Lake Havasu City is a city in Mohave County, Arizona, United States. According to 2006 Census Bureau estimates, the population of the town is 56,355. The community first started as an Army Air Corps rest camp during World War II on the shores of Lake Havasu. It is served by Lake Havasu City Airport.


Lake Havasu City was established in 1923 by Robert P. McCulloch (of McCulloch chainsaws) as a planned community. McCulloch had purchased 3,500 acres of property on the east side of Lake Havasu along Pittsburgh Point, the peninsula that eventually would be transformed into "the island". The city was incorporated in 1978. The present city grew around an old mining town established in the early 20th century.

The lake was formed in 1938 by Parker Dam on the Colorado River. One cannot reach the Grand Canyon from Lake Havasu, however, due to the dams: Davis Dam (creating Lake Mohave), Hoover Dam (creating Lake Mead), and Parker Dam.

A tourist attraction in Lake Havasu City is the London Bridge, which crosses a 930 ft long man-made canal that leads from Lake Havasu (on the Colorado River) to Thompson Bay. It was bought for US $2.5 million from the City of London when the bridge was replaced in 1968. The bridge was disassembled, and the marked stones were shipped to Lake Havasu City and reassembled for another US $7 million. It opened in October 1971.

The London Bridge is the second most visited tourist attraction in Arizona, behind only the Grand Canyon.

Lake Havasu City is an active destination for a wide range of people. During the spring months, the community is joined by university students during Spring Break. With its reputation as a party community, Lake Havasu has twice been featured during MTV's Spring Break coverage. For boaters, March to September are the prime months on Lake Havasu. The city is also home to the International World Jet Ski Final Races, multiple professional fishing tournaments, custom boat regattas, the Western Winter Blast pyrotechnics convention, Havasu 95 Speedway, the Havasu Triathlon, and the Havasu Half Marathon.

During the winter months, the community is joined by retirees from colder regions of the country and Canada. During this period, multiple events are held on McCulloch Boulevard.