‘Aerial Cities’ Preview Sunday On Smithsonian Channel

MIAMI 24

Premieres Sunday, April 29 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

From the bustling port that drives Florida’s economy and the neon-lit clubs of Miami Beach to the fascinating story of how Miami was founded, this episode reveals a city that’s about much more than sun and surf. From the air, viewers can trace the growth of Little Havana, built by Cuban exiles who still gather in Domino Park to meet old friends, and explore lesser-known corners of town like Liberty Square, which inspired the Academy Award-winning film “Moonlight.” Miami offers a rich mix of manmade and natural wonders, from the celebrity hideaways of Star Island to the pink flamingo haven of Hialeah Park, whose flamingo residents today are descendants of a single flock brought from Cuba in 1934.

SAN FRANCISCO 24

Premieres Sunday, May 6 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

With its famous hills, bridges and Bay, people could spend a day in San Francisco just admiring the views, but this aerial adventure explores the bustling heart of one of America’s busiest cities. Gridlocked morning commutes have inspired innovative solutions, from a rebirth of the ferry business to a network of wifi-enabled buses that transports armies of tech workers to Silicon Valley every day allowing them work while they ride. The tech boom is also reshaping the city’s famous skyline, which now boasts the second tallest building west of the Mississippi. As night falls, lighting engineers climbing the Bay Bridge show how technology meets art in the 25,000-LED-bulb spectacle Bay Lights, which started out as a temporary work and is now yet another iconic feature of San Francisco.

LOS ANGELES 24

Premieres Sunday, May 13 at 8 p.m. ET/PT

Taking wing over the City of Angels reveals much more than the secrets of Hollywood’s famous back lots. Three days a week, stardom seekers line up early in a nondescript Burbank warehouse district – home to Central Casting, which helps aspiring actors land background roles. L.A. might be best known as a TV and film capital, but it’s also home to the birth of surfing and skateboarding, which started in a Santa Monica neighborhood known as Dogtown. By air, viewers also can discover the hiding-in-plain-sight history of the city’s first big industry: oil. One working oil derrick is tucked into Cardiff Tower, and another is covered under a colorful wooden structure right next door to Beverly Hills High School.