Mike O'Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge — Local services in Boulder City

This is tough. I like the bridge. I asked several people about my dog being allowed on the bridges and Hoover Dam. I was told there would be no problem. When I actually got to the dam, they told me if I said he was a service animal, he would be allowed. Well, he definitely could pass for a service animal, but he isn't, so they told me their concern was leaving poop on the dam or leaving dogs in vehicles, and so I went to walk on the bridge instead. There must have been a ton of people cause I didn't see the sign that my dog wasn't allowed there, either. So, well, we walked there with some raised eyebrows, which I didn't know why until I got back to the beginning. Duh! Well, it has happened before and may happen again. I just wish - how can I say this? - I was checking! My dog and I are best friends. Where I go, he goes, too. I try, I really do. I don't intentionally try to pass him off as a service animal. In the past I have been told to say he is because he is so appropriate, and technically people are not allowed to question your word. I do not like to lie. And I have fallen into that trap with a very sad outcome. Blah blah blah. Well, so here it is. I wish there would have been a little more clarity as to where dogs are allowed and where they are not at...

After our Hoover Dam tour, we moved our car to the free outdoor lot (Boulder Dam Bridge Parking) and walked the Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

You can visit the bridge before or after the dam, but if you’re joining a tour, it’s best to do the tour first in the morning and save the bridge walk for later.

This massive bridge connects Arizona and Nevada, built to ease traffic around the dam. It opened in 2010, is 1,905 ft long (579m), 890 ft high (270m), and is the 2nd tallest bridge in the U.S. and it even won a bridge design award in 2012.

It’s named after: • Mike O’Callaghan, Governor of Nevada (1971–1979) • Pat Tillman, an NFL player who left his career to serve in the military and died in action in 2004.

You can walk across the bridge to get amazing views of Hoover Dam and Lake Mead. You might feel the bridge slightly sway( something to keep in mind if you’re afraid of heights).

We visited in late March and it was super hot and dry (over 30°C / 90°F), so definitely bring a hat and water. The bridge isn’t long, but with no shade, it feels intense under the sun.

If you have a free day in Vegas, this side trip is...

This memorial bridge gives you a great view of Hoover Dam when you take the pedestrian walkway across it.

After you pass through security and park, you take the stairways with up to the bridge access. It's about a 5-7 minute stair climb depending on your cardio. You'll pass by some informational plaques before you get to the bridge walkway access. You can see the "Welcome to Nevada" sign before you take that trek across the bridge.

It was rather windy when we visited and the cars zooming by at 75+ MPH made it even windier and a little bit more exciting. lol When you walk across the middle of the bridge, you a damn good view of Hoover Dam. There are some great photo ops on the bridge.

Overall, this is a free and very fun social media moment for your followers. The bridge is fascinatingly big and walking across really got my blood pumping because of the height. If you have an opportunity, definitely take the time to visit and walk across the bridge and create a cool outdoor...