If you're planning to visit Las Vegas, be sure you include a Grand Canyon West Rim helicopter tour. There are three kinds of flights from which to choose, and I'm very sure that there's a trip that's just right for you.

The most basic is the classic air tour. It essentially flies to West Rim and back. You can upgrade this trip to include tickets to the Grand Canyon Skywalk or to land at the bottom of the canyon. Here's a closer look at each of the these West Rim helicopter tours:

Air Tour

The perfect canyon sampler. Includes a ton of West Rim highlights, including Eagle Point, Guano Point, the Skywalk, and the Colorado River. Upgrade to include a flight over the fabulous Las Vegas Strip on the return. Most tour operators offer sunrise and sunset flights.

Grand Canyon Skywalk Tour

Land at the new Grand Canyon West airstrip. Enter the Skywalk and be prepared to walk 70 feet past the edge and to be lifted some 4,000 feet above the mighty Colorado River. Enjoy a BBQ lunch. Take a free shuttle to all key viewpoints. Explore a traditional Hualapai Indian Village.

Bottom-Landing Tour

Canyon carve 4,000 feet downwards to the base of the canyon. Hop off the chopper. Enjoy a Champagne toast under an authentic Indian Ramada. Browse the canyon's primordial floor. Upgrade to include an exciting pontoon boat ride down Colorado River.

These all-inclusive helicopter tours include free shuttle service to all major Las Vegas Strip hotels. The Skywalk and bottom-landing trips come with lunch and a professional and knowledgeable pilot-guide. Prices on the Internet for these packages start around $230 per person.

Heli tours depart from the Vegas area. Flight plans ensure you'll also see Lake Mead, Hoover Dam, and the spectacular Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Bridge. These sights are a major bonus for heli travelers, especially given that choppers fly at lower altitudes than planes, thus giving you terrific bird's eye views of these landmarks.

I strongly suggest that you book your Las Vegas helicopter tour in advance. Peak season is spring and summer and low season is winter. Flights are limited, popular, and sell out quickly, especially sunrise and sunset tours. If you book a flight the day before you plan to go or on the same day, expect to pay a premium.

Always get your flights online. I've seen amazing specials online that take nearly 35 percent off the rack rate. I personally do all my reservations on the Web and have never had any SNAFU's concerning credit-card transactions.

Grand Canyon helicopter tours to the West Rim are full of thrills and adventure. The West Rim is home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk, and it's the only place where you can land at the bottom of the Grand Canyon and take an optional boat ride down the Colorado River. If you are searching for a Grand Canyon experience that comes with a huge "wow" factor, book a helicopter flight. It's an activity that will make this Las Vegas trip magical.