Travel and Leisure

There's so much to do and see when visiting Las Vegas, NV, that most travelers never venture past the Strip. Don't let that happen to you. Add the Grand Canyon to your list of things to do and discover why no trip to Sin City is complete without a visit to the National Park.

Types

There are many ways to get to the Grand Canyon, the top options being helicopter, airplane and bus. In most cases, budget and time will determine which is right for you. In a nutshell, helicopter is the most expensive, bus is the cheapest and airplane is in the middle. If time is an issue, take an air tour, or, if you can spare a day, go by bus.

In my opinion, helicopters are the most exciting and rewarding. Flights depart from Las Vegas every day of the year except Christmas Day and go direct to the West Rim, which is also known as Grand Canyon West. There are no direct trips to the South Rim. If you'd like to do this, you must book a combination package that includes either an airplane flight or a bus ride. If you go this route, I recommend the plane because transit time to the canyon is 45 minutes versus almost six hours if you go by bus.

There are two kinds of helicopter tours from which to choose: Air and landing. Air tours give you a bird's eye view of the canyon, while landing packages take you to the top or bottom of the gorge and let you attach a number of side trips like a Colorado River boat ride or tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. If you have the budget and the time, I always recommend going with a landing tour, as it's a much more comprehensive and fulfilling experience.

Flights

Airplane tours are also available in air or landing, and are the absolute fastest way to get to the West Rim. Many travelers are under the impression that these aircraft are small when in fact they seat up to 19 adults. The aircraft are also customized specifically for sightseeing and feature oversized windows and wings that are attached to the top of the cabin so views are unobscured.

Before I move on to bus tours, I want to note that if you are booking a large group, it might be to your advantage to take an airplane tour. The key benefit is that all of you will fly on the same aircraft, as opposed to a helicopter that can only accommodate six people. Further, the cost will be considerably cheaper, and, if you happen to be booking during high season, there's usually seating available.

Coach trips are great for budget travelers or for folks who prefer not to get airborne. Destinations include the West Rim and the South Rim. Travel time to the West Rim is 2.5 hours and the South Rim is 5.5 hours. Please take into consideration that bus tours take more than 12 hours to complete, and, as such, I don't recommend making dinner or show reservations for the evening.

All-Inclusive

Las Vegas to Grand Canyon tours are all-inclusive and come with free hotel pick up and drop off, a professional guide, lunch (except air-only flights) and all taxes and fees. I think this is extraordinary because all the planning is done for you. It also makes these canyon tours in particular an incredible value.