Lake Mead sits east of Las Vegas, Nevada and on the back side of Hoover Dam. It is in a National Recreation Area, so accessing it is not fee free.
Lake Mead is enormous. Should you see it upon flying into or out of Las Vegas's McCarran Airport, you can appreciate its size. If you find yourself trying to drive around it, and most people don't, can't, or don't want to, you might be put off by its size.
Lake Mead is a gift for those in the Las Vegas area who want to partake in boating or fishing. In this very dry area, it makes for a great counterpoint to the neon jungle and expanse of the city and its suburbs and the sometimes snow capped mountains west of the city.
Lake Mead has beaches; however, they are not the most attractive and sandy beaches are few and far between. For those looking to sit on a beach towel and swim to cool off, a hotel or private pool would probably be better suited for that.
Because only a few roads enter the Lake Mead area, access is controlled. There will be a guard shack where one pays an entrance fee. The downside is that the fee is too high. The upside is that it is valid for 1 week. For the many tourists who had probably allocated a good part of just 1 day away from typical Las Vegas things to see Hoover Dam and to enjoy Lake Mead, the fee, in the vicinity of $20, is pert near a rip off. I remember when it was something like $5 or $8. Then, it might have gone up to $10 and $15. And the uptick to $20 has been another steep jump. Its upward moves have been mimicking those in college tuition and health care rate hikes!
Lake Mead serves a purpose and it's great to have it in Las Vegas's backyard. However, because of its limited use for swimmers and beachgoers and because of the steep fee now charged according to its website and other reviews, it's on the strong side of A-ok, thus capping out at 3 stars.