Until this weekend, my only helicopter experience was in Vegas, soaring over the Grand Canyon and landing at its base only to be handed a flute of Champagne {search #TSVegas for photos on Instagram}. To say I was flying high off the experience is an understatement, and I wasn't sure if any 'copter trip would compare.

Then came my second whirlybird flight aboard Helijet, a fleet of 13 helis flying between Vancouver, Victoria and Nanaimo, in addition to charter flights to remote locations such as Haida Gwaii.

We were heading to Victoria overnight and wanted a quick and efficient path to the fairy tale city built around the southern tip of Vancouver Island. Since Helijet leaves from downtown Vancouver and lands near downtown Victoria {and you only have to check-in 20 minutes in advance}, we were there in 34 minutes, which was a time-saving eye-opener to a gal who has mostly gone between Vancouver and Victoria by ferry.

Efficiency aside, what I didn't bank on from Canada's first scheduled helicopter service was the scenery. "I'll let everyone know if we spot a pod of orcas", my captain announced as our 12-seat Sikorsky S76 was starting up. After the safety announcements, he went on to say, "We're going to be flying lower today to avoid turbulence at higher elevations, so we'll get crystal clear views of the Pacific and Gulf Islands."

Seeing my "backyard" from a bird's perspective was at once thrilling and spectacular, and I would even go so far as to say, bucket-list worthy. While I was not handed bubbly when I landed, the captains did invite us to take a photo with Baby Styler in the cockpit, which was far more thrilling than any vintage.

Trip Styler Tip: Helijet posts flight deals on their Facebook and Twitter pages. And, your first kid flies free with a paying adult.