I recently took my first trip to Las Vegas for my wife and my 16th wedding anniversary. While in Vegas, we did all the touristy things that one would typically do in Vegas. We experienced the great nightlife while checking out some clubs, fantastic dinners at world-renowned chefs’ restaurants, and took in all the sites of the Las Vegas Strip.

Before we left Vegas, we wanted to do something we’d never done before, take a helicopter ride. So, we pulled up the AAA Mobile App and searched for deals nearby. Sure enough, there were several different ticket deals and adventures nearby. We chose Maverick Helicopters; they had a very high rating and seemed to be a great deal.

We chose the sunset helicopter ride at a great AAA Member discount. I purchased the vouchers and was advised to call Maverick and arrange my ride. I called Maverick and decided on a day and time for the sunset tour. We were sent a confirmation and arranged a pickup time from our hotel. Maverick sent a shuttle to pick us up from our hotel and drive us to the helipad at the airport.

At the airport, we checked in and waited for a little before meeting our pilot for the day. He ran us through the safety protocols and then ushered us to the helicopter.

Once we lifted off the ground, we took a scenic 15-minute ride from McCarran Airport out to Red Rock Canyon, flying into the setting sun. We arrived at the top of Red Rock Canyon and touched down at Maverick Helicopters scenic pad that overlooking the canyon and the Las Vegas Strip.

At the top of the rocks, our pilot gave us the lay of the land, and we had 30 minutes to take in the beautiful scenery while he gave us some back story of the area.  He even brought out a cooler with soft drinks and champagne. What better way to enjoy the beautiful Red Rock Canyon and the Las Vegas Strip at sunset than with a glass of champagne in your hand?

One thing we weren’t prepared for was the temperature drop at the top of the canyon. It was easily a 15-degree temperature switch from the Strip and very windy. The magnificent sunset started to show her beautiful colors, with shades of yellow, orange and pink kissing the red clay and desert sand. It was Mother Nature in all her glory and a wonderful experience.

After our 30 minutes at the top of the canyon, we loaded back up into the helicopter and set off back down the canyon towards the now lit-up Las Vegas Strip. Banking right over the desert landscape and heading back into the neon lights, our pilot played history and facts of Las Vegas over our headsets. We listened to interesting facts, learning that it would take one human over 400 years to stay in every hotel room on the Strip and that the light from the Luxor is the brightest light on the planet. It can be seen from space!

As we flew straight down Las Vegas Blvd., the twinkling lights guided us back to McCarran for our touchdown. From pickup to dropping back off, it was a round trip of approximately 2.5 hours but sparked memories that will last a lifetime. The decision to take this trip was made much easier thanks to the AAA Mobile app and our AAA Membership discount.

This was the first of many wonderful trips and savings that we will be using with the assistance of AAA.

- Matthew McCormick, AAA Insurance & Automotive Marketing Specialist

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