Las Vegas tours - sightseeing from the sky

Whether you spend your nights in Vegas dining at some of best restaurants in the world, catching exciting (and titillating) shows or gambling your savings away at the slots, a trip off the strip will give you a reason to rise and shine. Get yourself to Boulder City for a helicopter ride over the Canyon.

In Vegas, the sky's the limit can mean a lot of different things, but taking in a sight-seeing tour of the Canyon from the sky is seriously cool.

I was in Vegas for a speaking engagement at World Market Center and a helicopter tour seemed like a fun off-strip activity. I was right.  After seeing buses bump along those highways, a helicopter is the only way to go. And besides, a bus tour takes an entire day and involves a lot of walking. Our tour took the morning, which left the rest of the afternoon for...

There are a number of helicopter tour operators in Vegas and we chose Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters. They've been in business since 1965 and market themselves as the largest Grand Canyon Tour Company - important information when trusting a pilot to take you thousands of feet in the sky...

Like most operators, Papillon picks you up at the hotel at a pre-agreed time and drives you to Boulder City where they're based. After a brief safety video, seats are assigned based on weight and balancing of the aircraft. We rode a 6-seater and sat in the back directly behind the pilot. There are two front row seats, which can be reserved for an additional fee.

The trip to the canyon (which takes you past the Hoover Dam) takes about 25 minutes. We landed in the inner Gorge (Grand Canyon National Park) alongside the Colorado River (4,000 feet below the rim) on spiritual lands owned by the Haualapai Indians. As we waited for our pilot to open the doors, we were reminded of the sanctity of the land and to please refrain from taking or leaving anything.

Although the Canyon is the youngest of the seven wonders, it's still 2 billion years old. Alighting from the helicopter in the Gorge overwhelmed and amazed me at once. The small strip of land we stood on was accessible only by air or water, almost completely cut off from the rest of the world.

While in the Canyon, we enjoyed a light lunch and a glass of champagne. Our pilot, Captain Jack, talked about the best times to visit (not during the heat of July and August) and of the kayakers and rafters who camp alongside the river. A tour is often only as good as the guide - Captain Jack obviously loves what he does and is passionate about giving his guests the best experience possible.

As we flew out of the Canyon, Danger Zone played through our headphones - Captain Jack has a good sense of humor too.

If you do one thing while visiting Vegas that's off-strip, take a helicopter tour. It's pricey and can take some self-convincing if you're afraid of heights. But it's the best way to see the beauty and majesty of a land that is still mostly untouched by humanity, which is a good reminder if you're spending your nights on the strip.

There is much I want to tell you about my helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon, but this time I'm going to let my pictures do the talking - and a few videos as well. Enjoy!  

Want more info? Visit Grand Canyon Helicopter Tours online or see what other travelers have to say on TripAdvisor. Reservations and information: 888-635-7272

To comply with FTC, FCC, NATO, G20 and possibly even Geneva Conventions, for transparency ... Our helicopter tour was sponsored by Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters, but the commentary and perspectives are those of GoGirlfriend.

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