Laughlin, Oatman, and Lake Havasu Weekend Trip

We will typically jump on any opportunity to explore an area that we have not been to. So, when we were invited on a weekend trip to Laughlin, NV, it was no exception. We headed out to the Avi Resort and Casino over the MLK holiday weekend in mid-January.

For us, a stay in a casino hotel is not on the typical travel agenda. However, we will say that we had an enjoyable experience at Avi. The restaurants provided convenient food options, and the grounds around the resort were definitely worth checking out. Our favorite feature was probably having the Colorado River run directly behind the property. There was even a walkway that provided easy access right out to the crystal clear water.

There were two destinations on the trip which we were highly anticipating, and the small town of Oatman, AZ was one of those. Oatman is a very small town on historic Route 66, and is only about 30 minutes from the Avi Casino. However, the main claim to fame for this town is that wild burros freely roam the streets.

We started being greeted by burros before we even entered the town. It was very easy to see that they were the main attraction here. However, aside from the burros, the town has several t-shirt shops and other businesses which would typically be associated with a touristy location. There is also a Wild West gunfight that happens regularly in the center of town, as well as a few places to eat. We ate at the Oatman Hotel Restaurant. The food was great, and it was interesting looking at the dollar bills which patrons staple to any spot around the interior.

Since the Avi Casino is a little bit outside of Laughlin, we did want to take one evening to check out the town. We spent a little time (and lost a little money 😁) at Don Laughlin’s, before heading down the street to the Golden Nugget for dinner. It was a great evening, and the food at the Saltgrass Steak House was superb.

As the weekend came to an end, we did still have one more destination to visit on the way back to Yuma. A little over an hour south of the Avi Casino is Lake Havasu City. We wanted to make sure to stop here to check out its most recognizable landmark, the London Bridge. The history of the bridge is quite amazing, and the Visitor Center is an excellent resource to learn about how the bridge was brought to Lake Havasu City and reconstructed there.

And we cannot visit somewhere without trying the local cuisine. 😁 We had lunch at The Chair, which is located right next to the bridge. The food was unique and delicious, and we definitely did not leave hungry.