I was checking out some options of side trips from Vegas. America West website has options for side trips to Hoover Dam and to Red Rock. Now since our group has never been to either of them...which one would you select if you were going and why?

Thanks in advance.

I have been to both and we loved Red Rock and go there on each of our visits to LV. It is a great day away from the Strip, but really only about a half hour drive .. then when you get there you can hike, drive and just look from the car, watch the (maniac) rock climbers have a picnic..see a wild burro or two.
Hoover Dam was a long drive, lots of traffic once you get near it and sorta boring. Lake Mead is amazing when you see it for the first time though, blue blue blue!!

you can do both in 1 day. Red Rock is awesome and about 30 minutes outside Vegas. Hoover Dam is a site you will not see anywhere else. You can spend and hour there and be happy and then drive throught the national park via Lake Meade back to Vegas. A 45 minute Drive. No traffic when we were there in April. We enjoyed both! Have fun!

Funjione, Did you do the tour of Hoover Dam? Is is worth it? Next month we are landing in Vegas around noon one day and are staying at the South Rim of the GC that night, but we want to see Hoover Dam on the way. Just curious as to whether the tour was worth the extra time! Thanks!

I love Hoover Dam. I have done the tour twice, pre and post 9/11. The drive there is 30-45 minutes. It is true that there is a security point proir to the Dam and near traffic can be slow...but still 45 minutes was my time to the parking garage. I go early though, try and get there by 9.

The tour is good. It was better pre 9/11. Now the actual inside guided part is shorter and the outside is self guided. There are places to stop and hear talks and ask questions outside. Depending on timing, you may have the outside experts to yourself.

I see Hoover Dam as inspiring. A working tribute to good old American hard work and spirit. I have found that men like it more than women but my wife enjoyed both of our visits there.

So, it worth it? I say yes but I know that some others may disagree. If you like unique structures, history, appreciate rivers, or progressing technology (from the 1930's) and creativity you will enjoy it.

Depends on what you like...history/engineering, or history/countryside? I liked Red Rock, saw enough of the Dam just driving by...young sons went on a guided tour and had a great time though! Belle.

another option would be to go to the valley of fire and then you can actually drive by the hoover dam on your way back to vegas.

caniac, we (Mr. Pickle, 17yo daughter, 9 yo son, and me) took the Hoover Dam tour in May and really enjoyed it. It's about four-five hours from there to the Grand Canyon.

Lee Ann

Thank you! You are a sweet pickle!

Yes! she is surprisingly sweet for a dilPickle

We had a very lovely day trip that was comprised of a visit to the Hoover Dam in the morning, driving the scenic Lake Mead Drive mid-day and hitting Valley of Fire in the afternoon. Lake Mead drive takes you right by Valley of Fire. We thought VoF was just amazing and preferred it to Red Canyon. We visited the Hoover Dam the Sun. of Memorial Day week-end and were warned traffic would be horrible with two hour wait so we drove over first thing in the morning to catch the 9 am tour. We hit no traffic going in, when we left at a little after 11 am it was backed up for several miles. I'm not sure how bad traffic would be on a non-holiday week-end. I think the drive to HV was about an hour, but can't quite remember. I'd recommend hitting all three of these - Hoover Dam and V of F are both very unique attractions and as all three can be hit in a leisurely day trip.

I saw the pre-911 tour, which was wonderful and very informative. However, since you will be stopping along the way to the GC, you might just stop and view the outside. A cable TV show, Modern Marvels (History Channel), has a show on the construction of the Hoover Dam on regularly. It was on last week and takes you on quite a tour and gives all the background info. Check your cable schedule and if you get History Channel, they might schedule it again before you leave. They also have the video of the show. It is really a great show to watch.

I'm going to land in Las Vegas and drive to St. George. I am going to drive to Valley of Fire on the way to St. George. Is there a decent drive you can recommend to go from Las Vegas through Lake Mead and on to Valley of Fire. How long will that drive take. Is it worth driving through Lake Mead NRA to see the scenery without touring Hoover Dam

Thank you.

We actually took a tour bus to Hoover Dam and loved it. Got a lot of information that we would have not have known otherwise, and the road there is not so great, and we always rent a car to go to the red rock canyon. Love it there, and it is a nice drive.

We did Hoover Dam and then 5 minutes from the dam are the marina's we rented a speed boat on Lake Mead for 2 hours, THAT WAS AWESOME!!!! It made the drive and the traffic well worth it.

Thanks for all the great input. We have actually decided that we would do both tours just on different days.

Thanks again!