More than 35 million people a year visit Las Vegas. Most spend their time on The Strip, which is packed with entertainment options. But if you need a break from it all, consider taking a Grand Canyon helicopter tour.
It's a little-known fact that Las Vegas, the Entertainment Capital of the World, is a mere 120 miles from the West Rim of the National Park. That distance is nothing for a helicopter, which can cover it in 45 minutes at a speed of more than 200 MPH!
Air Tours
Aerial trips are your most basic choice. Total tour time is three hours, and you'll see the following:
Hoover DamLake MeadGuano PointEagle PointGrand Canyon SkywalkThese tours really appeal to folks on a tight budget and/or a tight time schedule (form hotel pick up to drop off, you're looking at a total of just 3 hours!) and who want a good "canyon sampler."
Landing Tours
But if you really want to go for it, I strongly recommend you choose a flight that lands at the top or bottom of the rim. Top landings come in many shapes and sizes, with the most popular being the one that includes the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
Nicknamed the Glass Bridge, the Skywalk is a marvel of modern-day engineering. For starters, it's the world's largest glass cantilever bridge. Equally impressive is the fact that each of its 40+ glass panels cost $250,000 to make!
In addition to being an impressive attraction, the Skywalk lets you do some pretty crazy things like:
Walk 70 over the edge of the canyon's wall;Stand nearly 4,000 feet over the bottom.Landing on the bottom is the other incredible tour here at the West Rim, which is the only location in the entire National Park where you are allowed to fly below the edge and land at the base. If you ask me, that's pretty darn unique.
What to do when you get to the bottom? Enjoy a Champagne Picnic, of course. From my experience, this is the #1 Las Vegas helicopter tour. In a way I'm not surprised: the 15-minute descent is absolutely breathtaking. But for those who want more, feel free to extend this adventure by adding a Colorado River boat ride into the mix. Indeed, there's nothing more beautiful than floating down this waterway and getting a first-hand look at the canyon's gargantuan walls.
RSVP
Canyon helicopter tours are extremely popular. That's why I always recommend booking them at least a week in advance. Following this course of action means you'll get more flight times from which to choose - and important benefit because morning flights by my estimation are the best. How so? Because that's when you get the best visibility and the smoothest air.
I want to wrap up this article by saying the best prices are clearly on the Internet. But, like they say, "all that glitters is not gold." In other words, stay away from "big box" travel websites like Expedia and Priceline. Instead, book direct with tour suppliers behind the scene. Do that and you'll be one happy traveler.