I find that now is the perfect time to take a Grand Canyon tour because the weather is ideal and air is incredibly clear (picture perfect views, in fact). So why wait until later? Grand Canyon National Park's got plenty of things to do and it's one of the most easily accessed of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World!

You can take a tour from Las Vegas, NV, or from many of the cities and towns in central Arizona like Sedona, Phoenix and Scottsdale. Those of you based in Arizona will most likely visit the South Rim. If you are in Las Vegas, you can take a tour to either the West Rim or the South Rim.

Tours: South Rim

Most folks arriving from Arizona drive to Tusayan, AZ (just outside the South Rim's main gates) and then take a plane or helicopter tour. Two versions of helicopter tours are offered. One gives you 30 minutes in the air and the other is 50 minutes of airtime. The shorter one flies from the South Rim to the North Rim and back. The "50" does that two as well as everything up to Park's easternmost border. The plane tour follows a route that's similar to the 50-minute chopper tour, but its less expensive. The planes fly at higher altitudes, though, which is a drawback for some folks.

Many consider the South Rim the "official" Grand Canyon, and, technically, it is. If you are Vegas, you can see it, but you'll have to take an airplane flight. I personally find the airplane flight the ultimate way to get from LV to the SR because it only takes 60 minutes (versus a 5.5-hour bus ride). Plus you get up to two hours inside the National Park via luxury bus. Optional helicopter flights can be added to these plane and bus tours.

Tours to the West Rim

The West Rim is only 120 miles from the Las Vegas Strip, thus making WR tours incredibly popular. Choices include plane, helicopter, bus and rafting (in-season) tours. Airplanes get you to the WR in 30 minutes. Buses take about 2.5 hours. Helicopters cover the trip in 45 minutes.

Bus tours are scheduled daily (they start around 7 a.m.) and optional rafting trips down the Colorado and/or chopper rides to the canyon bottom can be added. Plane tours land on the top, but you can also add the rafting trip and/or the chopper flight. Special note: The West Rim is the only place where helicopters are allowed to land on the bottom, so this is one of those truly special things to do.

Deals & RSVP

Grand Canyon tours are popular, so I always recommend booking at least a week or two ahead. Several things can happen if you try to book your tour 24 hours prior to the day you want: 1. you'll pay a king's ransom; or 2. you'll get a tour you don't want or worse you won't get a tour at all. So, what's can be learned here? Save money by booking in advance.

Yes, there are deals out there, but remember, your time is valuable so don't knock yourself out. In my opinion, booking direct on the tour operator's website is the safest and best way to buy tickets and get the lowest prices. If you come across a deal that's too good to be true, well, it's too good to be true. I try hard to avoid these. Thus once you find the right online tour site, you should be able to save up to 30 percent on retail. The key thing to remember here is to complete the transaction online. That way you'll lock in that great Internet rate. Do that and all that's left is to kick back and get pumped up for your trip of a lifetime!