Short Trip to Vegas: Hotel and Hoover Dam Questions
 

Short trip to Las Vegas questions:

1. Where in Vegas would you stay if you were not into gambling, but wanted a day or two relaxing in nice (but not exorbitant) surroundings by a big pool and eating good meals?

2. How many hours would you set aside to see/tour Hoover Dam, including travel time from/back to Vegas?

Thanks in advance.

We went to Hoover Dam from Las Vegas in May. We left Vegas about 8:30, drove to the dam, toured the dam and had lunch in Boulder City at Milo's http://www.miloswinebar.com/content We were back in Las Vegas by 2 pm.

Here's the website for Hoover Dam tours http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/service/DamTour.html

If you don't want to stay on the strip, consider either the Hacienda (close to Hoover Dam) or the Fiesta in Henderson.
Neither is fancy but both are clean and closer to Hoover Dam.
You can rent a boat on Lake Mead and swim. Remember the sunscreen. I and my family got sunburn when we swam in Lake Mead. They run helicopter tours over Hoover Dam with the LZ off the corner of the parking lot of the Hacienda.

The M is a few miles south on the strip, but is gorgeous; the pool area is fabulous. Best buffet (with wine/beer) ever!

http://www.themresort.com/

We went to Hoover Dam on a Sunday after brunch and the traffic was aggravating. I think the round trip was about 4 hours. Green Valley Resort has a nice pool, a few good restaurants, and will save you about 20 minutes each way to Hoover Dam. Closer to the strip consider the Platinum Hotel or the Trump, they don't have casinos so are quieter. Service at the Platinum is stellar.