Hoover Dam Visitor Center & Tours — Attraction in Boulder City

Day Trip to Hoover Dam from Las Vegas

If you drive southeast from Vegas on Highway 11, it takes about 50 minutes to reach Hoover Dam. Along the way, you can stop at: • Hemenway Park to see wild bighorn sheep (free, no dogs allowed) • Lake Mead National Recreation Area ($25 per car for entry)

🚗 Parking at Hoover Dam: There are two main parking options after you pass the security checkpoint: Free Outdoor Lot (navigate to Boulder Dam Bridge Parking): Has portable toilets and direct access to the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge — great views of the dam from above.

Indoor Parking Garage ($10 per car, navigate to Hoover Dam Parking Garage): Right next to the Visitor Center (currently under renovation) and tour entrance. Only about a 10-minute walk between the two lots, but in the heat, indoor might be better and that’s where we parked.

⛔ Security Checkpoint: No pets (except service dogs), no weapons, drones, etc..

🎟️ Tour Options: • $30 Tour – Must buy on-site, often sells out before 1 PM! Includes original elevator ride, tunnels, river viewing shafts, and powerplant tour.

• $15 Tour – Can buy online ahead of time Includes the historic tunnels, a 30-ft diameter water pipe (you’ll feel the vibrations!), and a look at the Nevada side powerplant. We chose this one because $30 option was sold out. It started with an intro video, then a guided walk. We didn’t see the full powerplant, but still worth it to see one of America’s biggest dams!

After the tour, there’s a gift shop and a small café with light meals. We kept walking along the dam afterward. It was super hot while our visit in the end of March, 2025, so wear sunscreen and stay hydrated!

Hoover Dam sits right on the border of Arizona and Nevada, so you’ll see two clocks and Nevada is 1 hour behind.

📍Hoover Dam Visitor Center & Tours Open daily 9 AM–5 PM (closed on Thanksgiving & Christmas) Last tour...

Much has changed since we last visited pre-covid, and not for the better. Were excited to show the kids but it wasn't worth it. Went two days after Christmas and it was extremely busy. Not a big deal. Since it couldn't be avoided we were very patient. Our car was searched at entry--ok, weird. Then we had to park. The lot signs said there were spaces open but the attendants stood in the road and yelled, "Go park in Arizona!" Maybe y'all ought to fix the counters on your signs. So, we parked and walked over one mile from the lot to the dam. OK, I'm still smiling since I kept telling the kids we were going to see some cool things. Then we realized the staff needs just plain needs better customer service training. All the employees we encountered --from the parking lots to the walkway to the security station (which makes TSA look good)--were quite rude. Federal employees need to remember they work for the US people. Plus, people who can't speak English to begin with, won't understand you any better when you yell at them. Way to make your country look like jerks, officer a$$hole. They also need to take a lesson from Vegas in crowd flow. It is possible to effectively move mass numbers of people, but this group obviously doesn't get it. With some areas closed for construction, it was difficult to get around and the guards would snap at you if you went the wrong way. Ok, Rambo...we get you're protecting 'Merica but lay off. Go back to petting your "guard dog (i.e. a springer spaniel)." We opted not to do the dam tour since it was a three-hour wait, but the visitor center wasn't worth it. Many of the interactives didn't work. Waste of $10 per person for the 10 minutes inside. We took the obligatory photos and opted to skip the cafe and gift shop. Best advice--go on a day that isn't busy since these employees don't handle large...

Amazing history! It's free to get in, so at the very least, drive in and spend a few minutes looking around outside. To really take it in and see everything, you'll need a few hours (we spent the whole day there, bucket list item crossed off).

Tip: you drive through a security checkpoint, don't bring drones or firearms.

Entrance to the museum and tours have nominal fees. We did the long tour and it was well worth every penny. We started with the walk to the memorial bridge (also free). It has ramps and stairs, so it's accessible and well worth the effort. Great spot for pictures. Then, we drove across the dam and walked around the upper area for a bit. Next, we parked at their lot ($10) and inside for tickets for the tour.

Tip: if the budget is tight, there is free parking a bit further back, check the map.

Tip: if doing a tour, park first and get your tickets, save the drive across (or just walk it all) for when you leave. They do fill up and you could end up with one a few hours out.

The museum is new and we spent a few hours in it. If you're a history buff or dam nerd, you'll want to have a fair amount of time to walk through and see everything.

Above the museum is an observation deck (elevator or stairs) for more amazing pictures.

The long tour takes you to see the generators as well as through the dam itself. Money well spent!

There is a restaurant along with a gift shop. There are enough spaces around that you could do a picnic, but the restaurant gives a nice break from the heat. There is also a general store at the back, but you'll want to drive to it. It's near the WW2 bunker, which unfortunately, you...