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Temps at the Grand Canyon soar over 100 in the summer, but Las Vegas helicopters can help you beat the heat. Not only that, they make trips to the canyon sizzle in a different, much better way. Flight Times You can take a chopper tour of the Grand Canyon seven days a week from 6 o'clock in the morning until 6 o'clock in the evening. Morning tours are usually best because the temperatures are cooler then, but avoid the 'early bird' flights if you can because the sun will block your view from the chopper and it won't be sunny on the canyon floor yet. The Choppers I also suggest upgrading to a tour that uses an EcoStar 130 chopper. You will see the sights in comfort because these choppers offer big sightseeing windows, an oversized cabin, stadium-style seating, and air conditioning to keep you cool on the hottest days of summer. Helicopter Tours Of The West Rim The South Rim of the Grand Canyon is 277 miles away so it is too far for a helicopter to make it from Vegas, therefore you will go to the West Rim instead, which is 120 miles away. You can get there in less than an hour by helicopter. Landing Flights To control noise and pollution, the National Park Service and the FAA only permit choppers to land on the bottom of the canyon at the West Rim. So if you take a tour to the West Rim, you will have some fantastic options in landing tours. For example, one terrific tour lands on the bottom for a picnic next to the Colorado River! When you are finished with your picnic, you can float down the Colorado River on a raft for a wonderful scenic experience. A different landing tour gives you VIP access to the amazing Skywalk. You can walk out 70 feet on this glass bridge that sits 4000 feet above the bottom of the canyon. It's a must-do while you're at the canyon. Air-Only Helicopter Tours If you prefer, you can opt for an air-only tour that departs from Las Vegas. All of these flights (air-only as well as landing) pass over Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, Grand Wash Cliffs, Fortification Hill (an extinct volcano), Grand Canyon West and the Skywalk, and the views are awesome. The air-only tours are ideal if you don't have much time to spend on touring the canyon and they are less expensive too. Seating When you book your seats, the tour operator may let your reserve ones on the front row, but there is no guarantee you will sit there. When you board the chopper, you are assigned a seat so the weight of all the passengers is spread evenly throughout the aircraft. So where you get to sit is random luck. Come Prepared It is very hot in summer so dress in comfortable clothes and wear sunglasses too. If you'll be on a landing flight, make sure you wear a hat and a loose-fitting, long-sleeved cotton shirt. Also, bring extra sunblock, water, and salty snacks. Let's Recap Las Vegas and Grand Canyon National Park are hot in the summer, but helicopter tours can show you the Park in comfort and they deliver a great experience. The EcoStar 130 offers a superior sightseeing experience where you will be cool and comfortable during the entire flight. These Grand Canyon tours are very popular so you want to book your seat in advance in case the tour you want sells out. Pay for your tour online on the tour company's website. Follow this tip and you'll get a great Internet rate. It's a great way to save a lot of money on a fantastic tour! Tips from the Author Travel editor Justine M. is an authority on Grand Canyon helicopters. She recommends these tours and this page for great savings: http://www.grandcanyonhelicopter.org/grand-canyon-helicopter-tour-coupons.html
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