A Thanksgiving Vacation in Warm Weather
9/29/2009
Thanksgiving generally brings visions of frost on the pumpkin, but the reality is that where there is frost, there is cold weather. Why not consider the beautiful desert state of Arizona for a warm weather vacation. Arizona is well-known to retirees as the smart destination for a warm winter. The cities of Phoenix, Scottsdale and Tucson are very popular for winter vacations that include the Thanksgiving holiday.
If you want the warm weather without the crowds, one of Arizona's best kept secrets is Lake Havasu. This year, think about celebrating Thanksgiving with the family basking in the sun and boating on crystal clear waters. With more than 400 miles of shoreline, Lake Havasu was created when the Parker Dam was built in 1938 across the Colorado River, providing exceptional recreational opportunities.
Best known for boating, (there are many boat rental companies), and fishing, (guided or on your own, for bass, trout and catfish), Lake Havasu is still much more. Rent a timeshare in Lake Havasu City, right on the water's edge, and spend a week exploring all there is to do in this beautiful area.
Lake Havasu's most famous focal point is the London Bridge. Yes, the actual bridge that once spanned the Thames River in England is now enjoyed by 2.5 million visitors a year in Arizona! And the youngsters will thrill to see bighorn sheep, coyotes and over 200 species of birds at the Bill Williams River Wildlife Refuge and the Havasu Wildlife Refuge, both within easy driving distance of Lake Havasu.
For an exciting family adventure, tour the lake and the magnificent surrounding desert by plane. You can take your choice of flying in a seaplane, or in a WWII Stearman bi-plane (with an open cockpit!). Or imagine gliding above the countryside in a hot air balloon! (Available October through May).
A fun game for the entire family while boating is to look for the 15 lighthouses that dot the shore of the lake. Well, these lighthouses are actually only 1/3 scale, but they are replicas of famous lighthouses across the country. The day after Thanksgiving be sure to head down to the London Bridge for the "Festival of Lights" where over one million Christmas lights will decorate the area to get you in the Holiday mood.
You'll want to pinch yourself as you enjoy your Thanksgiving dinner outside on the deck of your Arizona timeshare unit, where the air is soft and warm, while half of the country is wrapped in woolens!
We stayed at a timeshare rental at Lake Havasu for Thanksgiving a couple of years ago. It's just like this article said, we ate our turkey dinner outdoors. Coming from Montana that was an incredible experience.
I was checking through these articles looking for someplace "different" for a winter trip. Thanks for this tip on Lake Havasu - I checked and timeshare rentals are very reasonable. And there would be water sports without having to go to out of the country.