October 15, 2025

Our 5-Day Lake Powell Family Trip: Three Houseboats, 23 People, and Memories for a Lifetime

There are some trips that live in your mind for years before they ever make it to the calendar. For us, Lake Powell was one of those. We had talked about how we’d love to take a houseboat trip there when the time was right. We actually reserved a boat a couple years ago but the water levels were super low and we decided to bail at the last minute. This year, we finally made it happen and it turned into a family adventure we’ll never forget.

Twenty-three people, three houseboats, and five days on the water. What could possibly go wrong, right?

Our crew included my family of four, my parents, brothers, grandpa, and a handful of close family friends — the kind of people who feel more like extended family than anything else. It was our first time to Lake Powell, and we went big. We rented two 75-foot houseboats and one smaller one to fit everyone, leaving from the Wahweap Marina in Page, Arizona.

We went in late September which is going into the “off season” and honestly, was a perfect time of year. You could probably even go a week or two later and be fine. The highs were still in the 80s and the evenings cooled off into the 50s and 60s. We even had a couple of light rainstorms, but they just added to the memory of it all.

Lake Powell isn’t exactly around the corner for us. It was a nine-plus-hour drive pulling trailers, so we decided to break it up. We caravanned with our friends and their three kids (plus our friend Laura), staying overnight in Utah before making the final three-and-a-half-hour drive to the marina.

We found the perfect place to anchor up in Padre Bay — about a three- to four-hour boat ride from the marina — and that’s where we made our temporary home. Our three houseboats were anchored side-by-side, which meant it felt like one big floating neighborhood.

Mornings started early thanks to the kids (of course). Whoever was up first grabbed coffee and took kid duty while the rest slowly joined in. Breakfast became a group effort, and after that, everyone did their own thing. Some jumped on the jet skis (my parents brought two), others took turns wakeboarding behind the lake boat, and there was always someone floating in the water or sitting on the upper deck soaking up the sun.

To keep meals manageable, each boat was responsible for their own meals…,and we may or may not have brought enough food to feed the entire marina. Some of our favorites: my mom’s famous flank steak cooked on the grill, pancakes cooked on the griddle on the top deck with a view of the lake and Laura’s cookies by the dozen.

Evenings were my favorite, though. We’d all gather for dinner, swap stories and watch the sky melt into gold and pink over the water. That golden-hour light on the canyon walls? Unreal.

If you’ve ever rented a houseboat, you know: things are going to happen. We lost one of our motors, had a bilge-pump alarm go off, and had to figure out the delicate balance between running the generator and the batteries, all part of the adventure. And we will forever be blaming the kids for the clogged toilets. haha

It’s just a big floating RV, so having someone who’s confident driving and troubleshooting things is a must. Thank goodness for Broc and Jake.

For the kids, this trip was pure magic. They spent five days running wild and free; catching frogs, jumping and sliding off the back of the boat, tubing, building sand castles, and swimming until sunset. Watching them be kids, completely unplugged, was probably the best part of all.

There were so many moments I wish I could bottle up — like watching Jag (Jake and Baylee’s son) land his first 360 on the wakeboard and everyone cheering from the boat while he did a backflip into the water… or those quiet mornings with coffee as the lake sat perfectly still… or when my almost 90 year old grandpa did a Sunday School lesson for the entire crew.

If I close my eyes, I can still feel that mix of peace and togetherness. Just family, friends, and wide-open water — the kind of trip that reminds you how much you love being surrounded by your people.

Tips for Planning Your Own Lake Powell Family Trip

• Timing: Late September was ideal for us. Warm days, cool nights, and fewer crowds.
• Packing: Bring everything — even salt, pepper, foil, and extra bedding/towels. The marina supplies the basics, but it’s not the same as home.
• Meals: Coordinate one grocery list per boat to avoid duplicates and waste. And don’t forget a griddle! We were so glad we had ours to cook on the upper deck.
• Boating: Have at least one experienced driver/captain in your group for peace of mind.
• Kids: Ideally wait until everyone’s out of diapers — it’s hard to watch little ones around the water nonstop. We aren’t the type to shy away from extra work though and we were just very diligent about watching our little one around the clock with lots of hands to help.
• Distance: Consider which marina is closest to where you want to anchor; cutting down travel time on the water means more play time.

Would we do it again? Absolutely. It’s not the easiest trip to pull off, but it’s one of those experiences that brings everyone together in the best way.

If you’ve ever dreamed about a Lake Powell family trip, this is your sign to make it happen. Pack the snacks, round up your people, and go make the kind of memories you’ll be talking about for years to come.