If you are planning to visit the Grand Canyon anytime near or during the Christmas holiday season, book a tour now. Trips range from helicopter, airplane and bus and all deliver experiences you\’ll cherish forever.

During Winter the North Rim is closed (it re-opens in March) so you have two destinations from which to choose: The West Rim and the South Rim. Further, you have two places from which to start a tour: Las Vegas and South Rim.

From Vegas, you can visit the West Rim and the South Rim. And from South Rim, well, you\’re only option is to visit it because there are no tours between the South and the West.

Las Vegas has the most tour options. Depending on your budget and inclinations, you can take a helicopter ride, an airplane flight or a bus trip. Of all these trips, only plane rides are available Christmas Day so please note that as you plan.

Helicopters

Vegas helicopters only fly to the West Rim because the South Rim is too far. Flights go to the top and the bottom of the Canyon. My personal favorite is the one that lands at the base for a Champagne picnic, which can also be extended with a Colorado River boat ride.

Vegas helis are available in basic and deluxe. Basic tours depart from Boulder City and require 30-minute shuttle ride by van. Deluxe, by contrast, leave from The Strip and come with limousine service to and from your hotel. They also include a tour over The Strip on the way back from the Canyon.

At South Rim, you get to choose between 30-minute flights and 50-minute flights. The shorter one takes in the Dragoon Corridor, the widest, deepest section of the Canyon. Personally, I prefer the 50-minute tour. It, too, does Dragoon, but it also nearly doubles your airtime for just a few bucks more.

Airplanes

Vegas plane rides pretty much do what helicopters do except they fly at a higher altitude, accommodate more people and are cheaper. My favorite plane ride is the one that lands on top of the West Rim and includes a helicopter ride to the bottom as well as a ticket to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.

The other Vegas plane I strongly recommend is the one that flies direct to the South Rim in 60 minutes. It\’s the fastest way to reach that particular Rim, and it includes a 2.5-hour tour inside the Park by bus. Further, you can add a helicopter ride to it if budget permits.

At South Rim, there\’s a great 50-minute plane ride, which basically mimics the 50-minute helicopter tour. It takes off from Grand Canyon National Park Airport, which is located in the small town of Tusayan, AZ. I recommend you consider it if you have a large group or if the helicopter tours are sold out.

Buses

Lastly, there are coach tours from Las Vegas to the West Rim and the South Rim. These are the most economical way to do the Canyon. They leave once a day in the morning from The Strip and require a full day to enjoy. In fact, return time is usually around 9 p.m. so heed that and do not make show or dinner reservations as you\’ll most likely miss them.

Grand Canyon travel expert Keith Kravitz recommends getting a copy of this free report, which will help you get better prices on these National Park tours: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/tours/

Grand Canyon travel expert Keith Kravitz recommends getting a copy of this free report http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/save-money/ because it will help you get better prices on these National Park tours: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/tours/

Author Bio: Grand Canyon travel expert Keith Kravitz recommends getting a copy of this free report, which will help you get better prices on these National Park tours: http://grandcanyondaytrips.com/tours/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon tours, las vegas tours, grand canyon helicopter, grand canyon flights, grand canyon bus