The U.S. Government is still shut down so all of our National Parks are closed. If you have a trip planned to visit the Grand Canyon, you may be wondering what to do. Well, you are in luck if you want to take a tour, especially an air tour.

The way it stands, the only part of the canyon that is closed is the South Rim. That is where the main gates are located, near the city of Tusayan in Arizona. Fortunately, the West Rim is not actually located on Park land so it is still open and conducting operations as normal.

West Rim Tours

So if you will be in Vegas, you can take a tour to the West Rim with no problem. It is just over 100 miles away, which is about 2 1/2 hours by motor coach or automobile. You can get there by plane in a half an hour and by chopper in about 45 minutes.

The bad news is you cannot fly to the South Rim from Vegas since the South Rim is closed. There is no flight from the West Rim to the South Rim either. So, if your heart is set on seeing the South Rim, you will have to reschedule your trip when the government shutdown is over, or you can catch an air tour out of a city in Arizona. For example, if you plan to be in Sedona, Flagstaff, or Phoenix, you can arrange to take an air tour of the South Rim.

South Rim Tours

There are two choices in South Rim aerial tours. You can take a plane ride that lasts almost an hour and flies over spectacular landmarks from the South to the North Rim and the eastern edge of the Park. You can also opt to take a helicopter ride that covers the same ground. If you want to take a shorter tour, there is a half-hour chopper tour too. You will see some spectacular scenery on these air tours. The choppers and planes cover the same ground but the choppers fly lower so you have a better view. The chopper tours cost a lot more too.

Fun Things To Do

When it comes to choices, tours to the West Rim out of Vegas offer you plenty of things to do. Since Grand Canyon West is operating as usual, you can catch a bus tour as well as airplane and helicopter tours. You can choose air-only or landing tours too. Landing tours are fantastic fun because they let you experience the canyon up close and have exciting adventures like walking on the glass Grand Canyon Skywalk. The air-only tours are fun because you get to see lots of neat rock formations from above, plus you will fly over the massive Hoover Dam and Lake Mead.

One of the most popular Grand Canyon tours at the West Rim is one you should definitely check out. It is the chopper tour that lands on the canyon floor where you are treated to a fun champagne picnic. A fun airplane tour drops you off at the Grand Canyon West Airport and gives you three hours to explore the region by foot and find interesting things to do and see. For instance, you can experience the Skywalk or descend to the floor of the canyon and take a raft ride along the Colorado River.

Summary

Now you know there is no need to cancel your trip to the Grand Canyon. Who knows how long this government shutdown will drag on. There is no need to let it ruin your plans. Just make sure you understand how the various Grand Canyon tours are affected, especially those at the South Rim. Remember the main gates to the Grand Canyon National Park are closed so if you want to see the South Rim region of the canyon, you have to do it by air. The tours in operation are as popular as ever and fill up fast. If you plan to visit this spectacular natural wonder, be sure to book your seats early so you don\’t get left out. Also, book your seats online on the tour operator\’s website so you get the low Internet rate.

Traveling to the Grand Canyon during the federal shutdown? No problem. Expert author Keith Kravitz recommends going here http://www.grandcanyon123.com/ for the most up-to-date tour information before getting this FREE report on how to get tours at ridiculously low prices: http://www.grandcanyon123.com/free-report.html

Travel writer Keith Kravitz is an expert on Grand Canyon tours. When it comes to getting the best rate on the top trips, he starts here: http://www.grandcanyon123.com/

Author Bio: Traveling to the Grand Canyon during the federal shutdown? No problem. Expert author Keith Kravitz recommends going here http://www.grandcanyon123.com/ for the most up-to-date tour information before getting this FREE report on how to get tours at ridiculously low prices: http://www.grandcanyon123.com/free-report.html

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon, grand canyon tours, national parks, vacation, travel, federal shutdown, options