An astounding 35 million people flock to Vegas each year. A lot of folks come for the entertainment or gaming, and they spend most of their time on the Strip. Still, a side trip is always fun. There is no better way to escape from the neon and bustle than to take a tour of the Grand Canyon.

Most travelers don\’t realize that the West Rim of the Grand Canyon is only 120 miles from Las Vegas. You can be there in a short 45 minute helicopter ride.

Air-Only Chopper Tours

There are two types of tours on Las Vegas helicopters: air-only and landing tours. The air-only type is cheaper and more basic, taking three hours total from hotel pickup to drop-off. During these flights you\’ll see Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon Skywalk, among other sites. Air-only tours are perfect if you\’re short on time, have a limited budget or just want a taste of the canyon.

Landing Tours

The other choice is a landing tour and they are much more comprehensive. The helicopter tours that depart from Las Vegas are allowed to land on top of the rim or fly to the floor of the canyon at the West Rim. Once you land on top the rim, you can choose from several activities, but the most popular is a walk on the glass Grand Canyon Skywalk.

The Skywalk is the largest glass cantilevered bridge in the world, and it\’s a true engineering wonder. Each of the glass panels cost about $250,000 and there are forty of them. At the apex of this remarkable horseshoe-shaped glass bridge, you\’ll be standing almost 4,000 feet above the canyon bottom – 70 feet past the rim\’s edge!

As I mentioned earlier, at the West Rim you can also take a chopper down to the canyon floor. The West Rim is unique because that is the only location in the National Park that allows helicopters to fly to the bottom of the canyon. It is a very thrilling experience! As you can imagine, this is one of the most popular tours you can take on Vegas helicopters.

The descent is an exciting flight that lasts about 15 minutes. After you land on the bottom, you\’ll enjoy a champagne picnic. If you want an even better time, consider adding a float trip down the Colorado as an optional tour extension. It is an amazing experience to float along the river and see the massive canyon walls tower so high above you.

Get Your Seats Early

These air tours of the Grand Canyon as so popular you want to book as early as a week in advance so you can get the seats you want. That allows you to choose from the best flight times and tours. If you can, get an early morning flight because visibility is best then and there is less turbulence too.

Another tip is you will get the least expensive price online. You have to buy direct from the tour company\’s website though and avoid third party sites such as Priceline, Expedia and OneTravel. You\’ll be happy with the price and the service you get by buying your tickets direct, with the tour operator!

Travel reviewer Luke Plunket is an expert on Grand Canyon helicopter trips. For the lowest prices on the very best flights, he suggests getting started here: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html

Travel author Luke Plunket is a specialist on Grand Canyon National Park chopper excursions and suggests visiting this site for the least expensive prices on the very best flights: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html

Author Bio: Travel reviewer Luke Plunket is an expert on Grand Canyon helicopter trips. For the lowest prices on the very best flights, he suggests getting started here: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon helicopters, grand canyon tours, las vegas helicopters, las vegas tours, reviews