Like the glorious bond between British Simon and American Susan, Lake Havasu City in Arizona bridges two cultures, joining the mainland to its island via the London Bridge. Yes, the actual London Bridge, purchased in 1968 and rebuilt block by granite block across Lake Havasu channel.
Robert P. McCulloch was the money man, and his surname now graces the boulevard that crosses the bridge. London Bridge Road itself only leads to the lake, so you can imagine our confusion when we reached the city after a long drive from Kingman. A wrong turn and quick reroute had us on the right track to our RV resort out on the island.
The bright blue waters of Lake Havasu were captivating, and driving over the London Bridge convinced us we needed to rent a boat and experience the city’s best feature.
During its time in England’s capital, the bridge began a slow sink into the River Thames when modern vehicles began to prove too heavy and too frequent for a structure intended to carry horse-and-carriage traffic. 1970s technology ensured it would stand proudly in Arizona, even with the onslaught of massive RVs that cross it daily.
Near the foot of the bridge, the dog-friendly outdoor patio of Burgers by the Bridge offered a British-inspired fish-and-chip basket, with “inspired by” being the key concept. Really, you’re probably there for the view, but again, the decision to rent a boat during our stay was solidified.
There were no rentals available on our first full day, so when the temperature began its climb to 103, we returned to the spectacular green-grass oasis of London Bridge Beach waterfront park, which we had found the evening before. It was cooler in the shade of real trees, and being lakeside always makes you feel less skanky, even if you’re only looking at the water.
The park became our daily outing, and we found ourselves wishing our home town had that amenity. Strolling along the channel with a dog is the perfect setup for socializing, and we enjoyed companionable chats with interesting characters and their best friends.
Simon lined up a pontoon boat for late morning the next day, but first we visited The Red Onion for a hearty breakfast that would hold us until dinnertime. If you’ve been following our blog, you know we eat simply most of the time, so this feast of utter deliciousness was a real belly-buster, in the best possible way.
Finally, it was boat time. Our pontoon rental from Champion Rentals was the ideal antidote to the day’s heat, giving us a view of the city, of California on the other side of Lake Havasu (which transitions back into the Colorado River on the California side due to an imaginary line down the middle of the lake), and of the underside of the London Bridge.
With the time we had, we motored around the lake for a while, then headed toward Copper Canyon. We’re pretty sure we didn’t make it that far, but we saw some evocative hills and secluded coves, and were just so completely content being out on the water that it didn’t matter where we went.
When it was time to make our way back to shore, we had two final landmarks to enjoy: the canal and a trip under the bridge.
London Bridge has a few secrets to share, and while many visitors know about the WWII soldiers’ inscriptions carved into the granite, and bullet holes inflicted during that same war, a lesser-known item hidden in the bridge was discovered in 2018. It’s a voodoo doll. With pins still in it.
The doll made in the likeness of a local newspaper man is now on display in the Visitor Center, and you can read its story by clicking HERE.
That evening we drove out to Havasu National Wildlife Refuge, not specifically to see any wildlife, but to watch the sun set over the water. We had so enjoyed our time in the area, and felt a wonderful sense of peace as the rigors of the road eased quietly into the background.
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