History OT-Planning a trip to Hoover Dam area

Hi All,

This is kind of an off-topic request, but with Hot Rods/Cars included. I'm planning a trip to the southwest this spring. I want to look around at some of the historic areas with my focus on the Hoover Dam area, Grand Canyon, etc. But I want to do some car searches as well.

Is anyone located out there who could give me some ideas on Towns and places to stay near Hoover Dam as well as some hot rod related goings on, Car Shows in the spring (April/May time frame)etc. Any tips would be appreciated.

Murph

 

rt 66 isn't far.

 

You are correct! Never thought of that...Thanks

 

i would go to Sedona and take 89A to Williams [spend the night] and then go to the Grand Canyon. 89A is one of the most scenic hiways i`ve ever traveled. have a safe trip!

 

does Whiskey Pete's still have the Bonnie & Clyde `34 Ford?

 

I went to Hoover Dam about 5-years ago in the hopes the tour still went inside the Dam. It DID NOT! All I got was a view overlooking the Generating Room. Very disappointing!

 

Tom. I believe that was the post 911 procedure. The tours inside the dam and power plant are still going on. Since the new bridge has been completed hiway traffic no longer crosses the dam. To get to it you must enter from the Nevada side and go thru a Homeland security check point then down to the dam and exit the same route.

Mike

 

Boulder City is worth a nights stay if your timing is right, near the dam and without the noise of Vegas. Inexpensive and cool little town. We stayed here in this historic hotel; http://www.boulderdamhotel.com/
Walking distance to restaurants and pubs. From there if you are into cool geology, Valley of Fire State Park is just off Northshore Rd skirting Lake Mead.
Also in another direction is Oatman on Rt 66 out side of Laughlin, Nev.

 

Boulder Dam hotel has a great breakfast and reasonable rates on rooms.

 

Evans Old Town Grille is a great place to eat in Boulder. Neat old time restaurant.

 

The Shelby American Facility is only about 45 minutes from Hoover Dam. We did the tour last year and really enjoyed it.

 

Went to Vegas about 25 yrs. ago with my Sister to visit relatives and wound up taking the bus ride out to Hoover Dam. The tour of the facility was the high-light of the trip for me. I'm not much of a gambler and the one show I saw (Dean Martin) was pretty weak, so the trip to the dam made the trip worthwhile. I think Harrah's used to have a large car collection, but I think it got liquidated a while back. I guess I'm not much help as far as suggestions, but have a great trip and stay safe.................Don.

 

It's open now...it wasn't then...here's a shot of my bro driving his Caddy across Hoover Dam just two years ago...



Sedona is gorgeous, and just 25 miles south of the Grand Canyon...plan on spending the night there but make sure you have room reservations, If you want to take a train ride to the Grand Canyon, go into Williams and get on. For reservations: http://www.grandcanyontraintour.com/trainslf.htm. There are also tours from Las Vegas for this.

Flagstaff is a nice city...there are plenty of Indian ruins around there to see as well and the giant meteor crater is only about 40 miles east on 1-40.

R-

 

Here's some history for you.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F2FMiSYGH9w

 

" I think Harrah's used to have a large car collection, but I think it got liquidated"
For the most part, the Harrah cars are in Reno at the National Auto Museum :
http://automuseum.org/
The Imperial Palace in Vegas has some neat cars on display and for sale. Go to the back of the casino and ask for passes, then take the elevator up to the cars.

Gary

 

Sedona to the South Rim: 119 miles

 

Can't say too much to car oriented happenings but some places to go:

Hoover dam, just walk back and forth over it and check out the architecture and views, dam tour also.

Boulder city, Boulder Dam Hotel is a cool period piece, Dam museum in the hotel has a cool movie, walk the downtown area, eat at the Coffee Cup for diner food and cool wall art, Milo's for wine and sandwiches, Dillengers for great burgers. Can rent mountain bikes and ride some of the best rated trails in the SW. Ride a zip line , kind of expensive. Old town festival with a car show usually first weekend of May.

Las Vegas. Drive the strip at night, gamble till your broke. See the Mob Museum downtown, check out the Neon Graveyard on 5th street, tour the Valley of Fire, Red Rock Canyon, tour Shelby's place out by Nellis Air Force base, car museum at the Imperial Palace.

Just not much in the way of HAMB friendly car stuff.

But if you're bored in Vegas something is wrong

 

Oooops...you're correct...I meant to say 25 miles south of Flagstaff...!!!

R-

 

Ditto ^^^^ on the Imperial Palace don't miss it!

 

March 28-31 is Viva Las Vegas, Rick's Restorations and Kounts Kustoms have been captializing on their TV series by giving tours. As mentioned above, the Bonnie & Clyde death car is on display at Whiskey Petes.

 

Thanks to everyone for all the good tips and info so far. Really a big help to our plans. I'm going out in mid September.

Thanks again

Murph

 

You can keep tabs on local Las Vegas stuff here: http://vegas-rides.com/

Northeast of Las Vegas 110 miles is St. George, Utah and some of the most beautiful country you'll ever see. Zion National Park is another 30 minutes easy, and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon is another 2 hours.

We ALWAYS have car stuff going on in St. George. Let me know when you're coming and if there's not anything we'll put something together!

Sent from my DROID device using the TJJ mobile app

 

I did this trip with the family 2 1/2 years ago.

Hoover dam is awesome.

The tours are going again. The highlight of ours was going through one of the old tunnels inside the dam and this guy next to me stops the guide and asks, "What is this water dripping from the ceiling?"

The guide looked at these drips running down the wall and said, "I don't know. That just started this morning and we're hoping it isn't serious."

I thought the dude who asked the question was going to have a heart attack and then the guide just busted out laughing. It was hilarious!

Phil

 

The Dam is a fascinating place as is Boulder City if you have the time to dig into the history. My grandfather came to LV to work on the dam project...He dug the basements for all the government buildings as well as the theater..and I others I'd guess but don't know for sure..in BC. Also worked excavating the roads to and from the Dam site.
Here are a few pics taken right after the dam was completed and the lake was filling up for the first time...


My Dad on the river side....

The lake as it was filled. these are town dignitaries and others come to check out the new mudd puddle I think is is the day the coffer dams were blown and water allowed to back up for the first time..

Boat race not long after the lake started to fill


There are lots of Hot Rod things going on in LV...plenty of Hot Rod shops to visit, etc.

 

Starting in Vegas... Shelby American facility...through Valley of Fire State Park... Hoover Dam and back to Vegas is nice loop. Full day trip I did it last year and enjoyed it!

 

Henderson Nevada, about 20 minutes from Hoover Dam has a car show in September
Super Run
http://www.superrun.com/

The bypass bridge is now open
You are still able to drive across the dam but highway dose not go over the dam anymore.

 

Me and buddies went last year on our way back from our trip from Montreal(Canada) to Viva Las Vegas 15. Driving on the Hoover Dam was pretty cool. But I don't suggest trying to drive to the Grand Canyon skywalk by the Buck & Doe rd. We tried and it was the biggest mistakes of our trip as the last 15 miles is the worst washboard road i've ever seen, we tried to make it anyway it took us 1/2 hour to do about 1 mile at not even idle speed. I understood at that point why the tour busses where built on jack up 4x4 chassis.

 

Great tips and stories...Thanks

Any others?

 

i just went over the dam about 2 hours ago i done it a few time never gets old

 

valley of fire has atv rentals were neat
rt 66 powerhouse museum inkingman arizona i think it was
thereare a few old towns in arizona with gunfights and stuff
in vegas not far from the strip is the atomic energy museum - neat place with a lot of 50's pic and toys
grand canyon was a few hr's drive you have your choice of either 2 areas one is by the indians and has a glass shelf you walk on to look down at the canyon
i think in the dam you have a few different tours to attend
if i heard correct on the bus to the canyon there is a collection i think in boulder cfity to benefit st judes children hospitals