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Hoover Dam is 30 miles southeast of Las Vegas via Highway 93. Built between 1931 and 1936, it's one of the most significant engineering achievements in American history — 726 feet tall, holding back Lake Mead (the largest reservoir in the US by water volume).
The Tours
- Powerplant Tour ($15) — 30-minute guided tour of the lower works, generator room, and intake towers. Excellent introduction.
- Dam Tour ($30) — Includes the Powerplant Tour plus a tram ride to the dam's interior passageways and the Nevada-Arizona state line elevator.
- Self-guided visitor center ($8) — The exhibits, memorial, and overlook without a tour.
Driving Across
You can drive across the dam on a one-way road for free. The Nevada side has a large parking lot — get there before 10am in summer or expect 45-minute waits. The Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge offers the best aerial view of the dam and Lake Mead.
Lake Mead
Lake Mead National Recreation Area adjacent to the dam offers kayaking, boat tours, and swimming at Boulder Beach. A half-day combining the Dam tour with a Lake Mead activity is the ideal itinerary.