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Memorial Day marks the beginning of summer, and that means it's time to plan a fun getaway like a visit to the Grand Canyon complete with an air tour. Grand Canyon helicopters fly as usual over the holiday weekend, the only difference is Memorial Day is a busy time for travel, so you want to be sure to book your tour early. You can take an air tour out of Arizona or out of Las Vegas. Tour helicopters that lift off from the airfield in Arizona fly over the South Rim portion of the canyon, and the choppers that depart from the Vegas metro area tour the West Rim. Touring The Grand Canyon By Helicopter The helicopter tours are more popular than the airplane tours of the canyon because the choppers can fly low and hover, so you have great views. You'll also see plenty of interesting sights on your way from Vegas to the West Rim such as the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. Grand canyon helicopters that fly to the West Rim have the option of landing on the canyon floor or on top of the rim. The helicopter descent into the canyon is a thrilling ride, and these tours are very popular, especially considering you're treated to a champagne picnic once you land. You can add fun adventures to the West Rim landing tours too, such as tickets to the glass Grand Canyon Skywalk, and a raft ride on the Colorado River. Walking on the Skywalk is an amazing experience that gives you a thrill along with spectacular views as you stand on a bridge of glass and peer down 4000 feet to the canyon floor below you. There are no landing tours available at the South Rim, but you'll find aerial tours there with extended flight time. One tour gives you 30 minutes of air time and lets you see all the land between the South and North Rims. There is a long tour option too that is the best choice since it covers 75 percent of the Grand Canyon National Park in a little under an hour of flight time. The longer tour covers the same area as the shorter one but adds on a trip over to the eastern border of the national park. Touring The Canyon By Plane The tour helicopters and airplanes fly the same path, the only difference is the airplanes have to fly much higher than the choppers. If you'll be staying in Vegas and want to tour the South Rim, you'll have to buy a tour package that includes plane transportation from Vegas to the South Rim since choppers don't fly that far. Just like the helicopter tours of the West Rim, the airplane tours are available in air-only and landing versions. For example, you can book an airplane landing tour that comes with tickets to the Skywalk. When you take a plane flight from Vegas to the South Rim, your airplane lands at the same airfield where you can board your helicopter for a tour of the national park. If you'll already be staying in an Arizona city, then you just need to find your own transportation to the airport in Tusayan, Arizona where you can begin your air tour of the South Rim. Deluxe Aircraft When you book your tour, you get to choose the type of helicopter used in your tour. The basic one or the deluxe version. Bell Ranger helicopters are used for the basic tours, while EcoStar 130 choppers are used on the deluxe flights. Bell Rangers are the older model of helicopters, however, you don't have to worry about flying on one as they are completely safe and you'll have a good view. The EcoStar 130 choppers have a newer design created specifically for sightseeing, so they offer superior views. The wraparound window offers beautiful panoramic views, and the cabin is bigger, so the seats can be arranged in such a way that everyone has a spectacular view of the scenery below. Buy Memorial Day Tours Now Air tours often fill up in advance because they are so popular, and since Memorial Day is a busy travel weekend, you should go ahead and book your tour now. You'll find the best price for your air tour online since you can avoid commission fees that way. Memorial Day is the perfect time to take a getaway to the Grand Canyon, but it's also a time to remember those who've gone before and made America great. Pay tribute to the country's fallen heroes by enjoying one of the most beautiful natural landmarks in America. Tips from the Author
Grand Canyon expert author Justine M. recommends going here for the best airplane tours and here for the finest helicopter rides: http://www.grandcanyoncheap.com/helicopter-deals.html
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