Canyon by helicopter from Flying in a Maverick chopper

TRAVEL GUIDE Las Vegas facts,

It takes a special glass of bubbly to eradicate tiredness and fatigue. With a mere three hours sleep and after two exhausting five and a half hour flights across the globe with a long stopover in Newark, the last thing I wanted to do was head for the skies again. Furthermore, a glass of champagne was not high on my agenda at 7.30 in the morning.

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But served ice cold 3,500 feet into the Grand Canyon in Hualapai Indian Territory and 300 feet above the lazy Colorado River, bubbly suddenly becomes the perfect remedy. Weariness vanishes, replaced by an insatiable appetite to digest and appreciate one of the Seven Natural Wonders of the World.

Birds of prey fly overhead, lethal rattlesnakes can be heard in the bushes while cheeky chipmunks vie for your attention. However, it’s the monumental and breathtaking size of the red brick Canyon that will blow your mind as you stand in the baking Arizona sun. But this is only part of your exciting and exhilarating tour if you travel to the Canyon by helicopter from Las Vegas.

Flying in a Maverick chopper which departs from its own base close to McCarran Airfield, you’ll experience stunning views of the Vegas strip, Lake Mead, Hoover Dam and the extinct volcano Fortification Hill. Your pilot will act as your guide throughout and if you are lucky enough to have Don Humphreys, the company’s most experienced pilot who has flown royalty and VIPS, it’ll be a journey of endless facts, figures and lots of light-hearted banter.

At around £280 per person, the four-hour helicopter tour to the Grand Canyon is by no means cheap, but it certainly beats an eight hour bus journey in the sweltering desert heat and for me is worth every penny. It truly is the perfect way to start your trip to Las Vegas. For having experienced a natural wonder of the world, now comes the joy of the man-made equivalent.

Since 1931, Vegas has been a huge adventure playground for adults and, even 80 years on, it hasn’t lost any of its appeal. In fact, Vegas continues to epitomise how bold the USA actually is. Big, brash and completely over-the-top.

Themed hotels the size of villages make up the famous four-mile strip and allow you to immerse yourself in a fantasy kingdom. Vegas is the gambling capital of the world and indeed as soon as you step off the plane at you are met by slot machines. But it has so much more to offer than blackjack, roulette and poker. These mega hotels are vast entertainment complexes with many housing their own Broadway musicals, rock concerts, acrobatic shows and amusement park attractions.

The number of restaurants and bars in each hotel usually goes well into double figures so you have an endless top quality choice when it comes to accommodation. New York New York is perfect for a young and lively crowd as it screams fun and a party attitude. Rooms, which are comfortable and spacious, are moderately priced with great deals throughout the year.

As the name suggests, the hotel is designed to replicate Manhattan with its own Empire State Building, Statue of Liberty and Chrysler Building. Street names of all the famous addresses in the Big Apple are placed throughout the complex. It’s also home to a fun amusement arcade and high speed rollercoaster which snakes around the building and down towards the pool area.

Music bar Coyote Ugly is a huge crowd favourite at night while Nine Fine Irishmen and Bar at Times Square are perfect for cooling down from the 100 degrees heat outside. One of the top bars away from New York New York is just two blocks down the strip in Monte Carlo hotel. Appropriately named The Pub, it serves the best burgers in town. Choose from 15 speciality burgers or build your own. But what makes The Pub unique is that it has over 70 draught beers on tap. The beers come from all over the globe but one in particular caught my eye — a yellow coloured ale from California named ‘Arrogant B**tard’.

There is a happy hour daily and you can either sit in the shade with the multiple television screens showing the latest sports action or chill out on the deck near the pool. While New York New York is a hip and happening spot, if you are after complete and utter luxury then it’s difficult to look past the Bellagio.

With its hypnotic Fountain Shows, sumptuous bedrooms, five pool settings, state of the art spa and gym, botanical gardens, designer shopping arcade and restaurants to suit every palate, The Bellagio offers the ultimate hotel package. The Fontana is a relaxing bar from which to watch the fountains at night while The Bank is the hotel’s sophisticated nightclub. You could spend your entire Vegas holiday in the Bellagio, it really is that big and grand. But be sure not to miss a Cirque du Soleil performance. There are a number of Cirque du Soleil shows in the hotels along the strip. But if you are a Beatles fan then the Love show at the Mirage is perfect for you. It is a spellbinding display of acrobatic ability. And the familiar music links wonderfully well with 60 international artists gliding through the air. And though hardly a word is spoken, the show manages to be humorous as well as a magnificent celebration of Beatles music.

In Sin City you have so much entertainment to choose from it’s difficult to enjoy all the sights and delights in one stay.They say four nights is more than enough time to experience the wonders of Vegas. Nonsense. That’s just when the money runs out and you finally succumb to sleep. Time to catch that helicopter back to the Canyon...

(source:belfasttelegraph.co.uk)