During a visit to Las Vegas we wanted to get away from the bright lights and chaos of the city, so we started a 3 hour drive to Lake Havasu to see if Jerry Jeff Walker was telling the truth when he said that “London Bridge had fallen down and moved to Arizona.”We drove through 3 states to get there, and loved that Nevada not only welcomes you into their state, they also thank you for visiting as you leave.
Through the Mojave Desert we travelled thinking we may never again see signs of civilization.
Suddenly we were driving past a beautiful lake with water so blue that wondered if we were seeing a mirage.
Arriving at the Holiday Inn we had booked for our overnight stay, we opened up the curtains in our room, and there it was The London Bridge, not just a replica or a few of the bricks arranged for viewing, it was a fully working bridge, cars driving and people walking over. It even still bore the bullet holes on the sides left over from World War 2.
From our hotel it was a short walk over to London Land which according to the signs when you walk past the dragons your in London (and you don’t even need a passport.)
The Bridge was incredible but beautiful Lake Havasu was calling to us, there were several options for boat tours on the lake but Sunset Charter and tour Company was one that came highly recommended.
We were very fortunate to be able to book the three hour Sunset Experience
The price was $50.00 per person and when we arrived at the boat we were pleasantly surprised to find ourselves boarding a beautiful pontoon boat with only 8 seats (6 passenger seats, a captain and a seat in front next to the captain). Each seat was comfortable and had a water view, there would be no standing tiptoe with 50 other people all trying to get a view instead I felt like I was boarding a boat with friends.
Kevin our Captain and tour guide was awesome. From the moment the trip started, he shared with us the fascinating history of the area.
Cruising around the lake and into coves the stories he told made us feel as though we had stepped back in time and were seeing the area as our ancestors had.
The scenery was awe inspiring no photograph could ever give justice to the palate of colors and perfection of the land and water. When he was not telling us stories of the lake he played perfect music as we moved through the water.
When the sun had set we sailed under a magnificent canopy of stars on a moonless night, Kevin had a gift for combining music, landscape, and underwater lights on the boat to create an amazing light show.This was by far the best money we have ever spent on anything we have ever done!
The 3 hours flew by and I was sad when The London Bridge came into view and we found ourselves at the end of our tour.
Sunset Tours has a variety of sailing options available.
In my opinion this was one of the most amazing tours I have ever taken and if I lived in the area I would go on it every day, both Terrie and Sharon at the ticket office were great, they advise to book at least 2 weeks in advance and more if you plan to visit during their busy fall and winter months.
One of the surprises in Lake Havasu was that it has the largest number of lighthouses in one area, they are smaller replicas of many light houses but they are all fully functional.
Lake Havasu is beautiful but it is very hot with very little shade, so if you visit bring a hat, water and sunscreen.
The Holiday Inn was the perfect place to stay as it is walking distance to places to eat, London Town and many of the boat tours, they have free parking and breakfast, and if you join IHG you get points could eventually lead to free stays.
There are lots of places to eat in the area we chose The Blue Chair for drinks and appetizers it is nearby the docks, great place to wait for one of the sunset cruises if you arrive early.
Shugrues has a great variety of delicious food as well as beautiful views of Lake Havasu and The London Bridge.
Our overnight stay barely left us enough time to scratch the surface in the beautiful town, I definitely would return again!
Pink Hat Gypsy 