Enjoy The July 4th Holiday On A Grand Canyon Plane Trip

By Author: Tracy Delvecchio
Total Articles: 17
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July 4th is one of the Park's busiest times of the year. Many tours sell out for the holiday (so you need to book yours quickly), but Grand Canyon plane tours seem to be some of the most popular. Plane tours are so popular because they are an exciting and fun way to grasp the magnificence of the region. The National Park covers over 1 million acres, so the only way to see it is to fly over in a plane.

Airplane tours fly out of Tusayan, AZ (home of Grand Canyon National Park Airport, or GCN) and Las Vegas, NV. The tours that leave from Las Vegas fly to the South Rim or West Rim and the tours that fly out of Tusayan go to the South Rim. There aren't any flights that take you from the South Rim to the West Rim.

Tusayan Tours

Grand Canyon plane tours leaving from Tusayan are perfect for folks coming from Phoenix, Sedona, Flagstaff, Williams, Scottsdale, or other points in Arizona. You'll need to get to GCN on your own. Check-in time is always 30 minutes before takeoff.

You will have several tour choices but one of the more popular options is the hour-long flight that flies over about three-fourths ...
... of the entire National Park. Some fantastic options you can add on include a rafting excursion along a smooth water section of the Colorado River and a Jeep 4x4 ride to Antelope Canyon to see the amazing Slot Canyons.

Las Vegas Air Tours

Vegas travelers are in luck when it comes to seeing the Grand Canyon. You can enjoy an air-only flight or a landing tour.

Air-only tours are ideal for folks with limited time or strict budgets. These flights go to the West Rim and back and fly over some fantastic sights such as Lake Mead and the massive Hoover Dam.

Air-only tours are great, but I recommend a landing tour if you can swing one. A popular tour option includes a helicopter descent to the floor of the canyon where you can take a smooth-water rating excursion on the Colorado River. The tour that includes VIP access to the Grand Canyon Skywalk (just imagine yourself walking 70 feet past the edge of the rim!) is a close second.

If you prefer, you can go to the South Rim from Vegas. The direct flight from Vegas to GCN only takes 60 minutes and the tour includes an almost 3-hour bus tour inside the Park. You can also add on an exciting helicopter ride that takes you from the South Rim to the North Rim and back.

Booking Your Grand Canyon plane Tour

Keep in mind, the Fourth of July holiday is a very busy time for visiting the Grand Canyon. To make sure you get the date you want, book your flight at least one to two weeks ahead of time. Also, you will find the lowest prices on the Internet. You have to buy directly from the tour operator's website though and not sites such as Priceline, Viator, or Expedia. You'll get a super Internet discount if you complete your purchase on the tour company's website!

Let's Recap

The Fourth of July holiday is an extremely busy time for tour operators. Lock down your seats by booking a week or two ahead. Don't forget to buy your seats from the tour operator online so you get the lowest possible rate. You're sure to have a great time, whether you'll be flying out of Tusayan or Las Vegas, and whether you'll be on an air-only or landing tour. Who know, I might just see you there!