House Boating Lake Powell

Travel

Oct 19

Lake Powell is always the highlight of our year. With all the variety, it’s like 5 vacations in one. The combination of adrenaline and relaxation, all with the company of great friends, make Lake Powell Houseboating a truly unforgettable trip. And there are a million different ways you can do this trip. No matter what your interests are, you can cater the trip to be exactly what you desire.

Planning The Trip

Houseboating is all about the planning and prep work - but it's worth it. It usually starts about 6 months before the trip. To make the trip reasonably affordable, it's nice to bring a large group of people. So even though the total cost of the trip is several thousand dollars, once you divide the cost by a dozen people it actually becomes quite affordable. And having a big group ensures there’s never a dull moment! If cost is an issue, try doing the trip in the spring or fall when the prices are way cheaper, but the weather is still warm enough. Peak house boating season is typically July-September.

Houseboat Rentals

Personally we've never rented a houseboat so I don't know that process, however, we dock our boat at Antelope Marina in Page, Arizona and this site is super helpful if you are interested in renting one. Alternate options are Bullfrog and Wahweap Marinas that also rent and launch houseboats.

We bought into a houseboat timeshare with nine other families years ago. With our ownership, we get to use the houseboat in a prime week, which is the same week, every single year. As an owner, you also have the option to bid for time on the boat, during the off-prime weeks too (June & October). If you end up loving the trip, timeshare ownership might be a great option for you.

The Trip

The entire concept of the trip is to explore the Lake and find an awesome place to drop anchor. It's all about your spot. Personally I love a spot with a good sandy beach, area to explore from right off the houseboat and an insane view. And we always position the houseboat to ensure we catch an insane sunset every night, they are magical at Lake Powell. The best part about all of this is that if you get settled and aren't loving your spot, you can move. There have been trips when we moved 3 times and there have been many trips that we didn't move at all, the spot was just that good.

Houseboat accommodations vary from boat to boat. Our boat has 5 bedrooms and sleeps 14-18 people. However, there have been trips that we slept outside the entire time because the weather was so nice. There is usually lots of space on upper decks to make beds for the night and some people like to camp on their speedboats or pitch a tent and camp on the beach.

Mornings are usually a slow trickle of people waking up and enjoying their coffee while checking out the incredible sunrise against the red rock. My husband loves to make an over-the-top breakfast most mornings with his buddies and I start a group workout on the top deck or the beach - moving at Lake Powell is my absolute favorite. Haha, check out some old ones we filmed from past trips.

During the day we hang out on or near the houseboat all day, making fun meals together, listening to music, floating and playing beach games (Horseshoes, Spikeball, etc). Some days we pack a lunch and fill the coolers for a longer boat ride to explore other canyons and slits. These are my favorite days. And we typically always hike something longer, and more difficult that requires a boat trip. A trip to see the iconic Rainbow Bridge is always worth it.

Evenings are always a highlight because the sunsets are also incredible at Lake Powell. Dinners are divided out ahead of time so that each couple has a night to cook for the group. A couples have fun with it! A killer playlist, fun themed cocktail and yummy appetizer are always great additions to a dinner night. The night usually ends with cards games and stargazing from the top deck.

This trip quickly became one of my favorites, especially when you let go and surrender to being off the grid for a bit, you can really enjoy yourself. Problems seem so minuscule when I’m there. You are literally forced to be with yourself, there is truly nothing like it anywhere on the planet. Year after year, Lake Powell has forced me to chill out and put things into perspective and I’m so grateful for the experience in my lifetime.

Food

Plan out each meal for the entire duration of your trip, for each of your family members, including snacks. Food is the trickiest part of the trip to master in my opinion. After many years of doing this now, my goal is keep the meals easy and simple. Another thing to keep in mind, during the peak months when the weather is warmer, people generally don't eat as much, at least that's why I've observed.

Don't overthink your dinner night. After a long day out on the water, nearly anything that’s served will taste delicious. If you want grandma’s famous 25-ingredient enchiladas, cook those in advance and freeze them for the trip. People tend to love grazing and crafting their own meals throughout the day and joining for a group dinner which is always the highlight of each day.

Pro tip - Pre-make and freeze things for less work when you’re out on the houseboat. Also, don’t forget to bring your favorite spices from home, the houseboat usually only provides salt and pepper.

Tips & Tricks

In order to best explore the canyons and expand the possibilities, I highly recommend having a speedboat, which can also be rented. There are so many fun water actives to enjoy at Lake Powell and having additional boating options help make that possible and ensure fun. (ski-boat, powerboat, jet skis, etc)

Children under the age of 12 are required to wear life jackets at all times on speedboats, jet skis & water toys. I've done the trip many times with young children and will also make them wear a lifejacket on and around the houseboat as well.

Don't forget glassware. Lake Powell is hot, you will be drinking lots of fluids. I always bring a large, aluminum water bottle that I can fill up. Our boat has an ice machine and filtered water machine for refills but make sure to find out ahead of time your boats drinking water situation. I also bring a cup for making cocktails and another smaller one for wine, both isolated with a lid. Corkcicle is my go-to glassware situation at Lake Powell year after year - checkout my glassware lineup here.

Remember to come prepared. Sunscreen, medicine, beach towels, hats, dvd's, water shoes, hiking shoes, camelbacks, board games, cards, dollars for card games, soap, cocktail shaker, lime squeezer, ETC.

Don't forget the music. There is little to no service so apps like Spotify and Pandora will not work unless your playlists are downloaded ahead of time. Music sets the vibe out on the lake so don't overlook it.