Day Trips to Hoover Dam in Las Vegas

Considered one of the greatest engineering achievements of the 20th century, the Hoover Dam is a massive structure on the Colorado River that created Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the United States. Visiting the dam is one of the best things to do on a trip to Las Vegas - here's how!

Las Vegas is not just a city full of casinos, neon lights and big shows. Being close to several natural landmarks, many travellers take advantage of their stay here to take a tour to stunning sites such as the Grand Canyon, the Valley of Fire or Lake Mead.

If you're on a budget but would like to do some sightseeing outside of Las Vegas, a visit to the Hoover Dam might be a good option. There are several bus tours that cover the 48 kilometres that separate this place from Las Vegas starting at only 43 euros.

These cheap tours to the Hoover Dam usually last between 4 and 6 hours, visiting the exterior and the interior of this power plant that supplies electricity to Nevada, Arizona and Southern California.

It's a great way to learn about the history of this National Historic Landmark in a short time and for a reasonable price, but also to enjoy spectacular views and take some of the best pictures of your trip to Las Vegas.

If you have more time in your schedule for excursions outside of Las Vegas and a tighter budget, you can take advantage of your stay in the city to see several major sites such as the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon in one sitting and in just one day.

There are premium tours which, for a little more money, offer you a personalised experience travelling with a guide and a small group in a luxury vehicle with all the amenities. Some also include lunch. The experience is very complete and costs less than 200 euros.

Alongside the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead, you'll also visit the West Rim of the Grand Canyon, which is the most popular with tourists visiting Las Vegas as it's the closest area to the city (about 180 kilometres away). It is home to the Hualapai Indian tribe and is noted for its deep cliffs.

It is also the site of a stunning glass-floored observation deck known as the Skywalk over a 1,300-metre-deep cliff. The name is aptly fitting because crossing it is like walking through the sky and allows you to enjoy 360-degree panoramic views of the Grand Canyon.

To visit the Hoover Dam I recommend you to join an organised tour as you don't have to worry about travelling or how to get tickets there, which makes things much simpler.

I also like these tours because they combine the visit to the Hoover Dam with other very entertaining activities such as the entrance to the Ethel M. Chocolate Factory and the Botanical Cactus Garden, a paddleboat cruise on Lake Mead or an exclusive tour over the reservoir with a guide, among others.

In Hellotickets you can compare prices, routes and duration of the tours. All you have to do is check availability, choose the date and the number of travellers, it's that easy!

Hoover Dam is 30 miles from Las Vegas.

By road it takes about 50 minutes.

Between the Hoover Dam and the Grand Canyon there are about 400 kilometres, which takes about 4 hours. Combined with the time it takes to get from Las Vegas to the Hoover Dam, the entire trip would take about 5 hours.

The cheapest way to see the Hoover Dam is to include it in your tour if you plan to do a roadtrip from Las Vegas and rent a car. In that case, it won't take you long to get there, stop, take pictures and so on. But if you have to rent a car just to get here, it's not worth the expense.

The most economical way would be to join a guided tour that will take you to the dam and back to Las Vegas in the same day and still allow you to enjoy the site, the views and learn a bit about its importance, its construction, etc.

Depending on the tour you choose, you will be able to see the Hoover Dam and different tourist attractions related to the dam such as its power plant and visitors centre, Lake Mead, Boulder City, the Arizona overlook or the dam's bypass bridge from where there are magnificent views of the landscape. Get your camera ready because you are going to take some amazing pictures!

The construction of the Hoover Dam on the Colorado River created Lake Mead, the largest man-made lake in the United States at 640 square kilometres. Here you can enjoy outdoor activities such as horseback riding, boating, jet skiing and scuba diving.