Five cool 50-minute travel experiences

Only have a few hours to spare on your next stop-off? From kayaking up New York’s Hudson River to handling a British Airways flight simulator in London, luxury lifestyle writer Cleo Davis tracks down five of the coolest travel experiences that take less than an hour

See LA from the sky

If you’ve ridden Rodeo Drive and observed Griffith Observatory’s goods, the next best way to get a glimpse of glossy Los Angeles is to see it from the sky. A 45-minute helicopter ride lifts you up past the palms and across the Californian coastline, taking in the dramatic sights of the city’s famous landmarks. The best part? A bird’s-eye view of spectacular Hollywood homes.

Explore a futuristic garden in Singapore

You don’t need green fingers to enjoy the hi-tech oasis of manicured gardens at Gardens by the Bay, home to giant artificial trees that glow after dark. Take a scenic stroll along the 22-metre-high OCBC Skyway, experience the mysterious cloud forest, or get up close to the African baobab tree in the Flower Dome (the world’s largest greenhouse).

Street feast in Hong Kong

If there’s one way to experience Hong Kong, it’s through food – more specifically, by getting your fill at a dai pai dong (literally: restaurant with a big licence plate). These street-food stalls once littered the city, but due to strict licensing rules, fewer than 30 remain. Head to Stanley Street in Central for the best of the bunch, grab a milk tea and noodles, then mix with the crowd – usually hungry office workers and locals.

Earn your wings in London

Ever wondered how it would be to have control of a 300-tonne Boeing aircraft? With British Airways’ full-motion flight simulator experience, you can feel what life is like as the captain of the cockpit, no experience necessary. Get behind the controls in the flight deck, test your take-off and landing skills and even alter the weather outside. Be warned – time will fly by.

Head for the Hudson in New York

Thanks to The Downtown Boathouse, you can experience Manhattan’s iconic skyline from the comfort of a kayak (and without the crowds) on the Hudson River for free, from May to October. Set off from Pier 26 in the trendy Downtown district and see how many landmarks you can spot in 20 minutes.