This is the year to finally visit the Grand Canyon and take an exciting bus tour. Bus tours depart from Las Vegas and are quite affordable. Here are five things to know about Grand Canyon coach trips.

Early Morning Departures

The buses leave Las Vegas every morning at 7 am. That is the only departure time. You'll have to book your tour for a day you can get going early. The buses leave Vegas at 7am, but the shuttle may pick you up at your hotel as much as an hour and a half before that.

Also, you have to decide which rim you want to go see. You have two choices. The South or West Rim. The West Rim is closer at 120 miles and the South Rim is about 277 miles from Vegas. The rims offer different experiences and sights. If you want an adventure, you should go to the West Rim but if you want to soak up natural beauty, you should go to the South Rim.

The West Rim is also home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. This is an amazing bridge made of glass. It is an amazing feat of architecture and cost about $30 million to build. It is a very popular attraction at the canyon and you can walk out on it 70 beyond the rim. Then you can peer down 4000 feet to the canyon floor beneath you.

South Rim Coach Tours

If you want to go to the South Rim, pick a tour that allows you a few hours to tour the National Park. You want to visit Yaki and Mather Points. They are notable lookouts and very popular attractions at the South Rim. Also stop at Bright Angel Lodge and visit the gift shop if you have time.

Make sure you realize how long these coach trips last. They take a full day. West Rim trips take around 13 hours while the South Rim tours take about 15 hours. So, it is best not to make any plans for the evening of your tour. You probably won't get back in time. If you do want to do something that night, schedule it for 11 pm or later. Remember, Vegas never sleeps so if you aren't worn out after your tour, you will find plenty to do.

That covers the most important things you need to know about taking a bus tour to the Grand Canyon out of Vegas. Of course, there is much more to learn as you look into it more such as the free shuttle service you get that picks you up at your hotel and takes you back after the tour. The tours include lunch too. You get a picnic box lunch at the West Rim while you get to choose from a box lunch or a hot buffet at the South Rim.

Best Price

These tours sell out so be sure to book your trip at least 72 hours ahead of time. If you want to be on the safe side, get your seats a week ahead of time, especially during peak travel times. Buy your tour online too. You will find the best deals there. Complete the transaction online and you get to take advantage of the low Internet rate and save some money.