Day Trip: Boulder City, Nevada

From Las Vegas
About 20 miles (City of Boulder City)
City hall
401 California Avenue, Boulder City, NV 89005
Museum
Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum: free, open daily, 365 days a year
Hoover Dam
Visitor center 9 a.m.-5 p.m. daily; self-guided tour $15
Lake Mead VC
10 Lakeshore Rd, just east of town; daily 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m.
Lodging rule
Short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO are prohibited by city ordinance

About

Boulder City is about 20 miles from Las Vegas, according to the city. It began as the town that housed the workers who built Hoover Dam during the Great Depression. The local museum notes it was a town completely controlled by the federal government in those years. The city's stated aim today is to keep its small-town character and historic heritage.

The Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum fills the first floor of the Boulder Dam Hotel, built in 1933 for visitors to the dam project. The museum says the building is one of the oldest in Nevada still used for its original purpose, and the hotel still rents 21 guest rooms. Exhibits use photographs, artifacts and oral histories to cover the 1929 crash, the Depression and the dangers of dam construction.

The Lake Mead Visitor Center sits just east of town on U.S. 93, and Hoover Dam is a few minutes further south.

What to expect

A visit usually starts downtown. The museum runs WALK BC, a free, self-guided audio tour on a one-mile loop through the Historic District. It starts and ends at the Boulder Dam Hotel, passes neighborhoods built for the dam workforce and stops at an overlook above Lake Mead. The city also publishes a map of public art, including utility boxes painted by 15 artists in May 2026.

For time outdoors, the city's LVCVA-run tourism site points to the Historic Railroad Trail and its tunnels, reached from the Lake Mead Visitor Center. Hoover Dam is a short drive on. The dam itself is open to the public from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Its visitor center is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with doors closing at 4:15 p.m.

Plan the trip

Good to know

  • Boulder City bans short-term rentals such as Airbnb and VRBO, so overnight visitors need a hotel.
  • The museum is free and open daily, 365 days a year. Its research archive is open by appointment.
  • Since August 19, 2026, the guided Hoover Dam Tour ($40) has been unavailable until further notice because of elevator repairs. The Power Plant Tour ($25 adults, $15 ages 4-16) and the self-guided Visitor Center tour ($15) run as normal.
  • The Hoover Dam parking garage on the Nevada side costs $10 and is open 8 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Every vehicle passes a security checkpoint, and firearms, drones and marijuana are prohibited.
  • America the Beautiful passes are not accepted at Hoover Dam, which is self-funded.
  • Upcoming events listed on the city's tourism site include a Family Fall Festival on November 14.

Questions about Boulder City, Nevada

How far is Boulder City from Las Vegas?

The City of Boulder City says it is just 20 miles from Las Vegas. The Lake Mead Visitor Center is on U.S. 93 just east of town, and Hoover Dam is a few miles beyond it. That makes it easy to see the historic downtown, the lake and the dam on the same day.

Is the Boulder City/Hoover Dam Museum free?

Yes. The museum is free and open daily, 365 days a year. It sits on the first floor of the Boulder Dam Hotel, built in 1933. Exhibits cover the Depression-era workforce that built the dam, with oral histories from workers and their families. Its archive on Colorado River water and power is open to researchers by appointment.

Can I tour Hoover Dam right now?

Partly. A notice dated August 19, 2026 says the guided Dam Tour is unavailable until further notice because of elevator repairs. The Power Plant Tour, at $25 for adults and $15 for ages 4 to 16, and the $15 self-guided Visitor Center tour are running normally. The last tour leaves at 4:10 p.m.

Can I stay in an Airbnb in Boulder City?

No. Boulder City passed an ordinance confirming that short-term rentals, including Airbnb and VRBO, are prohibited in the city. Visitors who want to stay overnight need a hotel. The historic Boulder Dam Hotel, which also houses the museum, rents 21 guest rooms.

What is the Historic Railroad Trail?

It is a Lake Mead National Recreation Area trail that runs through five tunnels and is suitable for bikes and strollers. You reach it by walking down a small hill from the Lake Mead Visitor Center, just east of Boulder City. It stays open during the park's summer closure of strenuous trails, but carry water in hot weather.