Plot Synopsis

This spinoff of AERIAL AMERICA takes a closer look at six cities across the United States -- seen best from the air. Each one-hour episode of AERIAL CITIES reveals fascinating insights in the day and night life of some of America's most famed metropolises: Las Vegas, Chicago, Seattle, Miami, San Francisco and Los Angeles. Along with showcasing each city's iconic landmarks and often-surprising history, the series' 4K cameras capture a bird's-eye perspective of the frenzy of work and play that make each city so distinctive -- from morning yoga on Miami Beach to the dizzying job of changing a lightbulb at the top of Seattle's Space Needle and the highest open-air cocktail bar in the Western Hemisphere in L.A.'s newest skyscraper. The season opener, "Las Vegas 24," takes a closer look at the 24/7 entertainment capital of America, which requires some truly unique jobs. Every day, specially trained scuba-diving engineers fine-tune the dancing fountains of the Bellagio, as window washers risk their lives rappelling down the glass pyramid of the Luxor. The colorful casinos, zip lines and shows might draw most of the attention, but just outside town are 200,000 acres of protected wilderness and a colossal pile of stone called Red Rock, a mecca for climbers.
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On Sunday, May 13, 2018 at 8pm ET/PT, Smithsonian Channel premiered "Los Angeles 24," the season finale of AERIAL CITIES. Whether you're peering down on the movie studios of Hollywood, the boardwalk of Venice Beach, or the ever-active freeways that pulse through the city, there's nothing like a day in the skies over Los Angeles. This episode explores the hills, valleys, beaches, and bustle of the second largest metropolis in America, and see what it takes to keep it running around the clock. From sunrise over the San Gabriel Mountains to sunset off the tip of the Santa Monica Pier, celebrate the spectacular daytime and nighttime wonders of the City of Angels.