2012 world wakesurf championship parker az
 

Anybody been? Im going to be up there the whole weekend and have never been before. Gonna do some wakeboarding of course and check out the events. Looking forward to it! Anything else to do in Parker for the weekend?

The bar in the desert is pretty fun and I believe they just opened back up. Its a dirt road about 10 miles up Cienega Springs Rd and you come to this huge bar out in the middle of the desert. They have bands and delicious cold beer.

Parker is one of my favorite destinations although I don't get out there as often as I used to. Keep in mind it slows down big time after Labor Day so the party scene will have died down. Here are the must-do's in no specific order:

1. Cruise through the Keys and check out the houses. The South entrance is on the AZ side about 2 miles up from the public ramp.

2. Stop at Badenochs for a meal during the day.

3. Have a road raper at Road Runner. This will kick your butt so make sure you have a sober driver. Road Runner is the party spot at night so round up a crew from the event and take the boat up any time after 9.

4. If you're looking for a more relaxed scene, go to Foxes a few miles up river. They make the best mudslides in the lower 48 states with crushed up reeses peanut butter cups...so good! It's more of a locals hang out but be cool with everybody, don't cause trouble and you'll fit right in.

5. The only good restaurants IMO are the Blue Water (restaurant or Cantina) or Strokes up river. Strokes is off the water but the steaks are excellent.

6. The Desert Bar is an interesting experience. Worth checking out if you want to get off the water for a while especially if the weather cools down.

IMPORTANT - Parker is a great place for night time boat cruises and partying. Be careful, have a sober driver, keep an eye on the shorelines, and go slow!

http://img38.imageshack.us/img38/5352/parkermap.jpg

Is that connected to Lake Havasu?

No it's not. Also the river is infested with man eating beavers, deadly carp, ferocious big mouth billy bass, snakes, random bursts of fire, relentless insurance salesmen, and bull sharks. So best if you guys all stay away. I will let u know when we get it all cleared up.

It is "connected" to Havasu but a dam splits the two areas into separate water ways so there isn't direct boat access from one to other.

I can appreciate your humor and desire to keep the area not crowded with Havasu party people. However, I'm not one of them. By the way, I am a scuba diver so none of that stuff intimidates me :D

Thanks JT, so is wakeboarding better at Parker or is it better at Lake Havasu?

Wakeboarding is much better at Parker.

This will be my first time also to the surf comp, some buddies and me will be wakeboarding also

I would say that riding isn't any better on the Parker Strip than the Lake. Its just different. With the lake you have more space and people can spread out. With the River everyone is more crammed into a smaller area. Usually the River is better in the wind department but it gets crowded earlier.

Also, the best Mexican food in all the land is Ruperto's in Parker. Machaca burrito FTMFW!

thanks for all the input guys! looking forward to this trip, and all the cool stuff around. hopefully we get some good riding water. leaving the girlfriends at home, much needed guys trip. maybe see some of you guys going up there!

In all seriousness, I was just there for a few days. It was absolute butter all day during the week. I rode 4 sets a day and rarely saw another boat. Also air was 105, watr was 80.I don't mind giving this info to fellow riders. I just can't handle someone tubing through the butter. Or jet skis , I hate them. I am pretty protective of the area as I spent more time there than anywhere else over the last twenty years and can't stand to see what it has become in the summer. In the ealy 90's it was all tournament ski boats, hydrofoils (it was invented there), and a few early wakeboards. U could ski or ride any time of the day. Now it's all idiots in there daddy's 40' fountain doing blow off a Stripper while they run over some kid on a sea doo on there way to the sandbar. Parker went to **** when havasu closed copper canyon and started regulating partying. I'm no saint, but there's a right way to do things u know? U have to get up so early to ride in the summers now it's unbelievable.

P.s. Rupertos burritos are bomb.com

I know what you mean Tommy, to even get an hour of decent riding in at the central lakes (Saguaro, Bartlett, etc) we have to get there before sunrise. I used to love tubing....and then I learned how to wakeboard and now I absolutely hate tubers lol!