Saturday, March 3, 2012

See Grand Canyon From Las Vegas by Airplane

By Francine Simon


Are you looking to wow your family with a great vacation this year? Why not go to Las Vegas where you can give your family a trip they'll be talking about forever? When you select this destination as your holiday vacation, you can see and do a great deal in a short time period. Not only can you hit the casinos and other attractions of Vegas, you can also take a trip to the Grand Canyon and Colorado River, and the best way to do this is by airplane.

The first thing you will need to do before you book a Grand Canyon airplane tour from Las Vegas is to determine which rim you would like to visit. Choose from either the South Rim, which is a 45-minute flight, or the West Rim, which will take you 25 minutes to reach. The South Rim is known for its gorgeous landscapes while the West Rim is where you will find the adventure of a lifetime. Be sure to compare both and, if you just can't decide, you may wish to make both trips - just on different days!

Flying to the South Rim, you'll follow the Colorado River until you begin your descent onto the Kaibab Plateau. On this trip you will see a wilderness unlike any other found in the country. Grand Canyon National Park, which is more than a vertical mile deep and 10 miles wide, is made up of more than a million acres; everything from junipers and ponderosa pines to ancient rock formations and soaring California Condors can be seen here.

Nothing comes even close to the South Rim's regal landscape. The standard Vegas airplane tour package has about three hours of time on the ground. This is done via coach, which will make stops at most popular viewing points including Yavapai Point and Mather Point. Prior to getting back on the plane, you'll most likely stop at Grand Canyon Village. All buildings in this area are on the National Register for Historic Places. The Village is also a hot spot for restaurants, gift stores and art galleries.

Others choose to fly to the West Rim, which is located just 120 miles from Las Vegas and is home to the fabulous Grand Canyon Skywalk. Also referred to as the Glass Bridge, the structure boasts a glass walkway that proceeds 70 feet past the edge of the rim. Go out on the Skywalk and you will be standing 4,000 feet over the base of the canyon. To prevent scratching the glass, no cameras or personal electronics are permitted. Professional photographers are around to take your photograph and based on the package I purchased they do a wonderful job.

Certainly, the Skywalk is not to be missed. But there's more here: airplane trips that land generally include 2 hours of ground time. Use it wisely by going to the Indian Cultural Center, Eagle Point and Guano Point and one of several memento shops that sell genuine Native American crafts.

Reserve plane tours in advance. Especially the one that goes from Vegas to the South Rim. I would suggest playing it safe and reserving at least a week before you go. Make sure you purchase your air excursion on the web. Doing this will automatically allow you to get a much better deal than if you did it on the phone or by way of a tour operator. Print and pack your confirmation - you will need it at sign in. Then relax and get ready for the flight of a lifetime.




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