I'm glad we took a break from gambling and shopping to drive to the Hoover Dam. The drive didn't take very long and it was well worth the 45-minute drive from the Las Vegas Strip. Despite the heat, it was a nice beautiful drive and one of the best stops on the way to Hoover Dam is Lake Mead. You can't miss it if you're coming from Las Vegas. Not too far from the lake is Hoover Dam.
Notables:
-You will have to go through a security checkpoint about a mile before entering the dam.
-There is a $10 charge to park in the parking structure.
-Cell phone reception isn't the best out in this area.
-The Hoover Dam is on the border of Nevada and Arizona.
-Stay hydrated, wear sunscreen and maybe a hat, especially during the summer because it can get scorching hot out there. All of the concrete really intensifies the heat.
-There is a snack bar/concession stand and a gift shop between the parking lot and the dam.
-Guided tours are available.
Talk about a tourist attraction...there were tons of cars and a couple of tour buses when we got there. They have a pretty good size parking structure but even that was pretty full and we had to wait a couple of minutes for parking. The dam itself as a structure is pretty amazing, especially seeing it for the first time. When I visited, the water level was much lower than what I've seen in pictures. I highly recommend the Hoover Dam as one of the top tourist spots to visit if you're near Las Vegas and Arizona but if you don't like crowds, you may want to think twice. This is one of the really popular tourist attractions that feel somewhat like an airport because there are crowds and crowds of people speaking in many different languages hustling and bustling all over the place. Parking can be a problem so patience will have to be your best friend if you decide to visit but it's well worth it. The views are breathtaking and there are a ton of great photo ops!