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Grand Coulee Dam, Coulee Dam, WA

Photo: Farwestern Photo by Gregg M. Erickson, CC BY 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons. Cropped and resized.

SightseeingHistory BuffFreeFamily Favorite

Grand Coulee Dam

Visitor Center at the base of the dam, off WA-155 · Coulee Dam, WA

Why you should go…

Grand Coulee Dam stretches 5,223 feet across the Columbia River and stands 550 feet high, holding back Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake. The Bureau of Reclamation visitor center, designed by Marcel Breuer to resemble a generator rotor, has hands-on exhibits on irrigation, flood control and hydropower, and on the dam's effects on Native Americans and settlers. On summer nights the One River, Many Voices laser show is projected onto the dam for about 30 minutes, with no ticket needed.

  • #dam
  • #columbia river
  • #laser light show
  • #visitor center
  • #engineering landmark

Good to know

General sightseeing guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • The forecast is part of the ticket

    Haze, low cloud, and rain flatten a view. Clear-day visits are worth rearranging your plans for.

  • Golden hour sells out first

    Sunset slots at observation decks and cruises are the first to go, so book those further ahead.

  • Dress a layer warmer

    It is always breezier up high and out on the water than it feels at street level.

  • Timed entry is common

    Plenty of landmarks release tickets in windows rather than at the door, so check before you walk over.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Grand Coulee Dam, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Slidewaters

    $25–$50

    A lakeside water park in Chelan with ten slides, a lazy river and a surf wave pool.

    50 mi awaySwitch it up: Attractions

  • Sightseeing
    Local Gem

    Grant County

    Free

    Central Washington county with lakes, sand dunes and the Grand Coulee Dam nearby.

    51 mi awayMore like this

  • Sightseeing
    Outdoor Adventure

    Moses Lake

    Free

    A Columbia Basin lake town in central Washington known for boating, sandy beaches and the Moses Lake Sand Dunes.

    58 mi awayMore like this