Over 16,530,213 people are on fubar.
What are you waiting for?
Will you be at the Grand Canyon for the July 4th holiday? If your plans include the National Park and you're interested in a bus tour, I urge you to buy your tickets now - holiday bus tours typically sell out.
You can go on a bus tour every day, including July 4th, and you can leave from Vegas or Phoenix. Both cities offer fantastic tours that will provide you with a day of fun adventure.
Bus Tours From Phoenix
Travelers coming from Arizona's Valley of the Sun (Phoenix and the surrounding area) will visit the South Rim. If you are in Phoenix but really want to see the West Rim, you will have to drive yourself because the only bus tours that go there depart from Las Vegas.
The bus tour to the South Rim takes you through Sedona where you see amazing red rock buttes and juniper pines. The trip to the National Park is a beautiful and scenic experience. Once you arrive, you'll have up to three hours to explore the highlights. You will meet up with your group again in Grand Canyon Village at Bright Angel Lodge where you can enjoy a fantastic meal or snack.
Las Vegas Bus Tours To The Grand Canyon
If you begin your trip from Vegas, you have the best of both worlds because you can choose to go to the West Rim or the South Rim. Both rims are spectacular, but the South Rim is noted for its scenic beauty while the West Rim is known for its adventure activities.
Whichever rim you choose, you get to drive past the beautiful Lake Mead and massive Hoover Dam along the way. The West Rim is the closest at 120 miles and 2 hours, while the South Rim is 270 miles from Vegas and the trip takes about 5 hours.
People bound for the West Rim can choose a basic tour or upgrade to a deluxe ("combo") package. The basic tour drives straight to the rim. Once there, you are given three hours to do whatever you want on foot.
The basic version is a great experience, but I suggest booking a deluxe package if you can swing it. By far, the most popular package at the West Rim is one that takes you on a thrilling helicopter ride to the bottom of the canyon followed by a scenic float trip along the Colorado River, as well as access to the chilling glass Skywalk. That is a great way to spend a holiday at the Grand Canyon!
South Rim bus trips are also very popular with Vegas travelers. You'll have about three hours to spend on the ground there so you can visit Grand Canyon Village and other interesting landmarks.
Book Your Seats Quickly
July 4th is usually very busy at the National Park. That's why I suggest booking your Grand Canyon bus tour as soon as you can. At a minimum, book at least a week ahead of the tour date you want.
Even though July 4th is a holiday and busy time for the Park, you can still get good deals on your seats. Just get your tickets online from the tour operator's website, remember to avoid other online sites like Expedia, Viator, or Priceline because they charge more. You'll need to complete your purchase on the tour company's site in order to qualify for the super Internet discount.
Wrapping Up
In early July, the weather at the Grand Canyon is fantastic and the views are gorgeous. I'm expecting it to be busy, so book your tour well in advance. The buses are running on their regular schedules despite the holiday. If you depart from Phoenix, you will visit the South Rim, but if you depart from Vegas you can go to the South Rim or West Rim. Don't forget to buy your tickets online so you can use the Internet discount and save a lot of money!
America's favorite holiday, the Fourth of July, is almost here. It is a fantastic time to take a vacation to the Grand Canyon National Park, but you better book your tour as soon as possible. Independence Day is one of the most popular times for family vacations and the popular Grand Canyon helicopter tours usually sell out fast.
You have your choice of departure sites for the helicopter tours, you can leave from Vegas, or you can fly out of Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, Arizona. The flights from Tusayan go to the South Rim and the flights from Vegas go to the West Rim.
Touring The South Rim Of The Grand Canyon
You can choose from a 50 minute or 30 minute helicopter tour of the South Rim, they fly you to the North Rim and back passing over dramatic landmarks such as the Dragoon Corridor.
The 50 minute flight covers the same ground as the 30 minute flight but just adds more time in the air so you see more. It's become my personal favorite at this Rim. You'll see the South Rim, the North Rim, and everything up to the Park's eastern boundary. All told, it covers about ? of the entire National Park!
The helicopter tours at the South Rim cannot fly below the rim or land on the canyon floor. That unique experience is only possible at the West Rim.
Tours Of The West Rim
You can catch a helicopter tour out of Vegas every hour of the day from early morning until sunset. Here you can opt to take a fun-filled landing tour or just choose an aerial-only tour.
The most affordable tours are the air-only versions. If you have a tight budget or don't have a lot of time to spend, these are the ideal tours, and they offer a fantastic overview of the Grand Canyon region. You will get to see other impressive sights besides the West Rim, for example, you fly right over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam.
The landing flights are my favorites, though. As I mentioned before, the West Rim is the only place where your chopper can land on the bottom, almost 4,000 feet below the edge of the rim! The ride is thrilling enough, but going to the floor of the canyon allows you to have other fun experiences too.
For example, you can enjoy a champagne picnic once you land on the canyon floor. In addition, you can book a rafting tour along the smooth waters of the Colorado River. You could also choose to land on top of the rim and get VIP passes to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The Skywalk is an engineering marvel, it is a cantilevered bridge made of glass that allows you to walk out 70 feet past the edge and peer down into the canyon below!
Booking and Discounts
These fun helicopter tours of the Grand Canyon always sell out fast around the Fourth of July holiday. That's why I strongly urge you to book your flight at least a week or two ahead of time. You'll be able to get a seat and have a better shot at snagging one of the preferred flight times (morning flights are best).
The best prices are always on the ?Net. But don't buy your seats from one of the big-box travel sites like Viator, Orbitz or Priceline. Go directly to the tour operator's website instead. Then you can take the Internet discount when you complete your purchase on the site.
Summing Up
The Grand Canyon is always hopping in the summer during vacation season, but the July holiday is one of the busiest periods. That makes it important to book your helicopter tour at least a week in advance. And remember, buy your tour on the tour operator's website so you get the lowest rate available.
You've probably heard about the fun bus tours that take you from Phoenix or Vegas to the Grand Canyon. It is a very scenic way to take in the canyon and surrounding region. However, the bus combo tours are an even better experience. It's because they show you the Grand Canyon in ways that not many other tours can.
Grand Canyon Bus Tours From Las Vegas
When you leave from Vegas, you get to choose between a tour of the South Rim or a tour of the West Rim. The South Rim is a 5-hour drive from Sin City; the West Rim is much closer and only a 2-hour ride.
Bus tours pull out from Vegas 365 days a year, including all holidays. Each one is all-inclusive, meaning the price includes a professional driver/guide, free Strip hotel pickup and drop-off, lunch and all National Park entrance fees and taxes.
Most Vegas travelers end up choosing the West Rim because of the much shorter drive time. Some points to consider are below.
1. If you want adventure and thrills, go to the West Rim.
2. If you want to see the most natural beauty and scenic vistas, then the South Rim is best.
About The West Rim
The West Rim offers great combo tour experiences. For instance, you can choose a combo tour that comes with VIP access to the famous Grand Canyon Skywalk.
This $30-million spectacular attraction is famous for it's 40 glass panels that cost $250,000 each as well as for letting travelers walk 70 feet over the edge until they are standing some 4,000 over the bottom!
To protect the glass, travelers aren't allowed to take any personal electronics (including cameras or cell phones) onto the Skywalk. You can still get photos made by one of the professional photographers on the Skywalk. Their photos are amazing, so don't pass up the opportunity to get one done.
Next in popularity is the combo tour that comes with a 'copter flight to the canyon's bottom, followed by a float trip down the Colorado River. In fact, the West Rim is the only place along the Grand Canyon where helicopters are allowed to fly below the rim and land on the canyon floor.
South Rim
There are fewer options in Vegas South Rim bus tours. That's because the ride to the South Rim is so long, you can't really add on a long rafting tour, plus choppers can't land on the bottom of the canyon there.
A great combo tour for the South Rim is one that includes a helicopter ride that takes you to the North Rim and back, flying over one of the most dramatic parts of the canyon known as Dragoon Corridor.
Tours from Phoenix
Phoenix bus tours only go to the South Rim -- the West Rim is too far away. The ride to the South Rim is very scenic and includes a stop at Sedona. In my opinion, the 30-minute 'copter flight is a must-do optional add-on.
Get Your Seats Early
Touring the Grand Canyon by motor coach is the most affordable way to see the natural landmark. Plus, there are ways to save even more. For instance, get your seats early, try to get them at least a week ahead of time. Also, the lowest rates are on the Internet. Complete the entire transaction on the tour company's site and you'll qualify for a special online rate!
These kinds of combo tours are a terrific way to see the Park, so I hope I've inspired you to consider one. Seeing the Grand Canyon on a bus tour is always wonderful, but adding the Skywalk, a float trip or a helicopter ride will make your trip even better!
June 16th is dad's big day this year, so you should plan on getting him a fantastic gift. A Grand Canyon bus tour is a great idea. The operate on the usual schedule on the holiday and your dad is sure to have a blast on a bus tour. Bus tours are a great value and they are pretty exciting too.
The 16th of June will be here before you know it so be sure to book your trip soon. If you wait too long, the tours may be sold out and you and your dad will be disappointed.
You can catch a bus tour every day of the year from both Vegas and Phoenix. If you start your tour in Vegas, you can go to the West or South Rims, but if you leave from Phoenix, you will go to the South Rim only.
Phoenix Bus Tours To The Grand Canyon
The bus trip from Phoenix to the Grand Canyon is incredibly scenic and you will see a lot on your 3 hour ride. Most tours stop along the way at Sedona, AZ, a town that's known for its beautiful red-rock buttes. The tour bus takes you to the city of Tusayan, Arizona which is close to the main gates of the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon National Park Airport is located here.
You might want to opt for a semi-private van tour instead, but these only hold 12 people. If you want the ultimate in comfort and a more personalized trip, it might be a good option for you.
Bus Tours From Las Vegas To The Grand Canyon
You have a lot of options when it comes to Vegas bus tours. There is a basic tour that just goes to the West Rim, but you should upgrade it and add a helicopter flight to the bottom of the canyon, a rafting trip down the Colorado, or passes to the Grand Canyon Skywalk.
You shouldn't pass up the opportunity to take a chopper ride to the bottom of the canyon, and the only place helicopters can do this is on the West Rim. Of course, the Skywalk is also extra-special, it's the largest all-glass cantilevered bridge on the entire planet!
A lot of people love taking the bus tour out of Las Vegas that goes to the South Rim. It is a 5 hour bus ride to the South Rim, while the ride to the West Rim is about half that. It's worth it though, because the South Rim is generally considered to be the "real Grand Canyon." A lot of the iconic photos of the Grand Canyon were taken at the South Rim.
If your budget allows, you should add on a rim-to-rim chopper tour. It starts at the South Rim, flies to the North Rim, and then comes back. It's an exhilarating experience, especially when you're flying through dramatic Dragoon Corridor, the canyon's deepest, widest section!
Booking and Discounts
If you plan to take dad there to celebrate his big day, book your tickets at least two weeks in advance if you can. You risk disappointment if you wait too long. At best you'll have to settle for what's left, and at worst you could be closed out.
The best rates are always offered online. You can use the Internet discount when you buy your tickets online on the tour operator's website. If you buy your seats from your hotel concierge, kiosk, or travel agent, you will pay a lot more.
If you want to see the Grand Canyon and you are short on time or money, take an air-only helicopter tour. Landing tours are fun too but they cost more and they take more time. Even so, all you really need to fully experience the Grand Canyon is a tour by helicopter.
Air-only Grand Canyon helicopters take off from Grand Canyon National Park Airport in Tusayan, Arizona (these choppers fly to the South Rim and are a great option for travelers coming from Phoenix and other central AZ cities) and Las Vegas (West Rim only, because the South Rim is too far). If you choose to go on a landing tour instead, then you won't have a choice of rims since the West Rim is the only area where helicopters are allowed to fly below the rim.
There are two tour options for the South Rim, one of them lasts 30 minutes and takes you over to the North Rim and back. The second tour option is longer, at nearly an hour in length and covers the same ground but also takes you over the Zuni Corridor, Imperial Point, the Colorado River confluence, the Painted Desert, and Dragoon corridor, which is the deepest part of the canyon. The longest flight is probably the best choice since you get to see more notable landmarks in the canyon.
West Rim helicopter tours take off every day from several airfields located in the Las Vegas metro area. Expect the experience to last around 3.5 hours. On your way to the canyon, you get to fly over Lake Mead and the massive Hoover Dam. Once you arrive at the canyon, you'll see the Colorado River at the bottom, the breathtaking Grand Canyon Skywalk (the Glass Bridge), Eagle Point and Guano Point, among other sights.
A lot of travelers coming from Vegas love this particular tour because it gives them a taste of the Park but doesn't take a lot of time, they'd rather not take a whole day away from Vegas shows and nightlife. On the other hand, if you don't mind spending the additional time and want to see more of the canyon, sign up for a landing tour. One these tours you descend to the canyon floor in a chopper and enjoy a picnic by the river or float down the Colorado on a raft. You can also buy passes and walk out on the Skywalk if you are brave enough.
No matter which rim you choose and which type of tour you take, I urge you to pick one of the air tours that use EcoStar 130 helicopters. These offer a more enjoyable experience than the AStar helicopters many of the tour operators offer. Besides having a larger, more comfortable cabin, the EcoStar 130 gives you a quieter, more stable flight, top-notch climate control, theater-style seating, and a panoramic windshield that's perfect for sightseeing.
Just about every Grand Canyon helicopter tour is incredibly popular, and most sell out very quickly. Get your tickets as early as possible, try to get them a week ahead of time.
If you want the lowest price, then book your seats online because you will find great discounts there. Go straight to the tour operator's website because prices are lower there than they are at Orbitz or Expedia. It pays to buy direct instead of through a middleman. You have to complete your transaction online though so you can qualify for the steep Internet discount. If you call customer service or mail in your payment, you'll pay more.
Source: http://www.grandcanyoncheap.com/helicopter-deals.html
Book your seats now if you're thinking about taking a one day Grand Canyon rafting tour this Memorial Day weekend. The holiday will be here before you know it and the seats will go quickly.
Anyone four years old and up can join in the fun since these aren't whitewater rafting trips and there aren't any rapids. Instead, they're gentle, smooth water float trips.
Rafting tours of the Grand Canyon are fun day long adventures. You can take one of these scenic tours every day of the week, including the holiday weekend, from the months of March through November. They start early, around six in the morning, and leave from Vegas or the Grand Canyon National Park Airport located in Tusayan, AZ right outside the gates at the South Rim.
South Rim Rafting Tours
You can choose from two tours to the South Rim. The standard version takes you by bus from GCA to Page, Arizona. Then you go to the base of Glen Canyon Dam. That's where you'll board your pontoon boat.
The deluxe option takes you from GCA to the Page Municipal Airport in a flight that lasts about 45 minutes. From there you'll hop into a Jeep for a terrific 4x4 tour of the Slot Canyons at Antelope Canyon. After that, you go to Glen Canyon Dam where you get onboard a raft and start a scenic float along the river.
Both tours glide you 15 miles along the river as it cuts through the amazing scenery that surrounds you. You'll see some truly spectacular scenery, including Horseshoe Bend (picture red sandstone cliffs against beautiful turquoise water). The raft tours end at historic Lee's Ferry.
Tours from Vegas
These float tours are popular on the holiday weekend. You start off by taking a helicopter ride to Grand Canyon West from Vegas. After the helicopter lands on the canyon bottom, the tour ends with a wonderful 11 mile float trip down the Colorado River. This trip takes about ten hours from start to finish.
More Information
The West Rim of the Grand Canyon is the only place in the National Park where helicopters are allowed to flow below the rim. There the chopper takes you 3500 feet to the canyon floor and lands next to the Colorado River.
You get on your raft at the foot of the massive Hoover Dam, which towers 700 feet above you. You ride in a 19 passenger rubberized raft and pass through the Black Canyon on your way to the end at Willow Beach, AZ.
Come Prepared
You will be outside all day long, so prepare accordingly. It gets pretty hot during the summer. I recommend bringing plenty of sunscreen and a waterproof bag with an extra set of clothes. Protect yourself with sunglasses, long sleeves and a hat.
All Grand Canyon raft tours include lunch, drinks, the services of an expert river guide (who will share interesting info about native wildlife and plants), all necessary equipment, and all applicable taxes and fees. These tours are highly recommended, so take one if you can. Lose yourself in the experience of a raft tour so you don't have to waste time worrying about finding things to do over the holiday.
In Conclusion
The holiday is on Monday, May 27 this year. Most folks will treat it as a three day weekend. Everyone loves to go to the Grand Canyon, so you will have plenty of competition for available seats on the raft tours. Book your seat early. Also, make sure you lock down your seats on the Web as you'll save a ton of money by booking that way. You'll get a terrific Internet discount provided you complete your purchase online!
This year, the Memorial Day holiday falls on Monday, May 27. The holiday weekend also officially kicks off the peak months of the summer travel season, so if you plan to take a Grand Canyon airplane tour then, you had better book your seats early.
Airplane tours of the Grand Canyon depart from Vegas in Nevada and from Tusayan, Arizona near the South Rim. Flights leave throughout the day and follow the usual schedule on Memorial Day weekend. To be safe, you should get your tickets at least one week ahead of your trip, don't wait until the last minute.
Las Vegas Airplane Tours
If you depart from Vegas, you can go to the West Rim or to the South Rim. The flight to the West Rim takes around 30 minutes and once you are there, you can engage in several fun activities. One of the most popular options is a helicopter ride that takes you to the floor of the canyon. You can also enjoy a relaxing raft trip along the Colorado River.
Another fun thing you should do at the West Rim is buy a tour that includes passes to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Strolling on the Skywalk is chilling and thrilling at the same time. It is made out of glass and juts out 70 feet past the wall of the canyon. You will feel like you're walking on air as you peer between your feet to the canyon floor 4000 ft beneath you!
Choosing a South Rim flight from Vegas is a great option too. It takes 5 hours to drive to the South Rim from Vegas, but it only takes an hour to fly there. When your flight arrives, you hop on a bus for a scenic 2 hour bus tour through the National Park, plus you can upgrade and add a thrilling helicopter ride along the Dragoon Corridor and across the canyon.
Airplane Tours Of The South Rim Of The Grand Canyon
One of the most popular tours of the South Rim is the flight that takes you to the South, North, and East Rims of the canyon and lasts almost an hour. That tour allows you to see almost three-fourths of the entire park. It is a fantastic way to see a huge portion of the region in a limited amount of time.
You might also be interested in taking one of the new air tours that includes a rafting trip. After the air tour, you go to Glen Canyon Dam, get in a safari Jeep and ride through Antelope Canyon, which is home to unique slot canyon formations. Then you get on board a pontoon raft and begin a relaxing float tour along the Colorado River that covers about 15 miles. This scenic tour stays on gentle waters so kids as young as four are allowed.
In Conclusion
The Memorial Day holiday is a great three-day weekend to spend exploring the magnificent Grand Canyon while the temperatures are still mild. An airplane tour of the Grand Canyon is the only way to appreciate its grandeur and immensity. Plus they are a lot of fun and affordable. And since the airplanes hold 19 people, your whole group can travel together. Book your seats early so you won't be disappointed and get the best price by buying them online. Don't go to the big travel website, just go right to the tour operator's site. By completing your transaction on the tour operator's website, you get to take advantage of the Internet rate that is not available elsewhere.
