Wish you could take a fun getaway this Thanksgiving? Not looking forward to wasting your days off laying around the house and eating turkey? An ideal experience you’ll never forget is to go to Arizona or Vegas for an air tour of the Grand Canyon. Air tours of the Canyon are very popular, especially over the holidays, so you want to get your tour booked as soon as you can.
Air Tours From Tusayan In Arizona
The West Rim is probably what most people think of when touring the Canyon comes to mind. While the majority of visitors choose West Rim tours, there are tours to the South Rim too, and these are definitely worth considering.
South Rim flights take off from the airport in Tusayan, Arizona, and there are two main tours available. The first option is a half-hour tour that covers the ground between the North and South Rims, and the second is a longer, 50-minute tour that covers the same ground but adds on a leg to the eastern boundary of the national park. The long tour doesn’t cost a whole lot more yet it flies over 75 percent of the entire park grounds. The longer tour is the recommended choice since you get to see so much more land, including pristine wilderness areas.
The South Rim air tour can also be upgraded to include a Jeep ride through the Canyon. Adding a ground tour to your flight gives you the chance to see the Canyon from two different perspectives.
Vegas Air Tours To The Canyon
Vegas is a busy tourist hub, so there are a lot of Canyon tours you can choose from that depart from there.
You can book an air tour that leaves from Vegas or one that leaves from Boulder City, which is just outside of Vegas. While all the tours follow the same route to the Canyon, the deluxe ones that take off from The Strip in Vegas include a flyover of the resorts and attractions on The Strip as well. Another advantage of taking a deluxe tour from Vegas is that you’ll get to fly on the state-of-the-art EcoStar helicopter. The helicopter is made for touring so the cabin has more room and the flight is quieter, plus, the helicopter has a massive viewing window for fantastic panoramic sightseeing. The deluxe tour costs more, but it is worth it if it fits your budget, and it even includes complimentary limousine transportation to and from the helipad on The Strip.
The great thing about flying to the West Rim is that landing tours are permitted there. You can choose an air-only tour that flies from Vegas, past the Hoover Dam, and then over the main points of interest at the West Rim before heading back to Vegas. If you book a landing tour, you’ll fly along the same flight path and see the same sights from the air, but you also get to land at the Canyon for some fun ground adventures.
One of the more popular landing tours flies down to the Canyon floor. When you depart from your chopper, you’ll be treated to a Champagne picnic, and if you want, you can take a boat ride on the Colorado River which is nearby. There is another tour that lands on top of the rim, and it comes with Skywalk tickets, so you can experience this thrilling attraction. The Skywalk is a huge glass and steel platform that lets you stand 4000 feet above the bottom of the Canyon. Standing over the Canyon on a glass floor is nearly as exhilarating as going on the helicopter flight. If you’re up for a day filled with adventure, you can book a helicopter tour that lands on the Canyon floor and on top of the rim too so you can do all the West Rim has to offer.
Canyon Airplane Tours
Airplane tours are also available, and these follow the same route as the helicopters that depart from Arizona or Nevada. The planes are ideal for groups because they can carry 19 passengers per tour. The airplanes fly higher than helicopters, but the tours cost less too. Airplanes provide good views through their oversized windows, plus they are roomy and comfy, so airplane tours are a good choice if you need to fly on a budget.
Buy Your Tour Online In Time For Thanksgiving
Air tours of the Canyon are always very popular and they often sell out in advance. For that reason, you need to book your tour ahead of time. Try to book at least two weeks ahead of time. Just use your credit card and buy your tour online as this instantly locks in the lowest rate and reserves your seats.
Prepare For An Adventure
The Canyon is a beautiful scenic wonder and flying over it on an air tour is the best way to soak up nature’s beauty. Plus, remember, you can enhance your tour by adding on a Jeep ride or a landing adventure for even more fun.