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Lake Havasu City, AZ: Top Things to Know About Storage

Krista Diamond | May 20, 2016 @ 3:25 PM

Storing Your Toys in Arizona’s Playground

By now you’ve hopefully figured out what the “Lake Havasu” in Lake Havasu City is referring to. It’s the huge reservoir behind the Parker Dam on the border between California and Arizona that attracts more than 775,000 visitors a year for fishing, boating, jet-skiing, camping and in the case of all of those hoards of spring breakers (more on that in a bit) a teeny, tiny bit of drinking. If you’re new to Lake Havasu City, we suggest looking into boat ownership if you can afford it or at least making friends with someone who owns one if you can’t. Either way, at some point you’re going to want to know where to store recreational equipment like boats, jet skis and RVs. Because of the large amount of locals and visitors who take advantage of Lake Havasu’s awesome recreational opportunities, you can expect stiff competition for this specialized type of storage. Lake Havasu City is pretty isolated from major metropolitan areas and only has 25 storage facilities, only three of which offer boat and RV storage. As a result of this low availability and high demand, it’s important that you aren’t too choosy when it comes to location. Even if a facility is a little further from the lake or your home than you’d like, it’s better than not having a storage space at all. Reserve a spot as far in advance as you can and once you’ve got it, hang onto it. Not sure what to look for in a storage facility? If you’ve never stored your boat before, be aware that spaces can range from glorified parking spots to fully enclosed units. The former is easier to find and cheaper. The latter is harder to find and more expensive. If you’re planning on using your boat year round, the more basic option should suit you just fine. If you’re going to be leaving it in storage for long periods of time and you’re unable to find an enclosed storage space, closely examine the facility’s security features. And last but not least, just because Lake Havasu City has generally pleasant weather year-round doesn’t mean that you can just pop your boat into storage for the winter and forget about it. Winterization matters. Trust us on that one.

Affordable Storage (Yay!)

We’ve seen some pretty discouraging apartment rental prices and accompanying storage unit rental prices across America (looking at you San Francisco), so it’s always nice to see a city where you can easily get a unit for under $50 a month. Lake Havasu City has a population of 52,527 and is home to 25 searchable storage facilities and counting. That’s about 14,000 individual units which is an okay amount, but it’s not amazing. Fortunately the storage industry is booming and demand for storage (especially boat storage) will likely lead to more availability down the road. In the meantime, we suggest locking down an affordable storage unit by expanding your search radius to include facilities other than the ones that are right by your home, office or favorite vacation spot. You can also bring down the already reasonable cost of a 5x5 unit or upgrade to a larger one by sharing a unit with a friend or family member or by keeping an eye out for specials.

Who Uses Storage?

You might not spend a lot of time wondering who your neighbors are once you’ve locked down a storage unit, but it’s worth thinking about while you’re on the hunt for one. Lake Havasu City plays host to a quirky mix of individuals. From the 30,000 spring breakers who crowd Copper Canyon every March to the many retirees and second homeowners, Lake Havasu City storage users have diverse needs when it comes to how much space they need, how long they need it for and what amenities they’re interested in. As you might imagine, spring breakers would probably prefer to drink all of that booze instead of storing it, so the only effect they’ll have on your storage needs is your access to your facility. Expect traffic delays during the months of March and April, especially near areas like Bridgewater Channel and any SWAT sponsored hotel, party or other event. As far as retirees and second homeowners go, expect these populations to take up larger units for longer periods of time. If you’re looking for a small unit, assuming you’ve got some flexibility with location, you should be just fine.

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