Lake Havasu City a fine cool-season destination

Lake Havasu City, Ariz., offers a great cool-season getaway for a weekend or longer. Opportunities for outdoor recreation abound in the city and nearby in a region dubbed "Arizona's Riviera." Mild winter weather expands the possibilities to enjoy adventurous activities on or in the water, on land and in the air.

The lakeside community lies just 160 miles form Las Vegas. To reach it, head south from Las Vegas on U.S. 95, turning at Railroad Pass. Continue south past the turnoff to Laughlin into California. When you reach Interstate 40, follow it southeast past Needles, Calif., to cross the Colorado River into Arizona at Topock. Follow I-40 east to Arizona Highway 95, where you exit to drive south to Lake Havasu City.

With the completion of Boulder (Hoover) Dam in the mid 1930s, plans called for putting the Colorado River's water to good use by building a string of hydroelectric dams above and below the Boulder Canyon Project. When water from the Colorado began to back up behind newly completed Parker Dam in 1938, a new lake called Havasu formed in the little-known western Arizona desert.

For some years, this body of water attracted few visitors because of its remote location with few roads and because of the blistering summers of the region. Those who did reach it, however, admired the lake's superb desert and mountain setting and its very pleasant winter weather. It had great appeal for snowbirds escaping winter elsewhere in the nation and for boaters and anglers.

The idea of a planned lakeshore community took root. Developers acquired land and tried to interest investors. Enough people bought into the idea that a town began to grow near the lakeshore. Then industrialist-developer Robert McCullough brought international fame to the project when he purchased the famous London Bridge, then condemned because it was sinking into the banks of the Thames River. McCullough announced he would move the historic bridge to a community few people had ever heard of in Arizona.

McCullough planned to reconstruct the bridge to span a dredged arm of the desert lake in the city he envisioned. As the bridge was dismantled in England, each piece was numbered before shipping. Soon, the stone pieces lay on the desert under the hot Arizona sun. Reassembled and dedicated in 1971, the bridge now carries traffic on one of Lake Havasu City's major boulevards. McCullough's crazy concept remains one of the community's premier attractions. Providing a major photo opportunity, the Tudor-style village at its base houses souvenir shops, boutiques and places to dine.

The growth of Lake Havasu City long ago quieted the scoffers who thought the project would never succeed. Today, the attractive city spreads over the desert hills, providing lake views for most of its nearly 60,000 people. Forty-five miles of lakeshore lie within the city limits, supporting marinas, resorts, parks and shopping districts. Trails for walkers, joggers, hikers and skaters follow the gentle curves of the shoreline. The community clearly benefits from urban planning aimed at making it an appealing place to live and to visit. Its growth rate continually outpaces the rest of the fast-growing state.

Water-oriented activities anchor the recreational appeal of the area. Residents and visitors enjoy fishing, sailing, swimming, scuba diving, water-skiing, canoeing, kayaking, using personal watercrafts, wind surfing, parasailing and house boating, using their own or rental craft available at local marinas and outfitters. A fleet of boats carries visitors on a variety of guided scenic tours, exploring the lake's 450 miles of shoreline and wildlife refuges north and south of the lake on the Colorado River.

Golfing remains one of the most popular pursuits on land. Land-based adventures include scenic back-country tours, hiking, rock climbing and off-roading. Sky-high thrills include hot air ballooning, hang gliding and scenic flights.

Lake Havasu City offers variety in accommodations. Visitors often choose to stay in resorts, motels or rental condos. Those with RVs and tent campers find sites in public or private campgrounds in town or use nearby state or federal campsites. Reserve sites when possible, especially during cool-season holidays.

Margo Bartlett Pesek's column appears on Sundays.