Best Grand Canyon Tour from Las Vegas - A Blogger's Recommendation [2024]
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Best Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas - who comes out on top?
There's no doubt that it can be difficult to book a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas. With so much choice out there, it's hard to know which tours are really worth it.
You may be wondering if visiting the West Rim or South Rim is more suitable, or if pick-up is included from your Las Vegas hotel. How long is the drive from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon, and is lunch provided? Can I also take a helicopter flight across the Grand Canyon? These are questions we had in mind as well when searching for Grand Canyon Tours.
We were looking forward to laugh, as well as marvel at the Grand Canyon.
After doing extensive research, we embarked on a Grand Canyon West Rim Bus Tour & Hoover Dam Photo Stop with Optional Skywalk operated by Comedy on Deck. Read on to find out more about our experience!
About Grand Canyon National Park
The Grand Canyon National Park is undoubtedly one of the most recognisable national parks in the entire world. After exploding to fame in the 1880s, the Grand Canyon today attracts visitors from everywhere.
Spanning some 1,200,000+ acres (almost 5,000 square kilometres), the Grand Canyon National Park is located in the state of Arizona. Its most famous attractions include Mather Point, Yavapai Point and the Bright Angel Trail.
Because of its central location relatively close to major attractions in the United States, visitors often visit the Grand Canyon National Park in conjunction with surrounding destinations. These include Zion National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Monument Valley, and Upper and Lower Antelope Canyon.
Many travellers, including ourselves, visit the Grand Canyon in conjunction with Antelope Canyon and Horseshoe Bend.
When visiting the Grand Canyon National Park, it's important to understand that it is truly huge. From the South Rim, to the North Rim - the Grand Canyon is definitely a wonder - and it would be impossible to see it all on a day trip from Las Vegas. While the West Rim is just slightly outside the national park, it still features those awe-inspiring views you're looking for.
Which is the best Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas?
Lots of Grand Canyon Tours out there - but not all of them suited us. Here's the one we picked.
There are many Grand Canyon Tours out there, all with slightly different inclusions. Tours from Las Vegas are often advertised and sold on the strip, hotels and other establishments around the Las Vegas Strip - but booking these on the spot sometimes isn't the wisest thing to do.
We were looking for tours from Las Vegas that would have us back at our Las Vegas hotel at a relatively early time.
Because of the number of Grand Canyon Tours available, we were very intentional with our research and needed to balance a few factors:
Budget
Time
Inclusions or Optional Add-Ons
Reviews of Tour Guides
Size of Group (Small Group Tour or Large Group Tour)
After weighing up all these considerations, we chose the Grand Canyon West Rim Bus Tour & Hoover Dam Photo Stop with Optional Skywalk. This tour is ran by a company called Comedy on Deck, and you can check out their official website here.
What caught my eye about this tour is that the tour guides also double up as comedians - a concept that I had honestly never heard of before, but I was so keen to experience!
Since Grand Canyon day trip tours from Las Vegas (to the West Rim) involve long distances, I thought it this aspect would make the day much more enjoyable and less taxing.
Asher enjoying the West Rim of Grand Canyon
Comedy on Deck is one of the leading providers offering amazing Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas, but they're also well-known in Las Vegas for their Hoover Dam tours, such as this one below:
With perfect 5-star ratings for both their Grand Canyon tours and Hoover Dam tours, they are definitely one of the best reviewed providers of tours from Las Vegas.
What does this Grand Canyon Tour Include?
The following are all included on your trip from Las Vegas to the Grand Canyon.
Pick up from Las Vegas
Not all tours from Las Vegas include a central hotel pick up
The tour begins with a complimentary pick up at a pick-up point by the tour guide. The tour bus should have a 'Comedy on Deck' sign front of it, in case of any doubt. After this, it's breakfast time!
I had some delicious pancakes and orange juice, and I was so impressed by the quality of food - given that both breakfast and lunch are included. Meals aren't always included in popular Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas, so I was pleasantly surprised that this was the case.
Arrival at Grand Canyon West Rim - Eagle Point
This bus tour takes you to the West Rim.
After a long drive from Las Vegas, you'll finally arrive at the Grand Canyon West Rim. It's here that you will experience native traditions, learn more about the history of the Grand Canyon, and of course, experience the Grand Canyon in all its glory. The entrance fee to Grand Canyon West is included in the tour price.
This will be your first look of the Grand Canyon on the bus tour.
Given that this is a West Rim Tour, the first stop will be at Eagle Point. This scenic viewpoint is located just beside the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and offers a memorable panorama of the West Rim.
Grand Canyon Skywalk
The world famous Skywalk is located some 4000m above the Colorado River, and is a truly unique lookout. It's easy to feel rushed when you're up there on the glass bridge, but please take your time once you start walking across the Skywalk in one direction, as you can't turn back the other way.
You won’t be able to take photos on the skywalk, but there are still plenty of photo opportunities available during the bus tour.
If you have opted to add the Grand Canyon Skywalk to your tour for an additional fee, then you can do this here as well. I think the Grand Canyon Skywalk views are fabulous and completely worth it, but I personally wouldn't buy a photo from the official Grand Canyon West souvenir store - they are on the expensive side, and you can take photos for free at Eagle Point and the next stop anyway.
Keep in mind that cameras and phones (any photo or video taking in general) are not allowed on the skywalk. You will have to put these in a locker before you start doing the walk.
Not all bus tours from Las Vegas have the Skywalk on their itinerary, so make sure you do your research beforehand.
I really enjoyed doing the Skywalk - you get treated to views of the canyon all the way to the canyon floor!
Exploring the Grand Canyon West Rim more - Guano Point
Speaking of the next stop, Guano Point was my favourite stop on this amazing tour. Many Grand Canyon bus tours include this on their itinerary for a reason - but you might have to move quick to get the perfect photo here as tours from Las Vegas will arrive here at around lunchtime.
Guano Point is one of the popular inclusions on Canyon Tours from Las Vegas.
Luckily, my Comedy on Deck Tour Bus arrived before this, so I had time to explore the area and also eat my yummy complimentary lunch.
On the day I visited, I had a choice between pulled pork or chicken tacos, and I chose the pulled pork. It was a surreal experience having a meal in front of such an amazing, iconic view.
A delicious lunch by the Grand Canyon - life is good!
Guano Point is frequently featured on many ‘Best Grand Canyon Tours’ itineraries for its stunning panorama of the West Rim, and also because it resembles an ant hill of some sort (can you see it? Let us know in the comments below!).
Do you see the ant hill? Let us know in the comments!
Take some time to walk around the area, and if you're up for it, hike up the short trail to get on top of the 'ant hill'.
Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge Photo Stop
Just when you thought your Las Vegas Grand Canyon tour was over - it only gets better! The good news is, Comedy on Deck is one of the only ‘Best Grand Canyon Tours’ that also offer a photo stop at Hoover Dam.
It’s not time to go back to Las Vegas yet! We visited Hoover Dam on the way back.
On the way to the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge, your informative and entertaining tour guide will tell you about how the Hoover Dam was built during the Great Depression as a feat of engineering.
Your tour guide will explain information about the Hoover Dam as you make your way back to Las Vegas.
I honestly wasn't really expecting a stop at Hoover Dam, so this was a massive bonus for me. To visit both the West Rim and Hoover Dam on my Grand Canyon Trip in one day was really awesome.
OPTIONAL: Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour
During your visit to the West Rim, it's also possible to add a helicopter tour.
We didn't opt for a Grand Canyon Helicopter Tour or helicopter ride, but this is an option if you're seeking one.
Grand Canyon helicopter tours are obviously quite pricey, but worth it if you're looking for that once-in-a-lifetime, unforgettable helicopter ride above the Grand Canyon.
Is This a West Rim + Hoover Dam Bridge Bus Tour?
Not all 'Grand Canyon from Las Vegas' itineraries include a stop to the Dam, but our Comedy on Deck Tour did.
Yes! I have seen this question frequently on forums such as TripAdvisor and Reddit, with travellers wanting to visit both the Grand Canyon and the Hoover Dam on a single tour from Las Vegas. As one of the best tours around, it's fantastic that both of these historic landmarks are visited in one day.
How Far is Grand Canyon from Las Vegas?
Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas usually last about 7-8 hours.
It takes about 2.5 hours to get to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas, but this also all depends on traffic. Your tour guide will advise you as you head from the West Rim back to the direction of Las Vegas, approximately how much time it will take to get back to your drop-off spot.
Will I make my show or dinner plans in Las Vegas?
Most Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas will generally finish up and return to the Las Vegas Strip by about 6:30pm, however my tour finished early at 4:45pm.
The tour that I was on (Grand Canyon West Rim Bus Tour & Hoover Dam Photo Stop with Optional Skywalk) had a finish time of 5pm, so I'd say you can quite safely make dinner plans - but please take into account that there may be unexpected traffic and other factors on the day.
Grand Canyon West Rim vs South Rim
As I previously alluded to, the Grand Canyon National Park and general area is huge! Visitors often have to decide between visiting the West Rim, South Rim, North Rim and which attractions they specifically want to visit.
The West Rim of the Grand Canyon is usually praised for its aspects of cultural learning – something that some people say is slightly lacking when visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim.
If you're on a tour from Las Vegas, it's usually unfeasible on a day trip to visit any other rim apart from the West Rim. Visiting the Grand Canyon South Rim and North Rim would take approximately almost 5 hours each way. Therefore, finding a South Rim tour from Las Vegas is quite rare. Luckily, the West Rim is known to be just as gorgeous as its counterparts.
Is A Grand Canyon Tour From Las Vegas Worth It?
We break down whether a Grand Canyon Tour from Las Vegas is worth it.
It's no secret that a Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas is a big time commitment. It takes up the whole day, the drive is long, and it's hot - we get it!
However, the Grand Canyon is simply a must-do for any traveler. It's been on my bucket list since I was a child, and I was so glad I made the time to visit from Las Vegas. The reality of visiting didn't disappoint at all.
Nothing can quite prepare you for the sight of those impressive ridges, the deep canyon and overall atmosphere.
Final Thoughts: Best Grand Canyon Tours from Las Vegas
Have we found the best Grand Canyon Tour from Las Vegas?
After sifting through many Grand Canyon tours from Las Vegas, we really think that the best one is the tour we went on. Of course, we haven't tried all the tours out there, but the thousands of glowing, positive reviews matched up with our experience!
In conclusion - this Grand Canyon tour from Las Vegas had comedy, jaw dropping views, delicious food, a fantastic tour guide and more, and it was truly one of the best bus tours I've ever been on.
We hope you enjoy visiting the Grand Canyon West Rim and embark on your own Grand Canyon from Las Vegas tour.
Did you find our blog post helpful? Let us know!
You can find me on Instagram here. I also post about my adventures to Antelope Canyon, Horseshoe Bend and other attractions within Las Vegas.
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