If you're one of the lucky people spending New Year's in Las Vegas, you ought to take a bus tour of the Grand Canyon since you'll be so close.

Not that there is any shortage of fun things to do on the Las Vegas Strip. But I find that many visitors like to take a break from celebrating by taking a trip to the Canyon.

You can go to the West or South Rim. It only takes the bus around 2.5 hours to make it to the West Rim, but the South Rim is a longer ride at 5.5 hours.

The Rims

So how do you decide which rim to visit. Depends on what you want to see and do. The West Rim is a lot of fun. It is the place to go if you want excitement and adventure.

For example, the Grand Canyon Skywalk is at the West Rim. That is the world famous glass bridge you can walk on past the edge of the canyon. You could also opt for a helicopter ride to the canyon floor where you hop on a raft and float down the Colorado River.

I must point out that helicopter rides to the bottom are only available at the West Rim and they can be bundled into your bus tour package.

South Rim

The South Rim is recognized as the official Grand Canyon. Most of the National Park's most famous pictures were taken here. Although you cannot descend to the canyon floor there, many of the coach tours let you add on a helicopter ride that goes over to the North Rim and back.

The holidays are a busy time for bus tours in the Grand Canyon. It's for this reason that I recommend that you book your coach trip in advance. Shoot for at least 48 hours ahead of when you want to go.

Many visitors ask me what happens if their plans change. It's really no problem. Just cancel 24 hours ahead of your departure time and you should be okay as long as you book with a reputable tour operator. Or, if you can't do the particular day you're scheduled, you can change it to another day at no charge.

Getting The Best Price On Coach Tours

The best prices on bus tours can be found online. Don't worry about booking your seats online, because it is very safe now. Travel sites follow procedures that process transactions securely so your data is protected. I book my tours online and have never had a problem.

Winter can be cold at the West Rim and the South Rim so please dress warmly. I recommend wearing a heavy jacket, gloves, a hat and good shoes. The elevation at the South Rim is 7000 feet so it is much colder there than at the West Rim. You should definitely watch the weather reports the day before your tour takes off so you dress to suit the weather.

Conclusion

The New Year's holiday in Las Vegas is a special time. There's lots of energy and excitement. However, you will need to take a break at some point and that is when you should get on a bus and head to the Grand Canyon. Keep in mind the bus tours last all day. Don't forget about the cold weather at the canyon and forget to take warm clothes. You will see fantastic natural scenery on your tour that is unmatched anywhere else in the world.