Jackpot! The Very Best Casinos Outside of Vegas
Sure, Las Vegas is known for its casinos. But just because Sin City has the highest concentration, that doesn’t mean it has a monopoly on gambling. If Vegas isn’t your thing but you still want to hit the slots and be entertained, then seek an alternative at one of these non-Vegas casinos that are getting the most Yahoo searches.
The massive interior of the Mohegan Sun (Photo: Mohegan Sun)
1. Mohegan Sun
It may be nestled in the foothills of Connecticut, but that hasn’t stopped the Mohegan Sun from becoming one of the largest casinos in the country, with 350,000 square feet of gaming space. Along with slots, table games, betting, restaurants, nightclubs, a spa, two theaters, and a luxury hotel, the Sun also boasts an arena that’s home to the WNBA Connecticut Suns. Owned by the Mohegan Tribe, the casino added an 18-hole golf course in 2007.
(Courtesy: Trump Taj Mahal)
Behind Vegas, Atlantic City, N.J., is the next biggest center of gambling. And Trump Taj Mahal — not to be confused with the nearby Trump Plaza, which may close by September — was the biggest casino there when it opened in 1990. The Taj has since been surpassed in town by the Borgata, but it still covers 17 acres on the Boardwalk and had a 167,000-square-foot gaming floor. Restaurants include Il Mulino New York and Robert’s Steakhouse. Along with a spa and theaters, there are more than 2,000 luxurious hotel rooms. Does the name of its famous owner contribute to the high search results? We can only guess.
Related: Thursday Night: Atlantic City
French Lick Resort at night (Photo: French Lick Resort)
It’s rare for your casino to come with a national historic landmark designation, but French Lick has two. Located in the Hoosier National Forest in southern Indiana, the resort includes the historic French Lick Springs and West Baden Springs Hotels. The hotels were originally built in the late 1800s and early 1900s to take advantage of the town’s sulfur springs. The casino opened in 2006 and originally had a small pond or moat around it, which has since been filled in.
Thunder Valley Casino (Photo: Santcomm/Wikimedia Commons)
One of the largest casinos in Northern California, Thunder Valley is a popular getaway for San Francisco area residents — with buses headed on the weekends to the 275,000-square-foot facility outside Sacramento. Owned by the United Auburn Indian Community, Thunder Valley may also be best known for having the state’s largest-ever single payout of $12,014,971 on one of its progressive jackpot slot machines.
(Photo: L’Auberge du Lac Casino/Facebook)
L’Auberge Casino Resort Lake Charles sits on 242 acres near Lake Charles, La., about two hours outside Houston, Texas. It’s owned by Pinnacle Entertainment, which owns dozens of casinos, including the new nearby L’Auberge Casino and Hotel Baton Rouge. The resort is set amid a large 18-hole golf course and, along with a 70,000-square-foot casino floor, includes a lazy river, adults-only pool, and swim-up bar.
(Photo: Paragon Casino/twitter)
In the heart of the popular Gulf Coast gambling region, Paragon Casino Resort in Marksville, La., has slots, gaming tables, a poker room, and off-track betting. The restaurants at the resort, like Big Daddy E’s Cajun Grill and Oyster Bar, feature Louisiana-style cooking. And, along with adult fun, Paragon offers a family fun center with an indoor playground, karaoke, and an arcade. If you don’t want to stay in the Bayou-themed hotel, the RV resort has 205 hook-up pads, cabins, and volleyball and shuffleboard courts.
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(Photo: Mount Airy Casino)
In Pennsylvania’s Pocono Mountains, Mount Airy Casino is an AAA Four Diamond resort. Because of its majestic natural setting, the resort features outdoors activities for guests, including an 18-hole lakefront golf course, plus a 16,000-square-foot spa and gym. This year, the resort will also be opening a 52,000-square-foot indoor/outdoor pool complex. Live acts at the casino this summer include the all-male review, Thunder Down Under, and the Rock Star Energy Uproar Festival, headlined by Godsmack.
(Photo: Harrah’s Lake Tahoe/Facebook)
Lake Tahoe may be one of the largest and deepest lakes in the country with a wealth of ski resorts in the mountains surrounding the waters, but, on the Nevada side of the lake, it’s also home to a number of casinos. Harrah’s is one of the biggest of the casinos on the south shore. Harrah’s Lake Club first opened in 1955, and that original resort is now called Harveys Lake Tahoe. The modern Harrah’s was renovated in 2000 and then again in 2005. It’s connected to Harveys via an underground path that also features an arcade and Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina.
(Photo: Seminole Hard Rock/Facebook)
9. Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino
Seminole Hard Rock includes two properties in Florida: Hollywood and Tampa. The 24-hour Tampa property is the seminal Seminole casino with lots of live stage entertainment, gaming floors, shops, and restaurants. The 190,000-square-foot casino is the fourth largest in the U.S.
(Photo: Peppermill Casino/Facebook)
The Peppermill, in Reno, Nev., has undergone extensive renovations recently to create a Tuscan theme throughout the entire property, including the luxurious and popular Spa Toscana, gaming floors, sun deck and gardens, and 1,600-room hotel. The three-story 43,000-square-foot spa is filled with fountains and Mediterranean architecture, as well as the nation’s only Caldarium, a kind of hot plunge room used in historic bathhouses. You can stick with the classical theme and choose to stay in the 5,000-square-foot Roman Opulence two-story penthouse suite.
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