Could you imagine...... Could you imagine a time when you…read morehad to go hungry, or not have a job to support your family . You had to figure "life" out ! Sounds like some movie, we live in America the greatest country in the world. At one point in our history or a few the people were hungry and times were difficult. In fact no one had a job. This reference refers to the Great Depression . To control the wild Colorado River and make jobs the government started the Hoover dam project . This project was a plan so huge that it put individuals back to work . The dam was a huge endeavor and engineering project. It would dictate how the Colorado River and its allocation would affect California, Arizona, and Nevada water rights . The city of Boulder was the town created to house the workers and their families during this time of building. This first phase of the city of Boulder was controlled by the federal government. The city had bans on gambling, drinking, and enforced strict rules . These early settlements were not nice or great. The living conditions were poor. In fact prior to Boulder was conceived the living condition were something referred to as "Rag Town." It was a collection of shacks and tents. The worst possible. As an individual walks through this museum you can have a glimpse at what the average individual life's journey resembled through their eyes. What was daily life like ? What challenges did they encounter? What a great impact this museum presents through the workers point of view. The museum is put together so well . All the work that went into gathering the artifacts and information was done by hands that wanted others to see the world through their eyes .

4.5 stars This…read morelittle museum is located inside the historical Boulder Dam Hotel. Frankly, I was charmed by this hotel and would love to return someday for a stay. But, moving onto the museum...it is a small museum that packs a punch with the journey starting in the Great Depression when whole families migrated to places where they could get work. One of those places was Boulder city where the Boulder Dam (now known as Hoover Dam) was being built. The history of building the Hoover Dam is rife with struggle and, without the contributions of Depression-era Americans, this dam would not be possible. This museum highlights the struggle and sacrifice of these people, the development of Boulder City, and how politics played a huge role in keeping Boulder City from turning into the next Las Vegas, as well as drama over naming/renaming the Hoover Dam. The "official" count of industrial fatalities is 96 per the Bureau of Reclamation, but more industry-related fatalities have been suspected. The dam was built in 1931 and completed in 1936 with hydroelectric generators going online in 1937. Total cost was approximately $49 million (about $1 billion adjusted for inflation). The Hoover Dam is predicted to last 10,000 years, but experts believe other elements like water shortage would put the dam out of commission before the dam actually stops working. The Hoover Dam is still considered an engineering marvel with visits from 7 million tourists annually. This museum is worth the visit and it's free! There's free street parking as well. Highly recommend!

Tom Devlin spent over 2 decades working in special effects and his museum is a testament to his…read moretalent. I don't always do the best with haunted houses so I was nervous going in but the exhibits are so interesting I couldn't help getting sucked into each and every one. The amount of items was incredible and I spent far too long looking at everything available in the gift shop. I can't wait to go back!

A really wonderfully condensed history of make-up, horror directors and special effects masters…read morethrough the years. Descriptions, displays, examples and actual items used in film making are displayed. They also have a small pinball room. Their gift shop has a bunch of shirts and horror items for sale. Lots of things to look at. They have coffee and tea for sale, too. Overall, we took about 30 minutes to really inspect and read displays I was interested in. Big private parking lot. Nicely air-conditioned inside.

"One thing about trains: It doesn't matter where they're going. What matters is deciding to get…read moreon?" The Polar Express We decided to get on! The purchasing of the tickets was a breeze . You just need to buy them at the depot. You actually get a paper ticket too . The train ride lasts about thirty minutes and it's takes you about three miles from the station platform to Railroad Pass Casino. Then it returns to the Platform. In between the wait for the train you can wander the platform and see all sorts of interesting trains from all around the world. This is a great way to spend an afternoon. Get out and see some amazing views of trains. Be a kid again!

The Santa Train experience was great! The staff did an excellent job. My first experience on a…read moreSanta Train event. Reasonable price for the experience IMO. Tickets are purchased online in advance. All of the Santa Train tickets were sold out even before our scheduled event day. It's popular. Plan ahead. They also had a small model train to ride as well, but we will try that another time.

Highly recommended…read more It reminded us a bit of Marietta, Georgia. Pristinely maintained streets/sidewalks with interesting bronze statues, no shortage of eating, drinking and shopping choices. A laid-back, friendly vibe. Recommend a morning here. The Southwest is unique and the scenic drive past the exquisite mountains and terrain (chaparral) is soul-soothing.

This is not a business, but the town of Boulder City. What a GREAT little escape from Las Vegas!…read moreSmall, quaint shops, happy, friendly people, and a beautiful main street to walk down. From amazing breakfasts at The Coffee Cup, beer and lunch at the Boulder Dam Brewing Company, and tons of little antique shops, it's a great place to spend the day relaxing and recharging your batteries.

There is some gorgeous art in here and a lot of it is incredibly fairly priced. If you're stopping…read morein to see the hotel or museum I strongly recommend stopping in here too to look around as there are many talented artists here and you're likely to find something that catches your eye for yourself or as a gift for friends or family. I'll definitely be coming back here soon.

5 minutes to close and they locked the door and just stared at me out the window. The rudest women…read moreworking there. Will not be back.

Perfect active fun for our energetic 2 and 3 year old boys!…read moreWe brought our toddlers to the DISCOVERY Children's Museum and they had an absolute blast. This place is a huge indoor playground with three floors of hands-on exhibits that kept them moving the whole time. They loved Toddler Town on the first floor the desert themed soft play, sensory elements, and crawl spaces were just right for their age. But the real highlight was The Summit, the giant 70-foot climbing structure that spans all three floors with 12 levels. I was surprised how well our 2 and 3 year olds handled it! They climbed the levels with no problem, exploring different challenges and interactive spots at their own pace. It was great to see their confidence grow as they went up and down. They also enjoyed the water play area (smocks provided still recommend a change of clothes) and some of the imaginative play zones. We spent about 2.5-3 hours there, and it felt like the perfect energy-burner in air-conditioned comfort a lifesaver in Las Vegas! The museum is clean, the staff is friendly, and it's very stroller-friendly. Admission is $15 for Nevada locals with valid ID and $20 for non-locals (kids under 1 are free). We went on a weekday and it wasn't too crowded, which made chasing the boys around much easier. Helpful tip for families on a budget: If you have a valid EBT, SNAP, or WIC card, you can get admission for just $5 per person (up to 4 tickets per adult cardholder cards must be shown at entry for verification; in-person only). If you have active little ones who love to climb and explore, this is a fantastic spot. Highly recommend -- we'll definitely be back!

We took my 8-year-old niece to the Children's Discovery Museum of Las Vegas while her parents were…read morevisiting, and it ended up being the perfect activity. It was nice having something fun for kids to do that doesn't involve being 21+ or sitting in a hotel room, especially while her parents had a chance to gamble. We had so much fun and stayed for a few hours. I was honestly exhausted after going through the jungle gym, but there are so many hands-on learning experiences and activities that keep kids engaged the whole time. The Grocery Store was a popular place that the kids seemed to enjoy. The quality of the exhibits is great, and for how much there is to do, the value is totally worth it. Highly recommend for families. We'll definitely be back the next time she comes to visit.

I must say the food was very good. I had out of town visitors and we went there after a boat ride…read moreon Lake Mead. The staff were very nice. However, I used a debit card to pay and still got charged a credit card fee. When I asked to have it removed, I was told their POS system that they use doesn't allow them to make a difference so they had to charge me. Because of this I will not go back to this restaurant. It's a shame, like I said their food was very good.

This was a great place to eat on the patio/sidewalk. The burgers were hearty. The spicy margarita…read morewas delicious. The staff were attentive and friendly!

Hoover Dam is a wonder of the world, but the tours are pretty sub par…read more You start with a movie that looks like it was made in the 80's. Can't come up with something fresher with people who do not have mullets? After the movie you start your tour. During our tour we had two different guides, both were knowledgeable but had little personality.... Except the occasional high expected "dam tour" joke. Both talked very fast and were at times hard to understand. We had purchased the higher end tour for $40. With this smaller group tour you got a little deeper dive into the dam, including a walk down a tube where you could look out a vent in the actual exterior wall of the dam that overlooked the river below....that was cool! The museum was updated, which was very notable and appreciated. Lots of interactive displays that were all working. Best part of the tour was the dam itself. Great views! You can make your choice between 3 tours, or just skip ithem all and walk around and enjoy the views. The paid tours go from a cheaper "self guided" to a mid priced group tour, and a top choice which included a bit longer and deeper dive into the dam. All include a short movie and entrance to the museum.

Tour guides were very rude!One guide actually yelled at my friend for heading towards the wrong…read moreelevator.I asked a question about the current Lake Mead water level and was given a dismissive reply.

We went to the ugly Christmas sweater wine walk in Boulder City and it did not disappoint!…read moreThere were over 20 wine stops at various businesses..and the wines were so many different varietals ..it was refreshing to get dry wines as well as sweet in the mix. Everyone dressed up..it was so fun!! I will do this every year..for only 25 dollars you get 4 hours of wine walk...amazing time....

I walked and wined around Downtown Boulder City during the October 13, 2018 Halloween & costume…read moretheme walk- Wicked Wine Walk. The price is right, 2 for $45. There are 20 some stops along the Walk, which include retail stores, restaurants, bars and service businesses. Even the Boulder Dam Museum (within a hotel) is a stop, and they had one of the nicest set ups. Among the "treats" at the stops are wine, of course, water and snacks. It's not wine at each stop, which is disclosed in the event description. However, only one business that we went to didn't have wine! And they pour heavy in the cute and sturdy tasting glass everyone gets. Most places had a few different types of wine, some even had around 10! It was a hot day, and it was nice to get relief in the a/c at the stops. Some of the places had a big area for the wine tasting, and a few were really awkward. These places were busy with regular customers, and it seemed like having the wine there was an imposition. The check-in was easy, and this is where you buy tickets and receive the wine stop map. A few vendors were there handing out goodies as well as wine. This event is a great way to check out all the businesses around Downtown. They have a gift basket raffle and another basket for the costume contest winner. Overall, it exceeded my expectations and I plan on returning.

They do a great job bringing tourists in to the city that is home to Boulder dam and the train…read moremuseum. Lots of historic buildings and great places to eat

The Magic Kingdom is the Happiest Place on Earth. With the happiest hiking trails, lake, and…read moredowntown in Nevada, Boulder City is the Happiest Place in Nevada. In my eyes Boulder City is the Magic Kingdom of Nevada. Where Disney Land's mascot is a mouse, Boulder City's is a big horn sheep. This review talks about the different lands that are the components of the Magic Kingdom of Nevada that is Boulder City (abbreviated BC). Main Street USA BC features a central business district that was built with the principles of town planning. It features two Main Streets: Nevada Way & Arizona Street. When the founders built the town in the 30's, it was designed so residents would not want to leave to drink & gamble. In similar fashion to good town planning, there is abundant greenery. If you picture Washington D.C.; Boulder City Square & Wilbur Square are the Mall. The Bureau of Reclamation Building, sitting on a hill would be the Capitol. There is so much to see & do. This includes Coffee Cup, Boulder Bowl, antique shops, Boulder Theater, & the Historic Boulder Dam Hotel. Events are held throughout the year. Adventure Land BC is a land of adventure. Bootleg Canyon is world known for the highly acclaimed bike trails. From high above Bootleg Canyon, a popular adventure is ziplining down Red Mountain. For the hard core adventurists, Gold Strike Canyon is a place to play Indiana Jones while you climb ropes and slide down death slides on the way to the Colorado River. My favorite adventure is to hike up Red & Black Mountain to see awesome views of Vegas, Lake Mead, & Boulder City. Lake Mead National Recreation Area offers infinite adventures. Boulder City Stone Circle offers adventures for astronomers. In 2005 Pluto was observed from this spot. And If your a golfer, the three golf courses offer adventures in golf. Frontier Land What a dam frontier BC is. In the 30's it was the hub for building Hoover Dam. With the electricity generation Hoover Dam accelerated the settlement of the southwest. The Historic Southern Nevada Railroad played a major role. Today people could ride in a Historic Nevada Railroad train on weekends in addition to experiencing the Southern Nevada Railroad Museum. Recently when the Memorial Bridge opened, it expanded the Las Vegas frontier into northern Arizona. There is discussion of major developments being built along US 93. At a higher elevation from Hoover Dam, the Frontier Land landmark would be Red & Black Mountain. Instead of a railroad, it is a hiking trail. Fantasy Land When I drive US 93 into BC, I am on the Journey to Imagination. BC is a place where fantasy comes true. It is a Fantasy Land where the dream of walking through 5 tunnels to one of the Wonders of the World comes true. It is a Fantasy Land where the pixie dust of the Hoover Dam created an inland sea known as Lake Mead. On this sea recreationists could ride in water craft or enjoy a boat tour. It is a Fantasy Land where the dream of sharing a picnic with big horn sheep comes true. And it is a fantasy land where people could share solitary moments in a valley with teddy bear cholla. At night I have lived my fantasies of walking on a dark River Mountains Loop Trail under the stars without the fear of getting jumped. It is a fantasy come true that brings me to Boulder City for night walks. Tomorrow Land BC is the city of tomorrow. It is a city designed with progressive zoning. The City Code of BC limits development to 120 single or multi-family residential permits per year. Voter approval is mandatory for the approval of city land an acre or more. It is a Tomorrow Land where power centers and sprawl are not in the horizon. BC is a Tomorrow Land that will include the Bypass of the Future I-11. It is a Tomorrow Land where people will be closer to nature than to space. At 202.7 square miles, BC has sufficient room to grow. Fast Pass to Bypass Line of Traffic In BC, people line up in cars. US 93 is known for its traffic headache. To bypass the gridlock on US 93 and Buchanan Boulevard, Lake Mead and Hoover Dam bound motorists use the fast pass to bypass a line of traffic. Here it is: At the first traffic signal on US 93 at the end of the freeway; turn right on Veterans Memorial Drive. At the traffic signal, turn left on Adams Blvd. At the 4-way stop, turn left on Buchanan Blvd. This ought to bypass the gridlock. Admission Boulder City is a public city. Admission is free. However if you drive a few miles above the speed limit, there will be a steep admission to enter the Magic Kingdom of Nevada. **Review 76 of The Daniel S. Yelp 100 Challenge.**