The Grand Canyon is high on the list of places to visit over the July 4th holiday weekend. If you plan to do it, consider taking one of the many terrific sightseeing flights available during that time.

During the holiday, travelers can pick from helicopter and airplane tours that depart from Las Vegas, NV, or Tusayan, AZ, which is also known as the South Rim and the main gateway to the National Park.

Helicopters

Please be advised that Las Vegas helicopters only fly to the West Rim because the South is too far. Thus if you want to fly to the South Rim from Vegas, you need to book an airplane tour.

The most popular Vegas helicopter tours is the one that goes to the bottom for a Champagne picnic. In addition to flying over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam, this flight can also be upgraded to include a Colorado River boat ride and a VIP pass to the Skywalk.

South Rim helicopters are not permitted to fly below the Rim and land because it\’s banned by the National Park Service. Thus travelers have two main options from which to choose: the 30-minute and the 50-minute tour.

I recommend the 50-minute flight because it lets guests see up to 75 percent of the National Park. Another great tour during July 4th is the helicopter-Jeep combo package. It features a 30-minute helicopter ride and a 2-hour Jeep tour that stops at all the Park\’s key lookouts and landmarks.

Basic and Deluxe

Both departure points offer basic and deluxe helicopter tours. The key difference between the two is the type of helicopter used. Basic trips use the standard Bell Ranger or AStar, while deluxe tours use the spectacular EcoStar 130.

The EC 130, in my opinion is the king of the sky. Its cabin is nearly 25 percent larger than other helicopters. Further, it comes with stadium-style bucket seats and a massive 180-degree wraparound windshield that delivers incredible panoramas of the Park.

Airplanes

Vegas airplanes go to the West Rim and the South Rim. At West Rim, planes fly over it or land on the top wherein they can be upgraded to include helicopter rides to the bottom, boat rides at the bottom and full access to the Skywalk at the top.

The #1 Vegas airplane tour is the one that flies direct to the South Rim. Flight time is just 60 minutes (compared with 5.5-hours on the ground). And when you to the South Rim, you can upgrade it with a helicopter ride, a Jeep tour or a bus tour.

There\’s only one South Rim airplane tour. It basically follows the same path as the 50-minute helicopter, except at a much higher altitude. Planes hold up to 19 passengers but don\’t wait until the last minute to book these flights as they regularly sell out.

Conclusion

The Fourth of July holiday weekend is coming up and if you plan on seeing the Grand Canyon, consider taking an air tour. Trips range from helicopters and airplanes, with departures from Las Vegas and Tusayan, AZ. But don\’t wait until the last minute to RSVP as these tours are bound to sell out fast.

The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best airplane tours and here for the #1 rated helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best airplane tours and here for the #1 rated helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Author Bio: The author is a Grand Canyon expert and recommends going here for the best airplane tours and here for the #1 rated helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyondaytrips.com/helicopters/

Category: Travel
Keywords: grand canyon helicopters, las vegas helicopters, grand canyon flights, grand canyon airplane,