Lake Havasu City

A desert resort city on a Colorado River reservoir, where the London Bridge, moved in its entirety from England, spans a channel — with boating, lighthouses and canyons all close at hand.

Lake Havasu City is in Mohave County in western Arizona, on the east shore of Lake Havasu, formed by Parker Dam on the Colorado River, with California just across the water. The city was planned and built in the 1960s by chainsaw magnate Robert McCulloch, who in 1968 bought London Bridge from the River Thames in London and rebuilt it exactly as it was in the desert, creating one of America's quirkiest landmarks. The London Bridge area is the center of the action: under the bridge, the Bridgewater Channel and English Village are packed with boat tours, jet skis and bars, and more than 30 replica lighthouses dot the surrounding shoreline. North of the city is Windsor Beach in Lake Havasu State Park; to the south are the Crack in the Mountain Trail in SARA Park and Copper Canyon, reachable only by boat. To the north, Topock Gorge is great for kayaking; about 1.5 hours' drive north is the old Route 66 mining town of Oatman; to the south, Highway 95 leads to Parker Dam, the Bill Williams River refuge and desert bars. The climate is Mojave Desert: winter days are around 20°C, making it a haven for "snowbirds"; March–May and October–November are the most comfortable, though in March spring-break college crowds bring raucous parties to the lake; June–September often tops 45°C but is still peak season for water sports, so schedule outdoor activities for early morning. A hot-air balloon festival takes place in January. Driving is the main way to get here — about 2.5 hours from Las Vegas and 3 hours from Phoenix — and the small local airport has limited flights. Plan on 2–3 days; always wear sunscreen and stay hydrated outdoors, and learn the local boating rules before piloting a rental boat.

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