This summer, water levels at Lake Mead will be more than eight feet higher than last year, providing outdoor adventurers ample reason to take to the lake aboard a houseboat. Lake Mead National Recreation Area is one of the Top 10 most-visited National Park Service lands in the nation, and Forever Resorts offers houseboats for rent at Lake Mead’s Callville Bay Resort and Marina, located about one hour from Las Vegas and an approximately four-hour drive from Southern California.
With prices starting at less than $100 per person per day and on-board amenities like private staterooms, barbecue grills and fully equipped kitchens, houseboats make an affordable and unforgettable escape from the ordinary.
For outdoor enthusiasts who appreciate the comforts of home, houseboats are a win-win proposition. Guests receive orientation at the marina on how to pilot the boats then staff help them navigate out of the marina and onto the open lake. Once there, houseboats may be piloted to any of Lake Mead’s countless sandy coves and staked down for the night.
Inside, houseboats offer spacious living quarters, private staterooms, fully equipped kitchens and—of course—air conditioning. Top-level sundecks beckon both day and night, when stargazing overtakes sunbathing as the pastime of choice. Outdoor barbecue grills make meal time a breeze, and everyone knows everything tastes better outdoors against a backdrop of beautiful scenery. Houseboating offers the chance to experience the brilliant colors—orange, red, yellow and even violet—that saturate Lake Mead’s surrounding landscape at sunrise and sunset.
Houseboats come in a variety of sizes—from 50-foot versions that sleep six passengers, up to the 75-foot XTreme, which sleeps up to 12 guests. Rentals are available for a minimum of three days/two nights, with per-day pricing scaled so the longer the rental period, the lower the per-day price.
Summer prices begin at less than $100 per person, per day for seven days aboard the 50-foot houseboat. Even the upscale 75-foot XTreme—which includes an especially elegant interior and a top-level hot tub—may be rented for $140 per person, per night based on a seven-day rental.
Personal watercraft, fishing boats and ski boats—along with water toys such as tubes and wakeboards—are also available for rental.