport and Wall Street; "The Big Apple" (10-12 minutes), featuring picturesque views of the Woolworth Building and the U.S.S. Intrepid Air and Space Museum; and "New York, New York, (15-17 minutes), which takes passengers by Yankee Stadium and the New Jersey Palisades.
Liberty Helicopter also offers gift certificates for that special someone who seems to have everything. If you happen to have a couple of hundred dollars lying around, a "Romance over Manhattan" tour is also available, where patrons can pay for a private helicopter tour for as many as four people.
Business is 'taking off'
The Paulus Hook launch site is located about four blocks south of the Exchange Place PATH station, and is adjacent to the Colgate Clock and the new Goldman Sachs Tower in downtown Jersey City.
"The whole facility was recently developed," said Thomas Yessman, president of Liberty Helicopters. "We decided about a year ago to pursue it."
Liberty Helicopters shares the space with other tourism-based companies, including New York Waterway, the Circle Line ferry, and New York Water Taxi. Although Paulus Hook is developing into quite a transportation hub, there's an abundance of space for all of them.
"There's plenty of dock space over there," said Yessman. "It's a rather large facility."
According to Chris La Fauci, executive vice president of sales and marketing for Liberty Helicopters, the only difference between the Paulus Hook and New York City locations is convenience for passengers from New Jersey.
"There's parking in New Jersey - it's a lot easier to park in New Jersey than in New York City," La Fauci said.
Yessman said, "There's ample parking in the whole Jersey City area. There are pay lots in the area." There is also street parking, which makes finding a spot easier than it would be in New York City.
"We try to focus on designated times," La Fauci said about the Paulus Hook location.
Paulus Hook flights are scheduled for 10 a.m., noon, and 2 p.m. - so that helicopters don't have to carry only one or two passengers at a time -, whereas flights from New York City leave every few minutes,.
Reservations are required so that the helicopters can accommodate as many patrons as possible.
"These are the times that we're trying to fill up, but they're available throughout the day," said Yessman.
Liberty Helicopters runs tours every day of the year, weather-permitting, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
La Fauci said that the Jersey City location has drawn in customers from New Jersey who otherwise wouldn't have considered taking a helicopter tour of the city.
"There was a demand out there in Jersey for people who didn't want to schlep all the way to New York City," said La Fauci, referring to the decision to open the Paulus Hook site. "Every week, we're getting more and more business there."
Yessman said that the Paulus Hook site has not taken any business from the existing operations.
"We're trying to develop a new customer base as opposed to taking from New York," said Yessman.
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