The Best Boat Rentals Near Lake Havasu

Located in the greater Las Vegas area and known for its extremely hot, dry summers, it’s no wonder that many flock to Lake Havasu to cool off. This popular boating destination plays host to events like fishing tournaments, jet ski races, and regattas each year, but Lake Havasu is also a prime spot for recreational boaters.

Lake Havasu Boat Rentals & Watersports

Arizona’s not usually the first state you think of when it comes to beautiful beaches, but people love Lake Havasu – frequently referred to as “Arizona’s West Coast” – for its sandy beaches and clear, calm waters. With few waves and clean freshwater devoid of dangerous wildlife, it’s a perfect pick for families.

Powerboats and PWCs like jet skis and water skis are some of the most popular options for exploring Lake Havasu, but there are growing numbers of kayaks, canoes, SUP, and paddle boats. Since there aren’t any speed limits or size restrictions for boating here, you’ll see a little bit of everything.

Despite the fact that Lake Havasu doesn’t boast coral reefs, it’s a surprisingly wonderful spot for scuba diving. There are over 30 dive sites to visit, where you can explore fish habitats, wildlife, shipwrecks, and even a deserted underwater city.

A few things to know before you go:

• It’s recommended that you take a boating safety class with Arizona Game & Fish Department if you’re new to boating.
• Travel on Lake Havasu is counter-clockwise, so you should stay to the right of the lake.
• The Lake Havasu Marine Association offers a “Designated Captain” program – sort of like a designated driver, but for boating – to minimize the likelihood of a boating OUI or accident. You can also book captained Lake Havasu boat charters through GetMyBoat.

Lake Havasu Beaches

Want to take a break from cruising around the lake? The good news is that there are dozens of great beaches on Lake Havasu and the Colorado River to explore. The Sandbar is one of the most popular gathering spots, with shallow water and soft sand to post up, watch people, and relax.

Another convenient spot is Friendly Island, also known as Beaver Island, just four miles from the London Bridge. It’s easy to pick up and drop off boaters here, and you can even tack on a short camping trip. Friendly Island has amenities like restrooms, grills, and trash cans.

Cattail Cove is a must for avid anglers looking to enjoy the beach life while fishing for bass and catfish. Like Friendly Island, you can camp in Cattail Cove State Park or just stop by for a day visit. From the park, you can enjoy a light hike on the way to smaller, secluded beaches. Bringing your pup along? There’s a dog beach here as well, just south of the main boat ramp.

Looking for a beach with more amenities? Rotary Beach is free, and it features picnic tables, grills, kids’ playgrounds, volleyball and bocce courts, a skate park, and designated swimming zones. Since it’s protected by a no-wake zone, the waters are especially calm near Rotary Beach.

Fishing on Lake Havasu

When it comes to fishing the Southwest, Lake Havasu is abundant and diverse in its fishing opportunities. Anglers looking for smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, and striped bass will love Lake Havasu, though there are also redear sunfish, crappies, and both channel and flathead catfish to enjoy fishing. Lake Havasu’s redear sunfish are becoming especially well-known due to record-setting weights. There are some endangered fish species that call Lake Havasu home as well. If you happen to catch roundtail chub, bonytail chub, flannelmouth sucker, or razorback sucker, please release them. If you plan to go fishing, an Arizona fishing license is required for both residents and nonresidents 10 years of age or older. You can purchase these online, and they last for a full year.

Staying Safe While Boating on Lake Havasu

Arizona, particularly Lake Havasu, has a hot, arid climate. Summertime temperatures can reach or exceed the low 100s Fahrenheit and there are 300 days of sunshine on average each year. Sunscreen, hats, and loose, comfortable clothing are essentials.

Despite the fact that the waters are calm, Lake Havasu is 90 feet at its deepest point and about 33 feet deep on average. Ensuring that everyone in your group has experience with open water swimming, floating, and treading water is important in conditions like these. Every person (and animal) onboard needs a properly fitting personal flotation device in case of an emergency.

As a precaution, we never recommend drinking while boating – even if you’re not the one captaining the watercraft. Though Lake Havasu has a reputation for being a popular spring break destination, we recommend that you save partying with alcohol for when you’re dockside.