Benbow Aviation Flight Academy

So I find myself in Manhattan Beach last weekend and a friend and I drive by the Torrance airport after hearing a couple talk about taking flights around LA.
Turns out Benbow Aviation is more than just a flight school for would be pilots. Turns out they do one hour flight tours to Catalina and over Hollywood and LA. The staff was very friendly and quickly put us with one of their instructor pilots for a tour. We walk out onto the tarmac to a cool Cessna and after adorning headset and watching the pilot do his walk around we were heading for take off.
I don’t know if you have ever been in one of these planes but I must say it was quite the thrill. You are sitting next to the pilot at the controls and he readily answered any questions we had. Take off was exhilarating as well as the basic maneuvers. One airborne, we go to see Downtown LA, the Hollywood sign, Santa Monica pier and he knew were a bunch of celebrity homes were.
It had to be the coolest thing I have done in LA. Best of all it wasn’t swarmed by tourists. If you are a LA native or visiting, this has to be one of our best hidden gems. The hour plus long tour cost only $ 167.00 for the two of us!