Documentary2010–2019Smithsonian Channel

The Best Episodes of Aerial America

Every episode of Aerial America ranked from best to worst. Let's dive into the Best Episodes of Aerial America!

Best episode
S6E3 New Jersey
8.546 votes
Worst episode
S4E3 Ohio
6.952 votes
Top season
Season 5
8.1avg
Binge time
2d 6h
72 episodes

Seasons8

Episode Rankings

  1. #1 Fan Favorite
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    Aerial America Season 6 Episode 3 - New Jersey
    8.5/10(46 votes)
    S6:E3

    New Jersey is one of America's 13 original states, and one of its most fascinating. It's where the nation's first industrial city was built, where some of Hollywood's biggest studios began, and where a brilliant inventor devised a way to light the world. We trace the Garden State's most dramatic historic moments, from Washington's fateful Delaware crossing to Hindenburg's fiery crash to Superstorm Sandy's furious attack. We also celebrate Jersey's quiet misty valleys, fields of plenty, miles of sunlit shores, and plucky, innovative spirit.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  2. Aerial America Season 4 Episode 1 - Amazing Destinations
    8.5/10(42 votes)
    S4:E1

    From its Great Lakes to its Grand Canyon, its Rocky Mountain peaks to its Key West reefs, America is a land of amazing destinations. This adventure over the nation's most remarkable landscapes and landmarks captures her breathtaking beauty, while demonstrating how its sense of wonder has inspired countless artists, thinkers, and revolutionaries. Join us on this cross-country tour over iconic and unknown sights, and discover a side of America you've never seen before.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  3. Aerial America Season 3 Episode 12 - Arizona
    8.4/10(50 votes)
    S3:E12

    The Grand Canyon is one of the seven natural wonders of the world, but it's just one of many breathtaking marvels you'll find in Arizona. Explore the Copper State's remarkable history and its awe-inspiring landscapes, spectacular sunsets and infamous gunfights. From Tombstone to tent jails, from the Valley of the Sun to lost cities of gold, this aerial tour celebrates and studies a colorful state filled with equally colorful characters.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  4. Aerial America Season 5 Episode 4 - Utah
    8.4/10(45 votes)
    S5:E4

    From the unearthly pinnacles of Arches National Park to the blinding white terrain of the Bonneville Salt Flats, Utah has an alien beauty that you must see to believe. It has a history uniquely its own, from the tragedy of the Donner Party to the arrival of Brigham Young, an American leader who built Mormonism into one of the most successful religions in the world. This journey over the Beehive State celebrates a land that offers endless surprises and possibilities.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  5. Aerial America Season 5 Episode 2 - Idaho
    8.4/10(40 votes)
    S5:E2

    Soar over a state with much more to offer than just potatoes! This state contains millions of acres of untamed land, great ancient spines of stone, and the deepest canyon in America. Idaho's past is as rich as its volcanic soil and this tour over the Gem State reveals unique visual treasures. From Hemingway's haven to Hell's Canyon, and from the world's first atomic city to the birth of the potato boom, discover the beauty and history of Idaho.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  6. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 9 - New England
    8.4/10(32 votes)
    S7:E9

    An aerial tour of New England spotlights its beauty and history.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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    The 20 WORST Episodes of Aerial America

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  8. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 3 - Natural Wonders
    8.4/10(30 votes)
    S7:E3

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  9. Aerial America Season 3 Episode 5 - Colorado
    8.3/10(50 votes)
    S3:E5

    Get ready for a Rocky Mountain adventure over the state that boasts some of the highest peaks, tallest sand dunes and largest single-site brewery in America. Every year Colorado attracts music lovers, ski buffs, and sports fans drawn to its Red Rocks, Aspen slopes and the Broncos' Mile High Stadium. But it is also a state with a history, marked by war, a gold rush and legendary bank robberies. Through it all, Colorado remains a feast for the eyes.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  10. Aerial America Season 6 Episode 2 - Wisconsin
    8.3/10(37 votes)
    S6:E2

    It's a state ruled by beer and dairy, a place full of wild, scenic beauty and bustling urban landscapes. This is Wisconsin, and this aerial tour celebrates the unique brew of dazzling landscapes, rich history, and contemporary culture that can only be found in the Badger State. Join us as we soar over colorful autumn forests, family-owned farms, the Door Peninsula and share stories of the ancient tribes, European settlers, and American icons who gave Wisconsin its one-of-a-kind identity.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  11. Aerial America Season 8 Episode 2 - Yellowstone
    8.3/10(36 votes)
    S8:E2

    When you soar above Yellowstone, it's easy to see why it became the world's first national park in 1872. It's a place of staggering beauty and fragile creatures, of stunning granite peaks that pierce the sky and colorful springs that may hold secrets about the origins of life. This aerial voyage takes you over high elevation lakes, snaking canyons, sputtering hot geysers, and snow-covered landscapes. Explore Yellowstone's history of Native Americans, European explorers, and 10 million years of tectonic upheaval.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  12. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 1 - On the Water
    8.3/10(30 votes)
    S7:E1

    An aerial tour of America's waterways, wetlands, dams and canals.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  13. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 6 - Man-Made Marvels
    8.3/10(30 votes)
    S7:E6

    A flyover tour of America's man-made marvels, including the Statue of Liberty and Seattle's Space Needle.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  14. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 10 - The Wild West
    8.3/10(28 votes)
    S7:E10

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  15. Aerial America Season 7 Episode 4 - The Great Plains
    8.3/10(24 votes)
    S7:E4

    No description available

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  16. Aerial America Season 1 Episode 2 - Hawaii
    8.2/10(89 votes)
    S1:E2

    Join us on a non-stop journey by air over our nation's most exotic and breathtaking state. From lush green cliffs to black-sand beaches, from ancient ruins to modern city life, this aerial tour reveals the grandeur of the Aloha State. From Molokai to Maui, discover the stunning landscapes and astonishing stories of Hawaii's eight major islands without ever touching the ground.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  17. Aerial America Season 2 Episode 1 - Maine
    8.2/10(52 votes)
    S2:E1

    Take a journey across distant isles, down rugged shores, and into the great wilderness seafarers once called "The Mainland." From Portland to Kennebunkport, Moosehead Lake to Casco Bay, this picturesque expedition offers a stunning bird's eye view of one of the most beautiful states on the Atlantic Coast. See why the Pine Tree State has attracted sailors, artists, presidents, and robber barons for centuries. Discover how Maine's storied past, rich resources, and varied cast of characters have helped shape not just the state, but the nation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  18. Aerial America Season 1 Episode 5 - Tennessee
    8.2/10(47 votes)
    S1:E5

    Travel from the Great Smoky Mountains to the Grand Olde Opry, from Elvis Presley's Graceland Mansion to a legendary whiskey distillery, Tennessee tells the story of America's expansion west and all the celebration and sadness that came with it. Join us as we soar high above the Volunteer State, journeying over the majestic Appalachian Mountains and the mighty Mississippi River, to see its natural beauty - rugged, inviting and infused with the spirit of a nation.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  19. Aerial America Season 1 Episode 6 - Vermont
    8.2/10(46 votes)
    S1:E6

    When Robert Frost penned "The Road Not Taken," he was writing about Vermont, and his poem captures the state's unscathed beauty and independent spirit. This state of freethinking and green living attracts all sorts, from artists like Norman Rockwell and the von Trapp family, to nature enthusiasts drawn to its hiking trails, ski slopes and autumn foliage. This aerial tour over the Green Mountain State captures the beauty and history of a state that chose its own path.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  20. Aerial America Season 2 Episode 6 - Washington
    8.2/10(45 votes)
    S2:E6

    Washington is home to some of America's wildest spaces and also its most modern cities. The Evergreen State is a story of mirror opposites: a wet, mountainous, tree-covered west and a dry, flat, open east. It is home to high-tech industries and America's oldest Native American tribes. Experience all sides of Washington State, from thousands of feet in the air, and witness its conflicting worlds merging to form a land of remarkable beauty.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  21. Aerial America Season 5 Episode 5 - The Dakotas
    8.2/10(45 votes)
    S5:E5

    Take in the soaring views above a state that inspired a future president, launched the country's first millionaire, and kept a dark, rich secret under its expansive prairies for centuries. This lofty journey over North Dakota highlights the Roughrider State's grand beauty, which healed a grieving Teddy Roosevelt and transformed him into a defender of America's wild land. Explore the state's booms and busts, from fur trade explosions to frontier battles to the thousands of oil wells that dot the land and house flaming vents that are visible from space.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  22. Aerial America Season 3 Episode 2 - New Mexico
    8.2/10(43 votes)
    S3:E2

    Georgia O'Keeffe once said, "If you ever go to New Mexico, it will itch you for the rest of your life," and this aerial tour of the state will show you exactly why. Take flight over 121,000 square miles of timeless beauty and national treasures, from the Rio Grande, to adobe structures and dormant volcanoes. See what brought O'Keeffe to the Land of Enchantment, as well as Billy the Kid, the makers of the atomic bomb and perhaps even visitors from far away galaxies.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  23. Aerial America Season 3 Episode 4 - Nevada
    8.2/10(43 votes)
    S3:E4

    Nevada is known as a Wild West state that's still a little wild, but there's more to this ancient desert land than the City of Sin. This aerial tour highlights Nevada's vital role in the shaping of America, from the mines and ghost towns of its gold and silver rush, to its icon of American ingenuity: the Hoover Dam. Discover the highs and lows of Nevada's history, and the booms and busts that have defined it as the land of big builders and bigger dreamers.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  24. Aerial America Season 6 Episode 1 - Washington D.C.
    8.2/10(43 votes)
    S6:E1

    Washington, DC, does not boast towering buildings, but its skyline still inspires awe through its history, purpose, and what happens inside its walls. Explore the Nation's Capital from above as we swoop over its monuments, memorials, historic neighborhoods, and beckoning waters. We celebrate a city of stately American symbols and turbulent history, including scandals, protests, assassinations, and battles that rocked it to its core. But through it all, D.C. has survived and thrived, proving itself a city worthy of the nation it represents.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  25. Aerial America Season 4 Episode 2 - Montana
    8.2/10(42 votes)
    S4:E2

    Big skies, big adventure, and big spirits: this is Montana. It's where fertile plains collide with the Rocky Mountains and the country's fastest land mammals run the grasslands known as the American Serengeti. It's also where Lewis and Clark faced towering stone obstacles and Custer faced an even more daunting foe. This aerial journey showcases the Treasure State's mountains and milestones, its legends and landmarks, all from spectacular heights.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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  26. Aerial America Season 5 Episode 7 - Nebraska
    8.2/10(40 votes)
    S5:E7

    This is a land of bold landscapes and brave history. It?s where uninhabitable desert plains have been transformed into cornfields and cattle ranges that feed America. Soar above this agricultural powerhouse as we explore the Cornhusker State?s vast farms, towering spires, desolate badlands, and gleaming cities. We also celebrate Johnny Carson, Warren Buffet, Carhenge, the College World Series, and other great figures, landmarks, and pastimes that call Nebraska home.

    Director:Unknown
    Writer:Unknown

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Best Episodes Summary

"New Jersey" is the best rated episode of Aerial America. It scored 8.5/10 from 46 votes. Written and directed by Unknown, it aired on May 10, 2015.

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