Labor Day is sneaking up on us, it will be here on September 2. You should plan to visit the Grand Canyon then, but you need to book your tour seats as soon as possible. When you book your tour early, you have a better selection when it comes to tours and prices.
All airplane tours of the Grand Canyon follow their usual schedule during the holiday weekend. Flights will take off from Tusayan, Arizona and Las Vegas on an hourly basis. They begin at 7 a.m. and go on until sunset.
The flights originating in Tusayan, Arizona go only to the South Rim but the tours out of Vegas can go to the West Rim or the South Rim. You have to pick one rim or the other because no flights connect the two rims.
Your Choices...
If you will be in Vegas, you are in luck because Vegas air tours offer the most fun options. The basic air tour flies over the main landmarks of the canyon as well as Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.
These air-only tours are awesome, but the landing tours are even better because you get to have some adventure. They land at the top at Grand Canyon West, but an optional chopper flight to the bottom can be added to make them even more exciting. And once you're on the bottom, you could take a smooth-water rafting tour down the Colorado!
By the way, Grand Canyon West is the only spot in the Park where choppers are allowed to land on the canyon bottom. It's a unique, awesome experience.
South Rim flights are in the air for about 50 minutes. In addition, you will fly over to the eastern edge of the Park and the North Rim too. Another package folks always rave about comes with an off-road Jeep tour to the Slot Canyons and a rafting tour down the Colorado River.
The Aircraft
The planes used in these tours hold 19 passengers and were created specifically for sightseeing. Their wings attach to the fuselage so they don't block your view, plus the windows are oversized, and they have ultra comfortable seats that recline. You can even listen to a recording in ten different languages that tells all about your tour through the personal headset you are provided.
Book Early
Labor Day is on Monday, which makes it a three-day weekend for many people. It is also the last big weekend of the summer travel season, so many people will take the opportunity to tour the Grand Canyon. I strongly recommend booking your tour at least a week ahead (two would be even better). There is always a chance you can get last minute tickets, but there is a better chance you will get shut out.
Be sure to book your tour online. That's where you'll find the best prices-especially on the websites owned by the tour companies themselves. These companies own and operate the tours and they always offer the best deals and discounts.
So To Conclude
If past holidays are any indication, Labor Day will be bustling at the Grand Canyon. Book your seats early so they won't sell out on you. You should be fine as long as you book in advance, and you'll get a great price if you do it online. Complete your purchase on the tour company's site and you'll qualify for a terrific Internet rate!
Eager to
fly Grand Canyon National Park? Travel writer Sherri Kraft advises visiting this site first for awesome discounts on the best canyon flights:
http://www.lasvegasgrandcanyonairplane.com/coupons.html
