Historic Hoover Dam

Our travel schedule is tight heading back to Texas but we wanted to make sure and visit as many bucket list places as we possible can.
We know this life is temporary and who knows when we will have another opportunity for a west coast adventure. 

There's so much to see and do out west and I pray we can return someday to share more adventures with our family! 

Travel with all our kids and grand kids does seem impossible right now but someday we hope to share our adventures in smaller bites with the ones we love. 

We woke up tired and contemplated the importance of getting up so early and driving almost an hour away to see a dam.

We finally decided that Historic Hoover Dam was a must see bucket list item, so we trekked out there 10/21/2014.

It's a nice drive just east of Las Vegas. The weather was gorgeous and the views simply amazing!

and the water is so blue...similar to Lake Tahoe but with no woods.

Since we are driving halfway across the US with all our belongings loaded on top of our jeep we are flagged for a search at the entrance to the dam.

Fun for everyone...
Lots of security here so be prepared to be searched, we were!

It slows us down a little but we are granted access so here we go...

So amazing and so glad we didn't change our mind and sleep in.

It was so tempting...

Anyway, the dam is huge and there is a lot of historical information. 

http://www.usbr.gov/lc/hooverdam/

It sits on the Nevada Arizona Border so that was interesting.

It's well worth the visit and so affordable.

The only fee we paid was the $10 parking fee, but there's numerous tours to take...

Even repelling and a raft tour.

Not for us today.

So, we walk through some of the monuments and read about the history of the Dam.

it's good luck to rub the feet of  the angel...

I don't believe in random luck but I go ahead and rub the angel feet anyway, lol.

We are just happy to be here and enjoy the gift of sightseeing.

Lake Mead is just a short drive down the road...

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lake_Mead

 so we decide to park and get out for a few minutes.

and it is beautiful!

We are so thankful to give Spencer these good memories!

The bluest water but does seem a little low.

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/lake-mead-is-shrinking-and-with-it-las-vegas-water-supply/

And I can't forget the Pat Tillman Bridge...

http://www.hooverdambypass.org/

we drove on it, but you can walk up a jillion flights of stairs to actually walk across it.
Not today, sorry. 

We do spend about 2-3 hours there and decide to leave and have lunch in Boulder City 

at an A&W burger restaurant. 

We initially tried to eat at the Dairy Queen, but alas as most DQ's are only treat shops out west, 

this one was too. So, A&W it is.

Good burgers...good root beer and now we are all ready for a nap, lol

Gotta rest up for more Las Vegas sightseeing this afternoon and evening!