Valentine's Day is just around the corner. If you're looking for something fun and exciting to do over the holiday, you should consider taking a tour of the Grand Canyon. There are several types of tours that depart to the Canyon from Vegas, and you can tour by airplane, bus, or helicopter. No matter what type of tour you choose, you want to book it as soon as possible, because these tours are popular and fill up fast.
Departure Cities
Tours of the Canyon take off from Vegas and from Tusayan, Arizona. The length of time it takes to get to the Canyon depends on where you start from. For instance, if you'll be in Vegas and want to tour the South Rim, you can take a plane and get there in about an hour. If you're taking a bus tour out of Vegas, the ride to the West Rim is 2 1/2 hours and the ride to the South Rim takes 5 1/2 hours. If you begin a bus tour in Phoenix, the bus ride to the South Rim will be just under four hours.
West Rim Tours
A quick way to get to the Canyon is to book a helicopter tour. It only takes 30-45 minutes to fly to the West Rim from Vegas. As an added bonus, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are on the way to the Canyon, so you'll get an aerial view of them too when you fly out of Vegas. Depending on the type of tour you book, your helicopter tour will be air-only and just fly over the Canyon, or it will be a landing tour and set down on top of the rim or on the Canyon floor. The landing tour that flies into the Canyon and lands on the floor is very popular, and it even comes with a Champagne picnic. It's a perfect tour to take on Valentine's Day.
Although airplanes can also land at the West Rim, they are not able to land on the Canyon floor. You can still get to the bottom of the Canyon by transferring to a helicopter once you arrive at the West Rim, and if you want to stay on top of the rim, you'll find plenty to do there too, such as walking on the Skywalk. The Skywalk will give you quite a thrill as well as provide you with the best view at the Canyon. If you and your sweetheart are adventurous, then walking out on the massive glass bridge will create Valentine's Day memories you'll never forget.
Touring The South Rim By Helicopter
You can take two different chopper flights of the South Rim. One of them lasts 30 minutes and flies to the North Rim and back. The other tour is longer, it gives you 50 minutes of flight time and goes to the North Rim as well as the eastern edge of the park. The longer flight is a great option because you get to see about 75 percent of the entire national park area.
You can also take an airplane tour of the South Rim, even if you want to depart from Vegas. You'll start with an hour flight to the South Rim and then follow that with the 50 minute air tour that follows the same path as the longer helicopter tour. The only difference is that the airplanes fly higher so the views aren't as close as you get from a helicopter. One advantage of flying on an airplane is that they carry 19 people at a time. So if you plan to travel with a group, an airplane tour is probably best so everyone can fly together.
Motor Coach Tours
If price is an important consideration, then you may prefer a bus tour since they are the most affordable. The tours last all day, so you have plenty of time to see a lot of sights. There is a basic and deluxe option, and the tours are all-inclusive including taxes and park fees. Light meals for lunch and breakfast are included as well. Bus tours to the West and South Rim come with the ability to add on adventures. Some upgrades to consider are Skywalk tickets at the West Rim or a helicopter ride to the Canyon floor, and at the South Rim, you can add on a 50-minute helicopter tour of the National Park.
Wrapping Up
All of the tours available come in basic or deluxe versions. Since you'll want your Valentine's Day experience to be special, consider upgrading to the deluxe option. Deluxe air tours come with limousine shuttle services, so you can really impress your date. Plus, the helicopters used on deluxe tours provide you with more room, a quieter ride, and enhanced viewing through massive windows, so deluxe is definitely recommended.
These tours are popular and they sell out quickly, so book yours as soon as possible. It's a good idea to book yours about two weeks ahead of time. Buying it is easy when you book online where you'll find the lowest price, plus you'll get instant confirmation when you use your credit card. With all the options available, you're sure to find a tour that fits your budget and your interests, so you can make this Valentine's Day something to remember.
Departure Cities
Tours of the Canyon take off from Vegas and from Tusayan, Arizona. The length of time it takes to get to the Canyon depends on where you start from. For instance, if you'll be in Vegas and want to tour the South Rim, you can take a plane and get there in about an hour. If you're taking a bus tour out of Vegas, the ride to the West Rim is 2 1/2 hours and the ride to the South Rim takes 5 1/2 hours. If you begin a bus tour in Phoenix, the bus ride to the South Rim will be just under four hours.
West Rim Tours
A quick way to get to the Canyon is to book a helicopter tour. It only takes 30-45 minutes to fly to the West Rim from Vegas. As an added bonus, the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead are on the way to the Canyon, so you'll get an aerial view of them too when you fly out of Vegas. Depending on the type of tour you book, your helicopter tour will be air-only and just fly over the Canyon, or it will be a landing tour and set down on top of the rim or on the Canyon floor. The landing tour that flies into the Canyon and lands on the floor is very popular, and it even comes with a Champagne picnic. It's a perfect tour to take on Valentine's Day.
Although airplanes can also land at the West Rim, they are not able to land on the Canyon floor. You can still get to the bottom of the Canyon by transferring to a helicopter once you arrive at the West Rim, and if you want to stay on top of the rim, you'll find plenty to do there too, such as walking on the Skywalk. The Skywalk will give you quite a thrill as well as provide you with the best view at the Canyon. If you and your sweetheart are adventurous, then walking out on the massive glass bridge will create Valentine's Day memories you'll never forget.
Touring The South Rim By Helicopter
You can take two different chopper flights of the South Rim. One of them lasts 30 minutes and flies to the North Rim and back. The other tour is longer, it gives you 50 minutes of flight time and goes to the North Rim as well as the eastern edge of the park. The longer flight is a great option because you get to see about 75 percent of the entire national park area.
You can also take an airplane tour of the South Rim, even if you want to depart from Vegas. You'll start with an hour flight to the South Rim and then follow that with the 50 minute air tour that follows the same path as the longer helicopter tour. The only difference is that the airplanes fly higher so the views aren't as close as you get from a helicopter. One advantage of flying on an airplane is that they carry 19 people at a time. So if you plan to travel with a group, an airplane tour is probably best so everyone can fly together.
Motor Coach Tours
If price is an important consideration, then you may prefer a bus tour since they are the most affordable. The tours last all day, so you have plenty of time to see a lot of sights. There is a basic and deluxe option, and the tours are all-inclusive including taxes and park fees. Light meals for lunch and breakfast are included as well. Bus tours to the West and South Rim come with the ability to add on adventures. Some upgrades to consider are Skywalk tickets at the West Rim or a helicopter ride to the Canyon floor, and at the South Rim, you can add on a 50-minute helicopter tour of the National Park.
Wrapping Up
All of the tours available come in basic or deluxe versions. Since you'll want your Valentine's Day experience to be special, consider upgrading to the deluxe option. Deluxe air tours come with limousine shuttle services, so you can really impress your date. Plus, the helicopters used on deluxe tours provide you with more room, a quieter ride, and enhanced viewing through massive windows, so deluxe is definitely recommended.
These tours are popular and they sell out quickly, so book yours as soon as possible. It's a good idea to book yours about two weeks ahead of time. Buying it is easy when you book online where you'll find the lowest price, plus you'll get instant confirmation when you use your credit card. With all the options available, you're sure to find a tour that fits your budget and your interests, so you can make this Valentine's Day something to remember.
About the Author:
Grand Canyon National Park authority Jacky O'Shea suggests these fabulous air tours. And for an entire list of tours, she suggests bookmarking this web page: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/tours/
