It isn't a holiday in Vegas if you don't visit the West Rim of the Grand Canyon by bus. I recently booked a prolonged version of this trip and I was thoroughly pleased. Here is a review of my trip:

The bus operator arranged to pick me up at 7 a.m. I was fine with that. The slot machines were robbing me. The shuttle service was right on time. I joined other travelers for a coffee and a Danish and off we went.

Today's luxury bus is a miracle of automotive technological innovation. These buses are sleek, $500,000 machines. Mine was outfitted with super-comfy seats, personal climate-control stations, a spotless rest room, and seven TVs that played a documentary about Grand Canyon West.

Each one of us got a pair of earphones. I used mine to listen to a pre-recorded tour narration. It was fascinating. I felt it markedly improved my experience. Other "extras" that I felt mattered was the cup holder, fold out seat arm and the food tray. These items may seem insignificant but I found them very helpful.

Grand Canyon West is 120 miles from Las Vegas. Takes about 2.5 hours to get there. The beginning of the trip takes in the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. My tour bundled a photo stop at the Dam on the Arizona side. It's amazing how far the water level moved down. The view of the new Bypass Bridge is excellent from here, too.

The very last 10 miles of the ride was on a harsh dirt road. The luxury coach I was on handled it like a champ. I thought to myself, "I wouldn't want to drive this stretch myself." I have to give props to our driver for adeptly driving this section.

My bus tour included a chopper ride and boat trip. Additional options include Glass Bridge tickets, a boat ride and a standard ground tour of the rim.

I transferred over to the heli and made the 4,000-foot descent to the base. It was outstanding. I'd describe it as one huge canyon carve. At the base, I enjoyed a Champagne picnic. Then I embarked on my Grand Canyon rafting trip, which turned out to be a completely enjoyable smooth-water float ride down Colorado River.

I rejoined my fellow bus adventurers at the top of the rim. I overheard a pair from the United Kingdom rave about Eagle Point and Guano Point. My seatmate announced how amazing the Sky Walk was, showing me a picture of her "catching air" at the end of it.

Buy your canyon bus tours from Vegas online. There are numerous operators available who would like your business. Thus the price wars. That said, try to make sure your package has a stop at the Hoover Dam. Scheduling before hand should also help get you the very best rate.

These Grand Canyon tour bus excursions to the West Rim last a half day. If you make plans in Vegas for the nighttime, it is best to push them to 8 p.m. Be conservative on this. I was very satisfied with my bus trip. I saw everything as promised and much more, and give my my road trip two thumbs up.