Hoover Dam with Optional Colorado River Rafting - Tour from Las Vegas

Itinerary

This great Hoover Dam Tour is available in two options: Hoover Dam Premium Tour and Hoover Dam Adventure Tour.

For each of these options you will be picked up in a state-of-the- art-luxury air-conditioned coach and driven out to the Hoover Dam, a journey of about 40 minutes. Relax in the comfortable seats while your knowledgeable driver/guide provides an interesting narration about the places you drive through, such as Las Vegas, Henderson and Boulder City.

Hoover Dam Premium Tour:
Hoover Dam is the Number 1 sightseeing attraction for people visiting Las Vegas. This modern wonder of the world has been called the ‘greatest dam ever built’. It is a National Historic Landmark and stands today as a testament to thousands of men and women, who came to a harsh and barren land and in less than five years built a world-renowned structure that changed the future of the West.

Construction of the Dam, which began in 1931, was a symbol of hope and progress during America’s Great Depression. When completed in 1935, it wore the crown as world's largest electric power producing facility and the world's largest concrete structure.

It takes about 2 hours once you arrive at the dam to see it and experience it. Your self-guided tour includes the complete Discovery Tour All Access Pass.

This Pass gives you the chance to enjoy live presentations and a fascinating film on the history and construction of the Dam. You can also visit the exhibit gallery and the observation deck, and venture to the power plant to view the massive generators, which can produce up to 1,860 megawatts of hydroelectric power.

Alternatively, you can spend the 2-hours walking across the Dam to the Arizona side, viewing the many works of art along the way. The photo opportunities are endless. Snacks and cool drinks are available for purchase in the gift shop.

As you explore the Dam, you’ll be treated to dramatic views of both the Colorado River and Lake Mead, the largest man-made body of water in the Western Hemisphere.

On the drive back to Las Vegas, you will make a brief stop at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, where you will be given a free sample. You can also spend a few minutes exploring the Botanical Cactus Garden at the Factory. In its 2.5 acres, you'll discover an arid landscape with over 350 species of cactus, succulents and desert plants from the Southwest and other deserts of the world.

When you return to Las Vegas you can choose either to stay on the coach and go straight back to your hotel, or you can disembark at Miracle Mile Mall, located at the New Planet Hollywood Hotel and Casino, to check out the shops, free entertainment, or indulge in a refreshment. You can also take advantage of the free Miracle Mile Passport to Savings Coupon Book included in your tour package. If you stop at Miracle Mile, you will need to make your own arrangements for getting back to your hotel.

Hoover Dam Adventure Tour:
This fun tour adds more scenery to your day by including a 30-minute Colorado raft float trip as well as a self-guided Hoover Dam tour. This abbreviated float trip allows you to view the Hoover Dam from its base from your raft on the Colorado River.

On your 1 hour 30 minute visit to the Dam you will see stunning views of glistening Lake Mead, the Colorado River, the intake towers and more . You can enjoy presentations by Dam Guides and have the chance to spend time in the visitor center, exhibit halls, and observation deck. You’ll see the many outdoor artworks on display and have the opportunity to walk to the Arizona side of the dam.

For the river raft float trip part of your trip, you’ll be transported by van to the Colorado River on the Lower Portal Road, where construction crews once traveled to and from the work site. See the original gauging station where water level and flow were vigilantly measured, and check out the dynamite storage bunkers used during construction.

Arrive at the banks of Colorado River and board a Coast Guard- approved large comfortable raft for a guided float tour. From the smooth water of the Colorado River you will gain a unique perspective on the Hoover Dam with its massive power installations, and the beautiful Black Canyon.

After the idyllic raft trip on the Colorado you will board your coach for the trip back to Vegas. On the way you will stop briefly at the Ethel M Chocolate Factory, where you will receive your free sample of chocolate. You can also spend a few minutes exploring the Botanical Cactus Garden at the Factory.

At tour’s end, you will be returned to your Las Vegas hotel.