Casino Vacation and Gaming

Want to have the excitement of betting in a casino setting without all the hustle and commotion of Las Vegas or Atlantic City? Get ready to gamble at Foxwoods or the Mohegan Sun – the mere size of these casinos tells you they’re filled with more than enough options to satisfy your gambling needs. Getting to a casino in Connecticut is easy, and there are a lot of casino tour bus options available.

Try Your Luck at Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut

At 314,000 square feet, Foxwoods, with its 5750 slot machines is the largest casino in the world. This casino is more profitable than any in Las Vegas or Atlantic City, with its earnings of $1.5 billion. The contract between the tribal nation and the State of Connecticut guarantees the state $80 million or 25 percent of their yearly slot income. The state received more than $1.7 billion during the casino’s first ten years of operation.

There are three on-site hotels at Foxwoods Resort Casino. The largest is the Grand Pequot Tower, with 824 guest rooms and suites complete with 24-hour room service. The Great Cedar Hotel has 312 guest rooms and suites, an indoor pool and exercise facility and meeting and conference rooms. Two Trees Inn offers Foxwoods guests an indoor pool and fitness room, a gift shop and a 24-hour courtesy casino shuttle.

Play at the Mohegan Sun

The Mohegan Sun Resort at Uncasville is known for its gaming opportunities, but it offers many more activities that can fill a casino vacation with fun. Enjoy treatments at Elemis Spa. Play golf at the Mohegan Sun at Pautipaug. See a live performance or other activity at the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena. Eat dinner at one of the numerous restaurants at the Mohegan Sun. This casino in Connecticut is simply loaded with things to do!

Recent efforts by the two casinos to team up for advertising purposes means you, the gambler will come out the winner. In July 2009 Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods initiated a shared publicity campaign to promote Southeastern Connecticut as a gaming destination.

So get on that casino tour bus: this agreement between the two tribes that own these casinos, who were old enemies, have become modern-day competitors and highlight the fierce battle for patrons in the Northeast as casinos across the nation struggle through the long-drawn-out consumer recession.

Catching a Cirque du Soleil Show in Las Vegas

Love

Like most Cirque du Soleil shows, Love is a circus-like presentation featuring trapeze artists, gymnasts, and other expert performers at the Mirage, a great place to catch a casino show. This is a fantasy set to 90 minutes of Beatles music, remixed by the Fab Four’s original producer, Sir George Martin. There are 25 full songs in this Cirque du Soleil show, and, as is usual for casino shows, tickets for Cirque du Soleil Love are available online.

Ka

Ka is another Cirque du Soleil production, this time at the MGM Grand. It presents a clear-cut story, unlike the more abstract visuals presented by other Cirque productions – the first Cirque de Soleil show that moves away from the company’s usual format. More than one million tickets for Cirque du Soleil Ka have been sold since the show opened in February 2005.

Mystere

Mystere is another of Cirque du Soleil show, this time resident at Treasure Island in Vegas. It was the first show by the company which had its own theater, rather than touring with a circus tent. The focus of the show is the origins of life in the universe. It has enjoyed a highly successful and profitable run, and is still a top draw on the Strip, with most of the casino’s shows almost selling out the 1600-seat theater.

O

O is in permanent residence at the Bellagio since October 1998. Every member of the cast is SCUBA-certified, since this is a water-based show. This is the Cirque’s only aquatic show, and it features underwater acts such as synchronized swimming, as well as some above-water acts. The platform stage is versatile, and can rise and fall from the water without a wake because of the thousands of tiny holes drilled into its surface.

Zumanity

Cirque du Soleil unveiled Zumanity in 2003. It is a resident cabaret-style show at the New York New York Hotel & Casino on the Las Vegas Strip. Billed as the sensual side of the Cirque, this is their first adult-themed show. It is centered on erotic song, dance and acrobatics.

Criss Angel: Believe

Criss Angel, born Christopher Nicholas Sarantakos, is an American magician, illusionist, escapologist, and stunt performer. He teamed up with Cirque du Soleil to create Believe, a live casino show at the Luxor. The show opened to harsh reviews in October 2008, citing a confusing and boring theme, and a lack of the magic Angel is known for. Perez Hilton reportedly tweeted to his fans during an April 2009 performance that the show was “unbelievably bad,” and that he’d “rather be getting a root canal.”

Owned by Marina District Development Corporation, LLC, Borgata is a hotel, casino and Spa in Atlantic City, New Jersey. Borgata Resort is a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM Mirage, and when it opened in 2003 it was the first new hotel property in the city in 13 years. It has experienced vast recognition and near-capacity occupancy since its debut.

Casino Vacation at the Borgata

Legendary boardwalks, saltwater taffy, sandy beaches and casinos have always summoned visitors to Atlantic City. The Borgata has proven to be one of the city’s biggest sensations. The owners also recently opened The Water Club, a 43-story boutique hotel located just steps away from the Borgata Resort. A 2-story, 36,000 square foot spa is located on the 32nd and 33rd floors for visitors who are looking for the Borgata spa experience.

The Ultimate Spa Experience

The original Borgata Spa takes up 50,000 square feet of space, and the hotel itself has 2,002 guest rooms, 70,000 square feet of meeting space, 13 gourmet restaurants, and a 161,000 square foot gambling floor. There are 200 gaming tables, 4,100 slot machines, 12 retail boutiques, lounges, bars, shopping and entertainment facilities and parking for 7,100 cars.

The resort was part of a major project in Atlantic City nicknamed “The Tunnel Project” around 1999. The hotel and casino was actually built on a brown field site on top of an old city dump. The main tower is now the tallest building in South Jersey and is visible from many miles away. The overall theme for the development is that of an Italian village, “a balance of traditional and contemporary settings, set to a high energy beat,” according to William Boyd, CEO of Boyd Gaming.

Why not spend your casino vacation at the only property in Atlantic City that includes the word spa in its name? Even the hotel suites add to the spa experience – they all boast floor to ceiling windows providing the best views of Atlantic City and the Atlantic Ocean. Spa Toccare is the very best Atlantic City has to offer. It brings pampering to a whole new level, and they cater especially to women with special massages etc.

Leader in Entertainment and Amenities

Borgata spent about $3 million in advertising in the period leading up to 2006, when they decided to rev up promotions and spend $10 million by the end of the year. At the time, Atlantic City did not have a great reputation, and the casino believed they would have to convince New Yorkers especially that what they had to offer was worth the two-hour drive.

Believe us, it is definitely worth it. The hotel and spa are great, but we haven’t even mentioned the 2400-seat Borgata Event Center. It has hosted the likes of Avril Lavigne, Artie Lange, Depeche Mode, Gwen Stefani and Lenny Kravitz. There’s also a 1000-seat theater for more intimate events that’s home to Borgata’s nightly comedy club. The nightlife includes the Gypsy Bar, a rock and tequila bar, B Bar – an ultra lounge, MIXX Nightclub and mur.mur, an intimate nightclub with celebrity guest DJ’s.

If you need to get to and from Bally’s Park Place and Resorts in Atlantic City, you can depend on Starr, six days a week. You can purchase your casino tour bus ticket up to seven days in advance. Tickets are valid for one day only, and the return trip must be made on the same bus and from the same casino at which you arrived in order to be guaranteed a seat. The buses leave from convenient departure points in Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey.

Book VIP Tour and Charter Co. for your Casino Vacation

VIP Tour and Charter Bus Co. is a family owned and operated business. Day tours must be paid in full within five days of tour booking to hold your reservation. Baggage handling, sightseeing admissions, meals as listed in the itinerary, tour escort service, and overnight accommodations are all included when the casino tour bus makes overnight trips. Each tour passenger is allowed one suitcase handled free of charge for casino travel. The departure locations are Portland, Biddeford, Wells and Portsmouth NH, taking you to Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard, CT.

2 Sisters Travel and Myers Coach Lines

Both these companies are available for casino travel to Rivers and The Meadows in Pittsburgh, PA. 2 Sisters, located in West Mifflin, arranges about six bus trips per month with around 55 senior citizens per bus. Passengers pay around $19 to $22 to go, depending on the package. Myers, which operates from Export, PA, charges $22, but with casinos giving complimentary slots play and food, the bus fare can be considered a bargain.

Double Decker Experience

Now you can enhance your casino vacation by experiencing Las Vegas above the traffic on a classic English double-decker bus. The open top buses will take you to unlimited shopping, food and casinos while giving you an exceptional view of the strip. The daylight tour picks up at the Riviera Hotel at 3:00 and returns at 5:00, while the Illumination tour leaves the tour bus lobby of the Stratosphere at 6:00, returning at 8:30. Tickets are just $17.50 per person.

Grand Canyon

Grand Canyon Tours has a full selection of exciting night tours as well. They offer combined walking and driving tours of Las Vegas, with a flexible itinerary that varies from evening to evening. They offer tours from Monday to Friday from 5:00 to 11:00 p.m. Most of the motor coaches and minibuses are brand new, and equipped with flat screen video systems, DVD players, AM/FM radio, reclining seats, controlled air conditioning and lights for each seat. The tour bus will pick you up at your hotel!

Public Transportation

Don’t overlook public transportation as an alternative means of getting to the casino of your choice. For example, the Erie Metropolitan Transit Authority recently opened a route to the casino at 8199 Perry Highway in Summit Township. EMTA officials said the buses are primarily for employees who need a way to get to work and back home, though casino customers would also be able to ride for $2 per trip.

Deals on hotels and casinos are usually abundant when the financial system is weak, and many gambling establishments offer them to attract visitors. For example, the Venetian and the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas frequently offers casino package deals to their clientele via email. Even Wynn and Encore, whose owner, Steve Wynn, has been quoted as saying he didn’t build his resorts for the discount gambler, has given in during the financial recession and has started offering discounts and package deals.

Cheap Casino Travel

Players often wonder if they can get a room deal if they have never been to the casino before. If it’s your first trip to the gaming destination, your best bet would be to find a package deal, which gives you not only the room at a discount, but also allows you to visit other casinos. After your first trip you may start getting offers in the mail for casino package deals for a future casino vacation.

The gambling industry is now coming up with some of the most colorful of guerrilla marketing tactics as the recession deepens. Not only can you get a deeply discounted room for your casino vacation: some hotels are offering vouchers for restaurants, health spas and golf jaunts, in addition to free tickets to shows and nightspots. This may boost the flagging industry, which lost more than $100 million in hotel income due to about 400 convention cancellations in Las Vegas, according to a statement by Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.

The package deals also allow people to combine the cost of their plane tickets with that of their hotel rooms to save money on casino travel. With some casino vacation package deals your entire trip can cost less than the plane tickets alone! Once you get to your gambling destination and you find out which casino is the best, you can play there the whole time and get into its comp program.

Casino Package Deal, or Solo Trip Planning

To make a decision as to whether you should take a complete casino package deal or go to a casino and try to earn a room comp with play, you should consider the main purpose of your vacation. Are you planning several tourist activities, or will you be spending most of your time gambling? While the vacation package gives you the advantage of not being tied to a single casino, the disadvantage is you will not be able to get a complimentary room, since that would have been paid for in advance.

Finding the best deals can take some digging. Make sure you sign up for email alerts that will flag rates and packages that aren’t featured on the hotel’s website. It also pays to look beyond the more established destinations like Las Vegas and Atlantic City: Midwestern casinos from Detroit to Iowa are dangling enticing offers too, and may cost you a lot less.

Treat Yourself to a Casino Vacation

Although the resort has its naysayers, most of the reviews are positive. For example, reviewer “mygrneyesf” said that it’s clean, and the Lazy River spa is amazing. However she griped about the fact that the pool bar closes at 7 p.m., and that her husband got sent back to his room to don a shirt to walk from the elevator to the adjacent pool. She was also less than impressed that the great Morongo Casino and Spa had beds that are indescribably soft – not exactly casino & spa material.

Reviewer “kkmrag” said s/he spent one night at this hotel, and was pleasantly surprised, since it was more luxurious that s/he expected. The rooms are furnished nicely, s/he says, and the bedding was very comfortable. There goes mygrneyesf complaint about the inadequacy of the bed! The only thing kkmrag didn’t like was the buffet – s/he said “even for a buffet the food was below par.”

“Lindsay” liked everything about this casino & spa. She said she experienced nothing but superb service from the time she walked through the door. Unlike kkmrag, she found the Portero Canyon Buffet delicious, and she also enjoyed dining at Cielo, which had just updated their menu. She enjoyed an “amazing” Swedish massage and body wrap. She was happy with the fact that shopping, golf and tourist attractions are all within driving distance of the Morongo.

Los Angeles Times describes the ambience as “neo-Vegas, striving for the Palms’ modern chic aesthetic.” The scene, it says, consists of “tattooed and tanned rock ’n’ roll types hitting key club Morongo, plus diehard gamblers glued to the slots.” As the roadside billboards say, Whatever happens in Vegas…Also happens at Morongo.

The ultimate casino vacation experience provided by Morongo is 93% recommended by Hotels.com, with a 4.4 average rating (out of a possible 5.0) from 69 reviews. Only 5 reviewers did not recommend the hotel. The hotel service is rated 4.3, its condition 4.6, room comfort 4.6 and cleanliness 4.7.

Morongo is located west of Palm Springs, Calif., half mile from Premium and Desert Hill Outlet Malls. There is the Oasis Pool and Water Park, bordered by a soft, sandy beach. The winding Lazy River provides relaxation, while the 128,000 square foot casino is alive with gaming action. Many of this luxury resort’s 310 rooms have exceptional canyon and mountain views, and there are also six secluded casitas with private lounging pools.

Las Vegas Seafood Restaurants

Roy’s Las Vegas: It’s off the strip, but only a short distance east on Flamingo. Their Hawaiian cuisine features staples such as macadamia nut encrusted shutome, seared Ahi tuna and butterfish. Try the spicy tuna roll appetizer, and finish off with Roy’s chocolate soufflé, which will make your taste buds dance. The price range is $20-$50, and the attire is casual. The restaurant is open nightly, from 5pm.

Aquaknox at the Venetian Hotel Las Vegas: The décor will make you feel like you’re eating in an aquarium, and the bar is equally fascinating. Aquaknox does an excellent job with its entrees, and it impresses even the most hardcore seafood nuts. They won the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence in 2008, hardly a surprise with their impressive collection. The price range is $25-$75 per entrée.

Buffet Restaurants in Las Vegas

Circus Circus: The revered Circus Circus became famous for its traditional and basic buffet soon after opening in 1968 – and they want to keep things that way. Two soups, fresh fruit and mixed greens make up the display at the salad bar. You can get turkey with stuffing and gravy, beef stew, baked ham with raisins, fried shrimp, baked fish, rice pilaf, mashed potatoes, pasta with sauces and Mexican specialties with Spanish rice at the entrée station. There are also desserts, fruit juices, tea, coffee and soft drinks. Breakfast is $9.99, lunch $11.99 and dinner $13.49.

Feast Buffet: The mood at this roomy buffet, located at Red Rock Casino Resort Spa, is hassle-free. There’s a Farmer’s Market and a sushi booth, and six cooking stations. The American choices include pork chops and cornbread, and the Chinese station offers teriyaki duck leg. Or you can try the Mexican fajitas or the Italian pizzas. Breakfast is $7.99, lunch $10.99 and dinner is $18.99. Brunch is also available at $18.99.

Las Vegas Fine Dining

Alize: This restaurant summons discerning diners with its stylish décor, warmth and refined French cuisine from its location on the 56th floor of the Palms Casino Resort. Alize shares its magic not just through its fine food, but also through its immense selection of outstanding wine (in true French fashion). Alize serves up a fascinating mix of food, wine and ambiance, paired with spectacular panoramic views of the enticing and sparkling skyline of Vegas from the restaurant’s building-top location.

Joel Robuchon: World famous chef Joel Robuchon and his expert team have carefully crafted this restaurant with attention paid to every detail from the décor to the French-inspired cuisine, presented in a traditional and sophisticated multi-course meal. Following the French tradition, each dish is grouped together in six, sixteen or seasonal eight course pre-fixe dinners, producing a line of flavor and decoration that shows patrons how to truly value the art of fine cuisine.

Cruise Passengers can now Enjoy Gambling as an On-Board Event

A cruise ship is the ideal vacation spot for the avid gambler, because while by day it may call at ports that do not have casinos, by night the on-board casinos are always open, once the ship is three miles offshore in international waters. As long as you’re over the age of 18, you can enjoy gambling while at sea and the cruise ship casino is usually very popular. Like land-based and riverboat casinos, always be mindful of how much you’re spending.

Reminiscent of land-based and riverboat gambling, on a cruise ship you’ll find slot machine games, blackjack, Mega Cash, Caribbean Stud Poker, Wheel of Fortune and a host of other games. Some lines even offer casino lessons at the beginning of each cruise. Bingo is also available on many ships.

Whether you’re doing cruise ship gambling or you’re playing in riverboat casinos, keep in mind that the dealers are rooting for you, and above all, they want you to have fun. Their tips are likely to rise in proportion to your winnings, so it is in their best interest to keep you happy. However, casinos are not designed to make winning a frequent experience, so imagine how difficult it is for them to make people who are losing money have fun. Always be considerate of their feelings, and treat them with respect.

The cruise ship casino experience continues to expand and become more elaborate. A lot of passengers think of them a vital feature of the any cruise they take, and almost every cruise line has them. The design of these casinos is very elaborate, for example Crystal’s cruise ships include “Caesars at Sea,” an ocean version of the popular Vegas casino. It features five blackjack tables, baccarat, a roulette wheel, a craps table, and over 80 slot machines.

Why Riverboat Gambling?

Many states authorized riverboat gambling to limit the areas where casinos could be built. When first approved, these locations were required to actually be on ships that could sail way from the port. In Indiana and many other states, the boats are no longer required to leave dock and a few don’t even hire a captain and crew for on board. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, several southern states are now allowing casinos to be built on land with certain concessions.

We hope you find this information helpful as we love helping first time planners as well as seasons travelers looking for new things to do or additional options. If you have any questions or comments please feel free to Contact Us. We will try our best to keep the information both timely and interesting.

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In addition to casino coupons for concerts and events, some casinos provide casino coupons for match play and additional bonuses. Some good research prior to casino trip can go a long way in saving money and once you arrive at the location of your choice, be sure to look for casino savings in local magazines at the airport or bus/train station. In addition, as we mentioned on our casino tours page, often casino bus trips or even some casino vacation packages will include additional savings via casino coupons. The key is to always ask!

In addition to coupons, many well established casinos around the world offer membership programs where players can accumulate points through table play, staying at a particular casino chain and other various methods. Over time gamers can earn points which, similar to casino coupons, can help them save money or earn free nights at that casino. Unlike casino coupons, finding information on such programs is as simple as going to a specific casino’s website or asking about the rewards program when you arrive.

If you are  looking for casino coupons for online play, there are many sites which offer signup bonuses, match play and many other casino coupons for many sites. Because online casinos don’t have to spend as much on staff, and definitely save by not having giant buildings full of tables, they are much more likely to offer casino coupons and other bonuses. You can generally tell if a website is legitimate by checking some of the reviews and seeing what other players have to say.

Casino coupons are definitely out there to be had though, so make sure you allocate some of your planning for finding casino coupons because in the long run, the more you save, the more you can play!