ROAD TRIPS

Best Weekend Ever: Lake Havasu City

Roger Naylor

Special for The Republic

Boaters enjoy a private beach in Topock Gorge.

In 1963, Robert McCulloch bought up several square miles of desert along the edge of Lake Havasu. He hired C.V. Wood, a friend who had designed Disneyland. Together they planned and built Lake Havasu City. A few years later, McCulloch purchased the London Bridge, had it moved to the U.S. and plunked it down in the middle of town. Now all the elements were in place for one of Arizona’s coolest getaways.

Friday

You’re drawn to Lake Havasu City for the sparkling water, so why wait to get out on it? Sunset Charter & Tour Co. takes small groups out on the Serenity Now for sunset outings. Cruise past landmarks like Balance Rock, Sleeping Indian, Copper Canyon and Steamboat Cove on this narrated tour. Enjoy a lavish display as the setting sun illuminates surrounding mountains and sets the lake ablaze with color. Group size is limited to six, so reservations are recommended. $50 per person.

Details: 928-716-8687, www.lakehavasuboattours.com.

Lake Havasu City is known for brilliant colorful sunsets.

Grab dinner at Angelina’s Italian Kitchen, where they’ve been serving up delicious home-cooked food for nearly 30 years. You’ll find all the classics on a wide-ranging menu. If you’re having trouble deciding or are eager to experiment, try the Tour of Angelina’s. It includes a heaping sampler platter of chicken parmigiana, lasagna and fettuccini alfredo.

Details: 1530 El Camino Drive. 928-680-3868, or find the restaurant on Facebook.

Saturday

The Red Onion occupies the first bank building in Lake Havasu City with dining indoors and outside.

Start the day with a meal at Red Onion where tables spill outside onto the sidewalk and cozy patio. They dish up a serious breakfast here — eggs pan-fried in butter, fluffy pancakes and a big plate of slightly non-traditional huevos rancheros. The house specialty omelet comes stuffed with capicola, Italian sausage, black olives, spinach, tomatoes, red onion, basil pesto and feta cheese. Now you’re ready for anything.

Details: 2013 McCulloch Blvd., 928-505-0302, www.redonionhavasu.com.

If you want to get the whole story on how the London Bridge ended up in the Arizona desert, sign up for a walking tour offered by the visitor center. Learn the storied history of the stone and concrete structure. See the strafing scars from World War II and hear about the mysterious ghosts said to haunt the bridge. And those vintage lamps? They’re made from the melted cannons of Napoleon Bonaparte’s army. The 90-minute tour is conducted from October through April, covers a half-mile and climbs 51 steps. $10, free for age 12 and younger.

Details: 422 English Village. 928-855-5655, www.golakehavasu.com/activities/tours.

Load up with a hearty lunch at Javelina Cantina. The family-friendly casual Mexican eatery features a patio overlooking London Bridge. Build your own combo with traditional favorites or treat yourself to lobster-tail tacos.

Details: 1420 N. McCulloch Blvd. 928-855-8226, javelinacantina.com.

Since Lake Havasu City didn't exist before 1963, you’d think a museum might be thin on exhibits. But Lake Havasu Museum of History maintains a surprising collection on the Chemehuevi tribe, mining, river boating, Parker Dam (the deepest in the world), London Bridge and the city's development. $7.50, free for age 11 and younger.

Details: 320 London Bridge Road. 928-854-4938, www.havasumuseum.com.

Walking tours of London Bridge are offered from the visitor center on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays at 11 a.m.

Stroll along the Shoreline Trail. The 2-mile paved walkway starts at London Bridge and traces the edge of Bridgewater Channel and the lake. You’ll enjoy the ultimate Arizona West Coast panorama, with white sand, graceful palm trees, sun dancing on the water and the mournful cry of seagulls.

Along the way you’ll pass some of Lake Havasu’s two dozen lighthouses. The navigational beacons are one-third scale replicas of famous U.S. lighthouses. Shoreline Trail continues through tree-shaded Rotary Community Park, a 40-acre site with picnic areas, barbecues, play areas for kids, volleyball courts, bocce ball courts, skate park and designated swim area. The park’s location inside the 5-mph no-wake zone of Thompson Bay makes for calm waters.

Cha-Bones is known for stylish décor and wide-ranging menu of hand-cut Angus steaks, seafood, pasta and salads. And with two dozen tapas, the restaurant caters to appetites large and small. Start with pork shumai dumplings and chopped scallions and a sweet sesame drizzle or mussels in a tomato broth served with rustic ciabatta bread.

Details: 112 London Bridge Road. 928-854-5554, www.chabones.com.

Party like it’s spring break, or at least like it’s a weekend without the kids. Stay up until 10, heck, even 11 p.m. Enjoy a nightcap at one of Lake Havasu City’s friendly breweries. College Street Brewhouse & Pub, Barley Brothers Restaurant & Brewery and Mudshark Brewery all serve up a good selection of craft beers to go with tasty food.

Sunday

Kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddleboards are available for rent at multiple locations in Lake Havasu City.

Juicy’s is a Lake Havasu institution, known for huge portions and great service. If you’re in a traditional mood, go for the country sausage gravy. Or try the Pork Chile Colorado, slow roasted and seasoned with green chiles and sautéed onions.

Details: 42 Smoketree Ave. 928-855-8429, www.juicysgreatfood.com.

Finish up your weekend back on the water. Kayaks, canoes and stand-up paddle boards are available for rent at multiple locations. Some rental places are at the edge of the lake; others deliver the equipment. Skimming across the water in a quiet craft and exploring the details of the shoreline is a nice reminder that Arizona is so much more than a desert state. www.golakehavasu.com/activities/boating/boat_rentals.aspx.

Find the reporter at www.rogernaylor.com. Or follow him on Facebook at www.facebook.com/RogerNaylorinAZ or Twitter @AZRogerNaylor.

5 more things to do in Lake Havasu City

For anglers, Lake Havasu has been ranked as one of the top 20 bass fishing lakes in the country.

• Hike Crack-in-the-Mountain, one of the premier slot canyons on the Lower Colorado. It starts in SARA Park, 6 miles south of London Bridge. The path runs through a slender defile where the pearl-smooth walls close to just a few feet apart. The canyon widens at 1.4 miles. You can turn around and return through the Crack or climb a short but steep pathway up the right bank to the Blue Trail and follow the ridge line back. Or continue down the wash to the lake. Grab a trail guide at the visitor center.

• For a glimpse at one of the most scenic sections of the Colorado River, take the Bluewater Jet Boat Topock Gorge Tour. It departs at 1:30 p.m. from November through May and travels through a mountainous cleft surrounded by tall cliffs and marshy shores. Keep an eye peeled for natural arches and a variety of wildlife. 928-855-7171, www.coloradoriverjetboattours.com.

• Lake Havasu has been ranked one of the top 20 bass fishing lakes in the country. Not to mention, the last two world record-setting redear sunfish have been pulled from the lake. Several free fishing docks offer easy access, including Site Six on the Island and Mesquite Bay, accessible from London Bridge Road on the city’s north side. Anglers 10 and older must have an Arizona fishing license and Colorado River stamp.

• On the Rubba Duck Safari, visitors pilot two-person inflatable watercraft through Bridgewater Channel and into the open water of the lake. The guided tour lasts 2.5 hours and explores shoreline scenery and secluded coves. 928-208-0293, www.facebook.com/RubbaDuckSafari.

• Play outside all day and then enjoy a little culture. Catch a show at Grace Arts Live at Main Street Performing Arts Theatre. They put together both large scale and intimate shows on weekends. 928-505-2787, www.graceartslive.com.

Find out more: The visitor center is at 422 English Village. 928-855-5655, www.golakehavasu.com.

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