So, you've seen most of LA. You've done the Grove, the Grauman's Chinese and the Staples Center. Ho hum. That's why it was time for me to kick it up a notch with a helicopter ride above our balmy city. I've done rides in Maui, Arizona, and even a night flight through downtown LA, but seeing the sites during the day was a real treat.

I opted for a package available through Moments Made, (www.momentsmade.com) a company that specializes in a variety of unique adventure excursions throughout Southern California. This helicopter adventure began near Pacoima, near the north end of the San Fernando Valley.

There are a variety of packages available with most helicopter rides, but I opted for their most extravagant ride, which took me all over the valley, over the Pacific Ocean and through downtown LA and Hollywood. Hey, if you’re going to do it, do it right.

What I love about helicopter rides is that you can actually see where you're going. Maybe I'm a control freak, but you don't get this experience when you're in a regular airplane. In larger planes, you could be headed into a mountain and never know it. In a helicopter, you can see at least 180 degrees in either direction, adding to the excitement of the trip. Helicopters are also amazingly nimble, enabling them to hover backward and forward, and cover terrain that is nearly impossible in many other types of aircraft.

So, if the in-laws are coming into town, and you're bored with taking them to see the usual sites, head for the skies in a helicopter, and see what you've been missing.

LA will never seem the same.