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Veteran's Day is a long weekend, so it is a great chance to head to the Grand Canyon for a helicopter tour. Grand Canyon helicopters follow the same schedule on holidays as they do every other day of the year. In most cases, that's means hourly at both the West Rim and the South Rim. So, which rim is best? Here's how to break it down. If you want to take a helicopter tour out of Las Vegas, NV, you will head to the West Rim since it is closest to the city. If you plan to leave from a city in Arizona such as Sedona, Phoenix, or Scottsdale, you will head to the South Rim since that is closer. Let's dive into the kinds of tours available from each location. Grand Canyon choppers that take off from Las Vegas offer landing or air-only tours. Both kinds go over Lake Mead and Hoover Dam en route to the West Rim. 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. The tours that take you to the bottom of the canyon allow you about a half an hour to explore the area by foot near the scenic Colorado River, and include a fun picnic treat too. You can also add on a float trip down the river and a walk on the Grand Canyon Skywalk. You can also tour the Skywalk when you choose a chopper that lands on top of the rim. 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. The National Parks Service won't let helicopters fly below the rim there. That's all right by me because the aerial tours are fantastic. There are two kinds of South Rim air tours: 30 minutes and 50 minutes. The short tour takes you on a scenic flight to the North Rim then circles back, while the longer tour goes to the North Rim and the eastern border before circling back. 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!). It is probably going to be very busy at the canyon over Veteran's Day weekend. So get your tickets for Grand Canyon tours at least a week ahead of time. 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. If you want a good deal on your tour price, buy it online. Although the most discounts are available during the summer, you can find some fantastic special offers during the winter too. In many cases, Web rates are up to 25 percent cheaper than retail. That is a pretty significant discount when you have to buy tickets for your whole family. To Conclude Veteran's Day is on a Monday and it is one of the last holiday weekends of the year. I know many of you will be vacationing in Las Vegas or Arizona. Consider taking a tour of the Grand Canyon when you are near the region. And if you want to do it proper, then it's a helicopter ride all the way. -------------------TRAVEL ADVISORY FROM THE AUTHOR -------------------------- All set to fly? Go here to learn who the top Grand Canyon helicopter companies are here for rates that have been reduced only for Veteran's Day: http://grandcanyoncheap.com/helicopter-deals.html
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