The Memorial Bridge Plaza and walkway is open to pedestrians with recommended safety precautions. The Hoover Dam bypass bridge opened the night of October 19, The official date and time of the opening were not announced in advance as officials did not want back—ups for people waiting to cross the bridge. The bridge cuts at least a half hour of driving time off the popular route between Las Vegas and Phoenix.
The bridge also marks the starting point of the new Interstate 11, which currently runs for just 22 miles from the bridge to Henderson and bypasses Boulder City. From the top of the Dam, you will be able to enjoy breathtaking views on either side of the Dam, as well as view the state line that divides Nevada and Arizona.
If you want to save money on Las Vegas attractions, you may want to consider picking up the Las Vegas Sightseeing Pass. One price for a bunch of attractions in Vegas. See our full review of the sightseeing pass on our website here. For one price, a shuttle tour will include transportation, a tour guide, interior and exterior tours of the dam, and access to the visitor center.
All the best parts of visiting the dam without worrying about directions, parking, etc. Both tours offer an inside look at the tunnels and internal workings of the dam. Many visitors who want to be sure that they can see the Power Plant this is definitely the highlight of an inside tour will opt for the Power Plant Tour , for the sole reason that they can purchase their tickets online in advance from the Hoover Dam website.
The Guided Dam tour is available with tickets purchased on-site only and are sold on a first-come, first-serve basis. One thing to keep in mind when deciding between the two tours is that there are age restrictions for the full Guided Dam Tour. The Guided Dam tour will help you view the tunnels and original elevator that are part of the Dam, as well as get views of the Colorado River from the internal inspections shafts.
The Power Plant Tours allow visitors to view eight of the huge turbines that create hydroelectric power from the water rushing through the dam. The self-guided tour of the Visitor Center is included with both tours or is available for purchase separately.
The deck juts out a bit over the canyon edge giving you an incredible view of the dam, the Colorado River and the surrounding canyon walls. While Hoover Dam can be visited from the Las Vegas Strip in just hours, I suggest making a day trip out of it and seeing some of the other sites on the way to and from the Dam. The area around Boulder City and Lake Mead has a wide variety of activities you can add to your day as well.
You can often find these activities included along with tours of the dam from Vegas. There are also several boat tours around Lake Mead as well that will help give you a different perspective of the area. See our article here for more info about all the things to do around Hoover Dam.
The Hoover Dam is one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world, and the views and experiences are well worth the short trip from Las Vegas.
Throughout that tour we really had seen amazing and worthwhile sky views of that region. After completing our tour we landed on Lake Mead. That is one of most promising attractions of Hoover dam which is known as a creation of that dam. There a visitor could enjoy fishing, boating, swimming and other water activities. I really had unforgettable experiences there. After reading your article my all memories are so fresher now, thanks for that lovely sharing…..
The first lot immediately on the AZ side was a pay lot when we visited. Then the road goes up the hill and there was some free roadside parking. How do you get to the free parking on Arizona side? Do you drive 8ver Tillman Bridge or 9ver the dam itself?
My uncle has been touring the United States as a retirement gift to himself. He will be so excited to visit. You can find free parking if you get there first and are willing to walk a little. Drive to the Arizona side and keep driving up the hill past the parking lot.
There is some free parking along the road above the parking lot. Hi Richard. In my experience, driving in to see Hoover Dam is not the same entry point as getting in to play on Lake Mead. And on our first trip, we found free parking on the far side of the dam. Has that changed? Hi Fatima! There will still be summer crowds, but Hoover Dam is big enough to handle crowds. I would arrive early in the day to avoid the worst heat and crowds.
Consider parking your car in the covered garage rather than the free parking on the other side, where you will need to walk in the heat. Dam tours and the visitor center should be air-conditioned and comfortable — if not a little cold — any time of year.
Hoover Dam is a great place to bring family and friends and simply enjoy an outing. Thank you for the tips and details. Hi Allison, wondering if i can go early, i know parking lot open by 8, but is visitor center worth to wait? We ll be heading to south rim and wanted to reach there by noon, so can i just park my car by 8 and roam around and then head to south rim?
Hi Sanjay! There is an admission fee, and when I do it I want to do the tour too. You can easily spend hours walking on the bridge, looking at the outdoor monuments and checking out the bridge.
Hi Michael. I have not taken a Hoover Dam tour in many years. We only explored the top of the dam on recent trips. You may spend some time in windowless spaces, but they will be large enough to accommodate a tour group. Some of the spaces that house dam operations are quite large. I will be driving from San Diego to Michigan and really wanted to stop by the dam to show my daughter.
The hours you have posted is My question is if we arrive after 5 is the whole dam access closed? I mean is there a gate or something or can we park and walk the bridge and stuff or no? I am not interested in the visitors center or tour, just would like to sneak a peek as we go through.
Hi Kathy! We want to do the Dam tour but will only get there 1pm. Should we pre-book the Powerhouse Tour and then r we able to cancel it if we are able to get into the Dam tour that day? Hi Lisa. According to the official website, Powerplant Tour tickets are non-refundable.
If that is not the tour you want, do not purchase them in advance. If you want the Dam Tour, I would wait until you arrive and inquire about them immediately. Is there a phone number to call the visitors center or the folks who sell the dam tours not the power plant. Thank you for this information! Hi Bob. It took a little digging, but I found a number on the official Hoover Dam site under the Bureau of Reclamation. Thank you so much Allison! This was a totally big help.
I could not seem to find the number. You are amazingly kind! Great job! Do you outline all of your blog posts? Hi Allison, Than you, this is all great info.
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