Historically, the Hoover Dam is 5-stars. As a tourist attraction, it's 4 stars.
Insert your own dam pun here ...
* Open 363 days a year; Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas
* Hoover Dam is about 30 miles from Las Vegas on the border of Nevada & Arizona
* Use "N 36.016222, W -114.737245" for GPS directions
* The roads can get packed to/from Hoover Dam. Bring a patience pill.
* Parking in the Garage (on Nevada side) is $10 (8:00 am - 5:15 pm)
* RV Parking and another lot are $10 on Arizona side
* About a 1/4 mile away on Arizona side are free parking lots
* The best months to visit: Jan. & Feb. Summer is crowded & very hot.
* The Visitor Center is open (9:00 am - 5:00 pm)
* Tours are limited & often sell out. Purchase in advance or plan accordingly
* Guided 30-min Powerplant Tours leave between 9:25 am - 3:55 pm
* Powerplant Tour & Visitor Center tix: $15 or $12 for Juniors, Seniors, & Military
* Guided 1-hour Dam Tours depart between 9:30 am - 3:30 pm
* Dam Tour, Visitor Center, & Dam Passageways tix: $30 for all
* Major sections of the tours are not accessible for wheelchairs and pacemakers
* Best times for a tour: before 10:30 am or after 3:00 pm
* A 10-min video highlights the history and importance of the Hoover Dam
* Viewpoints allow for plenty of photo opportunities
* Concessions, gift shop, and restrooms are at the Parking Garage
* Note that security screening and scanners are required for entrance
* Plan time for a stroll on sidewalks on top of the Dam
* Look down at the Dam wall & Colorado River or Lake Mead behind you
Did you know?
* Hoover Dam was built in just 5 years (2 years ahead of schedule)
* Dedicated on September 30, 1935 and named for President Herbert Hoover
* It is 726.4 feet from foundation rock to the road on top.
* Towers on the parapet rise 40 feet higher
* Weight: 6,600,000 tons
* It has enough concrete to pave a 16-ft wide highway: San Francisco to New York
* Max Water Pressure: 45,000 pounds per sq foot
* 21k men worked on the dam; Average: 3500/month; 100 died
* Most traffic crosses the river using the nearby Tillman Bridge opened in late 2010
* Dam generators provide electricity for Nevada, Arizona, and California