Fast Facts
- Population
- 14,885 (2020 census)
- Elevation
- 2,510 ft
- Best Season
- October–April; summer on the dam is severe
- Nearest Interstate
- I-11 / US 93 runs through; I-15 at Las Vegas, ~26 miles
What to Know Before You Arrive
This is a purpose-built company town that outlived its purpose. The Bureau of Reclamation and the contractor Six Companies put it up in 1931 to house dam workers, and the federal government did not hand over control until 1959, with incorporation following on 4 January 1960. For nearly thirty years an American town was administered directly by Washington, and the street layout still shows it: this was planned, not grown.
The gambling ban is written into the city charter and it is genuinely unusual. “Boulder City is one of only two places in Nevada that prohibits gambling” — the other is Panaca. The two casinos people associate with the area are outside the city limits: the Hoover Dam Lodge sits on private land inside the Lake Mead National Recreation Area, and Railroad Pass is in Henderson. Twenty-six miles from the Strip, a town chose a different answer and has kept it for most of a century.
The dam itself is the other half of the stop, and it keeps longer hours than its tours. The dam is open to the public daily from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., while the visitor center and the tours run 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Doors close at 4:15 p.m. and the last tour leaves at 4:10 p.m.
The Road Trip Stop
Hoover Dam is the anchor, and there are three levels of visit at three prices. The self-guided visitor center tour is $15* per person; the guided power plant tour is $25* for adults and $15* for ages 4 to 16; and the full guided dam tour is $40* per person. Ages 3 and under are free on all three.
The ticket rule is the thing to get right
- The full dam tour cannot be booked ahead. In the Bureau's own words, “Tickets CANNOT be purchased online, and are only sold on-site, in person, on a first come-first served basis.” If that tour is why you are coming, arrive early and have a fallback. The power plant and self-guided tours can be booked online.
- You can upgrade on site. Power plant and self-guided tickets can be upgraded in person, so starting small and adding to it is a workable strategy when you do not know how long you will want to stay.
- What the full tour includes: the historic tour tunnels, the elevator to the top of the dam, the inspection tunnels, the ventilation shaft, and the guided powerplant tour within it. That is the version that goes inside the structure rather than looking at it.
- Parking and the clock. The Nevada-side garage near the visitor center is $10* per vehicle; oversized vehicles, RVs and anything towing must use the Arizona side, where Lot 9 is $10* and Lots 13 and 14 are free. Note also that anyone under 17 cannot take a tour unaccompanied.
*Fees subject to change, please check usbr.gov for updated information.
From the Park Service
Lake Mead National Recreation Area
- Entrance fee
- $25 private vehicle · $20 motorcycle (7-day) · $15 per person · $0 education/academic groups. 5 commercial and tour-operator rates are listed separately by the park.
- Park hours
- Open around the clock, every day. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
- Reservations
- 1 of the park’s listed activities need a booking
- Visitor centres
- Lake Mead Visitor Center · Lake Mead Headquarters Information Kiosk. Open 9:00AM - 4:30PM daily.
- Campgrounds
- 16 in the park, about 936 sites in total. Fees from $20 to $80.
- Passport stamp
- Lake Mead Headquarters Information Kiosk · Lake Mead Visitor Center
- Webcams
- 1 live view on the park’s own site
National Park Service Data API, pulled 2026-10-12
Neighborhoods
The historic district
The original 1931 government town, laid out deliberately rather than grown, with the Boulder Dam Hotel at its centre.
The dam approach
The Bureau of Reclamation’s directions have drivers leave I-11/US 93 at Exit 2 for Nevada State Route 172, the Hoover Dam Access Road. The highway itself no longer runs over the dam crest: it crosses the Colorado River on the bypass bridge just south of the dam.
The lake side
North-east toward Lake Mead, where the marinas and the recreation area begin.
The bypass corridor
The Mike O’Callaghan–Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge opened to traffic in 2010 as part of a four-lane bypass built to reroute traffic around Hoover Dam; the National Park Service says it diverts traffic from the top of the dam, lessening congestion and increasing security. The Bureau of Reclamation’s visitor page says most passenger vehicles can still cross the dam, with all vehicles subject to inspection at the Nevada Security Checkpoint, and that semi-trucks are prohibited from entering the dam site.
The Food Stop
Boulder City's eating is concentrated in the compact historic district rather than strung along the highway, which is one practical benefit of a planned town. We were unable to confirm a specific long-standing Boulder City restaurant for this guide, and this guide does not name a business without checking that business's own site. One timing note that holds: the dam's visitor center closes at 5:00 p.m. with the last tour at 4:10 p.m., so an early dinner back in town is the natural end to the day.
2 breweries within 10 miles of Boulder City (Hoover Dam), one of them a brewpub with a kitchen.
See all 2
- Boulder Dam Brewing Company453 Nevada Way, Boulder City
- Lovelady Brewing Company20 S Water St, Hendersonproduction site*
*Check before you go. This list says what the source records as open and where it is — nothing more. Opening hours, whether a kitchen is serving, and whether anywhere suits your family are not in this data and change without notice. A production site may have no public room at all. Please confirm with the venue.
Brewpub locations from Open Brewery DB (MIT)
The Home Teams
No MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL or MLS team plays in Boulder City, which at 14,885 people is far too small. Las Vegas, twenty-six miles away, has four professional franchises.
Day Trips
| Destination | Time | Distance | How we got it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lake Mead National Recreation Area | 47 min | 26 mi | routed |
| North-east to the reservoir the dam created, where the bathtub ring on the rock shows how far the water has fallen. | |||
| Las Vegasguide | 38 min | 27 mi | routed |
| North-west to the Strip and the city, which is about twenty-six miles away and an entirely different proposition. | |||
| Valley of Fire State Parkguide | 2 hr | 79 mi | routed |
| North-east, about 38 miles in a straight line, to Valley of Fire State Park. Nevada State Parks’ history page describes bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops and petroglyphs carved by the Basketmaker culture about 2,500 years ago, and says the park was formally opened in 1934 as “Nevada’s first state park.” | |||
| Grand Canyon West | 54 min | 43 mi | routed |
| East, about 57 miles in a straight line and across the state line in Arizona, to Grand Canyon West on the Hualapai Reservation. The tribe’s site says it is owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe, is not part of Grand Canyon National Park, requires the All-Access Pass for all visitors and does not accept national park passes; its posted rules prohibit alcoholic beverages and drones. Check the tribe’s site for current prices and hours. | |||
| Eldorado Canyon | 36 min | 25 mi | routed |
| South, about 19 miles in a straight line to the town of Nelson. Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours says it is based in Eldorado Canyon at the historical Techatticup Mine, which its site says ran from 1861 until 1942, and that its walking mine tours require a reservation (702-291-0026). Access is through a private operator; confirm before driving out. | |||
2 of these are places the Hub has its own guide to — marked guide and linked from the name.
Routed figures are computed over map data at free-flowing speeds, between map points rather than street addresses, so a real drive runs longer.
Distances routed by OSRM and places geocoded by Nominatim, over map data © OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL)
Worth a Weekend
18 more Highway Heads places lie within about 180 miles of Boulder City (Hoover Dam) in a straight line — far enough that most are a night away rather than an afternoon.
- Lost City MuseumNevadaabout 45 mi
- Moapa Valley National Wildlife RefugeNevadaabout 50 mi
- Virgin River Canyon Recreation AreaArizonaabout 90 mi
- St. GeorgeUtahabout 100 mi
- St. George TabernacleUtahabout 100 mi
- Snow Canyon State ParkUtahabout 110 mi
- St. George Dinosaur Discovery Site at Johnson FarmUtahabout 110 mi
- Red Cliffs Recreation AreaUtahabout 120 mi
- Silver Reef MuseumUtahabout 120 mi
- Springdale (Zion)Utahabout 130 mi
- Kanarra FallsUtahabout 140 mi
- Kolob CanyonsUtahabout 140 mi
- Zion National ParkUtahabout 140 mi
- Frontier Homestead State Park MuseumUtahabout 150 mi
- Grand Canyon CountryArizonaabout 150 mi
- Grand Canyon National ParkArizonaabout 150 mi
- Cedar Breaks National MonumentUtahabout 160 mi
- Parowan GapUtahabout 170 mi
Lakes Nearby
1 lake we have checked near here. These are the ones from our research that we could check against an official page — not every lake there is.
Lake Mohave
- Fishingyes - striped bass and other non-native sport fish; endangered razorback sucker present
- BoatingMotorized allowed; carbureted two-stroke PWC barred since 2013-01-01
- Rentals & marinayes
- SwimmingSwimming allowed; no designated beaches listed in source
- CampingCampgrounds and RV parks at Katherine Landing and Cottonwood Cove
- EntryNPS: $25 private vehicle (1-7 days); $45 park annual; vessel $16/7 days or $50/year
- Seasonyear-round
Swift water at Ringbolt Rapids (divers); State HAB advisories: azdeq.gov
Run by NPS - Lake Mead NRA (dam: BOR Davis Dam)
*Check before you go. Every lake here links to the official page we checked it against. Each states a price we read off that page on the date we checked. Fees, seasons, water levels, algal advisories and ramp closures change without notice and belong to the agency that runs the water. A blank is something we did not confirm, not something the lake lacks. Never assume a lifeguard. Whether a beach is staffed turns on the season, the day, and which agency runs that particular beach — two beaches on one lake can differ. If that matters to your family, confirm it with the agency before you set out.
Animal Attractions Nearby
Within 60 miles of Boulder City (Hoover Dam), nearest first.
Lion Habitat RanchHenderson
- Hours
- Thu–Tue walk-ins 11–2 (closes 3); closed Wednesdays to general public
- Season
- year-round
- Admission
- Child 4 and under free; one free child ticket per adult ticket
- Reservations
- Not required
Closed Dec 1–2 2026 for private event; may close after heavy rain
This is a list of what is near you, not a recommendation of any of it. None of these carry an accreditation we were able to confirm, which is not the same as none being accredited — we check against one register, and plenty of good municipal, state and university places are in no register at all. Opening times, prices and seasons change without notice, so check the operator’s own site — every name above links to it.
Practical Road Trip Info
Arrive early for the dam tour. It is first come, first served on the day, with no online option, and the last tour of the day leaves at 4:10 p.m.
Summer heat on an exposed concrete structure over a canyon is extreme. The dam opens at 5:00 a.m., which in July is the sensible hour to be there.
Check your vehicle against the parking rules. Anything oversized, towing, or an RV has to use the Arizona side, which is a different approach and a different walk.
Boulder City makes a quieter base than Las Vegas for anyone visiting the dam and Lake Mead, at the cost of being twenty-six miles from everything the Strip offers.
The Local Debate
Family-Friendly
The visitor center self-guided tour
At $15 per person with ages 3 and under free, it is the shorter and cheaper way in, and it can be upgraded on site if everyone is enjoying it.
The Historic Railroad Trail
A level, hardpacked-gravel route along the former construction railroad, rated Easy by the National Park Service, with five tunnels. The NPS lists an 11-foot elevation change and no shade along the opening 1.5 miles, and says shipping containers sit in two of the tunnels, with short ramps at each end, to protect people from small rocks that infrequently fall from the ceiling.
The bypass bridge walkway
The bypass bridge has a pedestrian walkway, and the National Park Service puts the bridge 900 feet above the Colorado River’s Black Canyon. Bureau of Reclamation visitor guidance (dated January 2011) asks everyone at the dam site to stay on walkways and in designated crosswalks rather than in vehicle lanes, and bars pedestrians from the bridge and its pedestrian plaza during hours of darkness.
A town with no slot machines
For families, the absence is the point: Boulder City is a Nevada main street children can walk down.
Plan Your Visit
Hoover Dam
- Dam hours
- Open to the public daily 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PST)
- Visitor center and tours
- Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day; doors close 4:15 p.m., last tour departs 4:10 p.m.
- Guided Dam Tour
- $40 per person; includes historic tour tunnels, elevator to the dam top, inspection tunnels, ventilation shaft and the powerplant tour. Tickets sold on-site only, first come first served*
- Guided Power Plant Tour
- $25 adults, $15 ages 4-16, free ages 3 and under; bookable online, upgradeable on-site*
- Self-guided Visitor Center
- $15 per person, free ages 3 and under; upgradeable on-site*
- Parking
- Nevada-side garage $10 per vehicle; oversized, RV and towing vehicles must use the Arizona side, Lot 9 $10, Lots 13 and 14 free*
- Age rule
- Visitors must be over 16 to go on a tour by themselves
*Fees subject to change, please check usbr.gov for updated information.
We checked fees, opening hours, seasonal opening, operating status and reservations on 2026-10-12. These change without notice — confirm with usbr.gov, nps.gov, bchdmuseum.org, grandcanyonwest.com and eldoradocanyonminetours.com the week you travel.
Sources — 26 claims, 23 checked against the source on 2026-10-12
| Claim | Source | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Guided Dam Tour $40 per person including the historic tour tunnels, elevator to the top of the dam, inspection tunnels, ventilation shaft and a Guided Powerplant Tour; Guided Power Plant Tour $25 adults and $15 ages 4 to 16; Self-Guided Visitor Center Tour $15 per person; ages 3 and under free on all; power plant and self-guided tickets upgradeable on-site | Hoover Dam Tour Information — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| “Tickets CANNOT be purchased online, and are only sold on-site, in person, on a first come-first served basis” for the Dam Tour; “Visitors must be over the age of 16 to go on tour by themselves&rdquo | Hoover Dam Tour Information — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| The dam is “Open to the public daily from 5:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. (PST)”; visitor center and tours “Open Daily 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. (except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day)”, doors close 4:15 p.m., last tour departs 4:10 p.m. | Hoover Dam Tour Information — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| “A parking garage is located on the Nevada side of the dam near the Visitor Center; fee $10 per vehicle”; oversized vehicles, RVs and vehicles with trailers must park on the Arizona side, Lot 9 $10, Lots 13 and 14 free | Hoover Dam Tour Information — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-12 |
| “Boulder City was originally built in 1931 by the Bureau of Reclamation and Six Companies, Inc. as housing for workers who were building the Hoover Dam”; its “sole reason for existence was the need to house workers contracted to build the Hoover Dam&rdquo | Boulder City, Nevada — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Population 14,885 at the 2020 census; elevation 2,510 feet; about 26 miles to Las Vegas | Boulder City, Nevada — Wikipedia | Checked |
| “Boulder City is one of only two places in Nevada that prohibits gambling”, the other being Panaca; the Hoover Dam Lodge is on private land within the Lake Mead National Recreation Area and Railroad Pass is in Henderson, both outside city limits | Boulder City, Nevada — Wikipedia | Checked |
| “The government did not relinquish control of Boulder City until 1959, when the town was incorporated”, with incorporation on 4 January 1960 | Boulder City, Nevada — Wikipedia | Checked |
| A named, verified Boulder City restaurant for the food stop — we were unable to confirm one on 2026-10-12 | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| The trail follows the construction railroad bed to Hoover Dam; level hardpacked fine gravel; 3.7 miles one way; five tunnels each approximately 25 feet wide; difficulty Easy; 11 ft. elevation change; not recommended in summer with no shade for the first 1.5 miles; shipping containers in two tunnels (checked 2026-10-14) | Hike the Historic Railroad Trail — National Park Service, Lake Mead National Recreation Area | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| The museum is on the 1st floor of the historic Boulder Dam Hotel, 1305 Arizona Street; open free to the public daily 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.; the hotel was built in 1933 to accommodate visitors to the Hoover Dam construction project; phone (702) 294-1988 (checked 2026-10-14) | Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum — museum home page | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Current Lake Mead water level and the visible bathtub ring | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| The distance and drive fields on the Lake Mead, Valley of Fire, Grand Canyon West and Eldorado Canyon day-trip cards are unsourced route figures; replace with direct miles (the Grand Canyon West admission-rules part is resolved from the tribe's own site) | No source accepted yet | Not confirmed |
| Directions from Nevada leave I-11 S/US-93 S/US-95 S through Boulder City at Exit 2 for NV SR-172/Hoover Dam Access Rd; travel on into Arizona crosses the Mike O'Callaghan Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge on I-11 S/US-93 S/US-95 S (checked 2026-10-14) | Hoover Dam Driving Directions and Parking Information — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Traffic on old U.S. 93 ran over the top of the dam; the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge stands 900 feet above the Colorado River's Black Canyon just south of the dam, diverts traffic from the top of the dam, and offers views from its pedestrian walkway (checked 2026-10-14) | Nevada and Arizona: Hoover Dam — National Park Service | Checked |
| The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge is part of a four-lane bypass to reroute traffic around the Hoover Dam; construction began in 2005 and the bridge opened to traffic in 2010 (checked 2026-10-14) | Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge award release — Federal Highway Administration | Checked |
| Most passenger vehicles can cross the dam; all vehicles are subject to inspection at the Nevada Security Checkpoint; semi-trucks are prohibited from entering the dam site (checked 2026-10-14) | Hoover Dam Tour Information — US Bureau of Reclamation (security checkpoint) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Visitor guidance dated January 2011: pedestrians are not allowed on the top of the dam, in the Hoover Dam Bypass pedestrian plaza, or on the Hoover Dam Bypass Bridge during hours of darkness; stay on walkways and in designated crosswalks (checked 2026-10-14) | Hoover Dam Rules for Visitors — US Bureau of Reclamation | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Bright red Aztec sandstone outcrops; petroglyphs carved by the Basketmaker culture about 2,500 years ago; formally opened in 1934 as what the page calls Nevada's first state park (checked 2026-10-14) | History of Valley of Fire State Park — Nevada State Parks | Checked |
| Published coordinates 36.47222; -114.53750 against Boulder City 35.97861; -114.83250 give about 38 miles north-east in a straight line (direct miles computed from Wikipedia coordinates; checked 2026-10-14) | Valley of Fire State Park — Wikipedia | Checked |
| Grand Canyon West is not part of Grand Canyon National Park, is on the Hualapai Reservation and is owned and operated by the Hualapai Tribe; the All-Access Pass is required for all visitors; national park passes are not accepted (checked 2026-10-14) | Grand Canyon West FAQs — Hualapai Tribe (Grand Canyon Resort Corporation) | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Grand Canyon West is an enterprise of the Hualapai Tribe on the Hualapai Indian Reservation; the posted prohibitions include alcoholic beverages and drones (checked 2026-10-14) | Hualapai Indian Reservation: rules and customs — Grand Canyon West | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Grand Canyon West is on the Hualapai Reservation in Mohave County, Arizona; published coordinates 36.00278; -113.81139 against Boulder City 35.97861; -114.83250 give about 57 miles east in a straight line (direct miles computed from Wikipedia coordinates; checked 2026-10-14) | Grand Canyon West — Wikipedia | Checked |
| The Techatticup Mine ran from 1861 until 1942; the mine tour is a walking tour on one level; the operator says reservations are required, phone 702-291-0026 (checked 2026-10-14) | Mine Tours — Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours | Checked monitored · 2026-10-14 |
| Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours is based in Eldorado Canyon at the historical Techatticup Mine (checked 2026-10-14) | Home — Eldorado Canyon Mine Tours | Checked |
| Published coordinates 35.70722; -114.82611 against Boulder City 35.97861; -114.83250 give about 19 miles south in a straight line (direct miles computed from Wikipedia coordinates; checked 2026-10-14) | Nelson, Nevada — Wikipedia | Checked |
Road Trippin’ with the Harts
The Highway Heads books turn the miles between stops into a game the whole car can play.
See the booksLive Conditions
Wildlife Spotted Nearby
Nearest Airports
Straight-line distance from Boulder City (Hoover Dam), not drive time.
- Boulder City Municipal (BLD) — 3 miles
- Harry Reid International (LAS) — 19 miles
- North Las Vegas (VGT) — 26 miles
Explore the Full Road Trip
Return to the Highway Heads map and discover the next family-ready stop.
Explore the Map