Visiting the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead

The Hoover Dam, located on the Colorado River between Nevada and Arizona, is one of the most impressive engineering feats the world has ever seen. It is only about a 35-mile drive from Las Vegas, so it makes a nice day trip if you are staying in Vegas for a few days.

Construction on the dam began in 1931and was completed in 1936. The dam was responsible for the creation of Lake Mead. It continues to be a popular attraction, with more than 7 million tourists visit the dam every year.

Visiting the Dam

You can take a tour around and inside the dam to get up close and personal with one of the seven manmade wonders of the world. You will be amazed at the technology and engineering that went into creating this structure, especially when you see the size of Lake Mead and just how much water all that concrete is really holding back! The views from the top of the wall are amazing as well, and make for great photo opportunities.

Something else that might interest some visitors to the Hoover Dam is finding out just how many different films have been shot there, including Transformers, Vegas Vacation, and Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back.

Visiting Lake Mead

Besides just visiting the dam, many people will also find that Lake Mead has a lot to offer. It is the second largest manmade reservoir lake in the United States and brings millions of visitors to the area every year.

The Lake Mead National Recreation Area, which also includes Lake Mojave (just south of Lake Mead) is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island. Because the lake is so large, there are several campgrounds and marinas round its borders, on both the Nevada and the Arizona side.

The lake offers plenty of opportunities for people to have a good time on the water, from those with a houseboat out to cruise the waters to swimmers, sunbathers, water skiers, and boaters. Fishermen love the lake as well, and can fish from the shore or from a boat for a variety of different fish species. It is an angler’s paradise.

The area also offers plenty of hiking trails of different levels of difficulty, and great opportunities to see wildlife such as bobcats, fox, Gila monsters, and mule deer.

Both the Hoover Dam and Lake Mead provide a nice getaway for the family, whether you decide to camp at one of the local campgrounds or just visit for a day from Las Vegas.