Lake Havasu is sunny almost all year. On average, Lake Havasu sees 300 days of golden rays per year. Lake Havasu sports some of the most gorgeous beaches in the southwest. At Lake Havasu, visitors can get somewhere totally secluded, or they can have a great night on the town or at the beaches at Lake Havasu City.
Why Is Lake Havasu so Popular?
Lake Havasu, the lake itself, is wildly popular for wake sports. Amazing coves and 30 acres of calm water attract wake boarders from around the U.S. and the world. Lake Havasu provides great boating products for the boating public. If you do not want a boat, no problem, you can rent any boat or boating service at Lake Havasu.
Other reasons for Lake Havasu’s popularity are the beauty of its surrounding deserts for avid outdoor enthusiasts, Lake Havasu City’s amenities, and the London Bridge. The London Bridge attracts nearly four million tourists a year. Lake Havasu City’s population was 58,284 in 2020 and 60,062 in 2023.
Is Lake Havasu a Party Town?
Lake Havasu City is indeed a party town. What kind of atmosphere do you like to party in? You’ll find it at Lake Havasu City, whatever your favorite way to party is. Lake Havasu City borders the eastern shore of Lake Havasu’s main body.
Visitors and locals will find intimate clubs for long talks, dance bars, live music, and concerts, plus clubs for getting dressed up to impress. Restaurants with dishes to please any palate or craving are at your service in Lake Havasu City.
What Is Lake Havasu Known For?
Sixty years ago, Lake Havasu was known as a sleepy lake where people could off-road on the beaches and jump off cliffs. Today, Lake Havasu’s population swells up with almost four millions visitors each year. Locals, who grew up in Lake Havasu in the 1970s and ‘80s remember much less law enforcement intervention with a lot of freedom.
Today, Lake Havasu is popular for Spring Break parties, the London Bridge, majestic desert hiking, water sports, casinos, nightlife and restaurants, its boating community, shopping, and again, gorgeous beaches. College students flock into Lake Havasu every spring break, which creates a rowdy atmosphere.
Is it Worth Going to Lake Havasu?
Lake Havasu is Arizona’s playground. There is something for everyone except alpine forests. Its surrounding desert beauty is mesmerizing. Lake Havasu advertises five nearby energy vortex centers in the desert, where people tap into inflow and upflow energies.
Close to four million visitors journey to Lake Havasu yearly because they think Lake Havasu is superbly worth the trip. Although temperatures rise to over 100° in July and August, Lake Havasu weather is great most of the time. There is not enough time to do everything at Lake Havasu in a mere weekend or even in a week.
Is Lake Havasu Expensive?
A trip to Lake Havasu costs more than other destinations that do not have the upscale attractions that keep Lake Havasu hopping year-round. Visitors can budget their trip by taking into consideration the cost of travel, lodging, and meals.
According to Champion Traveler in December 2023, “The average price of a 7-day trip to Lake Havasu City is $1,820 for a solo traveler, $3,269 for a couple, and $6,128 for a family of 4. Havasu City hotels range from $54 to $294 per night with an average of $114, while most vacation rentals will cost $260 to $640 per night for the entire home.”
Is Havasu a Good Place to Retire?
The great thing about living in or near Lake Havasu is that you can live in Lake Havasu City, where it hustles and bustles and is close to shopping. Or, you can move out to the desert with nearby access to lake for a more laid back lifestyle. Either way, locals have access to the best of a bustling city and nature.
The Lake Havasu Tourism Bureau considers Lake Havasu one of the best Arizona retirement communities. Lake Havasu brings mixed reviews on family lifestyles. The Best Places to Retire lists in Money Magazine, Portfolio.com, TIME magazine, and other national publications have featured Lake Havasu retirement opportunities.
In 2023, the median age in Lake Havasu is 55.3-years-old with 55.4% male and 54% female, and 73.9% residents of Lake Havasu own their homes. Lake Havasu is fertile ground for indulging in hobbies. There are a ton of wonderful activities like one of the master planned golf courses for one, and boating and fishing.
Lake Havasu is known as a friendly city and offers high-quality medical facilities. The Havasu Regional Medical Center and the Havasu Surgery Center are within minutes of Lake Havasu City residents. Lake Havasu City owns and operates a private airport. It is an easy drive to Phoenix and Las Vegas and their international airports, the Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport and Harry Reid International Airport.
Is it OK to Swim in Lake Havasu?
Lake Havasu’s shores stretch for about 400 miles. It has an average 10-foot depth and a maximum depth of 27.4 feet and covers 19,300 acres. Its clear water twinkles with hues of turquoise. Lake Havasu sits on the Colorado River. While much further upstream, Lake Powell and Lake Mead are drying up, Lake Havasu is full.
It is more than OK to swim in Lake Havasu; it is absolutely refreshing. Its crystal turquoise waters provide a stark contrast to the desert colors surrounding Lake Havasu. Whether on one of the great Lake Havasu beaches or in the lake, an amazing backdrop greets the eye.
The Lake Havasu water level is full pool at 445 feet. In December 2023, Lake Havasu was almost 2-feet above full pool level. The Colorado River provides Lake Havasu’s inflow and outflow. Its beaches border the eastern side and wrap around to the southwestern shores. The Chevehuevi Reservation lies on its northwestern shores with a resort and lake access.
Lake Havasu Boat-in and Boat Landing Access Beaches
- Body Beach: Personal watercraft racers train at Body Beach.
- Cattail Cove and Three Dunes: a series of quiet coves and sandy beaches, home to a range of birds and other wildlife.
- Friendly Island/Beaver Island: shelters a tranquil bay with beaches that offer spectacular views of Copper Canyon and the surrounding mountains.
- London Bridge Bridgewater Beach: Busy beach for people and boat watching.
- Sandbar: a sandbar that has formed just north of Blankenship Bend at the top-most end of the lake in the Colorado River.
- Skier’s Island: A cove protects the water from wind and current, providing a center for water skiers and wakeboarders.
- Steamboat Cove: Expansive protected cove bordered by the Havasu Riviera State Park. It is a protected area and perfect for viewing birds and bighorn sheep.
Lake Havasu Falls
There is no Lake Havasu Falls. It is nameed Havasu Falls and located on the Havasupai Indian Reservation, just outside of Grand Canyon National Park. It takes four to five hours to get from Lake Havasu City to the Havasu Falls trailhead.
The stunning Havasu Falls is a series of waterfalls flowing into pools for splashing around in. Havasu Falls is a day or short overnight trip from Lake Havasu City. The trail to Havasu Falls is 10-miles long and downhill to the falls. The 10-mile hike back is difficult and uphill.
The Havasupai advise visitors who want to hike to the falls to train in advance. Visitors must plan their trips in advance. Visitors must reserve a permit. Permits go on sale each year on February 1, and they sell out for the entire year quickly. The Havasupai require an overnight stay at Havasupai Falls in Havasu Canyon due to the difficult hike.
Havasu Falls lies in an extremely remote wilderness in the Grand Canyon. Visitors must pack in all their necessities and pack out all their trash. There is barely any shade on the trail. Temperatures exceed 100° in the summer. In July and August, monsoon storms and flash floods rain down. Visitors need to prepare for the weather of the season when they visit.
Things to Do in Lake Havasu
Lake Havasu Events
Lake Havasu City hosts exciting, year-round events that seize the Lake Havasu region’s sunny skies, scenic landscape, and never-ending fun. The events include Christmas and holiday celebrations, boating and boat racing, headliner concerts, dining, fishing tournaments, gambling, hiking, horseback riding, hot-air balloon fests, shopping, vehicle races, ziplining, and more.
The London Bridge
The London Bridge that once stretched across the River Thames now spans the Bridgewater Channel in Lake Havasu from Lake Havasu City to Pittsburg Point, a large island in Lake Havasu. It attracts close to four million visitors annually to Lake Havasu City. The London Bridge is mistaken for London’s famous Tower Bridge.
Civil Engineer, John Rennie, designed Lake Havasu’s London Bridge in 1831, and his son completed it in 1832. By 1962, this bridge could not carry London’s increased traffic loads, and it went up for sale. Entrepreneur Robert McCulloch, a real estate developer best known for McCulloch Chainsaws, bought the London Bridge and the establishment of Lake Havasu City.
Lake Havasu Hotels
Hotels galore line the eastern border of Lake Havasu and the Chemehuevi Reservation offers beautiful accommodations in a resort on the northwestern shore of Lake Havasu. In 2024, the lowest rooms cast $54, and prices go up from there. The further away from the lake, the lower the cost of hotel rooms.
