Hoover Dam Reviews

AMAZING! Absolutely loved this tour. It was amazing to see how this dam was built. It you go, the add on tour is a MUST!. It was well worth it.

Very interesting place to visit, we did the power plant tour and our guides were very knowledgeable and enthusiastic. I would certainly recommend doing a tour and getting in early!

Amazing construction feat from the 1930s. Jaw-dropping views. Plenty of parking. A restaurant. Theatre. Maybe a 30-45 minute drive from downtown LV.

Take the drive out of Vegas to see Hoover Dam. Really incredible feat of engineering and progress. I didn't make time for the tour this time. Walk the dam and then take the drive up to the Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge for a great view of the whole dam. Nice drive out of town with viewpoints and access roads to Lake Mead. Plan a stop on the way in or out in Boulder City for lunch or a beer at the 2 brew pubs there.

Seeing the dam for yourself is a worthwhile experience. Take time at the end to walk the bypass bridge for a different view.

But….
The only tour available when we were there was the $15 tour. The $30 was sold out. The $15 tour was absolutely not worth it. Interesting walk through but the guide spoke way too fast. The visitors center is being remodeled right now and there is no display. I don’t think I have ever been somewhere being remodeled that had nothing for people. Any other place I’ve ever been would have a scaled down version of displays, but not here.
They do have a 1940’s exhibit in another building, but zero in the main area.

Don’t visit until 2025 and if you can’t get the $30 tour don’t do any tour at all.

Mike was an exceptional tour guide. Very detailed information, friendly and answered all questions. A bit funny as well. Definitely recommend this tour.

We drove out from Vegas and took the 10:00 tour that went to power plant and tunnels, it was an awesome tour. This tour is purchased on site only and there was a line before opening a 9. I’d recommend arriving early, before 9. This tour is not recommended if you’re claustrophobic

Hoover Dam, built in the 1930s, was the largest dam in the world for a long time and is still impressive in its dimensions. It is worth parking the car on the Arizona side in a free parking lot and from there visit the dam 1-2 hours on foot. You can go inside the dam and admire the turbines and / or visit the museum (both for a fee). On the edges of the dam landscape you can see from the colours of the rock how much the water level has fallen over the last 40 years - terrifyingly...

You must go through a security check to drive across the dam. There’s a parking garage and visitor’s center before reaching the dam on the Nevada side. We drove across the dam and parked in the free lot on the Arizona side. We walked across the dam and read the informational signs. Be sure to visit the restrooms in the towers on the dam. They don’t build them like that anymore! There’s also a pedestrian walkway across the Pat Tillman Bridge, but we didn’t take the time to find it.

I've traveled the area previously, but this visit was the first time I was able to actually explore the area. There is a visitors center and gift shop, which we walked by, but didn't visit. You can walk along the top of the spillway (dam) and see there the state line for Nevada and Arizona divide the dam. There is a self-directed tour, which I found very informative, and then there are two types of more in-depth tours. My son and I took the short tour. Mel was our tour guide and informative and friendly. They take you down 500 some feet to the area that allows you to go to a room over one of the intake pinstocks (pipes) It's an impressive area and vibrates due to the amount of water traveling through pinstock going to the generators. You are then taken to an area above where you can see the generator room. We happened to be there when they were doing some in-depth maintenance on one of the generators. After this we were taken to the ground level and complete the self-guided part of the tour. Each of the tours, including the self guided tours has some cost, but it's minimal. There is an overlook area on the third level in which you can go outside and see the spillway. There are also some parking areas in which you view different areas of the spillway and lake Mead.

Had some time on the way to the airport in Vegas and so very glad I spent it here. This was truly a modern amazement. Did not get to take the tour however just seeing everything and how they created what they did when they did absolutely mind blowing.

Pretty cool how they built it knowing people would want to tour inside it. We went on a Tuesday in February around 10am and had to wait an hour for the long tour, so make sure you allow most of the day for it. We parked on the Arizona side for free.

Flew over the dam on our helicopter tour. Named after president hoover in the 1930s, this used to be 1 of the largest dams in the world but now about 80th

Our tour guide Ruben was amazing and full of interesting facts about the places we went through! Will definitely call Maxtours again!!

We were so excited to see the Hoover Dam and it was such great weather. I encourage you to park and walk around the overlooks: just take it all in. Unfortunately, due to global warming conditions, the water level was low, all was very calm and serene - not much going on in the dam though the views were nice.

If you have time in Las Vegas, then Hoover Dam is a place that you definitely should go. Very interesting story that you will be told about the idea and how American people have built this construction.

This is precisely a wonder of the modern world, a work that embodies the greatness of the American spirit and knowledge. We enjoy looking at the landscape and thinking about how much effort and money Americans have poured into this, to create a masterpiece.

We stopped at Hoover Dam on the Arizona side to see Lake Mead from that vantage point. There are no viewpoints on the Nevada side. There is a minimal security check that all passenger vehicles must pass through. There is no charge. Free parking is available at the many pull outs, or one can pay for covered parking at the Visitor's Center, or to the left as soon as you drive across the dam. Observe all speed limit signs carefully, as people walk across the road and all over without looking. On the dam top, it is very windy no matter what time of year. Hang on to your hat.
The recent winter storms have not helped Lake Mead's water levels much. It remains just barely above dead pool levels and there are no active places to put in your boat. In places near the intake towers, one could see rocks on the bottom for several feet out. In the years since 1983, when the water was so high, that the dam officials were worried about the water pressure at the bottom of the dam, we have come to this. It's sad.

Fairly easy access via the one road in-and-out. There is a security check point on the way in. Parking is free if you cross over the dam and walk back. There is a 5-level parking lot next to the dam ($10) if you don’t want to walk back. Very impressive engineering marvel. Great views from either side of the dam. Worth driving to the end of the road and getting some photos looking down on the dam on the Arizona side. Well worth the trip if you have time to visit it. The best part is, it’s free to walk around. You don’t have to take the tour inside if you just want to enjoy the phenomenal scenery and views.

Was very impressive and a landmark not to be missed. I gave it only 3 stars since the tour was much more expensive than it was worth. Can also enjoy by just walking around

I booked this over the internet, with no regrets. Great trip, easier then doing it yourself. Just sit back and relax. Driver/tour guide was excellent, pleasant and knowledgeable. Couldn't have asked for a better experience. They provided a generous breakfast snack/juice and plenty of water

This is truly a wonder. Totally worth it to do the extra dam tour, in addition to the power plant. Get there early, as the dam tour tickets go fast. The place is immense and spectacular. You get to walk through the tunnels and look out one of those vents in the side, like that scene from The Fugitive. Our tour guide was super knowledgeable and a good story teller, but lost us a bit with his anti-government rhetoric and advocacy for the Gold Standard.

Definitely go early. We got there a few minutes before opening, and got in the second tour. By the time we left before lunch, the line of cars to enter the grounds (to visit the dam or just drive across it) was backed up all the way to highway.

We were 8 people who paid $30 each for a Hoover dam full tour. The guide we had was so very poor. Adam spoke so fast you could not understand him. I asked him if he could slow down his speech a little. He said No he had too much to cover. Then in the tunnel he went on on the politics of water. Then about his wife having MS. My concern, you did have time to slow your speak. We waisted $30 each for this poor tour. Avoid Adam as a tour guide.

Hoover Dam was very interesting. It was mind blowing to see how they built it so many years ago. It has held up so well. It is also mind blowing the amount of electricity it provides.

Unfortunately we visited on Saturday and everything was way too crowded to enjoy. Would like to return, but on different day of the week.

A visit to the Hoover Dam is a worthwhile excursion when visiting Las Vegas. The engineering marvel was built during the Great Depression between 1931-1936. The setting is quite fascinating. It is built on the Colorado River which separates Nevada and Arizona. You cross the state line as you walk from one end of the dam to the other. All along are great views including peeking over the top of the dam with the Colorado River far below and the Hwy 93 Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge spanning the river in the distance. The Art Deco architecture associated with the Dam is also quite interesting. Viewing the dam from the outside is enjoyable enough but you can also schedule a tour that goes deep inside the dam including riding down in the original elevator, walking through the tunnels and seeing the power plant. It is best to schedule this tour in advance as time slots do fill up and you may have a long wait to get on a tour if you just show up without a reservation (my mistake). There is a large multi-story pay parking lot on the road as you arrive at the dam. Make sure you include a visit to the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge also known as the Hoover Dam Bypass for the best views of the Dam. This is the Highway 93 bridge that spans the Colorado River, but which also has a pedestrian path that provides an excellent bird's eye view of the Hoover Dam. You can get to the bridge by parking in the lot off the Hoover Dam Access Road between the Dam and the security checkpoint. It does require quite a climb up steps from the plaza area to the bridge, but the effort is well worth it.

As we were returning to Las Vegas, we could see the Hoover Dam from the car window.

I learned in my history textbook that the construction of this dam was one of the New Deal policies.

We passed by in a flash, but when I thought back on history, I felt the great power of the United States.

The scenery was amazing.our tour guide Tony was fantastic. Very entertaining Tony is the man he knows everything

Great drive from Las Vegas to the Dam. Parking was confusing, but there is free parking and paid parking. Lot's of stairs if you park up top. Nice areas to walk and take photos. Beautiful views in many directions. The area is clean and well maintained. We had a snack at the restaurant, but the grill was closed, so only hotdogs, salads, chips and sweets. Nice day to sit outside. Definitely worth the trip and walk

We enjoyed driving and walking over the dam and viewing it from the Tillman bridge. It’s something you only need to do once, in my opinion. We didn’t take the tour as my son wouldn’t last on an hour guided tour. I was thankful parking was close and you didn’t have to walk very far. Since we were there at 9 am in early March, there weren’t many people there.

The tour was well worth it plus the tour guide-Tony was very entertaining, accommodating and full of knowledge. Good job to Tony!

We went to the Hoover Dam in the beginning of January 2023. The whole family enjoyed this experience! We easily parked in the parking garage on the Nevada side of the Dam. There was a fee to park, but it made access easy. In the same structure is the visitor center and a souvenir shop.

We took the mid level guided tour. We watched a quick movie and then attended the tour. Our guide took us down to two areas of the plant and was very informational. After there is a museum about the history of the Dam, and a great opportunity for photos on the observation deck. All included in your ticket price.

You are able to walk/drive across the bridge for free. It was crowded the day we went, but could easily be more crowded. There is a marker that shows the state boarders for Nevada and Arizona, a fun picture spot. And the two states are in different time zones, something to keep in mind if you are coming from Arizona as the time for opening and closing is driven by Nevada time.

All in all, it was a great sight to see and learn more about.

Breathtakingly beautiful and immense! You cannot appreciate the vastness of the dam and the sheer size of it all without visiting in person. Highly recommended when visiting the area.

We arrived at the Hoover Dam late in the day, but just in time for the last guided dam tour, which was $30 and about an hour long. We knew before arriving that the visitor center with the exhibits was closed, but that did not in any way detract from our experience. The tour started with a short video about the history of the dam, then a walk through the construction tunnels and to a platform area to view the generators. Afterwards, we were able to walk through the ventilation shafts and inspection tunnels, take a ride up the original tour elevator to the top of the dam, and then walk along the top of the dam.

Parking the garage was $10, but it was possible to park for free at one of the overlooks on the Arizona side of the dam and walk down to the dam and gift shop. Whether you park in the garage or not, it's worth a drive to the overlooks as they each give you a different view of the dam and the bridge. Whether you take a tour or not, bring water as there are no water fountains or bathrooms on the tour route, and on-site bottled water is pricey. There are bathrooms available by the gift shop and at some of the overlooks.

Visitors Center shut down. No damage tours. The views are great but not what I wanted. Gift shop and cafe are open. Parking $10.00

If you're into jaw-dropping feats of engineering mixed with stunning natural beauty, the Hoover Dam is a must-visit. Picture this: massive concrete walls standing tall, holding back the mighty Colorado River, with Lake Mead stretching out in the background like a shimmering blue carpet. It's the kind of sight that makes you feel small in the best possible way.

But here's the scoop: when you roll up to the dam, you might notice a slight hiccup or two that could throw you off your game. First off, the visitor center might be closed when you swing by, which can be a bummer if you were hoping to geek out on dam facts and history. And secondly, there's this little parking situation that might catch you off guard.

Here's the insider tip: instead of shelling out ten bucks for parking, you can actually cruise across the dam and park for free on the other side. It's not exactly common knowledge, and there aren't any big signs shouting it out, but trust me, it's legit.

But hey, even with these quirks, a visit to the Hoover Dam is totally worth it. The sheer size of the thing is mind-blowing, and knowing the history behind its construction adds a whole extra layer of awe. Plus, the views? Unreal.

So yeah, if you're up for an adventure and don't mind a few little hiccups along the way, definitely put the Hoover Dam on your bucket list. Just remember to snag that free parking spot and you'll be golden.

From Las Vegas you are at Hoover Dam in about 40 minutes. Before reaching the dam, there is a viewpoint over the lake and a great spot on the bridge, from where you have a great view of the dam. If you don't want to pay parking fees of USD 10, then drive over the dam to the Arizona side. A little up the mountain there is free parking. We did not visit the Visitor Center.

Along with the Chicago Sewage Disposal System, Colorado River Aqueduct, Empire State Building, Grand Coulee Dam and Columbia River Basin Project, Panama Canal, and San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge, the Hoover Dam was designated as 1 of the 7 Modern Civil Engineering Wonders of the U.S. by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) in 1955. The city of Boulder City was founded in 1931 just to house the 21,000 workers that built the Hoover Dam during The Great Depression between 1931-1936. The Prohibition era was still going on during the first couple years of construction and prostitution was banned in Boulder City. There were 112 deaths associated with the construction of the dam. The massive dam is 726 ft. tall and 660 ft. wide at the base and 1,244 ft. across the top. It provides power to millions of people in Arizona, Nevada, and California.

About 7 million people visit the Hoover Dam annually. The daily operating costs of the dam are funded through the sale of power it generates for its customers, tour tickets, and parking. When we visited in April 2025, the visitor center exhibits and observation deck were still closed for renovations that began in January 2024. It didn't open back up to the public until June 17, 2025.

Tour Option #1 - Visitor Center tickets used to be $10 per person before this latest 17-month renovation project, but now they charge $15/pp. They include admission to see the exhibits, a 360 degree view of the Dam, Colorado River, Lake Mead and Hoover Bypass Bridge from the Observation Deck, and the Original Exhibit Building.

Tour Option #2 - Guided Power Plant Tours used to cost $15/pp., but are now $25. They include the opportunity to walk through the original construction tunnels, a 30 minute guided tour to a viewing platform overlooking a 30' diameter penstock pipe and the Nevada wing of the Powerplant feeling the vibration created by water rushing through the pipe, and the chance to see eight of the commercial generators in the Nevada Powerhouse. This option also includes everything in option #1.

Tour Option #3 - Guided Dam Tours used to cost $30/pp., but are now $40. This is a one-hour tour and adds a visit to historic tour tunnels, riding the original elevator to the top of the dam, walking through the inspection tunnels at the center of the dam, and viewing the Colorado River through the inspection ventilation shaft to everything else included in options #1 and 2. Tickets for these tours are not available online and are only sold at the site on a first come, first served basis.

Interagency Passes are not good here as this is not part of the National Park System like the nearby Lake Mead National Recreation Area. Instead, the dam is owned and operated by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation. After 9/11, security checkpoints were set up on both the Nevada and Arizona sides of the dam. Know that your vehicle is subject to a search. If you don't consent, they won't allow you through. Marijuana, even if obtained legally, is prohibited by law at the Hoover Dam since it is a federal property. Parking at the parking garage was $10/vehicle when we visited. There is FREE parking further away on the Arizona side of the property. It will be a further walk so decide if you want convenience or save a little money. I absolutely recommend paying the extra $10 and parking nearby at the garage (see below for weather info).

A lot of visiting at the dam can be done outdoors without spending any additional moneys on optional tours. Keep in mind, this area gets extremely hot as it is in the desert and its made of concrete. 2025 temperatures so far this year have climbed to 90 degrees in March, 95 in April, 104 in May, 109 in June, and 111 in both July and August so stay hydrated with plenty of water, wear a hat, and apply sunscreen. This is no joke. Wear comfortable shoes as you will be walking a lot.

Wow! I have no words that adequately describe Hoover Adam. Amazing, incredible, huge … just wonderful! If you go, get a ticket to see inside the power plant. We spent hours here! We walked the bridge from Nevada to Arizona. Then we went and did the tour. Just incredible feat of engineering!

Your reviewer is uncertain what to mention that the almost ten thousand previous reviewers haven't already said. Suffice it to say, that finally seeing and walking across the world-famous Hoover Dam was an excellent experience. Sure, we've all seen photos of the mightly arch dam, but it's only when we visited it, that so many of the little details became evident -- the covered walkway on one side that used to be the waiting area for the dam internal tour -- the two clocks on the intake towers, one for Nevada time, and the other for Arizona time -- the leaning transmiison towers on the side of the canyon -- and so much more.
Since walking the dam itself doesn't take long, we had hoped that there'd be other things to do. Unfortunately, when we were there in mid-October, the visitor's center was essentially closed (I think, for renovations), and no dam tours were being run other than a "modified power plant tour", which basically just walked us down to the cavernous Nevada wing of the turbine house and then right back up. Still interesting, though.
It was a relief to discover that there is a very large parking garage at the dam. At the bottom of the elevator bank there are a cafe, a gift shop, and public restrooms.
It is also possible to drive across the dam to reach some parking areas on the other side which themselves also afford some unique and worthwhile views of the dam.

If you have a chance to visit, you should definitely check it out. Parking is $10/car and you walk downstairs into the visitor's center. There are two tours available (both can be purchased on-site). The powerplant tour only (30 min) and powerplant + dam (60 min). The guides are very knowledgeable (and sometimes long-winded). You will be inside most of the time, so even if it is 100 degrees outside, you will be comfortable.
You should be ok with tight spaces to enjoy this tour. A cool experience is sticking your arm outside a vent on the face of the dam!

We visited the Hoover Dam in October 2024, it is undoubtedly a very impressive feat of human engineering to be sure, however, the official tour was very disappointing. After asking for questions the tour guide proceeded to inform me that my particular question about how climate change has affected the Dam and artificial Lake Mead behind, was not a permitted question and so he refused to answer. So much for manners, freedom of speech and respecting the opinion of guests and so much it seems for respecting science despite the scientific ingenuity that went into the Dam’s construction. This tour incident looked and felt like a simple and crude exercise in climate change denial (presumably for personal/ political reasons). I would recommend visiting the Dam but I don’t recommend taking the official tour unless you don’t mind intellectual control. It certainly spoiled our visit.

We made a quick stop here on our way from Las Vegas to Grand Canyon. Entrance and parking is free if you don’t need to park right next to the dam. It was a cool thing to see but we only spent around 45 minutes in total and that was enough for us.

We purchased the entry online in advance. Everything was very organized. We watched the video that told the history of the dam. Then we did the guided tour. The dam and dam impress by its size. Sensational walk.

The water their is so pretty and amazing. When I was in the bridge there was a good view. Even though it was hot the pretty mountains and dam made me forget about it.

We just visited the Hoover dam with our children and had a great experience! Everyone that worked there was very friendly and had a wealth of knowledge of the dam and its history. We went on the power plant tour and our guide, Danny, was fantastic: friendly, super informative, had interesting stories of the dam history and was so nice to our kids! We learned so much and it was incredible to see the inner workings of the dam and the beautiful art deco design throughout. Highly recommend!!

Amazing! Absolutely loved this full tour!!! We did Full Tour and it was well laid out and exceptionally organized. So informative!! Gift shop was cool too!!

We took the dam tour at Hoover Dam and really enjoyed it. They experience of being in the dam was amazing. Our guide as very knowledgeable and helpful. It’s something you will never forget!

This is something to see. Just amazing. We walked the dam and the museums. They are so informative and it's impressive when you learn how they built this dam so many years ago. There is a guided tour also if you choose. We ate lunch at the cafe and had surprisingly good food. I had a salad that was really fresh. There is a parking garage and it was not very busy here in early December. Definitely worth the drive from Las Vegas. You can also walk up to the bridge overlooking the dam and walk across it. Very windy on that bridge. Don't wear a hat. We saw many down below that had blown off.

Visited this historic place on the 21st of May 2023 on the way to the Grand Canyon from Las Vegas by road. It was the month of May so it was very hot but found a few historic facts about this dam : Hoover Dam is 726 feet (221 metres) high and 1,244 feet (379 metres) long at the crest. It contains 4,400,000 cubic yards (3,360,000 cubic metres) of concrete. Four reinforced-concrete intake towers located above the dam divert water from the reservoir into huge steel pipes called penstocks. The water, after falling some 500 feet (150 metres) through the pipes to a hydroelectric power plant in the base of the dam, turns 17 Francis-type vertical hydraulic turbines, which rotate a series of electric generators that have a total power capacity of 2,080 megawatts. Nearly half of the generated electric power goes to the Metropolitan Water District of Southern California, the city of Los Angeles, and other destinations in Southern California and this is amazing !
Dr. Javed Rasheed

The Hoover Dam is a very unique experience! From the time you arrive it's unlike anything else. First thing to note is security. This area is very protected and secure so you will be submitted to a security check upon entry. Our RV was entered and checked (understandably) so don't be concerned or surprised if it happens to you.

The size of the Hoover Dam is impressive! Pictures don't do the size of it justice. I know they do tours, but we couldn't partake in that because we couldn't get a big enough parking space for our RV and tow vehicle, so we will see that next time. I think it would be amazing to learn how such an important facility works.

There are clock towers on each side of the Dam displaying the differing times between Nevada and Arizona. So cool to think you are going back and forth over state lines when visiting the Dam.

I would recommend stopping here to anyone interested in landmarks, industry, and history.

Hoover Dam is somewhere you should stop to see but not if it is your main attraction. We saw it along the way to the Grand Canyon.

We took our 19 grandchildren on the tour (ages 11 to 26) and everyone of the enjoyed learning how the dam was constructed and what it accomplishes. Well worth the price and visit.

Drove from Las Vegas - easy to find and park. Paid for the second level tour - which is reasonably priced (unlike the Grand Canyon - separate review - don't do) - was extremely interesting - video at the start is great and great to do a tour of the inner workings - spent a good couple of hours - recommended.

Great feat of engineering.

Hoover Dam is a must-see! Be ready to go through security just to be able to park, then even more security if you go to the visitor center or want to do a dam tour. It's $10 to park, and there's actually a nice shaded parking garage right across from the visitor center. Be looking for it on the left because we passed by it and didn't even see it. There's another spot to park, but it's further down and a long walk back to the visitor center.

The visitor center was nice, and there is an observation deck to view the dam, but honestly, there are better views in other places that are free. When you are at the dam, you will see a bridge. Be sure to back track when you drive out and find the parking for that bridge. It's free, and it has the best views of Hoover Dam, in my opinion. Honestly, if you're not planning to take a tour or do any of the activities at the dam, then I'd skip it and just go to the bridge. The visitor center was worth a stop for us, though.

Admission is a bit complicated so read the website carefully. We arrived and parked in the deck on the Nevada side at 08:50. We purchased basic admission from website and you upgrade to full tour on site. Having the basic admission speeds your processing as it can be crowded upon door opening at 09:00. The tour was fairly informative. What they did in 3-4 years with primitive motorized technology is amazing, at the cost of about 100 on-site deaths. Breathtaking view out a vent in the dam wall. The interior boasts "art deco" designs as they planned for tourists from its inception and construction. Driving along the road above the dam is something I've always wanted to do and it really got me pumped. You really appreciate the functionality of Hoover Dam, as well as the whole dam system in the west, they provides energy, flood & drought prevention, and recreation as well. I stand there in awe of this achievement.
Be warned, it was over 100° F by high noon in June.

We really loved our visit to the Hoover Dam. It has a lot of history connected to it so it is a must see. We took our 12 year old and our one year old. There are elevators to get to the dam from the parking lot. We walked all the way across the dam and it was awesome to see. We loved seeing the bridge from the dam and looking down from the dam. On the other side you can see lake mead and the "bath tub" rings. We even drove across and went up to the overlook. If you look closely you can see old world war bunkers that they kept snipers in to protect the dam.

Arrived at 1pm and went through the security checkpoint, followed the car line to the parking lot, climbed up a hill, walked a long while and found ourselves on the overlook bridge, not at the Dam. Returned to our car, drive further down the hill, paid $10 parking and went to Visitor Center & purchased power plant tour tickets for the 1:45 tour because the next full Dam tour wasn’t until 2:30, which was a 40 minute wait. We were told the power plant tour would last 30-40 minutes so expected to be finished and back on the road by 2:30, which worked with our schedule. At 1:45pm we were led into the theater to watch a short 10 minute film, them directed out of the theater to sit on benches. We were seated there for 30 minutes while other groups were sent in to watch the film, and when they had more guests, they started the tour. Very deceiving and the tour was not worth the time. Do yourself a favor, pay $10 to park and walk across the top of the Dam and visit the free display.

Our driver was Tony. I highly recommend him. He was very knowledgeable and awesome and took us to several sights.

Didn't really have any great expectations, but spent a great hour+ at the HD. Climbed to the bridge lookout on the Nevada side (great views); drove across the Dam to Arizona where we parked and walked back. This is a must visit if you are in the area.

We did the 45 minute $15 tour and found it very informative. The tour included a visit to the power plant. Not sure if the other tour offered for $30 and also included a visit to top of dam was worth it but it required a a 75 minute wait, and that delay was a deal breaker for us.

Fascinating tour of the dam which takes you below ground to where the turbines are. Guide filled us with loads of facts and figures which makes this place very interesting to anyone that can appreciate the size and scale of the place. If you arrive from the Nevada side don't take the road to the paid parking area ($10 for parking) but travel across the damm bridge and up the Arizona side. There is free parking there and a great viewing area.
Also worth visiting the very high road bridge which is a great viewing point.

Spent longer here than we expected. I was buzzing (as a tunnelling/civils engineer) and my partner was more interested than she thought she'd be. Great museum telling us the full history of the place and the tour guide was very knowledgeable in various social, historical, geological and engineering aspects. The tour included visiting the power plant generators (from high in the viewing gallery), seeing a penstock and feeling the rush of water within, and ending with entering a few tunnels within the dam itself (with their beautiful art deco floor and door designs).

Only drawback was the sickly-sweet sycophantic film at the beginning, but hey-ho, this is America, right!?

Easy parking, safe access ways. Bring water as it's beautifully hot! Get over to the far side and you've left Nevada and you're in Arizona!

The best experience of our Las Vegas trip. Its about 40 minutes from the strip. Fun to walk around and check out with the family. Gift shop was open. Lots of parking. Great attraction

Many reviews tell you it is $10 to park, it is not. You only pay for priority or shaded spots.

In addition some reviews mention the "hoover Dam Lookout" prior to reaching the main dam public entrance on the 93 westbound. Unless you have a solid off roader don't bother as not suitable for standard vehicles. We had a 4x4 and still turned round.

The Dam is fabulous and a feat of engineering with some mazing views from the dam itself and the bridge.

Power plant tour ($15 / person). Arrived and the movie wasn’t working so immediately got into the lifts. The kids still had no awareness of what they really were seeing at this point, it made the assumption you knew what a dam was, how they are formed and why they are formed. The tour was informative but you had to have some knowledge (which hadn’t yet been covered at school by the 11 year old!) the 13 year old really grasped it and the size of it. In and out within 35 minutes and so we went back through security to request to see the movie… make sure you see it.
Take the opportunity if you can to visit the Boulder City historic museum which is far more informative and is a must to understand the scale of the project during its construction.

We got there early. Parked in the parking garage- $10 and worth it! We did the full plant and lower tour. It was $30 each and the guides are very knowledgeable and answer all questions. Easy drive from Vegas- about 35 min. I’d suggest if going during summer early season get there early. They can only handle so many per tour.

I wondered, how exciting could something related to electricity be? I was wrong. It was fascinating. The place operates like a well-oiled machine, staff are knowledgeable and pleasant, displays are excellent and the dam itself - well, this is what happens when humans are at their best. Absolutely recommend.

Very interesting great guide perfect trip for us not too long 4 hrs !!! From Las Vegas luxor Hotel and point's of interest pointed out on route !!!!

Iconic! Visited with our entire family and it was special to experience this great engineering masterpiece together!

Before the dam we stopped and did a short hike to the new bridge/freeway and got to see the dam from that angle. This hike is short, stairs mostly and totally worth the effort! Free parking and restroom for this access point.

At the dam we paid $10 for parking- easy and convenient.
It is so inspiring and impressive to experience this place!

Visitor center is busy of course. Food/drinks here along a gift shop with many options.

Had a brilliant time visiting the Hoover Dam, we took a tour of the Dam which was amazing to see and hear about how it was built. We walked over the bridge and visited the gift shop which had some really nice things to buy. The area around the Dam is also stunning,

What a sight!!! What an experience, loved the two different clocks Arizona and Nevada.
Loved the whole experience seeing such a magnificent structure with such history. We went in a very hot day indeed looking out to the water was so peaceful. Love this beautiful state/ country.

It’s worth stopping to see the Dam – it’s very impressive and a sight to see. I stopped here on my way to Las Vegas. I’ve done the tour before so I didn’t do it this time. We just walked around outside and looked at the dam. Unfortunately, the visitor center was closed for renovations. Make sure to bring water as it gets very hot here. Also, they charge for parking. They have two different parking lots – a garage on one side and a lot on the other side.

The Dam truly is a work of art—to think it was built on the 1930s! Tour Guide Danny was funny, knowledgeable, and engaging.

In addition to admiring the dam from the outside I took the tour of the inspection tunnels and power plant. Well worth it IMO.

You will have to go through a vehicle inspection checkpoint to access the dam by car, and go through security again to access the visitor centre and for tours. Parking at close lots is $10 but if you drive across the dam to the Arizona side parking is free at the top lots.

On your way out (NV side) there’s a parking lot on the left before you get on the interstate which allows you to walk along the highway for amazing views of the dam. They close entry at sunset—be sure to leave some time!

The Hoover Dam was breathtaking. Very amazing place to see. We took the $30 tour where you go down and see the inside of the dam. It was very educational and interesting. I think the $15 tours would have been very good, also.

So glad we got a chance to see the Hoover Dam while visiting Vegas! The dam and views were quite impressive. If planning a visit make sure to visit Boulder City and going to the museum that teaches you all about the town and people that built the dam. Such a great day!

The Hoover Dam is a spectacular site. It is an engineering marvel built in the early 1930's. It is still a working hydroelectric site. The water levels are 100 Ft / 33 meters low due to the ongoing climate change

It was well worth the visit to the dam. It took us about 40 minutes by car riding out of Las Vegas to reach the area. Parking was easy and we first crossed the bridge on foot before heading to the main dam. We had lunch at the lovely diner there and then walked across the bridge. Unfortunately, we didn't have time to visit the Visitor's Centre but spent a good hour marveling at this amazing structure. Highly recommended.

Took the hour-long tour of the dam for $30. They have 30 minute tours of just the power plant too. Lori was a great tour guide. Funny, smart and efficient. Able to see the power plant, look out from the face of the dam and finish at the top of the dam.
Parking is $10 in the garage. Take the time to stop at the overlook and the Pat Tillman bridge. View is unbeatable.

Dam is massive tour guide gave us lots of information about its creation and some fun facts worth seeing if visiting here for a short period

The full tour of the dam is a wonderful experience in history, technology, and inspiration. Even though I was disappointed that one can no longer visit all the locations inside the dam that I have in the past, it was still a great experience.

The websites did not provide all the info about dogs. We had to park on the AZ side and then walk all the way to the visitor's center. I had purchased tickets believing that we could park on the NV side. I cannot walk that far so I wasted $20. Adequate info on the website regarding parking and pets would have saved me that money.

We didn’t stop long and it was an extremely hot day, but this experience was just okay for us. It was cool to see the dam, but other experiences would be more engaging for teenagers.

The visitors center exhibots are poorly lit. Bring a small flashloght. Additionally many of the interactive exhibits were out of order

There's a gift shop. They have a smashed penny machine. I liked walking over the bridge more. It's a hike so bring your water.

I visited the Hoover Dam in March. The weather was nice and the lines were short. You can see how far Lake Mead has receded. The dam was very impressive in size.

Be sure to tour the visitor’s center. I also bought a few souvenirs from the gift shop and we ate lunch at the cafe. Restrooms were clean. The original 1940s visitor center was pretty cool. You will need a ticket from the regular visitor’s center tour to enter the building from the 1940’s.

The art deco styling of everything is really neat.

Very fun. Very polite and knowledgable staff. Made the tour very fun and interesting. Would recommend and would go again.

This is just awesome to see in person. The engineering feat is just incredible. We did take the tour they sell only in person for $30. It was well worth the money. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and enjoyable to listen to.
However, once we split into 2 groups to go down the small elevator to see the vent, we came back together and the group was too big to hear the tour guide.
We were very interested into what she was saying but there were too many people to hear her. The spaces were too narrow to try to weave our ways to the front.
My husband who is civil engineer was very disappointed that we missed some good info. Like the cracks that are labeled and such and the stairs to heaven.
You can't ask questions if you don't know what to ask.
All in all, a very cool time. Be sure to walk the Tillman bridge as well.

This is an amazing icon structure to see as it’s hard to believe that it was built so long ago. Kudos to all of the people that worked on building the Dam. Condolences to everyone involved that lost their lives!

Hoover Dam is an impressive piece of human engineering that is definitely worth a few hours of your time if you get a chance to stop and see it. The story behind it from the workers, infrastructure, reasons for it and method of construction is amazing really. We did the tour that takes you both to the power plant and inside the dam itself where you get to walk through the ventilation tunnels and right up to the grill on the dam wall to look out! The guides were all really informative and made the 1 hour around the dam very enjoyable. Highly recommend a stop at Hoover Dam, whether you do a tour or not.

Tony gave us an excellent amount of history on the dam and also many other different areas around along our trip. He was great!

Its such a good place to stop and hear how it was built. Did not see Superman or Megatron but did take the shorter 45 minute tour to see the turbines which is well worth doing. The car park is $10 and so easy to use, and you can then take a good look around. The visitor centre is having some work done, but should be great when open again. Did not go up the bridge to look back at the dam, but did stop at Lake Mead Scenic View on the way out. Well worth a visit when passing, and maybe after go to the Boulder Dam Hotel in Boulder City that has a really good free museum on the Dam and the city that built it. We stayed there (10 mins away) so perfect stop or stay before or after a Dam visit.

If you're in the area you should definitely visit. It's an amazing structure, made even more impressive for being built almost 100 years ago. A must if you're interested in architecture, engineering or great design.

We've been to the dam before. It's a delight and charm to visit this dam. It is worth the experience without question. We've been unable to do the tour in years past due to covid but this year the tours were opened up.

Warning that in August it's very hot and can be unbearable to explore the outside. The inside for the tours is very comfortable.

We wanted to do the big dam guided tour for $30/ticket. It promised to offer more than the $15 power plant tour ticket. The $30 ticket is the same as the power plant tour but takes you into the tunnels of the dam.

We found that the $15 power plant tour would be sufficient. We did not feel the $30 tour was anything worth the $15 more it cost to do it. We felt it was overrated and not as unique as we thought. We'd rather have just done the power plant tour, that seems to cover the most interesting features. For the $30 tour you go into tunnels of the dam but you're basically looking at tunnels that are covered with porcelain tiles and at least have the experience of walking inside the dam. But we didn't feel walking inside the dam was worth $30. You decide how important that is. We like unique things, this made us feel we wasted $90 vs. $45.

We did the Guided Power Plant Tour and, while it was interesting, it would have been better to do the full tour. The dam is impressive and the art deco details are icing on top.

Around a 30 minute drive from the strip, well sign-posted, easy parking, a good cafe for food & drinks. This is a sight you should see at least once but may not be somewhere to visit multiple times.

Tony our tour guide was outstanding!! We had great views of the Hoover Dam and had several museum stops

Walked around did not do paid tour arrived sunset arrival and pretty w lights in the dark
On Nevada side your car is searched for weapons

Highly recommend taking the full walking tour through the dam. There is so much history and the guides are so incredibly knowledgeable - worth every penny! The museum is surprisingly good - with film takes about 45 minutes to go through. 100% agree with another reviewer who recommended paying for parking garage if hot (and it was HOT in July!). Absolutely one of the highlights of our trip.

Unbelieveable manmade construction which is very impressive especially if you take a close walk from one side to the other, really worth the visit

We went when it was over 100 degrees. It was worth the visit to see the site with lots of photo opportunities but 1. Wear sneakers because lots of walking 2. Bring water 3. Bring sunscreen sunglasses sun hat 4. Cafe was closed for interim so bring some food or eat before going.

It was amazing. To think of all those men building this wonder. The tour was worth it but you could do it for free.

A must see when you’re in Las Vegas. It’s a spectacular site with amazing views. The area around the dam is worth exploring as well.

We stopped at the Hoover Dam on the way from Vegas to Grand Canyon West. We honestly could have spent alot more time there. Worth the stop!

I have been there several times in the last 10 years. It is amazing to see and wonder how the dam and the bridges were built.

We had been to Hoover Dam once before, but it's always worth another visit if you're within driving distance (we came from Las Vegas, a short drive). You can spend as much time (and money) as you want, but even if you just walk over the dam, it's an amazing view on both sides. There was some updating going on while we were there on Oct. 13, so be aware of that.

On the tour I purchased there was a stop to admire the dam. Definitely an example of extreme architecture and human building skills. But we saw her from the bridge in the distance and the visit seemed just superficial. I would have preferred to be closer and touch the story of how it was built.

It’s amazing it’s vast and well worth seeing. The tour is basic and the guides are lovely but you don’t get to see much. It is a federal building and security checks are in place for obvious reasons. It is hot and a dry heat and lots of walking. The gift shop is the usual toot nothing special and the restaurant has a strong beef smell which was a bit too overpowering.

Quite an amazing piece of engineering and construction. Hoover dam is impressive from where you look at it. You can walk through a bridge that allows to get very good views of the whole infraestructura. As well you can drive very close by too.

We arrived early as we wanted to take the full tour for which tickets must be purchased in person. The tickets are $30 and include a short movie, and a 1 hour guided tour of the powerplant, inspection tunnels, a ventilation shaft from which you can look out of the dam about 1/2 way up, and other structures within the dam. One guide does the first half of the tour and another does the second half. Both of the guides were excellent and each had a good sense of humour. The tour ends with an elevator ride to the top of the dam where you can walk around and see the spillway and tunnel. It was very hot the day we toured, but it was much cooler in the depths of the dam itself. There is a security checkpoint on the road to the dam and a bag and personal screening if you are going on a tour inside the dam. We had a snack in the visitor's center and stopped by the gift shop. The parking was easy to access and cost $10. It was a 45 minute drive from Las Vegas.

This engineering marvel is definitely worth a visit, but I recommend going early to beat the crowds. We arrived around midday and it took about half an hour to get from the entrance to the parking garage due to traffic. We did the museum, which was fine - it has a lot of text that we ended up skipping over. It is worth it for the additional observation deck that you can only get through via the museum. The walk along the dam also has gorgeous views but it was very crowded. A cool stop but be prepared for crowds.

Pictures and Videos don't do this place justice. Truly amazing. Breathtaking❤️Iconic!#hooverdam #nevada #lasvegas #arizona #lakemead #coloradoriver #travel #usa #hooverdambridge #baecation
Valentine's Week Vacation February 2023

GREAT tour of the dam and the power plant. We got there early and had a small group os we weren’t rushed and could really experience everything and ask lots of questions. Tour guides are extremely knowledgeable. Fascinating tour, starts with a 10 min video which is great info. We were lucky as the previous week no tours happened as one of the elevators needed repairs. We would have been so bummed if we missed this excellent tour.

Booked online for a tour the day before. No timed entry offered . Arrived 2:00pm. Very crowded. Paid $10 to park and went to tour centre to be told wait is 1:30mins. Visitor centre was closed and outside temp over 100 degrees so too hot to wait outside.

Amazing engineering feat.
Loved Dan the dam guy! Beautiful pictures of the dam and its surroundings. Dan is a funny person and I liked him a lot

We were meeting the Hoover Company in early August 2025.
We went by car from Las Vegas.
I passed half a day.
In the dam there are several free parking that can leave the car and pass over the dam.
The visitor center is charged in for access.
Other places free of charge, bathrooms and free parking

Interesting and amazing to see. Lovely scenery. Informative self guided exhibits. Reasonable admission. Not far from vegas.

Engeniring marvel. If you like engeniring and all technical stuff what comes with that do not miss opportunitie to visit it. Even just driving over it is fun. Nevertheless, this dam was on many movies and several times already virtually destroyed.

We were first in line for the full tour. We really enjoyed learning about the history and seeing the tunnels and all the tour had to offer. Our guides had a wealth of knowledge they shared. Well worth the time and money we spent. Must see if you are in the area.

LOVE Hoover Dam. It is amazing and so interesting. Take the 1 hour tour. Totally worth the $30 dollars per person. It is hot and there is a lot of walking. I would definitely go again. It is 45 minutes from Vegas. We took Uber out there - no problems. However, I should have prearranged a pickup for us. It took a while to get a car to take us back and costs a lot more.

Great experience very well kept very polite staff we took the one hour tour. It was very informative. You go down inside the damn see the turbines and through the tunnels. A lot of history ,an engineering. Marvel ,will definitely go again. perfect temperature outside!

Amazing place. Good parking across the dam then walk back and take your photos. On leaving make sure you park up and walk across the O'Callaghan - Tillman Bridge which give your spectacular views back down on the dam.

I visited and took the Hoover Dam tour with my family when I was around twelve years old. I had a vague memory of it being an interesting endeavor. So, since we were in the area last Tuesday, my wife and I decided to take our fourteen year old Grandson on this tour, figuring that he would find it as interesting as we did in our younger years. 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒈𝒖𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒊𝒏𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒍𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒕𝒂𝒌𝒆, 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒂𝒓 𝒆𝒂𝒄𝒉, 𝒄𝒐𝒔𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒐𝒏. The tour is not worth this kind of money. I totally understand that things have really shot up in price in the last few years, but we all felt that this pricing was a bit over the top. So be forewarned and don’t set your expectations too high.

There’s a vehicle security check point upon arriving. If doing the tour park in the garage at the gift shop/cafe.($10) If not there’s free parking if you want to just view the Dam. In order to tour the dam you will have to go through security check point. The 1 tour inside the dam was $30 each. Depending what time you arrive you may have time to view the short film and/or visit the museum upstairs. If not you will have an opportunity after your tour.
As for the tour itself my husband and I agree it was not worth the money. Although we were told by a guide the tours help to run the dam and pay their salaries. The tour guides were just ok. Seem like we had a lot of idle time. A little disappointed. You won’t miss out on too much if you skip the tour.
*btw a guide informed us in the summer time it is hot. Today was a little cool.

Incredible feat for its time. Guides are great with loads of info. Getting in is like going thru TSA at the airport! So limit what your carrying. Take water and use restroom before tour starts. It can be crowded so get there early. Took $30 tour but it was worth it to walk thru inside of dam.

To accomplish this project nearly a century ago is even more remarkable than it would be impressive to pull it off in the present.Plan on spending two or three hour and see the generator tour if time allows for your day.

Quick, impressive visit, the grandeur leaves you amazed... we're still talking about a dam so it's not who knows what. We passed by quickly mostly to see this famous work but it's not worth a day in my opinion. Then of course there are the enthusiasts...

Just south of the Cafe there is a flag pole on side of road. Best unobstructed view of Dam and but ac single person there.

Great time touring the hoover dam. The optional add on tour inside was awesome. You get to see a good portion inside the dam and the tour operators are the best dam tour operators around!

I have a very bad experience. The guards on the tours are very unrespectful and they treat you badly. I never got back to the Hoover damn. Bad experience 😢

My second time to the Hoover Dam and DAMN, it never fails to impress. An engineering marvel with amazing sights. This is a half day trip no one should pass up.

Not one water machine worked. But you don’t know that until you put your $5 in. It’s hot, like scorching. U can’t really get a good view unless you’re up on the overlook. Did I mention it’s hot? And crowded. I have ptsd from this place.

Take some time and learn about the history before visiting unless you are going with a tour guide. Not only the engineering, but also thr sacrifices that went into creating this marvel of engineering during the Great Depression.

If you are wearing a hat, secure it tightly! The wind can be intense.

Great tour! Dan Hall was our guide and he was hilarious! He had us laughing all the way. He was very knowledgeable about the Dam. Highly recommend!

An amazing time discovering an American influenced masterpiece that brought together thousands of people from all backgrounds, ranks, races and education!
Wow!!!! I never realized all of this until the tour.

They charge you $10 to get in, $30 for a tour of the dam, and $15 for the power plant tour. Both tours were over by the time we got there- no big deal. We asked if we could go to the visitors center. Signs everywhere point you to the visitors center so we walked down the steps to the door. Sign says it closes at 5 and it’s 4 so we are confused. Lots of other people walking down the stairs and are confused also. We walk into a “presentation” area where someone is taking tickets. She snapped at us and told us that the visitors center is under renovation. What?! We. He led on the way back and literally nowhere does it say that the visitors center is closed. Bottom line: if you aren’t going to pay $10 to park them $30 for a tour, don’t go. We did complain and they let us watch the “presentation.” It’s literally from the 60s. A light up narrated diorama. Really boring. Glen canyon dam visitors center is small but good and national park employees are kind. Can walk across the bridge and see the dam and it’s free. Much better experience!

Really impressive that this was made in the 30s and is still in it's original state. The engineers knew what they were doing. After all these years it's still producing all the water for miles and miles around.

We visited early morning before the visitor centre opened so we had it mainly to ourselves. Park on the other side of the dam (drive over it) and the parking is free, I believe the other cars there is a charge. We enjoyed just walking around and didn't have time for the visitor centre.
Short drive from Las Vegas and on the way to the Grad Canyon

What a brave and fantastic construction when reading about the purpose and what this supports it is well thought of and executed. Lots of guests and not enough available tours around the construction or the power work. I recommend you to go if you are in Vegas

Ok to start off - It's been my husband's dream to see this place. It would not have been my choice to drive 2.5 hours (one way) to see it BUT having done it, it was really cool (he would've given it 5 stars but this is my review so I'm giving it 4).
Pros - The tour & guides were very informative, friendly & knowledgeable. The tour itself was about the right amount of time and offered different experiences, views & facts to keep it interesting. I feel like for $10 to park and $30 for the whole tour - it was a reasonable thing (and the money part is optional depending on what / how much you want to see). Just the sheer marvel it must've been do build this thing back before computers and technology - it's truly an amazing sight.
Cons - If you are claustrophobic, the full tour is not for you. There are places in the tour that are very tight, small spaces with lots of people (the elevator ride is about 70 seconds and you're in with about 50 of your closest friends) - this was NOT easy for me but I let the guide know I had some anxiety and she (and others on the tour) were super sweet. There is one other place that gets really tight, and I could've opted out but wanted to experience it w/ my husband so I did it and I was fine :) Also, it gets HOT here - I was shocked at how hot (and how crowded) it was on a Tuesday in April. Bring sunscreen / water if you're going to do any exploring outside. It was hard to hear the tour guide in some of the places near the turbines (that's probably also more of our issue) - I didnt care but hubby would've loved to learn more and had a hard time w/ the generator nose, people, etc. Lots of steps, if you have a hard time navigating inclines or steps, seeing the view from the Pat Tillman bridge will be an issue. We climbed and climbed and climbed and though the view is pretty impressive from about 800' above the dam itself - I'm not sure it was worth all the heat/climbing (without any water - again this was bad on us) had we planned better, I think it would've been more enjoyable.
All in all if youre near the area, it is a really cool thing to see & learn about! No regrets!

This tour is breath taking . beautiful scenery as well as informative . My kids in most time stuck on electronic but on this trip they enjoy exploring , snack (ice cream) , gift . I would recommend this trip to anyone

It is amazing to imagine how this was built years ago. We walked around outside and the place is huge. There is a museum showing the history of its construction. As you walk outside, you are in 2 States: Nevada and Arizona – there are 2 towers with different times.

This place is a nice lookout.
I was there one afternoon and it was a pleasent place to just walk and enjoy the view.

Its big
And its high
So take in mind your phobias

Great visit! An activity to do absolutely to admire, not only the ingenuity of this architecture, but also this breathtaking panorama.

As well as being very dramatic in its own right, the dam helps one to understand the impact of people on this major river system.

This is a marvel of human ability and is 100% a must see. We went during the day this year and it was insanely hot, like 155F so we didn't stay as long as if it was not so hot. Years ago I went at night and would suggest that as a better option during the extreme heat of summer.

I can highly recommend visiting here and paying the small amount additional to do the full tour. This can only be purchased on arrival and takes place at set times, so you may find yourself having a little wait for the next one, but fortunately there’s enough to see while you’re waiting. There’s a short film shown outlining the history and a relatively small but detailed exhibition area which, if doing thoroughly, takes around thirty minutes. There’s a good viewing area above the exhibition with audible guide as to the visible sections and of course the restaurant and shop.

The tour itself took around an hour and was very entertaining. You encounter a couple of guides throughout the tour and both were very educational and humorous too, able to answer all the questions the group posed. Some of the areas the full tour explores is a little cramped and dark, so not for the claustrophobic, but gives a good feeling of getting to see the lesser seen parts. There’s some really interesting photo opportunities throughout and the scale of the place never ceases to amaze.

The place in general is really worth a visit, even if you only walk over the road above. But if you can take the time to do the tour then you’ll appreciate everything so much more and admire the brilliant engineering feat it is; well worth it!

Haven't been back to the Hoover Dam in almost 10 years, but every visit never ceases to amaze. This time we were able to go to the viewpoints from the O'Callahan-Tillman Memorial bridge, stunning views of this engineering marvel. Definitely a must see when in Las Vegas or nearby, only a 40 minute drive.

I know this is on many peoples list of things to do so we did it and it was ok. Went in winter, didn't want to do the museum so just spent almost hour driving around in circles to get a park. Small car park makes the parking difficult. Pathway and stairs up to the top was efficient albeit up by the road it was a little chaotic. It really is just the parking situation that is a deterrent.

Experiencing the sheer size of this dam and learning the history behind it is very educational and humbling. Pictures don't do it justice; the size is indescribable. If you have a chance, definitely do a tour of the inside of the dam. The tour adds even more history behind the build itself and the way it still functions now.

It's enormous and awe inspiring. Such a feat of construction and with beautiful views. Lots of things to see and do in that experience.

My fourth trip to see the dam and it has come a long way. There's now a parking lot ($10) a short walk to the dam. You don't need to take the tour, but first-timers should. Good visitors center and gift/food shop. About 30 minutes from Las Vegas. There is a security checkpoint.

If you’re in Las Vegas, a visit to the Hoover Dam is a must! This 726-foot-tall engineering marvel was the largest concrete structure in the world when it was completed in 1935—an incredible feat of innovation.

Start at the Hoover Dam Visitor Center, where you can explore interactive exhibits, watch a film on its construction, and take in breathtaking views from the observation deck. For just $15, the Power Plant Tour lets you venture inside the dam, through tunnels, and into the generator room—a truly unforgettable experience!

Tours are first-come, first-served, so be sure to arrive early!

The enormously vast space..the engineering so amazing. The history behind the making of the Dam, history of all the men the worked and perished.

Huge site to see. History of dam there. Can see water line where it has dried up a bit. Be ready to walk a while.

We took the tour offered at the dam. Leave all sharp objects in your vehicle because security will be checking just like you're at the airport. Going down into the dam was cool. The tour doesn't take long. We had 63 people in our group, but we could hear and see everything just fine. We didn't have to book in advance, but this place might get busier in the summer months.

Great to visit it out of season. It is huge and magnificant. In season could be an issue with parking, in late October it was ok.

Visting Hoover Dam is well worth the time. You could walk across the top of the dam and take pictures along the way. There is a gift shop and clean restrooms. Water is sold for $1.50 a bottle which is a great price. I believe parking is $10.

Hoover Dam is a one-of-a-kind attraction that should not be missed. We chose the basic visitor experience ticket which gave us access to a small museum/visitor center and the ability to go out onto a viewing platform. Everyone, including security, was very friendly and gladly gave us directions on how to get to different places. The dam itself is just as the photos depict - a colossal accumulation of concrete, wire, and water that improve(s) the lives of all who use electricity. The only complaint I have is that escalators, elevators, interactive museum exhibits, and even parts of bathrooms were mysteriously closed. I'm pretty understanding when it comes to COVID precautions, but these and lots of other actions we saw being taken on our trip seemed excessive. TIP - The parking garage you pass on the left as you enter the dam area charges $10 but it is VERY close to the visitors center. You can drive to the other side of the dam (AZ side) and pay nothing but you end up walking quite a way. NV/AZ heat...$10? Your decision.

stayed downtown vegas with a rental car--wanted to go somewhere--chose hoover dam & glad we did--easy to get there & not too far--scenery was wonderful...

The Hoover Dam was on our list of must do on our 3 day visit to Vegas. We drove out early and got there before opening so we were able to get on the first tour of the day. We did the $30 tour which included the power plant and the dam. We enjoyed being able to walk around the inside of the dam and learned a lot from our tour guides.

To look out one of the vents of the dam, you go through a narrow and short tunnel, and even though we are not tall, we still had to bend over a bit. Also with people coming out while you are going in, you are pretty much walking on the sides of circular tunnel, so you have to be careful not to slip or trip.

After the tour was done, we were able to take pictures on the outside. We were glad we were there at around 10am. It was already so hot then, I can't imagine going in the afternoon.

We got a cool Hoover Dam water bottle for a souvenir ($5). Parking is $10.

Drove across and parked on left side, plenty of parking and very easy. We walked across, read signs and took pictures. We walked back on the other side and did the same. Some things were closed for service but it was clearly stated on the website so no surprises. We drove back to Vegas through the national park which was free since my husband is a veteran. Great day.

This was a really interesting place to visit. We were just passing through and didn’t do any of the tours. You can see the Hoover Dam, the river, and Mead Lake without paying. There is a $10 per person fee to go into the gift shop and visitors center. I’m not sure what the charge is for the tours. We were disappointed that the little store was closed at the top.

Took a coach tour from Las Vegas to the Dam…stopped at the bridge lovely views then boarded the coach and headed to the dam…went inside the dam and power station and had a walk outside,found it very informative

We only stopped here briefly as part of a tour bus coach load trip to the Grand Canyon west. We got to drive over the bypass and stop for a photo. Our guide told us all about the history of the place and from the photo you can see how low the water level is. This wasn’t high on my bucket list but the drive over was incredible! Other tours over more in depth and I think you can go inside, depends what you want from it.

We drove down to the dam and parked in the garage near the Visitors Center ($10). Upon entering they present you with a number of tour options such as the museum or the power house and generators at different prices. As this is considered a sensitive location to the US Government screening and metal detectors are in use. The museum is fascinatiing and shows how the dam was built and by who. There is a nice gift shop (!) and a cafe as well as part of the complex. You can drive across the dam and park for free on the Arizona side.

What an amazing place!
Definitely make this a stop when in the area!
While the big tour wasn’t available the day we arrived, we still saw the short film and slide show, and took in the visitor centre. Still worth the trip!!
Bring water if travelling in the summer - it’s hot!

Interesting place you can visit and stay as long as you like. The traffic down the hill was interesting coming from Las Vegas and so there is a long line of traffic to get to the park entrance. The park staff ask that you roll windows down so they can do a security check - and note - no drones allowed even if they stay in the car.

They mention paid parking but if you go through to the Arizona side you will be fine if you are prepared for a little walk.

So you can enter the park for free and walk around for free and its MASSIVE along with the view of the bridge by pass which is also a marvel to behold.

The water level has depleted so much and it looks like unrecoverable level. A lot of teary eyes here.

As I get older, I appreciate our American history more and more. I’ve always enjoyed history lessons in school but I’ve never really heard a lot or read a lot about the Hoover Dam. I’m sure local schools in NV or AZ must teach it more than in other states, or at last I hope so since it’s part of their states. But the time & era of the dam built, it’s not only innovated design but a beautiful design. And all those workers in the time of the depression too. The history is rich. Plan to do a lot of walking. Wear comfortable shoes and there is water available for purchase, but if you don’t want to spend $5 on a Hoover Dam steel water bottle, then bring some with you. The tours at the dam are also cool. We took the 1/2 hour tour ($15), there’s an hour tour for $30, then a $10 but that won’t take you below, that’s more for the observation deck above.

This was my second time on the tour and my husband's first. As always, it is quite the sight to see this massive structure and the inner workings. The one complaint was that there were too many people on the tour and too many people packed in the elevator. So much for social distancing!

Tony. Tour guide/driver. He was super nice funny and made the ride pleasant.
The hoover dam views ,also the atractions

Free parking at night you will be questioned to get in not as much water as it use to be 40-50 minutes from las Vegas parking limited

Third time I visited the Hoover Dam, now for the first time with our teenage children. Impressively built with interesting history.

My husband and son did the tour, they found it very interesting.

Unfortunately, my daughter was caught in the heat. We are very well received by the Securety.

They are very professional when it comes to securing Dam Square and very caring and helpful when my daughter felt very bad. Great gratitude to these professional people, we will not forget this!

You need to tour, it’s all amazing and only takes an hour or so. Advanced tickets are helpful. Well done, easy parking, limited food and drink in the area.

One of the 'must do's' if your in the vegas area, such an iconic structure that I rate it as one of the best man-made structures ever built, apart from walking across the dam head, go to the view point overlooking the dam and see what an awesome structure it is

Been going to Vegas for 23 years and this was our first visit! Very informative and enjoyed it. So photogenic, well worth the drive, very organised too.

Iconic emblem of the American spirit and engineering ingenuity. A must-see when in the Vegas area.

You can easily spend a few hours here at the various lookouts and taking tours. Hadn’t been here in years so this time we saw the multi-level for a few parking garage…great additional. There is also parking along the access road at various points and they’re connected by steps so you can walk your way down to the dam.

Highly recommend the visit!

spent an afternoon there and wow, it is an amazing place! the views and scenery and construction are absolutely stunning. the Memorial Bridge walkway is worth the time and we loved walking over and around the dam. pictures don't do it justice. didn't take a tour or go inside but still loved the experience

One of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century and a modern wonder of the world. Take the full dam tour option. Not unlike what is depicted in Vegas Vacation with Chevy Chase. Over 33 million people have visited since its construction. Art Deco design accents recall the beginning of the golden age of American progress.

We were here in July, when outside it was 50 degrees Celsius and you could hardly breathe. The views are wonderful, and the grandiose architecture reminds you how small we are and yet how much we can achieve. There are vending machines with water bottles in the area, because the heat there can knock you down, and there are very few shaded areas.

Must visit if you are in the Las Vegas area. The Hoover Dam is really impressive. We first took a walk on the bridge in front of the dam stopping at Boulder Dam Bridge Parking (free) and then we went to the dam parking lot (fee applies). The Visitor Center presents an exhibition that traces the main stages of the dam construction and tours are offered to visit the interior. We made this visit because it is not every day that you can enter a dam. The visit was not very long but our guide was interesting and we were able to take some pictures. I recommend.

Tony, our tour guide for the Hoover Dam was amazing! He is very interactive with the guest! Gave great information but also stopped so the guest could take pictures

It has been decades since I was last here and I wanted to take the tour inside the dam. When planning this visit I found it hard to find the official visitor site run by the Bureau of Land Reclamation since there are so many private tours that pop up when you Google the topic. We did pay ahead of time for the power plant tour which was $15 each. There is no set time but I strongly suggest that you arrive before 9am when it opens especially if you want to go on the additional dam tour which you can only buy on-site for another $15. We got on the first tour at 9:30am.

The power plant tour after the movie was good but the dam tour was better since it was a small group and there was more information and exploration of the dam inners itself. Also there were more chance to ask questions of our guide who was excellent. With the movie and both tours the experience lasted almost 90 minutes.

We then had time to walk on the dam, view the shrinking Lake Mead, and then to drive up to the new bridge where you can walk across that bridge for a fantastic view of the dam.

We did pay $10 to park in the garage since it was closest to the visitor center. Another incentive to arrive early was that when we were left the area at a bit before noon the line of cars waiting to go through security entering the area was about a mile long! No line at 8:30am...

Overall a must see engineering wonder!

We drove over to the Hoover Dam before flying home from Las Vegas and I’m so glad that we did! It was an awesome to see this engineering marvel! It’s amazing that it was built in 5 years and only $2million over budget! WOW!
The handicapped parking is actually free in the parking garage or there are viewing pull offs that you can take pictures at.
I thought the tour was worth the $10 per person and we opted to stay for a slide presentation after the movie in the visitor center.
I regret not taking the time to go up to the observation tower! We didn’t have a lot of time because we had a flight to catch!

I'm a big fan of engineering feats. And Hoover Dam is definitely that. But the tour is not all that impressive. A 10-minute propaganda movie about American exceptionalism followed by crowded elevators to visit two locations. The tour guide didn't even really help to orient you on where you were within the structure ... just "this is Thing A. Any questions? I can drone on like a school teacher or answer questions. Any questions? OK, I'll drone on until the next group comes through the elevator so we can get on and go see Thing B."
"Here's Thing B. Any questions? OK, back on the elevator. Tour is over."

For the record, 96 people were "officially" killed during construction, though dozens more were classified as deaths by pneumonia, allowing the contractors to avoid paying out to their families. Many of those individuals worked in 140-degree heat with gasoline-powered equipment in enclosed areas.

This information is not discussed or presented at the dam, as far as I could see.

We decided to take a little detour on our way to Vegas and stopped at Hoover Dam. It was well worth the time and effort. Fascinating engineering marvel. The tour inside the dam was very interesting. We would do this again.

So worth a visit. We were there very early, which was great as it was super quiet. Incredibly structures. The cafeteria still hadn’t opened at 10.15 when we left, so get your caffeine fix first.

Hoover Dam was fantastic! The tours were limited due to maintenance and Christmas, so we just drove to the dam and walked up to it. It was incredible to see. I hope to take a tour of the inside someday.

I had been to Hoover Dam as a kid so didn't really need to go again but we were only 20 minutes away since we were in Hendersen for a soccer tournament. I'm so glad we went. It was really impressive and probably didn't appreciate it as a kid when I was there. We found free parking in Lot 10. We first stopped at the bridge and walked half way across the bridge and then went down by the Dam where we parked in Lot 10 it seemed like most other lots were charging a fee. We spent maybe 30 minutes there at most.

Great views of the mountains and dam. Made several scenic stops. Tony, the tour guide, shared lots of information.
Note: the instructions on the pick up location(s) need much more detail as we and several other guests were confused.

The Hoover Dam is truly impressive. You can go up the bridge and see the dam from above. Recommend on the strongest! All free:-)

Paid $10 for parking in thge parkade because it was closer for my wife and she has a bum knee. Well worth it in my mind.

Took the $15/person tour, which is the shorter tour. I enjoyed the experience and bit of history I learned about.

The best part is obviously the views and you can have those for free if that's all you want.

Knowing that Lake Mead serves water to Arizona, California and Nevada and that some of these areas have been asked to conserve water makes you wonder how much water is used in a place like Vegas without any real care about things like conservation.

We went to Hoover Dam and did the tour 20 years ago. It was amazing! The tour guide told us all about the history, interesting side stories, some entertaining, some tragic. We walked through tunnels saw a lot of the amazing art deco that is below ground, we saw water dripping down the walls and felt the dam shift. We saw a lot of huge gears and generators. We got a good understanding of how the dam works. Fast forward to 2023. It took an hour to get through security. Then we bought tickets. The Visitor Center (self guided) and Guided Power Plant tour were available. We took the Power Plant tour. We had to wait 2 hours until our time came up. We were all herded in to watch a very bland and boring 10 min movie. Then hurry up and wait. The Visitor Center took about 15 min to go through. I only saw the lower level. I didn't find out until after the tour that there is an upper level. Can we see that after the tour? No, you'll have to go back through security. While we're waiting can we walk on the dam? No, you have to go back through security. The grandkids were bored out of their skulls. I kept assuring them that the tour would be amazing. Nope, we got to see a very long hall, some inlaid terrazzo floors, and a generator. Tour's over folks! The rest is self guided. Self guided where? What! According to the tour guide the tour I saw 20 years ago was discontinued 16 years ago. Very Lame and a waste of time and money. I would advise driving up to the dam. Drive slow and take some pictures (you can't stop!) , maybe park ($10) and walk around. Don't bother with the tour. Watch a documentary on the history channel.

We were turned away at the gate at the entrance to the visitor center because we had a cereal bar with us. What got through at the airport doesn't get through here. But that's a good thing. The Americans take things seriously. And what was amazing: this huge building was completed earlier than planned. That's unheard of these days, and certainly not in Germany.

We visited today (2nd time for me) and I have to say it was an equally great experience to last time.

My top tip would be to stop at the carpark before the dam and walk the road bridge and take in the views of the same from there - even more impressive

Rob

Another of the 'must see' sights. Such an impressive and interesting structure. The best view is probably from the 'new' bridge, though that is quite a sight itself, when seen from the dam.
Well worth a visit.

Loved seeing this place
Went early and no one was there
You have to stop in even if it’s a short stop like ours it’s great to see

Definitely awesome to tour. We truly enjoyed everything even down to the Tour Leader bus driver. Truly a good opportunity to see mountains and more.

Work of engineering like no other. Fabulous tour and immaculate.
Such an interesting visit.
We just paid to go in after parking for free and it was worth every penny. Cafe bit poor and overpriced but great place.

The tour was great specially if you are a history nerd and and admirer or human ingenuity, a bit crowded for my taste but the tour guide was super friendly.

On my way out of Vegas I wanted to take a quick look at the Hoover Dam. I opted not to pay for a proper tour but rather just walk outside and gaze at the visually spectacular and magnificent engineering feat.

The good news is it is free to just walk around this from a higher level you will get some visually magnificent photo opportunities. There are free parking options too you just need to drive on from the paid parking option there are multiple lots further up with space and still barely a 5 minute walk away. The most amazing fact is you cross boundary states at this location (Nevada, Arizona) and this is marked by the clocks at each post. Definitely worth a visit there is also a cafe/gift shop and rest rooms.

We were fortunate to be able to get the full inside tour of both the electrical plant and dam. It was something I have dreamed about for years and feared I would never get to do. The guides did a great job showing us this engineering marvel.

It is definitely worth the $10 to park and $30 for the tour.

My friends and I went on a tour with #sweet tours to the Hoover Dam. Our tour guide was Bill. He was excellent. Bill knew his topic and was very informative.
Our tour included the pickup from our hotel, a stop for breakfast and the tour of the dam - inside and out!
I heartily recommend this tour and I hope you have Bill as your guide.

A stroll along the top of the Hoover Dam is a fun way to spend 45 minutes or so. But the paid tours inside the dam and the museum aren’t worth the time or cost, in my opinion.

The most spectacular views are from atop the dam, not in the tunnel or turbine room.

Plus our tour guide rattled off his memorized script so fast and with such obvious disinterest that it was nearly impossible to understand. Like drinking water from the proverbial water hose — a blast of info that does nothing to impart learning or appreciation for the amazing structure. So save your time and money and skip the tour.

Since you’ll be in the area, stop off at the nearby Hemenway Park in Boulder City. It’s famous for the herd of wild big horn sheep that meander down from the hills to munch on the grass at the Hemenway Park.

Spectacular views. Many photo opportunities. Ice cold water available in vending machines in aluminum souvenir bottles. Easy to navigate.

Incredible views and a great way to learn history. The observation deck and visitors center had amazing views. W you can do as little as much walking and exploring as you want.

I had been to the dam (before 9/11) , husband had not. Family vac, we opted to stop and see Hoover Dam. A Monday morning, mid March - OMG it was so busy! It was super crowded @ 9am. People, People, People..... Whet through the security checkpoint with ease. We parked on the AZ side where it was free. Little bit of a hike to the dam but we opted to do it. So far so good - walked across the dam to the visitor center. Did not know there was security akin to airport screening. Attendants were a little terse - loudly ordering people to get in line, remove belts, all pockets emptied into security bins. Husband realized he had pocket knife. Attendant said he couldnt come in - could throw the knife away (he didnt want to) Option to trek back to car with knife and then back to the dam - nope. It was so busy and the lines so long we said forget it - we didnt get to do the tour. Man in front of us said he had removed the blade from his knife - asked where it was he said he couldnt remember - he was not allowed access.....I can understand tight security but I wish we had known before our 1/2 hr walk to the dam and then find out the security measures. At least they could have told us at the entry point or if it was posted anywhere outside the buildings - we did not see it. Kinda spoiled our visit.

Beautiful area and worth stopping but know that parking is $10 and the visitors center is closed for renovations. They have two tours; $15 and $30. You can walk around the top of the dam for free but everything else you need a ticket. The gift shop was nice. If you don’t take the tour you still have to pay for parking. There’s not much to do without the tours. Buses drop off lots of folks to do the tour so it’s busy going through security.

During our road trip over the summer vacation, we had the chance to visit one of the most popular destinations in the United States: the Hoover Dam, located on the border between Nevada and Arizona.

The Hoover Dam is a testament to early 20th-century engineering. This iconic structure not only provides vital water and power resources but also offers visitors a unique opportunity to explore a significant piece of American history against the stunning backdrop of the Black Canyon of the Colorado River.

When we arrived, we were immediately impressed by the size of the Hoover Dam. Standing at 726 feet tall and spanning 1,244 feet across the Black Canyon, it is both beautiful and gigantic.

We took a walk across the top of the dam, and the little exercise rewarded us with a breathtaking view of Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in the United States, and the Colorado River flowing below.

Amid the hot temperatures of the Nevada summer, we found ourselves thoroughly enjoying our time at the Hoover Dam. We highly recommend that anyone traveling to Nevada visit this wonderful destination.

As part of a three week road trip from the UK my husband and I stopped off to see the Hoover Dam and found it to be an amazing experience.
Very interesting - learning about how the dam was built and seeing the structure.
Well worth a visit if you are in this area.

We were coming from the direction of Flagstaff towards Las Vegas on the i-93. Unless we missed the access road somehow it looks like (on Google maps) that the only way in is to go past the Hoover Dam and then go back on yourself - this may be because we missed something or because you need to go through security to park. It was a bit stressful trying to find the right place to enter and everywhere was very busy. We just wanted a good view rather than to visit the museum so kept driving until we were effectively at the Hoover Dam lookout. Good views from the parking. The toilets need more regular cleaning - very helpful parking area with loos but really very dirty. (but spectacular dam!).

My wife and I, and our two long-time friends, all of us in our mid-sixties stopped of here on the way back from an excursion to the Grand Canyon, and it was the perfect way to end the day. We didn’t have an organised tour of the dam, but just being able to wander around this magnificent feat of engineering was enough for us. We spent around an hour walking around the dam and the scenic overlooks, and were in awe at the majesty of not only the dam but also the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge which spans the Colorado River just above the dam. Everything about both these structures is mind-blowing, and we’re so glad that our tour guide afforded us the privilege of being able to view them from the vantage points we had.

This is a fantastic thing to see, got to knock this off my bucket list! With breathtaking views we took tons of photos and went on the full tour package which was so fun (though I would say the power plant tour is better than the dam tour).
Staff was super friendly and helpful. This was an awesome experience!

It is hard to wrap your mind around the enormity of this project. The views are incredible. You can walk across the top for a close look.

If you go to this area this is worth a visit. It is an engineering marvel and there is a road bridge above the dam which is also great. Out there it’s over 40 degrees so be careful. It costs nothing to drive there park up on the opposite side from the visitor centre and have a walk about.

We just got back from the dam, and we paid $15 each for a 20-minute tour that went down to the generator room and right back up. That was it. Very disappointing.

Stop before dam on the bridge overlook. That was the best part about going. Beautiful views.

Parking: Don't stop and the fist parking garage on your left and pay $10. Drive over the dam, and there is free parking. It's a 5-minute walk from the 1st lot, but get to see the canyon views.

The Hoover Dam is historic, the view amazing but there really isn't much to do there. You can also see the view by boat at Lake Mead.

This is a must for anyone visiting Las Vegas or anywhere else nearby.

To appreciate the sheer size of the structure is something everyone should experience.

Even for someone with a fear of heights, it is still immensely enjoyable.

It is a 40 min drive from Vegas so not far at all.

Refreshments are available & gift shop with decent prices.

Dwayne is the best tour guide ever! Very knowledgeable funny and kind. Give him a raise! It was incredible to go down inside the dam!

Take a short time needed to visit and walk across. Park on the Arizona side for free and take a few minutes to observe this man-made wonder.

We had a great experience! Our driver is Mr Tony and he is so informative, funny, and a great tour guide.

We upgraded from the regular dam tour to include the tour of the power plant. It was interesting. Not amazing, but a decent day. We arrived early (8:20am) to ensure that we were on the first tour of the day and didn’t have to wait. There was a short line up by 9am when they opened. Lots of security in place, similar to being at the airport.

Amazing view. Stand in two states at once Arizona and Nevada. Two different time zone. you can park for $10 near visitors centerside. Self Tours $15 or $30. or just drive and park in several locations to take pictures.

When the website says its open till 9 pm, you kind of expect it to be open till 9 pm, or is that just the British in me!! Arriving at 4.10 pm and both our husbands expecting to go on a tour, only to find the last tour is at 4pm. So okay we'll enjoy the views and go for a coffee, well that shuts at 4pm as well. Despite lots of people still arriving, wouldn't you think they'd be open till 9 as advertised. So ye super disappointing.

Ok especially when doing other things like Grand Canyon West excursion
No water to see right now on actual Dam.
Beware to climb some stairs

Great experience and extremely educational. The tour down into the dam was very educational showing the inner workings of the dam. Being able to view the dam from on top and below was well worth the time and money. Seeing up close one of America's greatest built structures was mind blowing and satisfying.

Having seen the Hoover Dam a multitude of times on TV a trip there was high on my bucket list and the reality did not disappoint! We stopped firstly at the viewing point, walked up on to the bridge and took in the majestic sight of the dam from above. Loads of photo ops but absolutely boiling hot so plenty of water is essential. We then took the power plant tour which was air conditioned and really informative with knowledgeable, friendly guides. Finished off with a trip to the gift shop and some ice cream. A fantastic experience.

The view from the top of the Hoover Dam was amazing. So many photo opportunities. Just to see the size and scope of the Dam was terrific.

We were only able to to the generator tour. Go earlier if you want to get the full tour. It is an amazing feat of engineering.

It’s a nice informative tour. Masks are not required at this point, but we should have worn one. Lots of people crammed into the elevator that goes down 500 feet and we tested positive for Covid 4 days later. Can’t be certain it was from here, but it was the only crowded enclosed space we were in.

This was a very helpful tour great energy/atmosphere.The tour guide showed us lots hidden gems in the area,and went out his way to give the best photos.He have complementary snacks.

Nice dam with a great view from the bridge but the tour is not suitable for children under 8 years and the entrance is very high. Parking garages are available. You can park to the lookout drive and walk to the bridge. Are many steps and it was very stormy. Very crowded.

the view was amazing, took a lot of photos, did a lot of walking on the bridge, climbing up the stairs and on the trail. a lot of walking to do. plus, it was very dry.

We rode our bikes on the historic rail trail to the Hoover dam, locked our bikes to the provided bike rack, and walked to the dam entrance.
We took the full dam tour, and we had to wait for about an hour. Just enough time to enjoy the museum and get cooled off. The tour of the dam and power plant is worth the money and the time. Heck, you are here. Why not do it all! Our tour guide was great, and it was fun to reward yourself after a 4 mile bike ride. I recommend the full tour of the dam.

Beautiful and was amazing to see especially part of our history we learned about in school as a child so it was great to see in person.
The water vending machines didn't work so take your own water
It does get really hot walking across since not much shade so wear a hat or take a umbrella..

Impressive location. We'll maintained and clean. Took a tour of the inside and the tour was well organized and informative.

Good security walking into the dam, the dam tour was canceled, but we got to see the plant. They had a turbine in parts to fix it and we got to see what it looks like on the inside. A rare view, as they last for a decade or more before they have to be serviced again. Tour was quick and informative. The new elevator was out of order so we got to ride in the old one that was modeled after the Rockefeller elevator in NYC. A rare treat for sure. Bring water and Gatorade or buy it in the store as it's really hot outside. The monument had a big fence around it as they were having construction around.

Such an interesting tour!
Amazing views and nice place for pics, we had an awesome guide who explained how they build such an awesome structure!

If you're my age, the Hoover Dam was something you learned about in school. I always wanted to go see it. We didn't get there my first trip to Vegas, but I wasn't missing it on my second trip.

You will go through security for a vehicle check on your way to the dam, once you get off the highway, so be aware. You should definitely stop at the parking area and walk over the Tillman Bridge. You will get the iconic photo of the dam. We then drove down and over the dam to the Arizona side. I wasn't going to miss the chance to drive over the top of the dam itself. We parked on the Arizona side and took some photos, then drove back to the parking lot of the Nevada side.

We walked half way across the dam and took some pictures straight down, which was really cool. The Visitor Center was under construction, as was some of the walking areas. The gift shop was pretty decent and the restaurant was open (we did not go).

I think parking was about $10, give or take, and to drive over the dam, walk around the dam, and the overlooks, were all free. This is a good budget stop, if you do not have time for a proper dam tour. I may look into that next time.

Cool stop. I can check it off my Bucket List.

It takes about an hour (45km) to get there from Las Vegas. Easily accessible by rental car from Las Vegas. The Hoover Dam dams the Colorado River into the dammed Lake Mead and forms the border between the states of Nevada and Arizona.
This means that the eastern half of the Hoover Dam is in the Mountain Time zone (UTC-7 in Arizona) and the western half is in the Pacific Time zone (UTC-8 in Nevada).
A huge concrete block. It's amazing what people did back then to build this part here. Unfortunately, you can tell from the water level how bad the Colorado is. The light stripe above the water surface shows the level many years ago.

One of the largest dams I've seen.

It was free to enter, I climbed the hill, looked at the dam, took a picture, took in the ambiance, and left.

An interesting piece of infrastructure to look at.

What an amazing feat of engineering! Could the US execute such a massive infrastructure project in this day and age? The tour didn’t mention how many workers lost their lives during the dam’s construction, but I can’t imagine it was zero. The scale of the project reminded me of the scale of the Panama Canal project.

Don’t need to pay for a tour…
We visited the Hoover Dam. It was very hot. Definitely recommend to drink and take a couple water bottles, floppy hat, and sunscreen. When you walk into the visitor type area after parking, there is a security screening. Don’t have a pocketknife because you’ll have to walk all the way back to the car to put it away. You will feel like you need to buy a tour, but you don’t have to. You can just walk over to the Hoover Dam/Lake Mead area and look for yourself for free. It’s neat because they have signs for Arizona/Nevada and clocks for the different times.

We visited on a 100+ degree day in July. The dam is very impressive and an engineering marvel. We signed up for the tour, where there were signs warning to not take it if you have claustrophobia issues. I have panic disorder, but thought I'd manage. I should have listened. We got to the bottom of the elevator and I lost it. The staff was very kind and helped me get back to the surface without my group, but it took about 10 minutes of waiting for various elevators. So, if you have anxiety issues, take the warnings seriously. I did not and was mortified at what happened to me. The top of the dam, in the open air, was very impressive. It's definitely worth seeing, just a bad day for me personally.

This is the place for whoever that likes big buildings or man-build constructions.
Prepare that there is no shade and that heat outside is quite high. Bring a hat and a lot of water with you.

Something you have to just see. It is a miracle of modern engineering. Big crowds but was easy to park and get out and enjoy. Great picture opportunities and the views of the Dan are simply stunning.

Good to know: parking at the entrance is charged. Visiting the dam is for a fee, and closes early. For the free, you have to park across the dam and walk... and go to the visitor center only. And all without clear information. In short: disappointing when the place is surprising.

It's just an amazing place when you consider when it was constructed. There were no computers to design it, none of the equipment that we have available to use. To stand on top and look around or take the tour inside, it's awe inspiring.

We walked around and got some pictures of the dam and then did the Power Plant Tour. It was cool, but a little short. The exhibit part at the end is currently under construction.

Amazing place to visit. We drove out to the Dam and Bridge for the day. It was about an hour drive and well worth it. This is an all day affair so get there before 12 so you have time to walk/drive and just enjoy the scenery.

We visited the Hoover Dam on our drive from Vegas to the Grand Canyon, the dam truly is an engineering marvel and well worth a visit, it costs $10 to park on the car park there.

I did the guided dam tour an it was really good (get there early though as you can only buy the extended tour tickets on site, on the day and they sell out quick)

Watched a little video about how they built it and then proceeded to start the tour, the two tour guides were very knowledgeable and engaging, we went into some of the tunnels/turbine room and an old ventilation shaft that took you to the face of the dam and you could look out of the vent half way down. There was about 30 people in my group so it wasn't too crowded.

At the end of the tour you exit onto the middle of the dam so you can easily walk around and take pictures of things like the overflow or the Nevada/Arizona border.

Parking was $10 and if I remember correctly the extended dam tour was $40 (purchased at the visitor centre)

Amazing place you must see to fully appreciate. Security check in was professional and pretty fast. Parking is a nightmare. Very crowded with long waits for tours. Tour guide was excellent.

Hoover Dam is definitely a sight to see. You can take in some of the underground tunnels, the turbines, walk or drive right across the dam.

I suggest getting their early to beat the traffic. We got there at 10 am with no problem, but as we were leaving around noon, we could see a long line of cars waiting to get in.

We booked tickets for the basic tour ahead. You can only get a time for the more extensive time on site. As we'd have had to wait two hours to get into that tour, we opted not to bother.

The tour starts with a government propaganda tour--talks about the success of the dam building (and it is impressive--finished two years EARLY)--but skips over stuff like the harsh conditions or the workers or the way Indigenous groups were shut out of water access.

There is an excellent gift shop and a cafe that we didn't check out.

Parking is $10 and easy.

Don't bring pets, drones, or weapons. There is an inspection point as you enter.

HEY HOOVER DAM! You really need to get it together. What exactly is the point of selling tour tickets ahead of time (we bought them months ahead), without an exact time, only to show up at the property in the morning, after you have already gone through security (understandable but a typical long line / cattle call / inconvenience) only to then have to wait in another line to be told your tour will be 90 minutes later, with only a very small visitor center / museum to visit, with no food service and extremely limited seating?

WHY NOT HAVE THE TICKET BOOTH FIRST? Because then, people could, you know, go over and wait at the restaurant by the parking garage, or they could walk over the top of the dam and not have to go through security until they are actually ready for the tour?

Just stupid. You have been running tours and hosting tourists for decades. Do better.

Major money grab. First you pay $10 for parking, then you can pay for the museum, then you can pay for a tour, then you'll pay for souvenirs. We wanted this to be a low cost excursion, so we ONLY paid for parking - but note that there are no signs for people to read as you go because you have to pay to learn anything here. We still enjoyed walking around and checking out the different viewpoints, and the gift shop is fun to browse, but this tourist hub isn't something I'd do twice.

Tony our bus driver to the Hoover Dam was awesome. Grateful for all the knowlege he provided. Will be back to take another.

We visited on our own, without a tour. We also did not take any of the tours at the dam. Unfortunately the visitor center was closed but we still enjoyed the visit. Parking was easy. Though it was a very hot day they did do what they could to provide cooling stations and there were easily accessible water fountains, etc.

We were lucky to get the last guided tour on the inside of the dam. It is $40.00 per person and lasts about an hour and a half. These tickets can only be purchased the day of your visit, in person at the ticket counter downstairs. Other tour tickets are available for purchase online or at a booth right outside the parking garage.
Eric was our guide for the turbine and power house tour; he spoke too fast and it felt very rushed.
Mel was our guide on the second part of the tour and she was full of knowledge and answered all the questions people had.
We got to see some cool parts of the dam on the inside; I had taken this tour almost 40 years ago and a lot changed; the parking garage ($10.00 per vehicle) is a huge improvement. The café was closed by the time our tour was over, but the gift shop was still open and was selling some fun stuff. We didn't have time to go into the visitor center, since it was too late; hopefully there will be another time.
There were two huge cooling fans one could stand in front of and cool down (it was 116 degrees the day we were visiting). Make sure you have water with you; water can be purchased at machines.

The grandiosity of the work, at the time it was erected, draws attention by the persistence and boldness of engineering. Its proportions and challenges remind us of what humanity is capable of.

An American icon worth the trip, but there is some confusion especially concerning parking. If you just want to view the bridge, take the path towards the dam on the Nevada side (after the bridge is coming from AZ) and you may obtain free parking briefly after the turnoff offering just a short walk to the bridge, which also has plenty of information concerning construction and naming.

Do a tour. We just walked up and were lucky to get tickets for the small tour. And it's worth it. You learn something about the history, see the turbine room and will go home with long lasting memories. Also, definitely stop by the memorial bridge view point too, which will give you pictures of Hoover dam itself. And for those with open eyes, do look out for the signs how the river, lake mead etc have changed and climate change is impacting us. water levels are coming down fast.

I've been wanting to see Hoover Dam since I was a kid watching Superman fly to down the dam to rescue that kid! This place is awe inspiring, definitely worth paying to enter the visitors centre, the observation deck is awesome if not a little scary when peering over the edge at this feet of engineering. The displays in the visitor centre are a little outdated and some of the active ones were out of operation which was a shame but did not detract from the experience. A walk over the dam is a must, head for the massive overflow duct on the Arizona side, its huge and scary to think the last time it needed to be used was in 1983, its frightening how low Lake Mead is now, I wonder if the overflow will ever be brought into action again?

Well worth the time it takes to drive out to the dam site for the views. Take at least the minimum tour if not the entire tour of the dam and powerhouse, and then go out and look at the views of the dam from the different viewing perspectives. It’s hard to grasp or understand the enormity of the dam unless you go look for yourself. Parking is well organized and reasonably painless. There was a lot of construction and improvements happening, including the visitor information centre being closed when we were there so we didn’t get to see all that we might have. Despite that, it was well worth stopping here.

The Hoover Dam is an imposing construction on the Colorado River between 1931 and 1936. Located on the Nevada-Arizona border, it created Lake Mead, the largest artificial reservoir in the United States. It is used to regulate water, irrigation and hydroelectricity production in the area including the city of Las Vegas. Its highest point being 221 meters high, it is a place to visit (view of the lake from the viewpoint, walk on foot on the top of the dam then visit the dam itself). Paid parking is the closest to the visitor centre. The tour is for a fee. It is amusing to note that this project was managed by the Bureau of Reclamation, an American federal agency, founded in 1902 whose main role is to manage and protect water resources in the region. You will see this name in various places on the dam.

We had a fantastic time. We first drove over the dam and then returned to park in the parking structure. We went on the shorter tour with the movie and then down into the dam itself. We were able to take all of the "DAM" pictures that we wanted during the entire time.

Hubby wanted to see The Hoover Dam on our recent road trip and I thought, really what alls the fuss about? But Wow wow wow what a piece of engineering this structure is. It really was breath taking, we pulled off our planned route, parked up comfortably, wash rooms spotless, there was the odd tour already up and running but we were there early morning so probably missed the “ Rush “. A must see iconic site!,

Nature meets Massive Engineering
Water meets Giant concrete Wall
Nevada meets Arizona
Colorado river meets Lake Mead

Just go! I learned so much and had so much fun.
We arrived about 30 minutes before they opened the doors to get in line and we parked right up front in the parking garage and were about 10th in line. We paid the $30 for the inside tour. DO IT! I don't do well in enclosed spaces and was a bit nervous but never had issues. The engineering marvel of The Hoover Dam and all the history is not to be missed.
I'm so glad we went early.

This is probably the most iconic landmark in the USA for me. It has been featured on so many documentaries and books.

The area was clean and interesting. The preservation is wonderful.

We arrived early in the morning and avoided huge crowds and heat. Yes, even in February it is clear this location can get pretty hot!

US historic monumental site, best time to visit October/ November not too hot, not too cold, and definitely not a lot of people. Something special to see- a good day trip outside of Vegas.

Visiting the Hoover Dam is fun, interesting and beautiful.
The dam truly is an engineering marvel that has stood the rest of time. Thousands of workers helped build it during the height of the Great Depression.
Fun fact: the Hoover Dam straddles two states: Nevada and Arizona. You can actually put one foot in Nevada, and the other foot in Arizona. It's an easy walk across the border.
Visitors can enjoy some beautiful views of the dam. It's a great spot for selfies or landscape shots.
The Hoover Dam is a great day trip or a nice place to stop for an hour or two if you are close by.

It is definitely something to see if you’re in Vegas. I would suggest the basic tour. We did the extended tour into the dam itself. For us, it really wasn’t worth the extra charge.

The best part was learning about the dam's history. Save enough time to walk through the museum as well as see the tour. Suggestion: go early enough so that you can see the top view while it is still light out. Very informative and great to know about the history. Parking garage was ample.

Kevin (Laughlin Tours) the tour guide was excellent. Prior to reaching the Hoover Dam itself Kevin took us to a viewpoint that we had never seen before. The dam tour and exhibits were excellent. For lunch, Kevin recommended the Bighorn Café at the Hoover Dam Lodge in Boulder City. This was an excellent choice as the lunch was wonderful and the prices were very reasonable. A bonus, near the Hoover Dam Lodge itself, was another excellent view of Lake Mead. Thank you to Kevin for the tidbits of information passed along regarding various sites along the tour.

Cool trip to do with kids. The private tour was worth it. If not, it would have been boring! Can do it in 2 h. Plenty of parking. Can get in from Arizona or Nevada side. It’s at the border.

Wow, what a landmark within driving distance from the vegas strip. From vegas strip, we made our first stop at Lake Mead and spent some time at the Visitor Center. Then, I went to Hoover Dam, and the strong winds made it very difficult to spend time. Regardless, it was surreal to see the modern-day wonderful construction. It was great to see the Colorado River from this viewpoint. There is a parking fee, but it is very challenging to get a spot in certain sections of the dam. There is a visitor center as well. If you have time and can spend extra, I heard the tour is worth it. May be next time will do the tour.

One doesn’t get to wholly appreciate the beauty & the vision that is the Hoover Dam until you see it for real. It is incredible. An amazing feat of engineering & tenacity.
The tours are a must, so you can get to grips with the sheer achievement involved & the guides are so passionate they make them totally worth while.

It’s $10 to park the car but otherwise free unless you chose to do the tour (we didnt). It was great to see this structure up close and get good photos of the huge bridge above. There is a gift shop and coffee place too. Worth a visit driving to or from Vegas.

The area opens at 500am for you early birds who want to get there before sunrise. Be ready to go through security multiple times as there are many armed security guards everywhere. We went on Saturday and we arrived early to avoid the afternoon crowds and tourist busses. You can book a short 30 minute tour of the interior once you arrive or in advance on their website. We parked for free on the Arizona side and walked down to the dam, easy peasy and not a long walk.

I took the complete Dam tour, which included a visit to the power plant as well as inside the dam itself. I enjoyed the orientation film, the exhibits in the visitor center, and the tour. Both the power plant and the dam are impressive. Plus we had the best dam tour guide.

This time I rented a car for the day - best visit ever! Enjoyed the double tour! The tour guide was great! Sad that my son wasn’t able to go to the areas I did 20 some tears before. I hear restrictions occur after terrible things like 911 and the Vegas concert shooting. There is wonderful security and secure areas. The views are still spectacular.

The Hoover Dam is an amazing site to see, particularly from the top of the dam looking back at Lake Mead, and from the Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge (US-93) that runs above it. We planned to do the guided dam tour offered by the NPS, but it was shut down the day we went (Labor Day) because of a mechanical issue. But they still were doing the guided power plant tour, so we did that one instead. The tour was a ride down the original elevator in the dam, walk through a tunnel to the turbine room, then stand on a platform and talk about the turbines. That was it. I hope the full dam tour is better, because if I had it to do all over again, I would have saved my money and just walked across the dam and the bridge (which we did anyway), and both of those activities are free. But regardless, it's definitely something worth seeing because it truly is a marvel.

Was lucky enough to be able to visit the Hoover Dam our recent mother daughter trip to Las Vegas for the Thanksgiving holiday. We had such a good time and the Hoover Dam was unbelievable. Amazing to see in person and only then can you realize the magnitude of it and how it’s a true incredible engineering masterpiece. Definitely worth a stop.

An absolute marvel, a feat of human engineering, and a monument to the men who built it. Hoover Dam is an incredible destination about an hour out of Las Vegas. The full tour was with the price of admission and the friendly and knowledgeable staff was incredibly accommodating. For being run by a government agency, the dam is just excellent. The museum is a living history lesson and the same itself is well-kept. Renovations are ongoing, but the areas that are finished are immaculate. The gift shop also contains a lot of great souvenirs and gifts, and I'm typically not a souvenir shop kinda guy. Will always recommend a visit to the dam and will never forget our experience here.

We took the dam tour and walked on the bridge. It was very interesting Go early to avoid lines and crowds The visitor center was closed due to construction We were there for a good two hours

The dam is a great destination between Las Vegas and Flagstaff. Now there was quite a bit of water.

A lot of photo spots, just a little delay when boarding bus in the morning
Restrooms available along the trip

We purchased the Guided Dam Tour, which includes the Power-plant tour as well as the dam and the older original visitors center. The current Visitors Center was closed for renovation so we didn’t get to see it but it was listed on the site and knew about it before hand. Although several different staff members suggested going up to it while waiting for the tour. Guessing it’s just a habit.

The video is relay old and reminds you of movie from history class in the late 70s-80s. As my husband pointed out- it’s not like they can get new footage. However they could update the video with some new voice over and digital renderings to go along with the original footage.

It was fun to be inside the dam and go down the long halls and in the old elevator shaft (with new elevator but old outer doors). You get to look out the vents of the dam that you see from the outside.

The tours end with you exiting out on top of the dam so it was nice to see it from all perspectives.

Overall worth the stop once to check out.

A visit to the Hoover Dam is an unforgettable experience that highlights both the brilliance and limits of human capability. Standing atop this massive structure, you truly grasp the scale of its power and significance.

Important Tips for Your Visit:
• No Drones Allowed: Leave your drone at home, as they are not permitted here.
• Parking: After passing the checkpoint, you’ll find a parking area on the left for $10. From there, take the elevator up to the visitor center.
• Tickets & Tours: You can buy tickets online or at the visitor center. There are two options—$15 or $30. While both offer similar experiences, the higher-priced ticket includes additional details and a more in-depth tour about the dam’s construction.

Once your tour is over, don’t miss the chance to walk across the top of the dam. The view is breathtaking, and standing on such an iconic structure is an experience like no other. Whether you love history, engineering, or just exploring incredible places, Hoover Dam is well worth the visit!

My husband loved the Hoover Dam. We did not do any of the tours, we just traveled to the top of the dam, like thousands of others do, and walked all over the place for free. Parking was free also. Just don't fall for the $10 parking when free parking is 100 feet away. The road up to the dam is well maintained with guard rails and walls but if you don't like heights, I suggest you close your eyes! I would highly suggest going over to the Boulder Hotel to see their free Hoover Dam exhibit. It was amazing and you can learn so much history and see tons of artifacts.

Good stop on road from Las Vegas and Grand Canyon good visitor center with restroom suggested short walk on dam and bridge

A very impressive structure and free to visit. There are a number of car parks at different viewpoints either side of the dam for great views. No through road, you have to return the way you came back to the highway. Good information boards about this exceptional engineering feat.

It was built in 1931 and named after the President.
The construction is just amazing. The height of the dam and solid cement structure. The turbines, etc.
Worth a visit if you are on the West coast.

Definitely worth coming to see this engineering marvel.
Make sure you book the power plant tour it’s worth every cent.
Amazing to think this was built nearly 100 years ago in the middle of the desert.
Not only can you walk inside the dam you can walk over it & even drive over it.
A must visit when in Las Vegas.

It’s been about 15 years since I had been to Hoover Dam and it was almost unrecognizable. They’ve done a beautiful job renovating the entire place, but now it is a lot more expensive to visit and the security is on another level. Parking in the garage was $10. It was $30/person just to walk in the new visitor center, so we passed on that. We were disappointed to not be able to at least see some informational exhibits or displays, but $30/person was way too much for that. Our visit was brief as a result. We walked across the dam and that was about it—it’s basically a money trap now.

As you travel north from Southern Nevada towards Las Vegas, you will eventually land up in the vicinity of the Hoover Dam. One of the world’s most spectacular dams. This dam constructed in the 1930 is a magnet for tourist. Every day a multitude of sightseers converge on the dam with the intent of looking down at the river, several feet below. Lake Mead is the center point of thousands of photographs taken by tourist. This gigantic lake created because of the dam’s construction, can be observed from the dam. Unfortunately, due to drought situation in the Western United States, the water level is at a significantly lower level. Accessing Hoover Dam has become a challenge. Route 93 which goes to the dam is reduced to a two lanes as you approach it. As you get closer to the dam the landscape of the area drastically changes. Steep canyon walls and an extremely narrow roadway will tax your driving skills. A security checkpoint is your next obstacle. As this is a major infrastructure, the US Government conducts checks on all vehicles, prior to being allowed to cross the dam. As you cross the dam, you could pull over and park ($10.00) in the garage by the Visitor Center or you can continue to drive across the bridge and park for free on the Arizona side. However, due to the current heat wave and excessive temperatures reaching 116+ degrees, this is not a viable option. Be aware that hundreds of other individuals are in the area. The Visitor Center, with a friendly staff, and clean restrooms, and a café is a perfect location for a break from the sun. The museum will overwhelm you with information concerning the history and construction of this amazing engineering marvel. Tours of the interior portion of Hoover Dam can be scheduled through the Tour Desk at the Visitor Center. Tours vary in length and are scheduled throughout the day. Not interested in touring the dam, we walked across the dam, played tourist, took photos, and got more sunburnt. The views of Lake Mead, canyon walls and the Colorado River hundred of feet down are spectacular. After visiting this wonder of engineering, you are left with one thought. “Wow!” If you are an engineer, tourist or just a casual visitor to Nevada, highly recommend a visit to this incredible structure. It will leave you in awe.

All though it’s been 2 years since my tour of the dam, the rudeness of the male tour guide still bothers me. As we were being seated for the short video, showing the history of the dam, I ended up standing next to the guide, waiting to be seated. Trying to strike up a friendly conversation with this guide I said that I saw a video at our hotel, about said history, and “ I wonder if this is going to be the same video”?. He immediately, and rudely snapped back, “ IT IS NOT!!” ( sort of caught me off guard! ) then later on, in the elevator, looked over to me, standing next to my wife, and smartly said that “chewing gum” is strictly prohibited!! Neither myself, and my wife chew gum. Guess he eas having a bad day. Just hope that he is no longer working there, as it makes a great experience basically flawed!

Sorry to be controversial but as impressive as it is - and crazy to think how amazing the engineering was - it is still just a dam. I went because for many years I had heard how incredible it was and how I needed to visit. It wouldn't have been on top of my list but I was persuaded otherwise. Once I'd said "look at the size of that dam" more than three times it was more or less the end of my visit.
It was accessible and well maintained - nothing wrong with the experience at all - but unless engineering is your thing, don't just go because it's world famous and you want to tick a box.