The last thing you expect to see in the desert is a bridge from London. But that is exactly what you'll find at Lake Havasu, a small city on the Colorado River between the California-Arizona border.

Called Lake Havasu, the manmade lake is a reservoir that was created by Parker Dam much in the same way Lake Mead was created by Hoover Dam. However, Parker Dam is much smaller in scale than Hoover Dam, making the bridge one of those interesting attractions people want to see. More than 3.5 million people visit every year.

London Bridge originally came to America after the British government decided the old bridge (built in 1831) could no longer handle the load. Robert McCulloch, founder of Lake Havasu City, bid on the bridge in 1962. Everything was shipped to California and then remarkably trucked to Lake Havasu City. Reconstruction was completed in 1971.

Interestingly enough, McCulloch didn't need a bridge as the area his property was located on was a land peninsula. A boat way was created by carving a mile-long channel, effectively creating "the island" as it is called today.

Getting To London Bridge Is Half The Fun.

TourGuy.com has an operator who has made seeing the London Bridge and other fantastic sites along the Colorado River possible. It begins with a scenic drive from Las Vegas to Laughlin where a jet boat will be waiting to take you on a 58-mile ride through three states.

"Our jet boat tour was outstanding! It was the highlight of our trip West," wrote Pat T. after taking the tour. "Michael knew everything. It felt like we were traveling with Indiana Jones."

One of the reasons the jet bot tour has become increasingly popular is Topock Gorge, which provides some amazing views of volcanic rock, jade-green waters, ancient petroglyphs, and breathtaking desert wildlife. Topock Gorge makes up more than half of the river trip and is protected by a 30-mile buffer. The only way to see this part of the country is by boat.

Traveling the river will be a real eye opener for another reason. During the steamboat era, this section of the Colorado was transversed by smaller but similarly styled Mississippi paddle wheelers. For almost six decades (1852 to 1916), they would carry emigrants, soldiers, and miners into western and central Arizona or even as far north as Lake Mead (which didn't even exist at that time).

Oatman Is Included On The Itinerary.

In addition to Lake Havasu City, the tour includes a short detour to Oatman, Arizona. Originally a mining tent camp, Oatman became a true gold rush town in 1915 when two miners discovered a massive $10 million strike. For a brief period, it even supported its own rail line.

The town might have gone bust once the government ordered gold mining to be shut down and miners to mine other metals for the war effort, but Oatman was also located along historic U.S. Route 66. The town quickly became a popular rest stop, catering to travelers driving between Kingman and Needles, California. Today, it is best known as a living ghost town.

Colorado River Jet Boat Tours is one of the dozens of adventures and eco-tours available from Las Vegas. For other unique Las Vegas attractions that take you above and beyond the Las Vegas Strip, visit TourGuy.com.