Grand Canyon Helicopters - An Excellent Way to Observe Veteran"s Day
Veteran's Day is coming up and that means three-day weekend, perfect for those considering a flight by helicopter over the Grand Canyon.
Grand Canyon helicopters follow the same schedule on holidays as they do every other day of the year. West Rim or South Rim, you can catch a flight just about every hour of the day.
So, which rim is best? Maybe this will help.
The West Rim is about 120 miles from Vegas so helicopters that depart from the Vegas metro area only go to the West Rim because the South Rim is too far away. The South Rim is what you'll do if you are anywhere in central Arizona like Phoenix, Sedona, Scottsdale etc.
You can choose from different tour options when you depart from either city.
Vegas offers air and landing trips. Either type will fly you over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead on the way to the canyon. The air-only tours circle the West Rim and return to Vegas, while the landing tours drop you off on top of the rim or on the canyon floor.
Things to do on landing tours.
The bottom flight comes with a picnic and gives you 30 minutes ground time alongside the Colorado River. Other fun adventures you can add include a walk on the Skywalk and a boat trip along the Colorado River. The helicopter tours that land on top allow you to explore the top of the rim and walk on the Skywalk.
The unique thing about Vegas landing tours is that they are the only ones that let you go below the rim and land.
So if you choose a helicopter tour of the South Rim, it has to be air-only. This is because the National Park Service (NPS) doesn't permit flights to go below the rim. But don't worry, the air tours are a lot of fun.
You can choose between a short air tour of thirty minutes and a longer one of about fifty minutes. The shorter one goes from South to North and back, while the longer one does that too but it also comes with everything up to the Park's eastern border. Frankly, I like the later because you get to see so much more of the Park (some tell me it's upwards of 75 percent!).
Keep in mind, holidays are busy at the canyon, and Veteran's Day is no different. So, you should book your seats at least one week before you plan to go. That said, it is winter, which is nothing like the summer tourism season, so you can probably get away with 72 hours but I wouldn't cut it any closer.
As for deals, stick with the Internet. Although the most discounts are available during the summer, you can find some fantastic special offers during the winter too. You might be able to save as much as 25 percent. If you are buying tickets for your entire family, you can really save a bundle by buying online.
Conclusion
The three day Veteran's Day weekend is one of the last chances for a quick getaway this year. Arizona and Las Vegas are great places to enjoy a nice trip. Thus, if you are looking for an incredible daytrip, I strongly recommend the Grand Canyon. And of all the Grand Canyon tours available, those on helicopter are the most exciting of all.
Grand Canyon helicopters follow the same schedule on holidays as they do every other day of the year. West Rim or South Rim, you can catch a flight just about every hour of the day.
So, which rim is best? Maybe this will help.
The West Rim is about 120 miles from Vegas so helicopters that depart from the Vegas metro area only go to the West Rim because the South Rim is too far away. The South Rim is what you'll do if you are anywhere in central Arizona like Phoenix, Sedona, Scottsdale etc.
You can choose from different tour options when you depart from either city.
Vegas offers air and landing trips. Either type will fly you over the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead on the way to the canyon. The air-only tours circle the West Rim and return to Vegas, while the landing tours drop you off on top of the rim or on the canyon floor.
Things to do on landing tours.
The bottom flight comes with a picnic and gives you 30 minutes ground time alongside the Colorado River. Other fun adventures you can add include a walk on the Skywalk and a boat trip along the Colorado River. The helicopter tours that land on top allow you to explore the top of the rim and walk on the Skywalk.
The unique thing about Vegas landing tours is that they are the only ones that let you go below the rim and land.
So if you choose a helicopter tour of the South Rim, it has to be air-only. This is because the National Park Service (NPS) doesn't permit flights to go below the rim. But don't worry, the air tours are a lot of fun.
You can choose between a short air tour of thirty minutes and a longer one of about fifty minutes. The shorter one goes from South to North and back, while the longer one does that too but it also comes with everything up to the Park's eastern border. Frankly, I like the later because you get to see so much more of the Park (some tell me it's upwards of 75 percent!).
Keep in mind, holidays are busy at the canyon, and Veteran's Day is no different. So, you should book your seats at least one week before you plan to go. That said, it is winter, which is nothing like the summer tourism season, so you can probably get away with 72 hours but I wouldn't cut it any closer.
As for deals, stick with the Internet. Although the most discounts are available during the summer, you can find some fantastic special offers during the winter too. You might be able to save as much as 25 percent. If you are buying tickets for your entire family, you can really save a bundle by buying online.
Conclusion
The three day Veteran's Day weekend is one of the last chances for a quick getaway this year. Arizona and Las Vegas are great places to enjoy a nice trip. Thus, if you are looking for an incredible daytrip, I strongly recommend the Grand Canyon. And of all the Grand Canyon tours available, those on helicopter are the most exciting of all.
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