On our final full day in NYC, we woke up to one of those crisp, blue-sky fall days where the light hits the buildings just right and the whole city seems to sparkle. It couldn’t have been a better setting for taking a helicopter ride over Manhattan.

We booked online with Heli NY just a few days prior, so we made our way to the Downtown Helicopter Port at 2:30pm ready for our 3:30pm flight.

Having done a helicopter ride over Dubai about 4 years ago we knew what to expect, but it still took my breath away as we took off for our flight above the city.

We swooped past the Statue of Liberty, her copper-green silhouette glowing in the afternoon sun, then glided along the Hudson with One World Trade Center standing tall and brilliant beneath us.

Another highlight was seeing Central Park from above with that perfect stretch of green carved into the grid of the city.

After we landed, but still floating a bit from excitement, we headed downtown and caught the ferry across the Hudson to DUMBO.

The water was calm, the breeze cool, and Manhattan shimmered behind us at golden hour as we made our way toward Brooklyn.

I did a quick outfit change just before dinner too, slipping into a cute brown mini dress paired with matching heels, my oversized Jaeger blazer, and my emerald-green velvet Sandro handbag.

A chic, classy look with a touch of cool girl in the oversized boxy blazer, perfect for a fall date night in the city.

Our dinner spot for the evening was the trendy Italian restaurant Cecconi’s.

With the Manhattan Bridge in the foreground and the sun setting over Downtown in the distance, the vibes were immaculate.

I started with a spicy Tommy’s Margarita because when in New York, how could I not on our final night!

For food I chose the burrata tomato pasta which was as heavenly as it sounds…

…and even better paired with a rich, warming glass of red.

My boyfriend went classic with a margarita pizza and we shared a fresh, peppery rocket salad that rounded everything out beautifully.

It was buzzing on a Thursday night and we couldn’t fault the delicious Italian feast we were treated to.

After dinner, we wandered along the riverfront taking in those picturesque nighttime views.

New York glowing, the river shimmering and the gentle hum of the bustling city in the background, simply iconic.

Eventually we hopped on the subway back to our hotel, tired but in that really satisfying way after a perfect day.

Our helicopter adventure, waterfront dinner in DUMBO, and atmospheric nighttime walk, wrapped up our trip to NYC in the most magical way imaginable ❤