I am planning a trip to Vegas and want to see the Grand Canyon while I'm there. I will only fly in a large plane, but read that the drive to see the best part of the Canyon is about 5 hours one way. Any advice on a good tour company or if 10 hours on a bus is worth it? Any additional insight on the Canyon.

if a small plane or helicopter is no option then you could try to spend the night at one of the lodges at the south rim.
So you can experience a sun down the first night and take a tour the next day before returning to Vegas.

An extra night in Williams on the way back is even better.

I think to the GC and back in one day is not doable.

Absolutely it is worth it. It's the Grand Canyon.

Instead of being stuck in a tour bus and herded around like a bunch of sheep in the 1-2 hours they'll give you at the South rim, drive yourself and take your time.

The Grand Canyon should be seen at least once if you have the opportunity. Words cannot capture the majesty and the beauty of it. However, having driven myself by car from Las Vegas to the canyon I cannot imagine going there and back in a single day by bus. At most you will have only a couple of hours at the canyon, which is not enough. If you have the time drive yourself.

I think the bus tours go to the east rim only, not to the south rim - this is where you want to be!

If you can, rent a car and spend one night at the canyon.

If you have only one day, Zion National Park would be a much better way to spend it. You'd spend 5 hours round trip in the car instead of 10 hours, giving you 5 extra hours to enjoy some stunning natural beauty.

It is a long, and not very interesting drive to the Grand Canyon. Even if you share the driving, I'd worry about falling asleep on the way 'home'.

If you just want to go see it in one day, I'd recommend the bus, provided it goes to the south rim.

We did the flight to the West Rim (least expensive) which was quite impressive. The planes are pretty large and offer good views. The flight is smooth and not scary at all. It took about two hours.

Very recommendable!

http://www.looktours.com

A bus tour will be a torture - long boring drive. Better rent a car and take two days.

Drove from Vegas to the Grand Canyon and back in a rental car two years ago in December. As I had never been through that part of the country previously, I really enjoyed the terrain. Not much in between in the way of tourist facilities, however, so keep your eye on the gas gauge. The GC itself is amazing and changes in appearance as the angle of the sunlight hits different parts of the canyon walls during the day.

With that in mind, I'd like to second Bertorelli's recommendation to spend the night onsite. Arrive in plenty of time to position yourself for sunset, stay at one of the lodges on the south rim, set your alarm to awaken before dawn and watch as the first light of dawn breaks into the canyon.... amazing! If you can find a tour company that does an overnight, then go for it. If not, then drive yourself. You won't regret it.

If you're not planning on spending a night at GC, then I second Clark's advise, Zion is much more doable, and it's gorgeous. We did an easy day trip to there from Vegas, and more of a scenic drive then to GC.

The best way is to fly into flagstaff ( less than an hour from Willaims AZ) and shuttle bus to Williams. Form there you can take the train (that gets robbed, lol)to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. You spend a good part of the day at the south rim and there are old lodges that you can stay in. It is a blast! You can ride back the same day too. We like the hotel in Willaims, and we got meals with our hotel there. The train is soo cool I am working on a model layout so i can live it everyday. www.railsnw.com

Form there you can take the train (that gets robbed, lol)to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon.

Sorry, but the train robbery occurs when you buy your ticket ... this is one of the two biggest tourist traps in Arizona, you pay far too much for a long boring ride thru flat non-scenic country for three hours mid-day at the canyon, then are faced with a long boring ride back to Williams. You can drive it in 1/3 the time for a fraction the cost.

If anyone wants to ride a train in the southwest then at least do it on an interesting run, like say the Durango to Silverton narrow gauge train in Colorado. But this Arizona one is a rip-off.

Bill