New Year's holidays in Las Vegas are a great way to ring in 2014. You can make the experience even more fun by taking a side trip to the Grand Canyon.

Yes, the Grand Canyon, one of the Seven Wonders of the Natural World.

I know it sounds odd at first but in actuality it's very realistic. It is only 120 miles away so it is one of the more popular attractions for Vegas visitors.

So how does it all work?

There are lots of ways such as helicopter and plane flights or bus tours. Also, there are ATV tours, Jeep adventures, and walking tours. Let's look closer at the top three ways to tour the Grand Canyon.

Bus tours go to the West Rim and the South Rim. The West Rim is closest, and it's also home to the Grand Canyon Skywalk. The South Rim is farther at some 277 miles away, but it is packed with scenic wonders to behold. The bus tours leave once daily in the early morning and they stop for a quick photo op at the Hoover Dam.

It is a lot quicker to get to the canyon by airplane, you can be at the West Rim in a half hour and at the South Rim in an hour. These tours are economical and quick. I also prefer them when it comes to getting to the South Rim. As noted, it takes an hour. The trip by bus takes 5 ? hours each way.

Then there are helicopter rides. You can only go to the West Rim by helicopter because the South Rim is too far for a chopper to make the trip. You can stay in the air during the tour or land at the canyon and enjoy the many fun things to do there. One popular landing tour flies down to the canyon floor where you can enjoy a nice picnic complete with champagne. The descent into the canyon is quite thrilling.

Grand Canyon tours are usually all-inclusive too. Everything is included in the price such as shuttle service to your hotel, fuel surcharges, Park fees, and even lunch on the landing tours. Or, to rephrase, the price you pay at online checkout is the final price and nothing more.

Since the New Year's holiday is in the middle of winter, expect it to be cold in Vegas and in the Grand Canyon. Heed this and dress for temperatures that could reach freezing. It usually heats up when the sun comes up, but you want to be prepared. One thing I strongly recommend is a good jacket. It is also a good idea to take along gloves and a hat.

By buying your tour seats online, you will get the best price. The lowest prices are always online. Just don't delegate too much time to save a few bucks. Just save time and go online to start with. When you go right to the tour operator's website, you can get your tickets quickly, easily, and at the most competitive rate.