Lake Havasu with kids: beaches, life jackets and staying cool

Lake Havasu is a good place for a family trip. There are sandy beaches with buoyed swim areas, and a pontoon gives everyone shade and room to move. Kids and open water still need a plan, though. Here are the rules and the practical advice, from the agencies that set them.

Life jackets: the rules for kids

Lake Havasu is split between Arizona and California, and the two states draw the line at slightly different ages:

• Arizona: children 12 and under must wear a properly fitting, Coast Guard–approved life jacket whenever the boat is moving (A.R.S. §5-331).
• California: children under 13 must wear one while the boat is moving, unless they're below deck or in an enclosed cabin (H&N Code §658.3).

The simple rule: anyone 12 or younger wears a life jacket whenever the boat is moving, on either side of the lake.

Getting the fit right

The U.S. Coast Guard sizes children's life jackets by weight:

• Child: 33 to 55 pounds.
• Youth: 55 to 88 pounds.

A jacket that fits is snug. If you lift it by the shoulders, it shouldn't ride up past the child's chin or ears. Try it on in the water if you can. Inflatable life jackets aren't suitable for children or weak swimmers.

Family beaches with swim areas

Lake Havasu State Park

At 699 London Bridge Road, the state park has a large designated swim area at the day-use beach, plus picnic ramadas, grills, drinking water and restrooms. Day use is $20 per vehicle Monday to Thursday and $25 on weekends and holidays. There's no lifeguard on duty, so swimming is at your own risk. No glass on the beaches, and pets aren't allowed on them.

Rotary Community Park

A free city park on Thompson Bay, at 1400 S. Smoketree Avenue, with a buoyed swim area, three playgrounds, ramadas, barbecues and restrooms (Lake Havasu City). No glass is allowed in city parks, and alcohol needs a permit.

London Bridge Beach

Also free, on the Bridgewater Channel at 1340 McCulloch Boulevard, with a buoyed swim area, two covered playgrounds, ramadas and restrooms (Lake Havasu City). The same city park rules apply.

Cattail Cove State Park

About 15 miles south on Highway 95, Cattail Cove has two white-sand beaches. Day use is $10 for a vehicle with one person and $20 for two to four. Swim only in the designated areas.

None of these beaches advertises lifeguards. Plan to do the watching yourself.

Keeping kids safe in the water

The American Academy of Pediatrics' drowning prevention advice and the CDC agree on the basics:

• For babies, toddlers and weak swimmers, a swimming adult stays within arm's reach.
• Put young children and non-swimmers in a life jacket near the water, not just on the boat. Water wings and floaties don't prevent drowning.
• Watch closely, even when lifeguards are around, and put the phone away while you do.

The National Park Service suggests naming a Water Watcher: one adult whose only job is to watch the kids in the water, handing off to another adult when they need a break.

Sun and heat

• Use SPF 30 or higher on children, reapply every two hours and after swimming, and keep babies under 6 months out of direct sun (AAP).
• Offer water before kids ask for it, and plan the most active part of the day for the cooler hours (AAP).
• Never leave a child in a parked car, even for a minute (National Weather Service).

Summer highs here are over 100°F from June through September. Our guide to the best time of year to visit has the month-by-month numbers.

Off the water

• London Bridge: Robert McCulloch bought the old bridge from the City of London in 1968. It was shipped over in more than 10,000 numbered granite blocks and reopened across the Bridgewater Channel in 1971 (Go Lake Havasu).
• Lake Havasu Museum of History: 320 London Bridge Road, open Tuesday to Saturday, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. (museum site).
• Aquatic Center: 100 Park Avenue, with open swim times and swim lessons (Lake Havasu City).

When you're ready, see our pontoons or call the office. We'll help you pick the right boat for your group.