If you’re looking for a getaway during a visit to Las Vegas, a Hoover Dam Highlights Tour is the perfect one day trip. On your day trip, you’ll visit what has been referred to as the Greatest Dam in the World. Located approximately 30 miles from Las Vegas, it’s the perfect quick trip to see something just a little out of the ordinary from the bright lights of Las Vegas. With over seven million visitors each year, the Hoover Dam is a popular destination for anyone visiting the southwestern United States.
Money Saving Tip! Hoover Dam Highlights Tour is included on the Go Las Vegas Pass, Las Vegas Explorer Pass and Las Vegas Flex and Flex Premium Sightseeing Pass. If you are sightseeing in Boulder City, then you can save a lot of money with a pass.
Hoover Dam History
Constructed between 1931 and 1936 with over 5,200 workers, the Hoover Dam sits on the border between Nevada and Arizona. Construction on the Hoover Dam took place every day, 24 hours a day and actually came in under budget by $15 million and two years ahead of schedule. Unfortunately, over 100 people died during the construction of the dam.
The primary purpose in the construction of the dam was to supply electrical power from the Colorado River to California, Arizona and Nevada. It’s safe to say that without the Hoover Dam, there would be no current day Las Vegas. While it was also built to control flooding in Arizona, the main purpose of the dam was to provide electricity. It is one of the world’s major electricity generating power plants that also provides inexpensive, pollution-free hydroelectric power. Originally named, “Boulder Dam,” the name was changed to “Hoover Dam” in 1947 for President Herbert Hoover.
Hoover Dam Tour: The Main Attraction
The Hoover Dam is a concrete arch gravity dam that measures 726 feet tall, 660 feet thick at the base, and is 1,244 feet long. The thick wall at the bottom thins out to 45 feet at the top where the road crosses it. Think of the Hoover Dam as a bathtub plug as it holds back trillions of gallons of water from Lake Mead.
There’s something for everyone at the Hoover Dam, whether you’re into engineering or nature. Admire one of the largest man-made structures in the world and the nature that surrounds the Hoover Dam. Without the Hoover Dam, there are areas in the Southwest where farming would be impossible. Now there are more than one million acres in the United States and a half million acres in Mexico where farming exists to produce important crops like fruit, cotton, and grain simply because of the Hoover Dam. Why It’s a Must-See
Not only do you get to see and explore the Hoover Dam, but there are other great things to look out for while you’re there.
● The state line marker: Visitors to the Hoover Dam can stand in two states at the same time while standing on the state line marker.
● Views of Lake Mead. In case you didn’t know, the Hoover Dam created Lake Mead.
● The highest viewpoint on the Arizona side: More chances for great views and pictures from the highest point on the Arizona side.
● The statues: Containing more than four tons of statuary bronze, the two 30 feet high Art Deco winged figures are major attractions at the Hoover Dam.
● The Boulder City – Hoover Dam Museum: If you want to learn more about the construction of the museum through photographs and personal accounts, you’ll definitely want to visit the museum.
What To See When take a Hoover Dam Tour
Visitors to the Hoover Dam generally go to see the Hoover Dam as well as for the amazing photo opportunities. Some of the best views are from the Mike O’Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. The bridge is named for the former Governor of Nevada from 1971 to 1979, Mike Callaghan and the former professional football player who joined the Army post-9/11, Pat Tillman. The bridge was constructed as part of the Hoover Dam Bypass that created a safer means in which to access the Hoover Dam. The prior roadway was considered dangerous and the new bypass also relieved congestion in the area. It measures 1,900 feet in length and stands 905 feet above the mighty Colorado River beneath it after its completion in 2010.
There is a 6-foot-wide pedestrian sidewalk that runs the length of the bridge, but is only accessible from the Nevada side. The bridge provides visitors with incredible views of not only the Hoover Dam, but also the Colorado River below as well as Black Canyon and Lake Mead.
Why You Should Take a Hoover Dam Highlights Tour
Guests ride in comfortable coaches to and from Las Vegas and the length of the tour is dependent on which tour you take. Some Hoover Dam Highlights Tours offer guests the option of going inside the Hoover Dam for a tour while others tour only from the outside. Choose which tour best serves your needs by deciding if you’re interested in this engineering marvel from the inside or if you’d rather do a look, see, and go kind of tour. Whether you’re traveling alone, as a couple, or with your family, a Hoover Dam Highlights Tour from Las Vegas provides guests with incredible scenic views while also visiting one of the seven engineering wonders of the modern world. Where else can you drive a short distance and see a modern city and a modern engineering wonder all in one day?