Grand Canyon West bus tours are a fantastic way to see the canyon and regions nearby. These Grand Canyon coach trips not only let you see the canyon itself, you will get to drive by other amazing landmarks too. The canyon is one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World for a reason; the colors and rock formations are nothing short of amazing.

At the West Rim, you don't want to miss the Grand Canyon Skywalk. Shaped like a U, the Skywalk is a glass bridge that lets visitors walk more than 70 feet out past the canyon's rim, more than 4,000 feet above the canyon floor. The bird's eye view you will have from the glass walkway is something you will never forget.

The Skywalk is a feat of modern engineering; it can withstand 100 mph winds and a magnitude 8 earthquake. Although no more than 120 people are allowed on the walkway at any one time, it's actually capable of supporting the weight of as many as 70 fully-loaded jumbo jets.

The Colorado River snakes its way through the canyon for 277 miles, and you'll be able to look down at it from the top of the West Rim. The Colorado River begins in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains and passes through the Grand Canyon on its way to the Sea of Cortez.

From the top of the West Rim to the canyon floor below is about a mile in distance, but you can get there on a ten minute helicopter ride. In fact, the West Rim is the only place you can take a helicopter flight that actually lands on the canyon floor. Once you're there, you can even take a float tour on a pontoon boat down the Colorado River.

These canyon coach trips use state-of-the-art buses that offer luxury and comfort. They need to, because the final ten miles of the drive to the canyon are over a dirt road. If you are thinking of driving your car instead, or renting a car, it probably isn't the best idea. The buses are much more comfortable and are specially designed for sightseeing. What's more, the drivers on West Rim bus tours do double-duty as tour guides. In my experience, Grand Canyon coach drivers do a great job of explaining the sights passing by.

West Rim bus tours give you plenty of chances to take some amazing pictures along the way. One landmark you will get to stop at is the Hoover Dam, which is a massive concrete structure that manages the Colorado River. Most Grand Canyon coach tours limit their time at Hoover Dam to 15 minutes max, so you'll need to take a separate Hoover Dam tour if you want to see more of this 700-foot-high manmade wonder.

West Rim bus tours start early in the morning and you don't get back to your Vegas Strip hotel until early evening, so you're in for a full day. Make sure you set aside enough time, but also plan for your tour to be physically tiring -- it's a long day and the heat can easily soar over 100 degrees. You might be too tired to do a show and dinner when you return to your hotel.