After only a week in Havasu, we’re headed to Nevada, to the Lake Mead RV Village near Boulder City. This is an older park, with plenty of permanent structures, but the reservable RV sites are the best – backing up to what was once the “beach” at Lake Mead. With a 165 foot bathtub ring around the lake, the water is a long way from the campsites, but the view is still great! These sites are huge – initially built to accommodate park models, each site has a large concrete slab with dual hookups to accommodate either a trailer or a motor coach. At a weekly rate of about $60/night, this is a pretty good value.
“Out the Back Window”, Lake Mead RV Village, Boulder City, NV
There’s a lot to do from this location, with the Hoover Dam about 5 miles away, Boulder City about 10 miles and Las Vegas only 30 miles. Just as in Havasu, there’s a bike trail very near the RV park – the River Mountains Loop. This 34 mile trail circles around the area west of Lake Mead, with connections to Boulder City, Henderson and Lake Las Vegas, as well as the interesting Historic Railroad Hiking Trail. This former railroad was built to haul workers and supplies from Boulder City to the construction site for what was then Boulder Dam. The 7.5 mile (round trip) gravel trail picks up from the Lake Mead visitors center and travels through 5 tunnels before arriving near Hoover Dam.
Historic Railroad Hiking Trail, Boulder City, NV
Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, NV
The Sphere, Las Vegas
On Wednesday we’ve secure tickets to Wizard of Oz at the famous Sphere. Upon entry, it feels a lot like a normal stadium with lots of escalators ascending to concourse levels above. Each concourse has plenty of food, drinks, and souvenir outlets. Seating is organized by level, the 200’s, 300’s and 400’s. 200 level pricing runs from about $250 to $350 per seat while 400 level pricing is between $100 and $200.
Passing through the portals, sensory perceptions are altered. No longer are you standing on level floor with a flat ceiling above. Instead, steep stairs run up and down in front of you. Overhead the curved ceiling looks like an art deco band shell. Once seated, you see a very small stage at the bottom of the auditorium with what appears to be classic stacks of loudspeakers hanging from the ceiling. However, this stage, the speakers, and walls are just projections used to orient the audience for what is about to come. As soon as the movie starts, the small screen on the stage expands outward until the trees, clouds and even buildings completely engulf the audience. Along with great sound and visuals, immersive technology lets you feel the wind and catch blowing leaves during the tornado, experience the room quake as the Wizard speaks and be hit by an apple from the enchanted forest. Overall, this is an amazing facility!
The Sphere, Las Vegas, NV
Wizard of Oz, The Sphere, Las Vegas, NV
Hoover Dam Tour
After biking over to Hoover Dam on our first day at Lake Mead, we decided we wanted to see more of this enormous structure and purchased tickets for the full Guided Dam Tour. These tours include a self-guided tour of the Visitors Center, a guided tour of the Nevada power plant with access to the original elevators and inspection tunnels. From a viewing platform high above the 8 generators, the Bureau of Reclamation guide explained the operation of the power plant including the installation of new turbines designed for low water pressure. These new turbines are necessary since the level of Lake Mead has dropped over 150 feet since the original designs were completed. We also walked along the narrow inspection tunnels containing block numbers for crack documentation and earthquake monitors. On one side of these tunnels is the lake, nearly 300 feet above, and on the other side is the remaining river channel nearly 300 feet below. The view out one of the ventilation tunnels was amazing!
Hoover Dam, Lake Mead, NV
Hoover Dam, Nevada Power Plant
Hoover Dam, Ventilation Tunnel
Hoover Dam, Inspection Tunnels
Lake Mead, NV
Along with our Sphere experience and dam tour, we explored a few restaurants in the area. After the show at the Sphere, we enjoyed great Mexican fare at Juan’s Flaming Fajitas & Cantina in Henderson. Great service, fun atmosphere, excellent food – we’ll be back! We also enjoyed the “vibe” of Boulder City and checked out two restaurants. The Dillinger, set in the historic Bank of Nevada building, takes its design from the infamous bank robber John Dillinger. This casual diner serves up great American food in a comfortable environment with perfect service. Just down the block, we also checked out Hanger 502. This military, search & rescue themed restaurant offers great sandwiches, burgers and appetizers. Try the 3 meatballs appetizer – hand made, huge, and so, so good!
After our stay in Nevada, we’re moving back to Arizona with stops in Williams and Cottonwood. More from Arizona!
Small Home - Big Yard 