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Hoover Dam Tour

Discussion in 'Getting There & Getting Around' started by AnAmericanTexanInVegas, Apr 24, 2013.

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  1. AnAmericanTexanInVegas

    AnAmericanTexanInVegas Tourist

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    Forgive me if this has been recently posted or if I'm on the wrong board.

    Has anyone taken a Hoover Dam tour from Las Vegas?
    Is there a particular company worth using? I see Presidential has a package around $300+.
    Would renting a car and making the drive ourselves be a better option?
    If we rent a car, should we just rent at the airport the day we get there or would it be possible (without much hassle) to rent later in the week?
     
  2. mike_m235

    mike_m235 Tourist

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    Take a bus tour. They'll pick you up at or near your hotel. Much less than $300. It's a short ride, so being on the bus is no big deal.
     
  3. Jimbo338

    Jimbo338 VIP Whale

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    I took the express tour on my first trip to LV in 1997. A lady I met at a trade show had gone the day before and recommended it highly. It picked you up at your hotel and bused you t their Barn were you boarded coaches. The bus stopped for a tour of the Ocean Spray Distribution Center which I thought was pretty interesting. Then on to the Dam. It was before 9-11 and we went to the bottom and the tour worked its way up. I believe we were supposed to be back to the bus at 5 or 6. Cost then was 29.95.

    Honestly, I only went cause my feet were killing me after walking all over LV as everyone does on the first trip trying to see everything. I just couldn't pump myself up to go visit a dam. Big surprise, I thought it was a super trip. It was absolutely awesome! Interesting history of how it was built, lots of pics and so on. It's really nice sometimes to go somewhere with no expectations and be surprised . I am tempted to return on of these trips to see the new glass walkway.

    I thought the trip was well worth the money; I'm sure it is more now. If you are with several people it might be cheaper to rent a car. IT is not difficult nor far away, and perhaps you could spend the rest of the day visiting other off strip sights.

    Jimbo338
     
  4. bsf436

    bsf436 Tourist

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    Maybe I'm missing something, but I thought the glass walkway was at the Grand Canyon and not at Hoover Dam.

    Back to the original question. I took a tour through Hoover Dam Tour Company in November (they almost always have a Groupon for $29.95) and I seriously doubt I would go through any company again. While it is nice that they pick you up at your hotel, the process is a bit cumbersome. Also, the line to get through security was so long that, even though we were one of the first ones from our bus in line, we had less than 20 minutes after the tour to get pictures, something to eat, and get back so the bus didn't leave us. After the tour the bus stops at Ethel M's chocolate factory.

    I can't speak for the other companies, but I was annoyed that there was a piece of paper on each seat asking for gratuities and the driver even reminded us this as we were leaving town and when we got back. :nono:
     
  5. chrisn42

    chrisn42 Tourist

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    The glass walkway is at the Grand Canyon, not at the Dam. It's on the West Rim.

    I took a tour in September last year to the Dam with the same company, and the driver did the same thing with the papers on the seats. I kind of thought it was just that driver that did that because he seemed a bit off in the first place. He also seemed to make a big deal about making sure he got his sheets back which made me think that maybe the company doesn't approve of this?!? He then repeated the same 15 minute spiel twice back to back about something we passed. And then kept going on and on about some steak dinner special downtown somewhere.

    However, I have also gone with another tour company to the dam, and I can say that it was much better. They didn't leave the tip sheets on the seats or even mention tipping once the entire trip. I don't remember the name however.
     
  6. Jimbo338

    Jimbo338 VIP Whale

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    Sorry about the confusion about the glass walkway! Thanks for correcting me. I took the tour with the Gray Bus Line. It was a good tour and the bus driver was excellent. I don't know what companies run the tours now.

    Jimbo338
     
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