Do a Grand Canyon Bus Tour During St. Patrick's Day 2014

In Las Vegas for St. Patrick's Day this year? Come on out and take a Grand Canyon bus tour! These trips are fun, all-inclusive and guaranteed to save you some "green" this spring vacation.  

The tour schedule for St. Patrick's Day is the same as any other day of the year so you can expect the bus to depart from Vegas around 7:30 in the morning. On your way to the canyon, you go past Boulder City, Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead before you get to Arizona.  

The West Rim, which is just 120 miles east of Sin City, takes about 2.5 hours to reach. The South 

Rim is farther away at 270 miles and it takes 5 hours to get there. You may be wondering: 

"Which rim is best?" 

Well, that is a question you definitely need to answer before you plan your bus tour. The short answer is to go to the South Rim if you want a scenic nature experience and go to the West Rim if you want some adventure. 

Here are some details to help you decide... 

One big draw at the West Rim is the famous Skywalk. It is the largest glass cantilever bridge in the world and it allows you walk out 70 feet past the edge of the canyon rim. It's like standing on air when you look between your shoes to the canyon floor nearly 4000 feet beneath you.

The West Rim is also the only location in the canyon where helicopters are allowed to fly to the floor and land. The descent takes about 15 minutes and it's one of the most intense rides you'll ever experience (I've done it multiple times and I still get amped!).  

You are free to explore the region after you land by the Colorado River, which by the way is the force that carved the immense canyon from the earth that measures one mile deep and 18 miles wide. You can even add on a relaxing boat ride down the river.  

West Rim Of The Grand Canyon 

Grand Canyon bus tours to the West Rim allow to you see many famous landmarks such as: 

1. The scenic Guano Point 

2. Hualapai Indian Tribe Ranch 

3. Eagle Point Lookout 

4. Indian Cultural Center 

Bus Tours To The South Rim 

The tours to the South Rim from Vegas take about fifteen hours from start to finish, but fortunately, you get to ride on an ultra modern and comfy sightseeing bus the whole way. 

Short Breaks 

Even though your bus is a comfortable ride, you will have a few comfort stops along the way and once you reach the Park, you will begin a three hour tour that takes you to the Grand Canyon Village to buy souvenirs, and Mather Point, Yaki Point, and Yavapai Point for some great scenic views. In addition, a great side-activity to this trip is the rim-to-rim helicopter ride.  

These bus trips are all-inclusive so you don't have to pay for extras such as lunch, Park fees, tour guide, or taxes, in fact, your tour comes with a free shuttle service to your Vegas hotel too. The seats recline and provide you with plenty of space and there is a bathroom on the bus, plus, smoking is not permitted so you don't have to worry about breathing other people's smoke.  

These tours are very popular so be sure to book your St. Patrick's Day excursion early. Try to get your seats a week in advance. As for where to purchase your seats, I strongly recommend the Internet. However, you'll have to avoid the big travel sites such as TravelZoo, Priceline, and Expedia, and go straight to a Vegas based tour operator instead. When you buy online directly from the travel company, you can get a low Internet rate.  

Conclusion

Start planning now for a fantastic trip. St. Patrick's Day is a great time to visit Vegas and take a bus tour to the Grand Canyon. You may not find a pot of gold, but the memories you make will be priceless!