Hi, guys - We're thinking of going to Hoover Dam while we're in Vegas, but we won't have a car. Are there any tour companies you would recommend? How long do the tours usually take? Thanks for any guidance you can give me!

We were in Vegas June of '08 and went on the Hoot and Holler Hoover Dam tour. I just happened to see their brochure in our hotel, gave them a call, and was able to get our tickets for a tour the next day. Our tour guide was a professional commedienne - and we had a BLAST! Instead of a boring ride to the dam, she kept us in stitches. The company offers free pickup in most of the hotels along the strip. We just walked from our hotel (Caesar's Palace) to the nearest pickup point which happened to be Bally's across the street. The tour included a nice sit-down lunch and we were back in our hotel by mid-afternoon.

Can't help you with company recommendations, but touring the dam is definitely worth it. When I went (several years ago, but after 9/11), I was surprised that they allowed photography inside the dam! Don't know if that is still the case, but I wished I had brought my camera on the inside tour (I had left it in the car, to be retrieved afterward, thinking no photos would be allowed on the inside).

We used Grayline Tours a few years ago and were pleased.
http://www.coachamerica.com/grayline...cation_id/1037

The various tour companies offer similar tour packages with a comedian bus driver, various hotel pick-up points, and some may include lunch. Ours didn't include lunch but we were back in Vegas shortly after noon. Those who had the lunch included were dropped off at a tiny hotel/casino half way between the Dam and Vegas, so we were glad to have the freedom to eat anywhere when we got back to Vegas.

Thanks, everyone - I appreciate the good info!

Does anyone know the difference between the Hoover Dam tour and the Power Plant tour? - one is $11, and one is $30.

So...
visitor center: ~$8
power plant: ~11 (includes the visitor center)
dam tour: $30 (includes power plant and visitor center; you go inside the dam, down to abandoned stairway, etc. via old inspection tunnels)
Need to make reservations for the dam tour, not for others.

Thanks, sylvia!

I would do the entire tour. I know you don't have a car, but in Vegas you can usually rent one at a super low rate. Most of the hotels have a car rental company on premise.

If one rents a car, evidently one has to also fork over $8 for parking?! Wonder if there's free parking on the road (seems that I did that many years ago; but increased security might have changed things)?