London Bridge (nowadays in the Mojave Desert) happens to be surrounded by replica lighthouses from all over the United States.
Lighthouse by the lake in Havasu
The city of Lake Havasu is located in the Mojave Desert (the Mojave Desert is the hottest desert in the United States and an important recreational destination). It is located in Arizona near the border with California. It is famous for having dozens of replica lighthouses from the West Coast, East Coast and Great Lakes of the United States.
For those who like lighthouses, maybe the most amazingly placed lighthouse is the Thridrangar Lighthouse in Iceland. In some places around the world, it’s even possible to book a stay at an Airbnb lighthouse. There is a lighthouse on a tiny island in Croatia that people can book on Airbnb. For a day trip or a shorter excursion, check out the Lake Havasu Lighthouses.
Lake Havasu: The Mojave Desert Resort, Home of London Bridge
If the London Bridge collapses, it will in Lake Havasu City, Arizona. Lake Havasu City is perhaps best known for the iconic London Bridge of England (it was disassembled, shipped to Arizona, and reassembled at the Mojave Desert resort destination).
Lake Havasu City was first established as an Army Air Corps rest camp during World War II on the shores of Lake Havasu. In 1958, a businessman acquired land and the town became a tourist destination in 1963.
The strangest attraction is the London Bridge which today crosses a narrow channel on the lake. He was brought there to entice tourists and others to come and buy residential land.
While the winters are pleasant in Lake Havasu City, during the summer the temperatures are extremely hot. It may therefore be a good idea to join the snowbirds who visit during the winter months.
Havasu City is also the site of the hottest temperature on record in Arizona (128°F or 53°C).
The Many Replica Lighthouses of Lake Havasu
One of Lake Havasu City’s attractions is its many lighthouses. The lake is home to 28 fully functional scale replicas of famous lighthouses from afar. The lighthouses are built and maintained by the Lake Havasu Lighthouse Club.
The club maintains information about the lighthouses and the stories of each of the original lighthouses on its website. People can also order a 32-page lighthouse booklet.
The Lake Havasu lighthouse background began as a practical effort to improve navigational lighting around the lake. But the program grew and the club began building replica lighthouses around the lake.
Over the years, as the number of eye-catching lighthouses grew, they became one of the area’s main attractions. The first lighthouse was built in 2000 and the last was added in 2020.
- Number of headlights: 28 replica headlights
The lighthouses are largely laid out geographically like the map of the United States. On the Arizona side of the river are replicas of the East Coast lighthouses while on the California side of the river are replicas of the West Coast lighthouses.
The lighthouses on City Island (accessed by London Bridge) have replicas of the Great Lakes.
Visitors can walk to most lighthouses and some are accessible by car, but there are also a few that are only accessible by boat. Some lighthouses are located on private land and some on tribal land.
So far, it seems that there is no replica of the Lighthouse of Alexandria (the lighthouse which was one of the Seven Wonders of the World).
Lake Havasu Lighthouse Tours
Sunset Charter & Tour Co. offers a tour of many Lake Havasu lighthouses. They delve into the history and original location of 18 of the 28 replica lighthouses.
They depart from the docks through the Bridgewater Channel into the North Lake Basin and stop at numerous lighthouses. They visit lighthouses on the coasts of California and Arizona.
- Winter timetable: October to May – Wednesday & Thursday 1:00 p.m.
- Summer schedule: June to September – Private charters on request
Costs:
- Adults: $60.00
- Child: $55.00 (12 and under)
The tour also explores the history of Lake Havasu City, London Bridge, and the Colorado River Valley (tour also includes visit to Copper Canyon).
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