Lake Havasu City, Arizona

Lake Havasu City, home to the historic London Bridge, was only established in the last century: the entrepreneur Robert P. McCulloch created Lake Havasu in 1963 as a planned, self-reliant community. Drawn to the Colorado River along the California–Arizona border, McCulloch foresaw the town’s success. Lake Havasu City’s success as a tourist destination increased with McCulloch’s purchasing of the London Bridge from England for $2,460,000. Following its transfer and reconstruction on the Lake Havasu peninsula, the London Bridge opened officially in 1971. Beyond its feats of man-made architecture, Lake Havasu possesses immense, natural architecture. Soft beaches and soothing tides are featured all year-round, and the brilliant blue waters of the lake are a dream for fishing and swimming. Volcanic rocks, geodes, jaspers, obsidian, turquoise, and agate can be unearthed along Lake Havasu City’s desert as well. To make for an interesting fact, Lake Havasu is home to more lighthouses than any other city in the United States.