Lake Days Aren’t Over For Lake Havasu

Most people love fall… the cooler weather, the fall festivities, Halloween (my favorite holiday), and the influx of pumpkin flavored treats. But, my favorite season is still SUMMER! Why else would we live in Arizona where it feels like summer all year long? I love the lake days, the warm weather, hanging out by the pool, BBQs, boating, and everything summer has to offer. That’s why even after school starts and fall festivities begin, I still act like it’s summer by visiting Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Lake Havasu is known as a popular spring break hot spot for Arizona and California college students. But thanks to our family members living there, we see it as so much more. It’s a great place to getaway and enjoy the more laid back, outdoorsy lake life. So, when one of our best out-of-town friends wanted to see THE London Bridge in Havasu, we all three hopped in our car and headed out to the Lake… in September! One of the best parts of celebrating fall days with a lake day is the beginning of off-season pricing!

Overall, Havasu is a pretty inexpensive place to stay. There are several campgrounds, cheaper hotels, and AirBnBs… many of them right on the water! Finding a place to stay off-season is not difficult, but it’s worth looking into different places depending on what you want to do while in Havasu. 

So, what IS there to do in Havasu? We visit throughout the year, and there are always different events and fun activities going on. Our favorite activities are on the water and usually do involve drinking.

When it’s just the two of us, we love renting a jet ski and visiting our favorite places along the water. With a bigger crowd, boating is the way to go. Here are some of our favorite spots on the water:

Copper Canyon – many people risk their luck by jumping off the tall rocks here. Would you do it?

Steamboat Cove – a fun, less crowded area to party the day away

And, of course, The Channel – an awesome water channel under the Longdon Bridge close to shops, restaurants, bars, and more! This is where the crazy goes down in Havasu. 

Little tip: If you are wanting a long boat ride, try checking out Topack 66. It brings in a fun crowd that usually rides their Harleys in from Route 66 or park along the dock right on the water. It can get crazy, but it’s definitely fun. It’s a ways away though, so you better have a DD on hand!

If you don’t want to rent a boat or jet ski, don’t worry. The Channel is easy to access from the London Bridge area of Havasu and you can just party the day away on the water without a boat. If you want a little more space for your crew, there are several floating cabanas for rent along the Channel.

One of the risks of going offseason is that it might get a little cold – deterring you from wanting to jump in the lake. What most people don’t realize about Havasu is just how much there is to do there off the water!

Our go-to sites and restaurants are:

The Red Onion – They have the best Bloody Mary in the city. It’s the main reason we go here. Trust me, after a day in Havasu, you’ll be craving them the next morning.

The London Bridge (of course!) – Brought in brick by brick from London to the U.S. to drive tourism for Lake Havasu, this is the city’s most unique feature. It is definitely worth taking a walk across and seeing all the detail. It’s pretty amazing.

Shugrue’s Restaurant and Brewery – This is a fun restaurant where you can sample local beer from Lake Havasu and other places around Arizona. It has a great courtyard area and an awesome view.

Kokomo – Whether you want a day or night club, Kokomo’s is the place to be. It has a fun surfer vibe, and it gets pretty crazy at night.

All of these places are pretty close to each other (the last three are all within walking distance).

Besides just eating and drinking, there are so many fun events throughout the year in Havasu! If you are looking for a romantic weekend that will blow your socks off (literally), try going during Valentine’s Day weekend. The annual Western Winter Blast Pyrotechnics Show is where the BEST of the BEST fireworks are displayed. Many prospective buyers come here to see what the newest and greatest fireworks are for the year, so they put on quite a show. We usually hike to get a view from the top of a mountain instead of fighting for parking in the typical viewing arena.

That same weekend is the annual Rockabilly Reunion with vintage cars, pin up gals, and live music. It’s pretty fun and unique! You definitely feel like you are back in the 50s.

Havasu Balloon Festival – This January event kicks off the year in Lake Havasu. Even though you likely won’t be swimming in the lake, it’s cool to see hot air balloons floating across the mountains and water.

Along many of the campsites are informational parks with cool cacti gardens and hiking trails. Fall marks the start of great camping weather, so go check it out!

There is so much more to Lake Havasu than most people realize. We hope that you enjoyed your summer and can prolong it a little more with a weekend getaway to our favorite Arizona lake! Email us for help planning your Lake Havasu weekend at hi@RichLivingLessSpending.com.

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