I'm looking into booking a day trip from Las Vegas to see the Grand Canyon. Can anyone recommend a good company to go with? Also which rim is the best to see?

Or would renting a car and driving out there and back in 1 day be a better option?

Thanks for any help

book mark,

I am interested in the same thing. We are a party of 4 I think renting a car for the day and booking a helicopter into the canyon would be more affordable.

I look forward to the replys

Almost all tours go to the South Rim. The ones that go to the West Rim should be regarded as rip-offs as the West Rim is one, big tourist trap.
Renting a car is always the best option in seeing the Grand Canyon, especially for the first time. You'll save money, but will have to deal with parking your own car (not always easy during the summer), but will also get the freedom to come and go as you please, to eat where you want and to go where you want. The main South Rim area around the lodges and such is packed but, if you go further down the road along Highway 64 toward Cameron, that's where the tour buses don't go so you often have viewpoints with just a few people, if not all to yourself.

Thanks for you reply

Are you suggesting to skip the helicopter part?

I was thinking of driving ( renting a car in Vegas) to the Heliport on 64 and hopefully getting a cheaper flight than one that included a hotel Pickup?

Or the Helicopter also part of the rips off?

Doing the Grand Canyon (south rim) from Las Vegas is a very long day trip. Driving time is over 4 hours (no stops) each way. You would be better off if you could spend the night there. That way you would also get to see the canyon at sunrise and sunset.

The south rim would probably be better. There are more viewpoints and more expansive views. However, the south rim is also much more crowded.

I don't think that any helicopter tours would just fly over the West Rim, and I also don't believe that any originate from the West Rim. I just meant that the bus tours to the West Rim are rip-offs.

thanks for the clarity

Hello-

There are 3 options for your itinerary. It all depends on your budget & time constraints.

#1- Rent a car & drive. 9+ hrs in the car driving round trip. Cheapest for a large group.

#2- There are MANY Tour Operators that do a day trip to Grand Canyon South from from Vegas. Do a Google search. They all have similar tours, for around $150-200/person. You are picked up at your Vegas hotel, around say 7:00AM & bussed to the South Rim. Most Stop at Hoover Dam. 9+ hrs sitting on the bus. You make it to the Canyon View Information Plaza (the "Visitor Center")& Mather Point by around 1:00. A few hours later its back to Vegas, returning around 9-10:00PM.

#3- Vision Air picks you up EARLY from your Vegas hotel & busses you to the North Las Vegas Airport. Or use the Vegas CAT Bus System ($2.50) & get there on your own. 1st flight to Grand Canyon leaves at 7:00AM. You are standing at Mather Point by 8:00AM. 40 minute flight sure beats a 5 hr bus trip. ** BUT ** price is around $400+/ea. You do get a box lunch. Return flight gets you back to Vegas by dinner time.