Grand Canyon West Rim Cost & How To Save

I write about things I love to do in Las Vegas. If you click a link and make a purchase, I may receive a small commission, which helps to support my work. Learn more

Hi there! If you’re trying to figure out how much it will cost you to go to Grand Canyon West, you’re in the right place.

I live in Las Vegas and frequently visit the West Rim – so often, in fact, that I’ve done every attraction there.

So, today, I’m breaking it all down for you: from how to get in for the lowest price to the best packages. Plus, I’ll share my tips on how to save time and money during your visit.

Are you ready to plan your Grand Canyon adventure? Let’s do it!

Grand Canyon West: How It Works

Before I cover the ticket options, I want to explain how the West Rim works. It operates similarly to a theme park, although at a natural wonder of the world.

And I don’t mean that in a negative way; it’s very well-run, and the setup makes getting around easy for guests.

So first, because it’s on Hualapai tribal land, you’ll need to buy a General Admission (GA) ticket. You can buy these at the door or online.

This is the entry fee required for all guests to access Grand Canyon West – with one exception, which I’ll cover later.

Once inside the gates, you’ll hop on the free shuttle service to the Grand Canyon viewpoints.

But if you want to do the other attractions there – like the Skywalk, Helicopter & Boat Ride, or Zipline, those will all cost you more money.

Tickets

Currently, Grand Canyon West offers two ways to buy tickets:

1. Purchase each experience separately (à la carte)

2. Save some money with a pre-packaged Adventure Bundle

I’ll cover the à la carte options first and then the Adventure Bundles.

General Admission

So, if you’re buying à la carte, you’ll first need a GA ticket to enter. General Admission tickets currently start at $51 (plus tax).

This is the lowest price per person to visit the West Rim.

With a GA ticket, you’ll have access to the free bus service that takes you on a tour of the following locations:

• Hualapai Point, an old cowboy town
• Eagle Point with scenic Grand Canyon views
• A native American village to see how huts are made
• Guano Point for more canyon views and trails

Is It Worth Going If I’m Only Getting A General Admission Ticket?

I absolutely think it’s worth going if you’re only getting GA, especially if you’ve never seen the Grand Canyon before.

The view from Guano Point is worth the trip alone.

And the trail to the old tramway and the Highpoint hike are phenomenal. Highpoint’s hike even takes you to the top of a rock formation overlooking the canyon.

Add-On Experiences: Grand Canyon West

In addition to the GA tour, you can also choose from these add-on experiences:

• Skywalk: starting at $28 per person
• Meal Ticket: $25 per person
• Zipline: starting at $45 per person
• Helicopter & Pontoon Tour: starting at $299 per person

The above rates are subject to change and may vary depending on the day. All prices are before sales tax.

West Rim Attraction Guides

Need help deciding what to do? Check out my Western Rim attraction guides to help you pick the right add-on experiences for you!

• Grand Canyon Skywalk
• Zipline Experience at Hualapai Point
• Helicopter & Pontoon Tour

Are Meal Tickets Worth It?

For convenience, yes. With a meal ticket, you won’t have to worry about paying at the restaurant. Or have to wait on your server to bring the bill.

But, for adults, buying a meal ticket à la carte won’t save you any money over paying at the restaurant.

Bundle Savings

Grand Canyon West offers pre-packaged Adventure Bundles. So no matter when you go, you can save money by getting one of these.

For instance, each package below will save you at least $11 per person over buying the tickets individually.

Adventure Bundles & Prices

The following are the current Adventure Bundles that the West Rim offers. You can book these for any day you plan on attending in 2024.

It’s also usually a good idea to book early to lock in the lowest rate. (I’ve noticed a few price increases over the last year or so.)

Please note that you do not need to buy a GA ticket with a bundle deal, as it’s already included.

Other Trip Costs To Consider

I highly recommend driving yourself when visiting the Grand Canyon.

And that’s because it’s better to be in control of your day and take as much time as you need rather than be at the mercy of a tour company’s schedule.

That way, too, you can always add on any attractions (assuming availability) once you see them in person.

But, there are expenses to self-driving that will increase the total amount of your Grand Canyon trip:

Rental Car

If you’re visiting from out of town, you’ll need to rent a car to get to the West Rim. Typical rates for a one-day, mid-size vehicle are about $100.

Gas

Unless you have a big vehicle, you’ll only have to stop once from Las Vegas to fill your tank of gas. So, that’s an additional expenditure of $40-$50.

Parking Fees

Grand Canyon West has free parking for all visitors, so you won’t have to pay anything extra to park.

My Favorite West Rim Tour From Las Vegas

If you don’t want to drive yourself, my favorite excursion is by Pink Adventure Tours. It’s roughly 9-10 hours round-trip and departs Las Vegas at 7 am.

It includes your General Admission ticket to the West Rim, lunch, and time to go on the Skywalk (although you must pay separately for the skybridge).

This is a small tour with a maximum of 10 people and drivers who are both knowledgeable and friendly.

But it’s quite a bit more expensive than driving yourself – typically around $300 per person.

If you’re interested in going, you can check pricing and availability here:

Tips For Saving Time & Money

Below are a few savings tips based on the times I’ve visited the Grand Canyon.

Buy Tickets Online For Faster Entry

If you buy your tickets before you go, you can head straight to the shuttle when you arrive. That means you’ll bypass the ticket line, which often takes an hour or more during peak times.

In the past, I’ve also noticed that online rates for tickets were a few dollars cheaper than at the door. So, purchasing online may save you some money, too.

Meal Tickets For Kids Aren’t Necessary

I don’t typically recommend buying meal tickets for kids (12 years or younger).

They’re unavailable online, and you’ll spend more than you have to if you buy them an adult meal ticket. (Last time I was there, kids’ entrees were $6 less than adults’.)

So instead, I recommend paying at the restaurant for children’s meals.

The only exceptions to this suggestion are if you’re getting your child the Grander bundle or the recently added Meal Package bundle.

Even though an adult meal ticket is in those packages, buying one of these for kids is still cheaper than paying for the experiences separately.

Skip Hualapai Point If You’re Short On Time

Hualapai Point is the first stop on the tour. It’s an old Western town with a Mexican restaurant, a shooting gallery, and a saloon serving root beer floats.

But it doesn’t offer any Grand Canyon views (except far off in the distance). So, if you’re short on time, I recommend staying on the bus and skipping this stop.

Or come back to it after seeing Eagle Point and Hualapai Point. Those are the real showstoppers when it comes to the view.

Kids 4 And Younger Get In For Free

Kids four years of age and younger get into the West Rim for free. They can also go on the Skywalk for free if they can walk independently. (For safety reasons, the West Rim doesn’t allow guests to carry a child on the Skywalk.)

Go To Hualapai Point If You Need To Buy Tickets On-Site

Although I recommend buying tickets online, I recently discovered another location where you can get tickets without standing in a long line.

This detour will add some minutes to your trip. But if you’re visiting from spring to fall, you’ll get your tickets faster here than at the main terminal.

So, for guests driving to the West Rim, you’ll want to exit before you get to the main terminal. Just follow the signs to the Zipline and Cabins at Hualapai Point. 

Hardly anyone parks at Hualapai Point, so you should have a front-row parking spot. Then, go inside the Cabin Check-In building to get your tickets.

You can even catch the West Rim’s free shuttle from Hualapai Point.

But I recommend continuing to the main terminal and parking there instead. It’s usually easier to leave from that location once you’re done for the day.

Purchase Snacks (Or Pack A Meal) To Save Money

The West Rim requires a lot of energy, so you’ll need some nourishment to make it through the day.

But if you want to avoid paying $25 for a meal, there are some spots where you can get food that will fill you up – and save you some money, too.

One place is Skywalk Cafe, which is on the first floor of the Skywalk building at Eagle Point. The last time I was there, they had muffins, burritos, breakfast sandwiches, and ice cream.

Another option is to get à la carte items like mashed potatoes and corn on the cob at Guano Point. These often sell out, though, so I recommend getting there earlier in the day.

And then lastly, you can pack a lunch in your car and eat it in the parking lot. We did that one time, and it worked well.

But only pack a lunch if you plan on eating your food before entering. Otherwise, you’ll lose too much valuable time riding the shuttle back to the parking lot.

Book High-Demand Experiences Ahead Of Time

Reservations for the Zipline and Helicopter-Pontoon experiences are booked in one-hour increments, with only a few people allowed in each time slot.

Because of this, I recommend booking these attractions in advance.

That way, you can schedule your day before you go and avoid wasting time waiting around to do them. Or worse, finding out there is no availability when you go.

Cost Recap

The lowest cost to visit Grand Canyon West is $51 for General Admission.

Adding other attractions increase the price, but the bundle deals offer significant savings.

If you do everything, you’re looking at $412 per person for the Grandest package and an add-on zipline ticket. (That’s the cheapest way I’ve found to do all the experiences.)

So, depending on your budget and what you want to do, a trip to the West Rim will cost between $51 to $412 per person, plus tax.

But you’ll also need to get some beverages and food while you’re there. I recommend budgeting an additional $20-$30 per person for that.