Over Martin Luther King holiday weekend (Jan 19, 2014), my husband and I took a trip from Las Vegas to Hoover Dam (on our way to Grand Canyon). It was a stop I wanted to make since it was on the way and it's a site I've wanted to see.
After our trip to the Dam, now I know why it's considered Modern civil engineering at its best. :)
Getting there was a bit tricky, you have to make sure you get off at the right exit. We arrived around 8:30 am in the morning, so there was barely anyone there. Very nice - since we were able to find parking on the "Arizona" side parking lots for FREE (and not have to pay the $10 parking fee). Entrance into this are was FREE as well, no inspection, no kiosk to collect money, it was perfect.
After parking in the lot on the Arizona side, we walked down a small hill and proceeded to cross the stretch of the Hoover Dam from the Arizona side to the Nevada side. We stood right at the section where the time zones intersect. So cool :) The views were great of the bridge above the Dam, and you can take some nice photos. We did not go to the Visitor Center though (which costs more $) and we did not take any tours either. You can opt to do those activities if you want though!
We also wandered over to the area where the flag was flying high in the air, as there was some story-telling of the sculptures next to the flag. There are security guards standing around the dam at all times (we think), as I saw 2 while we were there. :)
We spent only about 40-45 minutes at this historical site, and then went on our way to the Grand Canyon. I'm glad we took this 45 min drive from Las Vegas to see the Hoover Dam!