Are you looking for a fun and different way to celebrate the New Year? The Grand Canyon is waiting for you, and there's no better way to see it than from the air. You can tour the West Rim or the South Rim depending on which area you want to see.
But be aware, it's December already, so seats are filling up fast. You need to book your tour as soon as you can, but try to have it locked in at least a week in advance. You'll find the best deals on air tours online and if you buy your tour online using your credit card, you can immediately and easily reserve your seats.
Tours leave from Vegas and Arizona, and you can even fly to Arizona from Vegas if you're more interested in seeing the South Rim. There are lots of tour options and adventures to consider.
Vegas Airplane Tours
All of the tours that depart from Vegas fly over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam as part of the tour. Then, if you buy an air-only tour, your plane flies over the rim and heads back to the city. If you want a little more adventure, then you should book a landing tour that offers a day of fun.
Tours land at the top of the rim, and from there you can take advantage of a number of additional packages. There's the Skywalk viewing platform, for starters, which will place you on a transparent platform that is around 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon, and 70ft over the edge. Cameras are not allowed on the glass platform for safety reasons, but a professional photographer is stationed on the platform to take a photo to commemorate your exciting experience.
You can also fly to the bottom of the Canyon in a helicopter. This one is super popular with tourists. Once you're at the bottom of the Canyon, you can enjoy a Champagne picnic or you can take a scenic boat ride along the Colorado River.
South Rim Tours
You can start your tour from the South Rim, or you can fly out there from Vegas. All of the tours begin near the main gates of the South Rim.
You have your choice between a 30 or 50 minute air tour, but you should opt for the longer one if you can. You'll see a lot more on the longer tour, so the bump in price is worth it. The airplane flies over to the remote lands of the North Rim. Next, it flies all the way to the eastern edge of the Park, and finally the tour returns to the South Rim. Why do I love this tour? Because you'll get to see about 3/4 of the entire National Park when you take it. When you take into account how big the Canyon and the park is, that's a massive achievement. The Dragoon Corridor is located at the South Rim, and it's the deepest and widest part of the entire Canyon.
Your airplane won't be able to land at the South Rim like planes do at the West Rim, but there are still fun adventures you can add on to your tour. You could book a 2 1/2 hour bus ride through the Park or a fun off-road Jeep tour through the rugged terrain.
Sightseeing Aircraft
One good thing about the airplane tours is that they are all-inclusive, which means all fees are included and you won't have any last minute charges once the tour starts. The planes carry 19 people, so if you're traveling with a big family or group of people, a plane tour is the ideal way to travel together. Most importantly, the planes have been designed for optimal viewing. The wings are positioned above the windows so they are out of the way, and the windows are extra large, so you get great views. If you're coming from abroad or have companions who are, there is in flight-narration, which can be provided in 10 major languages.
To Conclude
Even though New Year's Eve is a time to celebrate, it is easy to get in a rut and do the same thing each year. Booking a Canyon tour from Las Vegas or Arizona will allow you to do something truly special this year, and make the most of the holiday. Remember that you need to book early, as this is one of the most popular times of the year to travel. Book your tour the easy way by paying for it online with your credit card. You'll get the best price and will have no stress with your booking when it comes to the day for your tour.
But be aware, it's December already, so seats are filling up fast. You need to book your tour as soon as you can, but try to have it locked in at least a week in advance. You'll find the best deals on air tours online and if you buy your tour online using your credit card, you can immediately and easily reserve your seats.
Tours leave from Vegas and Arizona, and you can even fly to Arizona from Vegas if you're more interested in seeing the South Rim. There are lots of tour options and adventures to consider.
Vegas Airplane Tours
All of the tours that depart from Vegas fly over Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam as part of the tour. Then, if you buy an air-only tour, your plane flies over the rim and heads back to the city. If you want a little more adventure, then you should book a landing tour that offers a day of fun.
Tours land at the top of the rim, and from there you can take advantage of a number of additional packages. There's the Skywalk viewing platform, for starters, which will place you on a transparent platform that is around 4000ft above the bottom of the Canyon, and 70ft over the edge. Cameras are not allowed on the glass platform for safety reasons, but a professional photographer is stationed on the platform to take a photo to commemorate your exciting experience.
You can also fly to the bottom of the Canyon in a helicopter. This one is super popular with tourists. Once you're at the bottom of the Canyon, you can enjoy a Champagne picnic or you can take a scenic boat ride along the Colorado River.
South Rim Tours
You can start your tour from the South Rim, or you can fly out there from Vegas. All of the tours begin near the main gates of the South Rim.
You have your choice between a 30 or 50 minute air tour, but you should opt for the longer one if you can. You'll see a lot more on the longer tour, so the bump in price is worth it. The airplane flies over to the remote lands of the North Rim. Next, it flies all the way to the eastern edge of the Park, and finally the tour returns to the South Rim. Why do I love this tour? Because you'll get to see about 3/4 of the entire National Park when you take it. When you take into account how big the Canyon and the park is, that's a massive achievement. The Dragoon Corridor is located at the South Rim, and it's the deepest and widest part of the entire Canyon.
Your airplane won't be able to land at the South Rim like planes do at the West Rim, but there are still fun adventures you can add on to your tour. You could book a 2 1/2 hour bus ride through the Park or a fun off-road Jeep tour through the rugged terrain.
Sightseeing Aircraft
One good thing about the airplane tours is that they are all-inclusive, which means all fees are included and you won't have any last minute charges once the tour starts. The planes carry 19 people, so if you're traveling with a big family or group of people, a plane tour is the ideal way to travel together. Most importantly, the planes have been designed for optimal viewing. The wings are positioned above the windows so they are out of the way, and the windows are extra large, so you get great views. If you're coming from abroad or have companions who are, there is in flight-narration, which can be provided in 10 major languages.
To Conclude
Even though New Year's Eve is a time to celebrate, it is easy to get in a rut and do the same thing each year. Booking a Canyon tour from Las Vegas or Arizona will allow you to do something truly special this year, and make the most of the holiday. Remember that you need to book early, as this is one of the most popular times of the year to travel. Book your tour the easy way by paying for it online with your credit card. You'll get the best price and will have no stress with your booking when it comes to the day for your tour.
About the Author:
Grand Canyon specialist Debbie Shooster advises these National Park trips and especially these fabulous plane tours from Las Vegas and Arizona: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/best-airplane-tours/