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| - I first did the Dam Tour back in the mid '80's. I remembered it as visually stunning, and architecturally unbelievable. So fast forward one or two years (cough), and with a Saturday with time to kill, talked the wife and some friends into doing said dam tour.
Rather than driving, we arranged a bus tour (separate review on that one). Upon arriving at the dam, I saw, in clear hard core evidence, the difference between the '80's and the world we live in today. Hwy 93 USED to run directly over the Hoover Dam - no longer. The Dam Bypass (aka Pat Tillman Bridge) exists to handle that, due to security concerns. This security issue bit us a bit later, but I digress. The bus WAS allowed across the dam, but only after a check of the bus, its occupants, and underneath. We then cruised across into AZ (jumping ahead one hour). The trinket shop was on a slope above the dam - we checked it out and packed back in to go to the new visitors center/bus garage to start the tour.
Once we got squared away, our group sat through about a five minute video on the construction process. One thing that remains VERY cool today is that someone, somewhere (in our government, no less), figured that this truly was a herculean task, and shot video and photos during the entire process. No we just have paparazzi doing that.
We then entered an elevator and cruised down to the powerplant level, where we stood on one of the NV penstocks and felt the power of the Lake Mead water flowing through around 65mph.
Now, THIS is where security came back to bite us, post 9/11 - you USED to actually be able to walk out on the deck on the powerplant, and look straight up the wall of the Hoover Dam. THAT made you feel mighty small, I can assure you - but alas, no more of that. After the briefing on top of the penstock, it was back to the elevator to go up to the generator level. After a briefing there, you were taken to the new visitors center for viewing and existing.
Once leaving the official tour, you can walk across the dam (standing in both NV and AZ...always fun), and visit the original visitors center (which were built as barracks, but I digress), as well as the Winged Figures of the Republic. Be sure to check out the constellations on the deck around these. I didn't, but my wife did...she thought it was pretty cool.
From there, you can visit the new visitors center, which stands out like a pimple on the forehead of a Victoria's Secret model. What WERE they thinking?
Overall, DEFINITELY worth a day out to the dam. Great educational experience, and definitely some great photo ops (taking the new visitors center out of THAT equation).
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