“Welcome everyone, I am your dam guide. I’m about to take you through a fully functional power plant, so please, no one wander off the dam tour and please take all the dam pictures you want. Now are there any dam questions?” Don’t mind me, just casually quoting one of my favorite childhood movies! Clark Griswold, like 7 million others annually, visited the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas to see the spectacular engineering feat of this National Historic Landmark.
About the Hoover Dam
Managed by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation, the Hoover Dam is a must-see destination on a trip to the Las Vegas region. Nestled on the Nevada-Arizona border, it was constructed in the early 1930s as the southwest USA showed signs of development.
Slowing the flow of the Colorado River, the Hoover Dam helped divert the water to various areas in the region. Providing water and hydroelectric power as far west as Los Angeles, the Hoover Dam can irrigate 2 million acres. With the 17 wind turbines, it can “generate enough electricity to power 1.3 million homes” (History Channel).
Visiting the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas
Located just 35 miles southeast of the Strip, visiting the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas is an easy day trip. In the 40 minutes it takes to reach the Hoover Dam from Vegas, you’ll pass through the Lake Mead National Recreation Area. There is a fee for entry, unless you’re an annual National Park pass holder.
Since we drove to Vegas from California, it was simple to escape the bright lights to see the Hoover Dam. If you don’t have your own vehicle, rent a car from somewhere in Vegas, like the McCarran Airport.
It’s important to note that if you’re visiting the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, your vehicle is prone to inspection at the security checkpoint about a mile north of the dam (read more here). There’s also a fee for parking, whether in the garage or in the lots near the dam. The only free parking is in the upper lots on the Arizona side.
Without transportation? No problem! You can easily take a trip out to the Hoover Dam with various tour companies. Walking up and down the Las Vegas Strip, you’ll find many opportunities to book a tour. If you want to book ahead of time, try the Hoover Dam Tour Company, Grand Canyon Destinations or Canyon Tours.
Need a place to stay near the Hoover Dam? Check out the options here!
Things You Can’t Miss at the Hoover Dam
Walking on top of the 1244 foot-long Hoover Dam is one of the coolest experiences. You can literally cross state lines from Nevada into Arizona, with clocks on both sides displaying the different time zones.
Snap a photo on top of the Hoover Dam’s concrete structure. At 726.4 feet high, it’s a sight to see when looking directly down into the dam.
Check out the visitor center where you can take a self-guided tour through the narrated exhibits, learning about the history behind the Hoover Dam. At the end of the tour, enjoy a panoramic view of the Dam, the Colorado River and Lake Mead from the observation deck. The price for entry to the visitor center is $10.
Take the $15 guided powerplant tour where you’ll walk through the original construction tunnels and come up close to the main generators. For a more in-depth guided Hoover dam tour, consider the $30 option where you’ll experience everything mentioned so far, as well as ride the original elevator to the top of the dam and walk through the inspection tunnels at the center.
For tickets and more information on tours at the Hoover Dam, click here
Walk across the 890-foot-tall Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. Completed in 2010, it’s the first concrete-steel composite arch bridge in the United States and the second highest bridge in the country. The perspective this view gives of the Hoover Dam, along with the Arizona backdrop, is a spectacular sight.
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