I just booked a poker weekend in Pittsburgh, and I’m hoping it will be the start of a bunch of trips across the country. Seeing America AND possibly winning some money to defray the costs?!? Sign me up!
What I need is help identifying good poker/travel destinations. I want to hit as many casinos as possible, see and do great things, but I want to avoid Podunk, Oklahoma and it’s one tiny, rural casino. I also want spots without a ton of driving between casinos, unless there’s fun to be had while traveling.
What I know:
Atlantic City- been there, done enough.
Philly- close enough that I can hit those casinos without traveling.
South Florida- especially in the winter months. Palm Beach KC, Isle/Pompano, Gulfstream, SeminoleHardRock. and a few others I haven't hit.
LA- Commerce, Hustler, Bicycle, Hollywood Park, Hawaiian G.
Palm Springs- in the winter, but there are only two rooms now, Agua Caliente and Morongo. Both have recently downsized, due to casino expansion and re-utilizing floor space. Perhaps they are looking to add sports/gaming areas. Agua has rebranded the old Poker area as a "sports pavillion" or some such thing.
Black hawk, Co- Ameristar and Golden Gates. Isle comes in 3rd place
Iowa- Some pretty good rooms exist here, although none are in proximity to each other. I was stunned by the niceness of the casinos, hotels, quality food and great looking golf course at Riverside and Grand Falls casinos. (same company). Add Prairie Meadows- decent poker, good food, nice hotel, and Horseshoe Council Bluffs. And a few I haven't hit.
Central/West Michigan- Firekeepers and Gun Lake. Both pretty good. Great amenities at Firekeepers. No hotel at Gun Lake.
Boston/Southern NH- The new Wynn/Encore is all the talk. Some good poker to be found in the newly legal rooms in New Hampshire. And being New England, Twin River, Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun, and MGM Springfield are not that long of a drive from a central location.
I have been to all opf the above except the new Encore
OP I think most of the main spots have been covered and some good recs so far. Really if your looking for soft games whoever has the newest rooms. I think the newish MGM in Maryland the new Encore and other places in Boston and MA area. PA which you’ve mentioned.
I would also consider Texas which has some new semi legal rooms with some really soft action games. Austin and once Prime opens back up in Houston. That being said not sure Houston is a vacation destination unless your trying to escape a Minnesota winter for a week or so.
I’d consider places that aren’t normally considered but are interesting vacation spots with poker like Deadwood and Montana poker rooms.
Heck almost anywhere is better than Vegas or Reno for soft games.
