I arrived at the Boulder City at the crack of dawn bound for the South Rim of the Canyon. The goal, go behind the scenes of one of our major suppliers, Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters. This was an opportunity to see the inner workings of one of the busiest heliports in the U.S.

Papillon operates from 3 bases in the southwest U.S. with the South Rim location being the most active. Helicopters were coming and going all day. It seemed like a nonstop stream of whirling blades. As soon as one helicopter departed a pad it seemed like there was one ready to fill it. Every single helicopter was loaded with people seeking to see the Grand Canyon from the air.

With that notion it seemed like I should do the same, so onto a 30 minute North Canyon Tour I went. What an absolutely amazing morning to see the Grand Canyon. Being that I am from the area, I have seen the Canyon in many forms except this one! It was a crystal clear day and had light patches of clouds that were a result of the summer monsoon season. The Colorado River was running strong and full as a result of the previous night’s storms upstream. Simply put, this flight over the canyon was a once in a lifetime event even for me.

Once back on the ground it was back to snapping some photos of the heliport. Watching the birds come and go is just an awesome sight. It didn’t take long after my feet were back on the earth that the clouds started forming creating an amazing backdrop for the helicopter traffic.

I was a little sad to leave the cool pine trees, mild temperatures, and genuinely humble people of the South Rim to return to Boulder City and eventually my home in Las Vegas. This trip has become one that I will remember both in photos and my heart as I truly love what the South Rim of the Canyon offers to the world.

Recently I took a flight out of Las Vegas to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon on company business.  While there I called my parents who live in nearby Williams, Arizona to come and have lunch.  With Williams only being 45 minutes away it made for a perfect opportunity to see my family.

Lunch on the Rim!

We took the leisurely drive out the eastern most part of the Grand Canyon National Park.  Our first stop was at Desert View point to get a look at the scenery.  While there we walked up the stairs of the Navajo Indian style lookout tower to get a better look at the Canyon.  From three stories up one can see for quite some distance.  We were able to see the Confluence where the Colorado and Little Colorado rivers merge together, the Painted Desert, and an unimaginable stretch of the Canyon.

What a perfect day at the Grand Canyon

After our stop at Desert View we headed west and stopped at Lipan Point for lunch.  A few yards from the parking are we found a quiet spot where we set up my Mom’s handmade picnic next to the edge.  We sat there sometime in the quiet of the Canyon and enjoyed our meal.  Other visitors made comments to us about what a great idea it is to sit on the Rim and have a picnic.  I would have to agree with them.  Perfect weather, beautiful scenery, and family made for an unforgettable memory.  While we were finishing our food we saw something spectacular, a giant Condor soaring through the Canyon.  What an amazing sight to see such a rare bird fly over us in such a beautiful setting.

What a spectacular bird!!!

All in all I couldn’t think of a better way to spend a nice spring day than in the splendor of the Grand Canyon and thankfully I didn’t forget my camera!

Looking West

It has always baffled me as to why this region slows in the winter months.  With all the amazing scenery, beautiful temperatures, and low travel rates you would think the winter time would be a little bit busier. Yes, traditionally the summers are for vacations and travelling for families as the children are on summer break and the guarantee of warm, sunny weather is part of the allure.  But what I think many miss out on is the wonders of the winters her e in Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon.

Sure, we run a higher risk of stormy weather in the winter, but sometimes that makes for some of natures greatest moments in the Canyon region.  Come to think of it, how many people can honestly say they have seen the beauty of the Grand Canyon with snow topping the mesas, or to visit Vegas and be outside in the middle of the day without 110 degree plus temps?   This all makes the winter here so exciting!  Let us not forget to mention that there are far less people visiting any of these places which can make for a pleasant, quiet, and more personal experience anywhere you may go.

With all of this amazing scenery around I just don’t understand why more people don’t visit this time of year.  It is not only peaceful and beautiful; it is also affordable with tour and hotel prices at the lowest points of the year.  I recently heard of strip rooms going in the range of $50 a night!!  There are also awesome deals for shows and activities all over Vegas including combo deals that include Grand Canyon tours.  I have been trying to get my friends from the Northeast to visit and leave the blizzards for a while.  This is the time to be here in Las Vegas!

Early August is typically the time of year where we Las Vegans  (pronounced: Vay-gans) spend as much time as possible either in the pool or under the air conditioner.  I jumped in my car last night around 10:30pm, for a late night Starbucks run,  and my car thermometer read a balmy 101F.   Keep in mind that our humidity is so close to zero that it makes no odds and as such a three digit temperature is not nearly as unbearable as it sounds!  In truth, it can be quite pleasant and is often the perfect excuse for an evening dip in the pool!  This is true particularly if you are staying at the mega-resorts along the strip (and a few off the strip).

Speaking of the strip hotels, have you checked out the room rates recently?  LOW LOW LOW LOW!  One of my good friends came to Vegas just a few nights ago for his birthday.  He is a non-planner and was able to walk up to the front desk of the Luxor and get a SUITE for $90/night!  No reservations, no coupon codes, nothing!  This leads me to believe that a true online bargain hunter could easily turn up some even better rates given some a little lead time!

Having saved a bundle by using reduced hotel room rates you might consider using some of that budget to check out the bottom of the Grand Canyon.   Another friend of mine, who also happens to be a local Las Vegan, made his first visit to the bottom of the Grand Canyon just last week.  He still hasn’t stopped talking about it.  Yes, that is a cell phone. Yes, he’s taking picture.  No, he’s not texting.  (No service at the bottom of the Grand Canyon, imagine that!)

So, if the cost of a hotel room was spoiling your vacation plans  (and you are not afraid of a little heat) then pack your bags and head for Southern Nevada.

Hi, I’m glad you found us!  The search engines can be hard on new websites so the fact that you are here means you’ve put in some work!  Let me quickly give you a little background us and why we built www.grandcanyonfuntrips.com.

About a month ago a small group of us were talking about how much the average visitor to Las Vegas overpays for just about everything.  Until recently hotel rooms were astronomical, club entries were ridiculous, and the price of drinks was often just plain silly.   That lead on to a discussion on how our families and friends rarely had to deal with that because they had us.  We are the locals!  We know how to get the best prices, where to look for smoking deals, how to get around the smoke and mirrors, etc, etc, ad nauseum.   Then, out of the blue, someone suggested that we build a website and use our collective knowledge to improve the visit of people who’s son, daughter, or friend did NOT live here.

The roots of Grand Canyon Fun Trips sprouted!  A few months later here we are!  As stated the goal of GrandCanyonFunTrip is to provide inbound visitors with some great options that don’t necessarily involve the Las Vegas Strip.  Yea, the strip can be a blast but there is so many more things to do in vegas then just gamble.  That is partially the reason for the name of our site!

Did you know then Grand Canyon is just 45 mins away by air??  Did you know that there is a world famous gold mine nearby?  Did you know that you can ATV through some of the most stunning desert landscape in the southwest?  Did you know that most of these places provide direct hotel pickup so you don’t have to rent a car?

Even if you don’t find an activity on our site that fits your plan you are sure to find some worthwhile information here on our blog.  We’re going to tell you exactly how Las Vegas works.  This knowledge will help you save money on any activity in the Vegas area regardless of who you buy it from!  Additionally, we’ll also keep everyone updated on events and items of note here on our blog.  Knowing WHEN to come to town is important because room rates can SKYROCKET during conventions.

At any rate,  thanks for your time and if there is anything we can help you with please feel free to give us a call!