ARIZONA’S RIVER CITIES / WELCOME
Often called Arizona’s West Coast, the region that encompasses the River Cities is known for its rugged beauty, diverse terrain, the mighty Colorado River, and sparkling lakes. Lake Havasu City is world-famous as “America’s Home of the London Bridge,” one of several rapidly growing communities that draws new residents and visitors to a relaxed lifestyle and water-sport recreation. Bullhead City lies in close proximity to Nevada’s casino-studded Laughlin, where entertainment and recreational attractions draw throngs of visitors around the calendar year. Kingman, another major city in Mohave County, offers a delight hometown atmosphere that is rich in amenities and equally attractive to growing families and retirees. The Town of Parker is the largest of the communities in La Paz County, although the small community of Quartzsite welcomes as many as a million visitors to its early winter gem and mineral shows.
Lake Havasu City provides a municipal airport with year-round operations and a leading commercial airline that offers daily service. Bullhead City is home to an international airport that serves the River Cities region including Laughlin, Nevada. Services and the tourism industry underline the local economy, although watercraft manufacturing and agriculture are also key industries. Companies that manufacture diverse products from chain saws to electronics have found a comfortable home in this sun-drenched region approximately midway between Phoenix, Arizona, and Los Angeles, California.
Services
State-of-the-art hospitals provide a wide spectrum of services and specialties to area residents, ensuring advanced care close to home. Havasu Regional Medical Center in Lake Havasu City, La Paz Regional Hospital in Parker, Western Arizona Regional Medical Center in Bullhead City, and Havasu Regional Medical Center in Kingman anchor a comprehensive network of outstanding services and facilities. Although all three healthcare systems are proud of their community outreach and proactive wellness programs, Havasu Regional Medical Center has recently opened an exceptional resource: the Del E. Webb Wellness Center. Cardiovascular and strength training equipment, aerobics, racquetball, basketball, and a heated indoor swimming pool combine with spa amenities and the guidance of personal trainers in a beautiful 30,000-square-foot facility available to the public.
Students receive a quality education in public and private schools, where individualized attention and modern classrooms enhance the core curriculum and special programs for the gifted and the challenged. Arizona Western College in Parker and three campuses for Mohave Community College in Bullhead City, Lake Havasu City, and Kingman ensure an affordable start on a four-year degree as well as options for two-year certification and degree programs. Northern Arizona University based in Flagstaff also provides four-year-degree opportunities in this area through Mohave Community College. Students of all ages will discover a wealth of career and vocational programs in a comfortable setting with convenient parking. Public and private colleges and universities are abundant in every direction from the River Cities, many of them in the Phoenix metropolitan region but also in California and Nevada.
Lifestyle
Under bright blue Arizona skies and more than 300 days of sunshine each year, the River Cities and Arizona’s West Coast offer an idyllic home. Sparkling lakes and the mighty Colorado River ensure some of the finest water in the entire West for fishing, skiing, boating, sailing, yachting, jet skiing, wave-running, and swimming. Magnificent casino hotels combine with luxurious resorts like the Nautical Inn to offer a world of entertainment options.
While outdoor activities are dominated by water sports in this water-oriented environment, every imaginable type of sport and adventure is possible. Hiking, mountain biking, bicycle touring, fishing, camping, golfing, tennis, off-roading, rock climbing, parasailing, hot air balloon riding, spelunking, and horseback riding are just a few of the virtually endless options. Vast parks and preserves that span desert and forested environments are well-maintained by federal, state, county, and municipal agencies to ensure pristine settings for nature study and pure enjoyment.
Historic attractions range from fine museums like the Mohave Museum of History and Arts to the longest original stretch of historic Route 66 in Kingman and fascinating ghost towns. London Bridge and English Village in Lake Havasu City make it possible to feel like you are visiting England without ever leaving the United States. Intimate performing arts centers feature special events and exciting series that bring the excitement of New York productions to the stages of Lake Havasu City. National headliners share the limelight with talented local organizations from musical and choral groups to dance. Wonderful restaurants, quaint shops, fine art galleries, charming village districts, and major shopping centers bring the advantages of a “big city” to the area’s welcoming communities. Rodeos, water-sport championship events, and classic car shows combine with colorful festivals and celebrations to bring family, friends, and neighbors together frequently.
The fast-growing River Cities provide a pleasing mix of housing opportunities, whether your dream is renovating an historic property or building a custom home on a multi-acre site. New subdivisions, upscale enclaves, handsome ranch-style homes, horse properties, and cozy bungalows in the heart of a small town are just a few of the options. Regardless of where you settle along Arizona’s West Coast, the warmth and friendliness of your new neighbors will help you to feel immediately at home.
