The Grand Canyon is the perfect destination for your next vacation. It is one of the top vacation spots in the United States and is truly something you will remember forever.

The best way to see the Grand Canyon is to take a guided tour. There are so many options, you can choose what suits you best whether it is a helicopter tour, motor coach excursion, rafting trip, or tour by airplane.

You should probably read up on the Grand Canyon before taking your trip. Your tour will be more fun if you know what to expect. Besides familiarizing yourself with the area's sights and experiences, learning about the climate will help you choose the right clothes for the weather.

To start with, you need to figure out which rim you want to visit. If you'll be coming from central AZ, the South Rim is the ticket. Both the West Rim and the South Rim are accessible to travelers heading to the canyon from Las Vegas. Unfortunately, there aren't any direct flights between those rims.

The West Rim, or Grand Canyon West, is the only part of the canyon where choppers are allowed to descend into the canyon and land on the canyon floor. You can add this option to a standard helicopter tour, bus ride or plane flight. You should opt for this thrilling adventure if you can.

You can also opt to take a one-day rafting trip for an added adventure, these depart from either rim. South Rim rafting tours start at Glen Canyon Dam, with transportation to the dam available by plane or bus. The plane option is a good choice since you will get to see some spectacular scenic views, plus you can take a Jeep ride through the impressive Antelope Canyon. The only rafting trip I know about that starts in Las Vegas has you landing in a chopper at the bottom before the rafting portion begins at the base of Hoover Dam. Rafting tours are seasonal and only offered between March and November, so keep that in mind when you're making your travel plans.

All-inclusive Grand Canyon tours of any type are fantastic. One of the best things about them is that you don't need to do any of the planning yourself because everything's taken care of for you. Some things included are Park fees, lunch, tour guide, hotel pickup and drop-off, and taxes. Since those fees are usually included, if a company tries to charge you extra for them, you should look for a different tour operator.

Don't buy your ticket for your Grand Canyon tour at the point of departure, in fact, don't wait until the last minute to book your trip. I have two good reasons for urging you to avoid this. First, because seats are limited, last-minute tickets sell at a premium. Whether you go through a hotel concierge or buy your tickets at a Vegas Strip ticket kiosk, you'll pay a higher price than necessary. Not only that, you will have fewer options in tours and departure times.

So, book your Grand Canyon tour as far in advance as you can, and do it on the website of the tour operator you choose. Your transaction will be completely secure and you will get to take advantage of nice Internet discounts on even the most popular tours. You could save an impressive 35% off the price of your trip if you book it online. Those deals are too good to pass up, and you can save a bundle if you need to buy tickets for your whole family.