The holiday falls on Sunday, May 12. You might think you still have plenty of time to reserve your seats on one of these tours, but in reality you don't. These tours are so popular, the seats sell out in advance, especially on special holidays. So book your seats as early as possible.
You should plan on getting your seats one to two weeks in advance of your trip. There are advantages to getting your tickets early:
1. More tours and flight times from which to choose.
2. A lower rate.
3. And If you're traveling with other folks, you'll be able to get everyone a seat.
Because choppers only hold six passengers, book well ahead so your group can all fly in the same aircraft (your Mom wouldn't want to be with strangers instead of her family!). The flight time you choose is important too. Early morning is a good time to depart since the visibility is great then and the air is calmer.
You can begin your helicopter tour of the Grand Canyon at Tusayan, Arizona at the Grand Canyon National Park Airport and go to the South Rim, or you can leave from Vegas and go to the South Rim or West Rim. Which rim you choose depends on what Mom's into. If you think she would be mostly interested in seeing scenic vistas of natural beauty, take her to the South Rim. If she's more into adventure and excitement, head for the West.
South Rim Tours
If you will be in an Arizona city such as Scottsdale, Sedona or Phoenix, then head to the GCA airport in Tusayan and enjoy the scenic drive along the way. At the airport, you can choose a half hour flight from the South Rim to the North Rim and back again or you can opt for a longer tour that lasts about 50 minutes. The longer flight includes everything in the shorter tour but also goes all the way to the eastern boundary of the National Park.
Important note, if you'll be based in Vegas but want a South Rim helicopter tour, you'll have to jump through an extra hoop. Because the South Rim is outside the range of choppers from Vegas, you'd need to take a plane to GCA and then board your copter there.
Touring The West Rim
Remember the champagne brunch tour at the bottom of the canyon that was previously mentioned? You can only take that tour if you leave from Vegas since the West Rim is the only location where helicopters can descend below the rim of the canyon. You will see interesting sights along the way too such as the impressive Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. After arriving at the canyon, you'll fly 4,000 feet down to the bottom, where you'll enjoy brunch and explore on foot.
Your Mom would also love the experience of walking on the glass Grand Canyon Skywalk. Think of the thrill she would get standing on a glass sidewalk 4000 ft above the canyon floor and 70 ft from the edge of the rim!
In Conclusion
Grand Canyon helicopter tours are fantastic ways to spend Mom's special day. But whatever you do, don't scrimp. If you will start from Vegas, then choosing the champagne brunch tour to the West Rim is an ideal trip. If you go to the South Rim, look for a tour that uses the EcoStar 130 chopper. That is a comfortable aircraft and was made specifically for sightseeing. Either way, your Mom will remember the day for a long time to come!
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