Havasu City's Wild Side

This is where the birds and fish, burros and deer roam.

According to vacation experts, the latest travel trend is the toe-dip trip: a shorter getaway to help rebuild confidence in traveling.

"We may be dreaming of that big-bucket-list trip, but what travelers are actually planning so far this year are visits to familiar destinations nearby, weekend getaways or road trips and beach trips," says Melissa Dohmen, travel expert from Travelocity.

Travelocity's most popular destinations for families in 2021 include Lake Havasu City, Orlando, Las Vegas, Lake Tahoe, Big Bear (California), Oklahoma, Columbus, Indianapolis and Kansas City. For families not ready to commit to a major vacation, Lake Havasu City offers toe-dip trip experiences for a worry-free getaway.

Families on a budget can use this itinerary to plan an adventure-filled affordable vacation to Lake Havasu City.

Watching Wildlife

Wildlife watching is a fun and family-bonding experience that families can enjoy safely this spring and throughout the year. "A visit to various natural habitats here on Arizona's West Coast is a calming, relaxing, reassuring antidote for these stressful times," says Terence Concannon, president/CEO of Go Lake Havasu.

"You're outside. You can maintain social distance. You don't have to fly to get here. Above all else, you create memories to last a lifetime."

Lake Havasu City's Sunset Charter & Tour Co. offers up-close wildlife watching opportunities aboard the Copper Canyon Kon Tiki Canyon Cruiser boat tour. "We might see bighorn sheep, burros, mule deer or coyote. We even saw a coyote swimming across the water. You'll never know what you'll find on the lake or along the Colorado River, which is what makes the tour so special," says Kenny Samp, co-owner of Sunset Charter & Tour Co.

The 60-min. daytime tour to Copper Canyon, one of the most scenic canyons on Lake Havasu, is ideal for families with younger children who get restless easily. For passenger safety during the coronavirus pandemic, tours are currently operating at half capacity. For more information, visit https://www.golakehavasu.com/sunset-charter-tour-copper-canyon-aboard-kon-tiki-canyon-cruiser

A Birding Paradise At Castle Rock Bay

Home to over 318 documented species of birds, the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge is a birding paradise encompassing 37,515 acres on the lower Colorado River in Arizona and California.

At scenic Castle Rock Bay, located off Arizona Highway 95 at Castle Rock Road, visitors can access the Havasu National Wildlife Refuge by passenger vehicle. Castle Rock Bay is also a popular location for non-motorized boating, hiking, fishing and relaxing on the beach. It hosts one of the newly-discovered vortex sites in Arizona, making it a superb spot for exploring deeper dimensions of mind-body healing or spirituality.

If you're keeping a life list, or even if you just like watching birds, visiting is a must.

For additional information about birding along the Colorado River, follow two local experts, David Vander Pluym and Lauren Harter.

The World's Most Famous Donkey

A wildlife tour of the Lake Havasu region includes one of the most famous residents of Oatman, on Route 66 only 54 miles northwest of Lake Havasu City – a donkey. Tame burros come and go freely as they roam the streets of this popular Wild West town. The burros are direct descendants of the pack animals that were brought to the area by gold miners during the 1800s. With the coming of World War II, the gold mines surrounding Oatman were shut down and the burros were set free to roam the hills.

One orphaned donkey named Walter was named the town's honorary mayor last year. The world's most famous burro has his own website, Facebook page - currently with over 264,000 followers - and children's book published by a subsidiary of New York publishing giant Simon & Schuster.

From Desert To Forest In About An Hour

If you think western Arizona is all desert, think again. About an hour's easy drive from Lake Havasu City, and just 12 miles southeast from the heart of Route 66 in Kingman, sits Hualapai Mountain Park: an evergreen oasis and reprieve from the arid desert land below. The park features beautiful biodiversity with numerous species of plants and animals indigenous to higher elevations. Popular wildlife watching opportunities include elk, mule deer, songbirds, owls, hawks and golden eagles.

More Events

• For a complete list of scheduled events in Lake Havasu City, view the special events calendar at https://www.golakehavasu.com/events. Event dates, times and/or details are subject to change. Please contact event organizers to verify information.

• Take a virtual tour, including newly posted 360-degree views of the London Bridge and English Village: https://www.londonbridgetour.com

• View Lake Havasu live on the city's new webcam located at the Nautical Beachfront Resort. It joins an existing webcam overlooking the London Bridge. See it here: https://www.golakehavasu.com/lake-havasu-weather-webcam

About Lake Havasu City

Lake Havasu City is situated on the eastern shore of Lake Havasu on the Colorado River border of California and Arizona. The city was established in 1963 by Robert P. McCulloch, Sr. as a self-sufficient, planned community. Lake Havasu City is located on what is known as "Arizona's West Coast," three hours' driving time west of Phoenix, two and one-half hours south of Las Vegas and four to five east of the Los Angeles region. As part of the northern and western limits of the Sonoran Desert, Lake Havasu City and the surrounding area feature outstanding biodiversity.

The area attracts 835,000 visitors annually with its historic London Bridge, pristine lake, friendly community, abundant sunshine and annual events, ideal weather and wide range of restaurants and lodging. More than 400 miles of stunning coastline offer exceptional watersports, including fishing, skiing, kayaking and house boating. Visitors can also explore the lake from the beautiful beaches, campsites and hiking trails.

Rated one of the top 100 best bass fishing lakes in America, Lake Havasu is ideal for catching large and small-mouth bass and striper fishing. The region is also host to extensive off-road trails and undeveloped stretches of river.