A guided tour can be an excellent way to get the most out of your vacation. The right tour can help you to scout out areas and attractions you might not have seen any other way, and a good tour guide can make sure you pick up a few fascinating facts about the area you’ve chosen to explore.
There are a plethora of tours out there, especially to popular destinations such as the Grand Canyon, so how do you decide which one is right for you? Let’s take a moment and dissect the pros and cons of choosing either a bus tour or a helicopter tour.
Should I Choose a Bus Tour?
A bus tour is probably the most traditional of sightseeing tours. While it’s decidedly more common than a helicopter tour, a bus tour still manages to offer a lot of benefits and tends to be the preferred method of many travelers for several reasons. So what are the positives and negatives when it comes to a bus tour?
What Are Some Advantages of a Bus Tour?
- Bus tours are more affordable as a whole making them perfect for travelers on a budget.
- A bus tour is an excellent way to get a close-up view of surroundings and landmarks.
- A bus stays on the ground. It’s perfectly alright to be nervous about flying or heights, and a bus tour will allow you to relax and enjoy the tour without the stress.
- The opportunity to explore more presents itself on a bus. You’ll likely pass through a variety of other locations where you will stop to stretch your legs and have the opportunity to absorb fascinating histories, architecture, and landscapes.
What Are Some Down Sides to a Bus Tour?
- You get less of an all-around view on a bus. You’re usually confined to one window, and often share the bus with many other passengers.
- In terms of personal preference, a bus tour may not be best for travelers who get car sick or don’t like having to sit for long periods of time while the bus travels to its destination.
- They take longer to see less. Even though the price is a bargain, you’ll be stuck with a longer traveling time than you would have on a helicopter, and you’re confined to roads that are safe for your bus to travel down.
Should I Choose a Helicopter Tour?
If you’re a thrill seeker at heart, then soaring over the sites in a helicopter might be the perfect tour for you. While a helicopter tour has an obvious benefit right out the gate, there are still a lot of little facets to consider before signing on the dotted line. So what are the positives and negatives when it comes to a helicopter tour?
What Are Some Benefits to a Helicopter Tour?
- Helicopters are exciting. Flying in a helicopter is not necessarily a universal experience, so going on a helicopter tour gives you the chance to do something that not many people have done in their lifetimes.
- Helicopters have a wider range of motion. In a helicopter you’ll be able to get to views you wouldn’t reach by the streets. There are also opportunities to reach harder to access points with greater ease.
- Helicopter tours are slightly quicker. You’ll be able to see more on your tour in a shorter period of time.
- Helicopters tend to be more private and offer better views. It’s hard to cram a lot of people into a helicopter, so not only will you have more space, you’ll be able to see a lot more as well.
What Are Potential Down Sides of a Helicopter Tour?
- Helicopters do not provide the smoothest ride. Those that aren’t used to flying might find the sudden dips and turns slightly unnerving.
- Helicopters are noisy. While your ear protection might pipe in a prerecorded tour tape, you won’t get much in the way of one on one interaction with your guide.
- You don’t get the opportunity to explore other fascinating sites you see on the way to your destination. You’re almost always confined to a there-and-back trajectory.
- Helicopters are expensive to maintain and to fly. While you might get a few unforgettable vistas, the price tag might be something to consider.
So Which Tour is Best?
Which tour is best is entirely up to you! There’s a lot to consider when it comes to both tours, but ultimately you need to choose the tour that fits your budget, personal preference and will add unforgettable memories to your vacation – whether it be by wheel or on rotary blades. Depending on who you happen to be traveling with and what type of experience you’re hoping for, both bus tours and helicopter tours have their unique appeal.
Learn more about Gray Line’s Grand Canyon Bus Tours and Helicopter Tours to see which one is right for you. If you have any questions, contact the Gray Line Las Vegas team so we can help book your perfect tour today!