My Husband likes to visit a casino when we travel to the States. It isn’t something I enjoy and none of it makes sense to me. We have visited Las Vegas on a number of occasions as well as Atlantic City. These are two of the biggest casino resorts in America but when we have been on our road trips there has hardly ever been a stop where a casino was within a 20-30 minute drive away.
The Native Nations often have a lone casino as a source of income on their land and some of them are massive. Take Foxwoods in Connecticut for example. A huge casino and entertainment complex deep in the countryside with 6 different hotels to stay in.
One time when we stayed with friends in Riverside, CA. There was a casino nearby and we dropped my husband off there for a couple of hours so we could go shopping. Looking today there are at least 9 Indian Nation Casinos in Riverside County alone which is amazing.
In Pennsylvania in a town called Bethlehem next to the abandoned steel works there is a Sands Casino right next to a small outlet mall. I went in there with my 21 year old so she could see what it was all about. She didn’t get it either. I am sure if someone gave lessons in gambolling and you accepted the risks then I might feel differently about it all.
One road trip we were on we stopped in Wisconsin near the Minnesota state border and my eagle eyed (when he wants to be) spotted a sign someway before our destination for a casino. He just disappeared and returned in the early hours to collect his passport so he could collect his winnings. It was only until recently that I found out it was in Wisconsin Dells that he had been to. Again thanks to Great American Rail Journeys for filling in the gap.
We did a house exchange one time with a couple from Germantown, TN. There was plenty of advertising for a casino resort in Mississippi. Surprisingly my Husband called and made a hotel reservation and we left our house near Memphis and travelled to Tunica, MS. All the casinos are on stilts just on the banks of the great Mississippi River. The hotels are land based and offer transportation to and from the casinos. It was a very quiet area without the glamour of Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Apparently it is the third largest gambolling area in America. I believe we stayed at the Resorts Casino, Tunica. I kept my daughters engaged whilst my other half went to the river.
We have seen casino ships from the top of the Gateway Arch in St Louis moored in the Mississippi. Florida gets around it by offering casino cruises from various small ports and the gambolling doesn’t begin until the ship has reached open waters away from any authorities and laws. It is an all day event so if you are looking after the family be prepared for all events as you wonder what time you should collect your gambolling participant.
Transportation that collects and returns you is common place and the radius that they cover is large. The casinos want you there so will do anything to get into their grasp.
I must admit that over the years it has caused arguments between us because I don’t get the allure. I just dislike the atmosphere, the noise and the vacant looks on peoples faces as they are literally plugged in via their credit card to slot machines. There are famously no clocks so time can be used up just as wastefully as money. The constant chink, chink, and ring, ringing is insane. All casinos and it doesn’t matter where, are the same to me. There is always a sports car revolving on a display that is roped off and all you need to do is pull the one armed bandit to win…..yeah right! What are the odds of that!
One of the most high profile and newest casino resorts is the MGM at the National Harbour, MD across the Potomac from Alexandria and Washington, D.C. No doubt that there will be river taxis taking visitors to and from there 24 hours a day.
Anyway if having a gamble is your bag there are plenty of opportunities for a flutter no matter where you are.
USA Road Trips by Max 
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