Beach Treasures and Treasure Beaches

Avast ye, matey! We’ve discovered pirates in the desert southwest…or at least their hideaway.

Pirate Cove on the Colorado River, San Bernadino County, California

Where there are pirates, there is water. Where there’s water, there’s a beach! On our Colorado River beach hopping trip, my mother (Jody) and I came across a curious resort off of Route 66 in Moabi Regional Park, San Bernardino County, California. Pirate Cove Resort is a quirky, kitschy sort of desert oasis, and we just had to check it out. This sunny spot has the ambiance of a spring break trip, with the Pirate Code, “Keep your feet in the sand and a drink in your hand.” With an award-winning restaurant, marina, pirate-themed beach bar, boat rentals, off road trails, general store and gift shop, cabins, RV resort, and plenty of places to put your feet in the water, this might be just your vacation style. Arrr. Pull off the road for a break from driving, or stay a while. As far as the “naked” theme goes, their beach bar was renamed from The Naked Turtle to The Naked Pirate, and, as they say, it’s a “sunny spot for shady people.” We didn’t do too much on our visit, but we did drop into the general store to pick up some naked turtle pirate postcards.

Pirate Cove, San Bernadino County, California

Not long after we arrived in Lake Havasu City, we discovered another (unrelated) Naked Turtle (aka Turtle Beach Bar) at the Nautical Beachfront Resort. This hotel on the lake was quiet in the middle of the week. People were set up on the hotel’s beach, taking up their piece of sand with boats, towels, shade, etc. Though not pirate themed, this sandy spot might be more like your cup of tea… or bottle of rum. We hopped into the gift shop for some more funny postcards (with a similar naked turtle pirate on them).

Nautical Beachfront Resort boat-in beach. Lake Havasu, Arizona

Nautical Beachfront Resort beach, Lake Havasu, Arizona.

Nautical Beachfront Resort, Lake Havasu, Arizona

The last piratey destination on our trip is still a work in progress. Pirate’s Den RV Resort and Marina, part of La Paz County Park, didn’t have any postcards (yet) in their small general store. This sunny spot is soon to feature a beach, restaurant, Thirsty Pirate Bar, boat and trailer rentals, and waterfront RV sites.

Now you know a bit more about the pirates of the desert southwest. Before you go, I suggest you brush up on your “pirate” on the Talk Like a Pirate Day official British headquarters. Yo ho ho!

Disclaimer: The purpose of this article is to inform, not to recommend! We didn’t eat or stay at any of these hotels/resorts. Arg! Don’t ye be sending no nasty e-mails! In any case, the beaches are public, so you don’t have to stay to play! And, if you were wondering what a naked turtle is, it’s a turtle who’s taken his shell off to cool down and take a break from the stuffy life of the everyday shell.