Lake Havasu and Lake Havasu City - Spring Break and Vacation Guide

Heading for Lake Havasu for a Vacation or Spring Break

Sometimes a great part of a trip is the journey. We took off from the Phoenix area and headed west on I-10, cut off to Parker and then followed 95 into Lake Havasu City. Map

Parker Dam

We traveled through flat desert and, once we were close to the Colorado River, enjoyed beautiful rock formations and canyons. We took a little detour to see Parker Dam, the deepest dam in the world (they had to go a way to hit bedrock), which was built in the 1930’s. You can still drive across the guarded Parker Dam over to California, although you cannot walk across. Usually the dam is closed from 11am to 5am. Parker Dam is worth a stop just to see the architecture and the structure that has served to create beautiful Lake Havasu. Once in Lake Havasu you are bound to hear some colorful stories about fights for water rights along the Colorado. The Parker Dam pumping station pumps water for California, Arizona and Nevada.

Bill Williams River

The Bill Williams River empties into the Colorado just above Parker Dam. On AZ 95 just north of Parker, is a scenic overlook. The view is well worth a stop. What is unusual about this river refuge is that the lower river is full of water plants and reeds. Looking back into the canyon provides a great opportunity for a photo. You can stay awhile and look for water fowl or stay even longer to kayak and explore the beautiful river.

Lake Havasu City – From Desert to Fun-Filled Oasis

Lake Havasu was created once Parker Dam was built. It is quite simply a large reservoir. But with the entrepreneurial genius and creative vision of Robert P. McCulloch, of McCulloch boat motors (married to Barbara Stratton of the Briggs & Stratton boat motor company), the area around the lake has become quite a bustling city and the lake is a destination for boaters, spring break vacationers and those who want a taste of beautiful green water in the middle of an arid desert. We heard that McCulloch first saw the eventual site of what would become Lake Havasu City, when he flew over the area in search of a location to test the outboard boat motors he manufactured. McCullough lured potential land buyers to Lake Havasu City by offering plane trips and free vacations in the area. Land sales boomed.

The Dream of London Bridge in the Desert

Once the boom began to wane, McCullough came up with another creative scheme to lure people to the area. This time he was after the tourist dollar and decided to purchase the deteriorating London Bridge, dismantle it, and move it piece by piece to Lake Havasu. In order to build the bridge, a channel had to be built between the peninsula and the mainland creating what is now called “the island.” It’s a fantastic story and you will hear more when you take the narrated lake tour on the Dixie Belle or visit the local museum.

How to Enjoy Lake Havasu

Once you find the lake and see the famed London Bridge, it’s hard to plan the rest of your stay without a sense of what the area has to offer. For a great overview of the lake, take a tour on the Dixie Belle, owned by the London Bridge Resort. You can catch the boat next to London Bridge on the mainland side. The Dixie Belle usually sails in the afternoons. We caught the first sailing of the day at 12 noon. The trip lasts an hour and a half and takes you through the channel and out onto the lake. The boat, with full bar, provides a narrated cruise and many photo opportunities. Once you leave the Dixie Belle you will know a lot more about what the lake and the island area have to offer.

Power Boats and Personal Watercraft

If you can’t be on the water, it is great fun to view those who are! One of my favorite things to do is to walk and Lake Havasu City has provided great walking paths along both sides of the boat channel. There are benches where you can take a rest and plenty to see in the parks and on the lake. If you walk toward the lake, you will come upon some unusual aids to navigation, 1/3 scale replicas of light houses. Each morning the power boats parade along the channel on their way to the lake and each evening they gather to show off their boats and motor back to their moorings. It’s an ideal time to walk along the shore and find out what’s happening.

So many of the power boat manufacturers are located at Lake Havasu, that each year, there is a regatta held for each brand of power boat. See the Lake Havasu Visitors Bureau event calendar for more information.