Spring Break is coming up in April, so it's time to start thinking about vacation ideas. If you're going to be in Las Vegas, there are fantastic tours on offer, like helicopter and airplane tours to the Grand Canyon. But remember that you'll need to book soon, because advance tickets are selling out fast.
Helicopter Tours
There are helicopter tours available at both the West and South Rims. Vegas is fairly close to the West Rim, so tour helicopters can fly there directly. However, if you want to take a helicopter tour of the South Rim, and you're in Vegas, you'll have to fly there by airplane first.
You'll even get an aerial view of Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam when you fly out of Vegas since they are along the flight path to the Canyon. A helicopter can get to the West Rim from Vegas in under 45 minutes, and it takes an airplane about 60 minutes to fly to the South Rim so you can begin your tour there.
When you go to the West Rim, you can choose a landing tour or an air-only tour. The air-only tour flies over the West Rim and lets you see all the amazing scenery there before circling back to Vegas. The landing tours are more comprehensive and give you the opportunity to see the Canyon up close.
One of the more popular tours lands on the Canyon floor after a thrilling descent inside the Canyon, and once it lands, you can enjoy a champagne picnic or a boat tour along the Colorado River. There's also a top landing tour, where you can take one of the many walking tracks to reach scenic lookout points. The Skywalk is also located on top of the West Rim. This special glass platform is transparent, and will give you the ultimate thrill as you stand 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon.
South Rim Helicopter Tours
If you fly to the Grand Canyon South Rim, you will transfer to a helicopter for the sightseeing tour. There are two options available. One is a 30 minute trip, and the other is a 50 minute extended tour. The shorter tour goes to the North Rim, before heading back to the town of Tusayan. The longer tour, which I recommend, follows the same path but also goes all the way out to the eastern boundary. The extended tour is the best option because it will fly you over the top of 75% of the National Park. The small increase in ticket price is worth every penny.
The South Rim tours aren't permitted to land inside the Canyon like the West Rim tours can, but you can still take a ground tour by adding on a bus or Jeep tour of the South Rim.
Canyon Plane Tours
Tour airplanes fly to the West Rim or the South Rim. If you're looking for an affordable type of air tour, then touring by plane is your best bet. Even if you fly to the West Rim, you could still purchase a landing helicopter tour to the bottom of the Canyon. At the South Rim, the airplane tour covers the same route as the longer helicopter tour.
One difference between the two types of air tours is that airplanes need to fly at a higher altitude than helicopters, and anther important difference is that the airplanes can carry more people on each tour. The airplanes carry 19 at a time, so if you're flying with several people, an airplane tour is probably the best choice. However, if excellent viewing is the most important thing to you, then you'll want to book a helicopter tour since the choppers fly lower than planes and they have bigger viewing windows. When you book a deluxe helicopter tour, you will fly on an EcoStar chopper that has a panoramic wraparound windshield and six seats arranged stadium style for unobstructed views. These helicopters also provide a quieter and smoother flight experience.
Conclusion
Spring Break calls for a special adventure, and there's no place that offers more adventure than the Grand Canyon. Flying from Las Vegas, you will have a number of options, with something that will suit any budget.
Just be sure to buy your tour early, before they are sold out. It's a good idea to book your tour when you book your Vegas hotel so you don't forget. Buy your tour online with your credit card and you'll get the best deal and avoid fees added by travel agencies.
Taking an air tour of the Canyon is a sure way to have a fabulous Spring Break vacation you'll always remember. Do it in style with an airplane or helicopter tour, and experience all that the National Park has to offer.
Helicopter Tours
There are helicopter tours available at both the West and South Rims. Vegas is fairly close to the West Rim, so tour helicopters can fly there directly. However, if you want to take a helicopter tour of the South Rim, and you're in Vegas, you'll have to fly there by airplane first.
You'll even get an aerial view of Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam when you fly out of Vegas since they are along the flight path to the Canyon. A helicopter can get to the West Rim from Vegas in under 45 minutes, and it takes an airplane about 60 minutes to fly to the South Rim so you can begin your tour there.
When you go to the West Rim, you can choose a landing tour or an air-only tour. The air-only tour flies over the West Rim and lets you see all the amazing scenery there before circling back to Vegas. The landing tours are more comprehensive and give you the opportunity to see the Canyon up close.
One of the more popular tours lands on the Canyon floor after a thrilling descent inside the Canyon, and once it lands, you can enjoy a champagne picnic or a boat tour along the Colorado River. There's also a top landing tour, where you can take one of the many walking tracks to reach scenic lookout points. The Skywalk is also located on top of the West Rim. This special glass platform is transparent, and will give you the ultimate thrill as you stand 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon.
South Rim Helicopter Tours
If you fly to the Grand Canyon South Rim, you will transfer to a helicopter for the sightseeing tour. There are two options available. One is a 30 minute trip, and the other is a 50 minute extended tour. The shorter tour goes to the North Rim, before heading back to the town of Tusayan. The longer tour, which I recommend, follows the same path but also goes all the way out to the eastern boundary. The extended tour is the best option because it will fly you over the top of 75% of the National Park. The small increase in ticket price is worth every penny.
The South Rim tours aren't permitted to land inside the Canyon like the West Rim tours can, but you can still take a ground tour by adding on a bus or Jeep tour of the South Rim.
Canyon Plane Tours
Tour airplanes fly to the West Rim or the South Rim. If you're looking for an affordable type of air tour, then touring by plane is your best bet. Even if you fly to the West Rim, you could still purchase a landing helicopter tour to the bottom of the Canyon. At the South Rim, the airplane tour covers the same route as the longer helicopter tour.
One difference between the two types of air tours is that airplanes need to fly at a higher altitude than helicopters, and anther important difference is that the airplanes can carry more people on each tour. The airplanes carry 19 at a time, so if you're flying with several people, an airplane tour is probably the best choice. However, if excellent viewing is the most important thing to you, then you'll want to book a helicopter tour since the choppers fly lower than planes and they have bigger viewing windows. When you book a deluxe helicopter tour, you will fly on an EcoStar chopper that has a panoramic wraparound windshield and six seats arranged stadium style for unobstructed views. These helicopters also provide a quieter and smoother flight experience.
Conclusion
Spring Break calls for a special adventure, and there's no place that offers more adventure than the Grand Canyon. Flying from Las Vegas, you will have a number of options, with something that will suit any budget.
Just be sure to buy your tour early, before they are sold out. It's a good idea to book your tour when you book your Vegas hotel so you don't forget. Buy your tour online with your credit card and you'll get the best deal and avoid fees added by travel agencies.
Taking an air tour of the Canyon is a sure way to have a fabulous Spring Break vacation you'll always remember. Do it in style with an airplane or helicopter tour, and experience all that the National Park has to offer.
About the Author:
Expert author Erik Magnus is a huge fan of these Grand Canyon airplane tours as well as these helicopter tours that take off from Las Vegas and the South Rim: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/
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