You Can Go Rafting With Santa Below the Hoover Dam This Christmas-and the Journey Ends at an 'Emerald Cave'

"Below the 726-foot walls of the great Hoover Dam, which is made from enough concrete that it could pave a highway from San Francisco to New York, lies the Black Canyon of the Colorado River. The designated national water trail is a favorite of kayakers and rafters, but around this time of year, you might also spot an unexpected visitor paddling by: Santa."

"In the days leading up to Christmas, Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures offers a special Holiday Rafting trip through the Black Canyon with Santa. It's a 12-mile on-water journey that feels both festive and adventurous, appealing to travelers of all kinds. In addition to quality time with Santa and his merry crew, the six-hour trip gives guests a rare perspective of the towering canyon walls, the massive dam, and the desert landscape of two neighboring states-Arizona to the east and Nevada to the west."

"This year, the Holiday Rafting trip runs during the week leading up to Christmas, from Dec. 17 to 21, and on Christmas Eve. The tour includes all required safety equipment, a box lunch, and beverages. For an additional $69 per person, you can add round-trip transportation from a Las Vegas hotel (around 40 minutes, each way) on an air-conditioned bus. The return bus journey to Vegas includes a trip over the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge, which gives travelers an elevated look at the Black Canyon and river below as it runs over the dam, linking Arizona and Nevada."

Hoover Dam Rafting Adventures operates a 12-mile Holiday Rafting trip through the Black Canyon of the Colorado River featuring Santa on board. The six-hour motor-assisted inflatable raft journey is guided by an expert and crewed by Santa, who is available for holiday photos and on-river chats. The route passes below the 726-foot Hoover Dam, through desert landscapes of Arizona and Nevada, and often reveals desert bighorn sheep, osprey, and great blue herons. The tour includes safety equipment, a box lunch, and beverages. Optional round-trip bus transport from Las Vegas is available for an extra fee and crosses the Mike O'Callaghan-Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge.

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