In Los Angeles, there are so many iconic things to do that we often overlook the off-beat thrills that define and enrich LA’s culture. Thanks to the makers of 5-hour ENERGY® I got my chance to plan the Perfect Day in LA and I decided to dive in – or rather take flight.
You all’s Instagram suggestions tipped me off to some really cool overlooked experiences in Los Angeles, and honestly there was too much to do in a day. So, I ended up narrowing down my Perfect Day by choosing a theme – flying. Each experience that made it onto the itinerary was something I had been wanting to do for years, and I was finally getting the opportunity.
My day officially started on the Santa Monica Pier, staring at my first flight of the day. I unwrapped a 5-hour ENERGY® shot, and drank the contents. I don’t know what exactly I was expecting from the taste, but was surprised that it tasted more like something I would find at a yoga studio than something I might find mixed up at a gym. Then I walked up and got ready to fall.
First Flight : Trapeze School.
Anyone who’s been on the Santa Monica Pier has seen the TSNY:LA trapeze school, with its ferris wheel backdrop. It gathers a crowd. I know this because as I climbed up to the mid-air platform, people were cheering.
Since this was my first time flying with the school, I expected most of the class to be about fundamentals with some easy swinging. Apparently the fundamentals are all learned in the air and the only way to learn is by diving in completely. Instead of just swinging back and forth, my first swing had me handsfree upside down, my second had me exploding into the air like a starfish, and my class ended with a midair upside down pass off.
I am definitely going to take more classes here. Though I was a bit nervous by how fast the class moved, the pace let me really try out trapeze. Of course, each student is different, and each experience is tailored to the comfort level of the student. So, if you are at all intrigued about flying by trapeze, I cannot recommend a class here high enough.
Knocking the chalk off my arms and legs, Jade and I walked down to the beach – because no perfect day in LA is complete without the beach. I felt fine – no power rush, just an energy boost. I’m pretty sensitive to energy boosts and was super happy that I wasn’t jittery like I usually am after my morning coffee(s) while still feeling alert.
Second Flight : Secret Swing
Every once in awhile, a picture will catch my eye and I will have to go to there. Some of the best finds in LA have been the Griffith Tea House, Sunken City, and of course the Secret Swing.
Overlooking the sprawling landscape that is Los Angeles, the secret swing is magical – something whimsical against the harsh concrete. Perched at the top of a short hike in Elysian Park, it’s one of those places that feels like what LA is in the minds of a teenager. It’s also one of those places that I reserve for special occasions, and always needs its own wardrobe and a camera.
If you’re planning on visiting, mornings are best – throughout the rest of the day there are a handful of people usually waiting for their turn on the swing. Also, make sure to you take advantage of all the nearby hiking in the park and snap a photo on the bridge passing over the I-110 with the perfect view of DTLA.
It was nearly the end of the day by the time we were heading down the hill. I was really happy with the boost that I got from the 5-hour ENERGY® shot. Throughout the day, I hadn’t gotten as worn out as I had expected, but, what was more pleasing, was that I had never been jittery. The 5-hour ENERGY® shot was more like a ninja, quietly keeping me going.
Third Flight: Indoor Skydiving
Like the beachside trapeze, iFly’s the indoor skydiving tube at Universal City Walk draws a crowd – it actually draws a sizable crowd. I had stood in that crowd a dozen times, and this was going to be my chance to be on the other side of the glass.
Rock, my instructor, had me lay on a table and explained the basics of flying to me. While I had expected this to be more of a ‘curated’ experience, it is actually a sport – very much like sky diving. I was there to have fun but also begin to learn how to fly on my own – Rock was going to be there to help me figure out how to fly better and keep me from smashing into the wall too many times.
As I stood at the door, preparing to step into the wind, I realized that I had no idea what I was about to do. I had just watched Rock step in and fly up in the air, and half expected to get whoosed up to the top like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Instead, I leaned over and fell towards my stomach, where the wind caught me and held me up.
I did the four flight package, which I highly recommend. It was a total of four minutes (each flight is a minute) where I was noticeably more in control the last two minutes. While I did bump into some walls, as I got more comfortable Rock took me higher and spun me around letting me fly on my own for a bit and just feel the air pressing against me.
Taking off the flight suit, my ideal flying day in LA had come to an end. It had been long enough since I had first taken the 5-hour ENERGY® shot that I assumed it had run its course – though I didn’t get any kind of harsh drop off and I wasn’t in need of another boost.
Everything I had packed into my Perfect Day in LA had been something I had thought about trying for years – even 5-hour ENERGY® shots. I’d like to say it had been worth the wait, but really – I should have been doing all of these for years.
You can do this too. Right now, 5-hour ENERGY® shots are conducting a sweepstakes to #PowerUpYourSummer where you can win your own trapeze lessons, theme park trips and more. Check out their site for more details and don’t wait years (like I did) before you try something really awesome.
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NO PURCHASE OR PAYMENT NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. Open to legal residents of the 50 U.S. / D.C., age 18+. Void outside the 50 U.S./D.C. and where prohibited. Sweepstakes starts at 12:00:01 AM EDT on 3/25/19; ends at 11:59:59 PM EDT on 7/15/19. To enter without purchase, mail a postcard including your full name, complete address, email address and phone number to: The 5-hour ENERGY® Sweepstakes, 625 Panorama Trail, Suite 2100, Rochester, NY 14625. Total maximum ARV of all prizes: $39,500. Odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. For full Official Rules, visit www.5hewin.com. Sponsor: Living Essentials, LLC, 38955 Hills Tech Drive Farmington Hills, MI 48331.
