Hoover Dam Tour with Award-Winning BBQ Lunch

Reviewed by the Vegas Guide editorial team · Updated September 2026

A half-day guided run to the Hoover Dam from Las Vegas, capped with a hearty award-winning barbecue lunch and photo stops over Black Canyon.

Check availability · from $110

Is Hoover Dam Tour with Award-Winning BBQ Lunch Worth It? Review & Booking

The Hoover Dam Tour with Award-Winning BBQ Lunch is a half-day guided trip that pairs one of America's most famous engineering feats with a sit-down barbecue meal. The operator is Annie Bananie Las Vegas Tours, which sends a small group out from Las Vegas by van on a set 8:00 a.m. departure, so nobody has to drive or park at the dam themselves.

On arrival a guide walks the group along the crest of the dam and shares the history of how it tamed the Colorado River and powered the Southwest, with photo stops taking in Black Canyon and the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge high above the gorge. The tour then breaks for the barbecue lunch at Rick's Rollin Smoke BBQ, a casual plate that typically runs to St. Louis ribs, a chopped-brisket slider, smoked mac and cheese and pickles, with vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free plates available on request at the restaurant, plus one drink (a well shot, a domestic beer or a soft drink).

Know the trade-offs going in: pickup is from a set meeting point rather than your hotel door, roughly an hour of driving sits at each end, and time actually standing at the dam is fairly short, so anyone hoping to linger may feel rushed. The lunch is hearty roadside barbecue rather than fine dining, the walkways are wide open and brutally hot in summer, and this ticket stays outside the dam. Going in means buying the Bureau of Reclamation's Powerplant Tour yourself at the visitor center, $25 for adults and $15 for ages 4 to 16 as of September 2026, and the deeper Dam Tour is suspended for elevator repairs. For visitors who want an efficient combination of a bucket-list landmark and a filling meal without renting a car, it delivers a satisfying morning.

Insider tipYou don't need to pre-book a vegetarian, vegan or gluten-free plate; the swap is made at the restaurant on arrival. Do eat lightly at breakfast, because the barbecue plate is generous. Allow extra time to reach the Treasure Island meeting point, since there is no hotel pickup.

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Location

Hoover Dam

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Frequently asked questions

How much time do you actually get at the Hoover Dam?

Of the roughly four-hour tour, a good chunk is the drive out and back, so hands-on time at the dam itself is fairly short, usually enough for the guided walk along the crest and photos but not a leisurely wander. If you want to explore at your own pace, factor that in before booking.

Does the tour go inside the dam or the powerplant?

No. This tour covers the top of the dam and the surrounding viewpoints. The Powerplant Tour is run separately by the Bureau of Reclamation and costs $25 for adults, $15 for ages 4 to 16, bought at the visitor center. Its deeper Dam Tour is unavailable at the moment because of unplanned elevator repairs.

What is on the barbecue lunch plate?

Expect a casual, generous plate at Rick's Rollin Smoke BBQ, along the lines of St. Louis ribs, a chopped-brisket slider, smoked mac and cheese and pickles. It is hearty roadside barbecue rather than fine dining, and vegetarian or gluten-free versions are available on request when you arrive at the restaurant, no advance notice needed.

Is there hotel pickup?

Not door to door. The van leaves at 8:00 a.m. from a set meeting point at Treasure Island, so build in time to get there yourself. Check your ticket for the current spot, since meeting points can shift.

Can you walk across the Memorial Bridge?

The Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge has a free pedestrian walkway with a dramatic overhead view of the dam, and it is one of the best photo spots on the trip. Tours typically stop for pictures, and it is also worth doing on your own if you ever drive out independently.

When is the best time of year to go?

Spring and autumn are the most comfortable. Summer at the dam is punishing, with open concrete and no shade pushing temperatures well past 100°F, so plenty of water makes a real difference in the hotter months.

Rating

3.8

PriceFrom $110

DurationAbout 4 hours

WhereHoover Dam

OperatorAnnie Bananie Las Vegas Tours, which also runs a sunset version of the same trip with a BBQ dinner.

TransportSmall-group van with a guide; no self-driving or parking needed.

What's includedGuided walk along the dam, photo stops at the Memorial Bridge and Black Canyon, and a sit-down barbecue lunch.

BBQ lunchAt Rick's Rollin Smoke BBQ: typically St. Louis ribs, chopped-brisket slider, smoked mac and cheese and pickles; vegan, vegetarian and gluten-free options requested on arrival at the restaurant; one drink included.

What to bringSun protection, water and comfortable shoes; the walkways are exposed and shadeless. Weapons and knives of any size are prohibited at the dam and everyone is screened with a metal-detector wand.

FitnessLight walking on paved surfaces; easy for most ages and abilities.

Not includedThe dam interior. The Bureau of Reclamation's Powerplant Tour ($25 adults, $15 ages 4-16) is bought separately at the visitor center; the deeper Dam Tour is currently suspended for elevator repairs.

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