TRAVEL WEST – Casino Player Magazine | Strictly Slots Magazine

It’s time to hit the road to some of the best casino destinations on the West Coast

The rise of Native American casinos has been a dramatic one in recent years, despite the pandemic of 2020. Tribal gaming is a growing trend that has made the excitement of gambling and the casino lifestyle a reality from coast to coast. Tribal properties have thrived and become leaders in the casino industry.

Tribal casinos are nearly as varied as the terrain in the Native West. Dozens of casinos are scattered through Washington, Oregon, California and Arizona. Some in sparsely populated lands support a small gaming floor with a single restaurant or snack bar. Others are posh places to unwind, chock full of dining options, showrooms, spas and other amenities. Each adds its own flavor to a region with diverse natural wonders. Whether you’re seeking ocean, mountain, forest or desert getaways, the Native West has it for you.

Tribal casinos have made a massive impact in the gaming industry for decades and millions of Americans enjoy visiting these premier casino destinations each year. At many casinos, guests have abundant opportunities to mix a little hiking, fishing, swimming and boating with their gaming. But that doesn’t mean the properties skimp on their own amenities.

And while things may have changed for the short term due to the threat of the coronavirus, and not every option for dining and entertainment is open, rest assured there’s still plenty to be had.

What follows is an in-depth look of some of the top Western tribal properties and what they have to offer under the current climate. Each one has its own merits, nuances and surprises, but all are fantastic casinos worthy of a visit.

Nisqually Red Wind Casino Olympia, WA

Among the best attractions in Olympia, WA, are Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge, Nisqually Reach Nature Center and the Nisqually Red Wind Casino. Red Wind Casino is a must on the “things to do” list. The casino features an expansive smoke-free area in its 95,000-squarefoot facility plus more than 1,600 slot machines, 20 table games, full-service keno lounge and delicious restaurants that include anything you could want, from deli to fine dining. The Nisqually Red Wind Casino is also the first in the region to adopt the new Casino Air purification technology to help prevent airborne coronavirus transmission.

Red Wind has all of the exciting casino gaming action you are looking for. Hit the hottest, most popular slot machines with denominations ranging from one cent to high limit in your choice of either the smoking or smoke-free casino floor. Slot games include Lock it Link Piggy Bankin’, Riches of Ra, The Green Machine Deluxe, Copper Dropper Deluxe, Tree of Wealth Jade Eternity, Tree of Wealth Rich Traditions, Drop & Lock Sweet Tweet, Drop & Lock Deep Sea Magic, Quick Hit Reel Boost Triple Blazing 7’s, Waves of Fortune, Welcome to Fantastic Jackpots and much more.

If you are looking for table games with the best dealers, Red Wind has you covered with a wide range of games open daily on both the nonsmoking and smoking side. Try your luck at Player’s Edge 21, a hybrid blackjack game. One of Red Wind s popular variations of blackjack offers a six-deck game with all 10s taken out and you always win with a 21. Don’t like your hand? Surrender and double down rescue is an option. All hands may qualify for the Super Bonus jackpot of up to $5,000! Bonus bets are also available to match the dealer top and/or bottom card, paying up to 18 to 1. Player’s Edge 21 also offers an enticing progressive jackpot. If you’re in the mood for more traditional games, you can experience the thrill of craps, Emperor’s Challenge Pai Gow Poker, Roulette, Lucky Ladies Blackjack and Ultimate Texas Hold ’Em.

Give your lucky numbers a shot at live keno with jackpots topping $50,000! Go one-to-one with your favorite games like Sweet Sixteen, The Edge, Top/Bottom and Left/Right. If you like to live in the fast lane, Wild Wind Keno has 100 games drawn per round approximately every half hour. A minimum purchase of 10 games per 100-game round is required, and the minimum buy-in will be 50 cents a game on a straight Keno wager.

Other specialty games include Speed Keno and Progressive Keno. With Speed Keno there’s no reason to slow down when you can win multiple jackpots in record time. Play a game every 3 minutes or up to 20 games in about an hour. All players, tickets and wagers are welcome every Friday and Saturday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m. Make mad cash when the Progressive Keno payout comes calling for you. If 8 of 8 are hit, you could score big, and $1.25 a ticket gets you in the game.

Any Red Wind Casino restaurant is another way to have a winning experience. Even locals visit Red Wind to enjoy the amazing daily specials.

Enjoy chef-prepared, signature dishes that include chicken, fish, steak and pasta, in a fine-dining atmosphere, at the award winning Squalli-Absch Grille. Safety measures are in place for guests’ protection to dine confidently. Please call 360-412-3670 for takeout orders or reservations and get the VIP treatment.

Stop by Medicine Creek Deli for a quick bite. Enjoy everything from your choice of made-to-order burgers to fully stacked deli sandwiches to a hearty omelet. No matter your craving, the Medicine Creek Deli has a wide array of choices to satisfy everyone for breakfast, lunch or dinner.

The Grab & Go hot case, located in Pealo’s Bar, makes lunch and dinner options fast and easy. Choose from a selection of favorites including hot and freshly prepared pizza, chicken strips, JoJo’s and more!

Speaking of bars, enjoy a truly unique experience at the beautiful Pealo’s Bar. Experienced bartenders will mix, shake or pour whatever your heart desires to kick the night off right. Conveniently located just steps away from the casino floor, its nearly 360° view and smoke-free atmosphere provide the perfect place to grab a drink and quick bite.

If you’re looking to slow it down a bit, relax at the River Water Bar. Join your friends for a nice refreshing cocktail and sate your appetite with a choice of signature favorites from Squalli-Absch Grille.

The River Water Bar provides a fine-dining ambience where you and your friends can enjoy visually stunning craft cocktails and fresh pressed juices. This tucked-away oasis offers open seating in a smoke-free environment.

Stay tuned to www.Redwindcasino.com as the property prepares to announce exciting changes to improve your gaming experience. To plan your trip, visit www.redwindcasino.com and discover all the amazing offerings at Nisqually Red Wind Casino.

Seven Feathers Casino Resort Canyonville, OR

Most guests feel something different when they enter the doors of Seven Feathers Casino Resort in Canyonville, OR. They may have played on other slot floors, sat at different tables or stayed in another resort hotel, but there is still a different feeling at Seven Feathers. Guests simply feel luckier at Seven Feathers. It’s why they voted the property as the Casino Where They Feel the Luckiest in Strictly Slots magazine’s Best of Slots 2020: Native Northwest.

Gaming, however, is more than just luck. It has strategy and can require skill and experience…but it doesn’t hurt to have some luck on your side. What goes into feeling lucky? At Seven Feathers there are many considerations guests can look to as to why they feel luckier when they visit, and of course it starts with the gaming experience.

Seven Feathers places a strong focus on keeping its slot floors fun and exciting—both smoking and non-smoking areas. New machines are installed nearly every week to provide an ever-changing landscape for their guests. It is this focus that led to 11 awards in different slot categories in the guest-voted, Best of Slots 2020 awards from Strictly Slots magazine. This type of recognition from Seven Feathers’ guests might just be a contributing factor to why they feel so lucky. Just as the slot floors evolve to deliver new fun ways to play, the rest of the property also grows in new and exciting ways.

There is always something fresh to see beyond the distinct array of slot titles. Last August, the casino added a new light-up craps table that is one-of-a-kind. In January, a new Starwall feature from AGS was added to provide a dazzling new, large-scale display on the slot floor, and new table games were added to the non-smoking floor to expand gaming options in the already impressive area. Changes like these are popular and visitors to Seven Feathers can expect to see more in the coming months.

Having unparalleled ways to play and new sights to behold may help spread that lucky feeling, but it’s also in the way guests are treated. Seven Feathers also won first-place awards in Best Comps, Friendliest Casino and Best Slot Club Promotions in the Best of Slots 2020 awards. The services and amenities that are provided to guests help deliver a superior experience that enhances the fun of its gaming activities. These efforts foster an atmosphere where guests can enjoy the property in many different ways that are ever evolving.

Promotions and events are a staple of many casinos. At Seven Feathers, these activities are organized with a full property experience in mind, working in conjunction with other amenities on the property. This type of combined effort gives Players Club members more chances of “winning it big” in promotions as they enjoy the full service of the resort. It also contributes to a fun environment where the routines of the outside world feel a little different, and commonplace activities hold the potential that something special is possible.

Concerts and events at Seven Feathers bring world-class talent to a rural river valley in Oregon. It can be surreal in a town of fewer than 2,000 residents to have nationally acclaimed acts practically performing in your backyard. Visitors get to enjoy the scenic small-town escape from populated areas without sacrificing the opportunity to see big-name entertainers. It’s a unique mix of qualities that doesn’t happen everywhere, especially with easy access to the highway for travelers.

Providing remarkable entertainment, guest services, accommodations and gaming, all help to provide a great atmosphere. For a casino, however, nothing is luckier than winning, and Seven Feathers guests win a lot. On average, Seven Feathers pays out over $3 million in jackpots every month. The property promotes winners every day, through billboards, social media, televisions across the property and even announcements on the floor of every jackpot.

Being voted as a casino resort where guests feel the luckiest can encompass a lot of different facets of a property. Certainly, winning is a major component of feeling lucky, but aside from jackpots and big hands, there are numerous other ways that guests can feel lucky.

It can be in the friendly interactions with staff, or it can be in the ways that day-to-day activities become special. It can be in the events or in the fun engagements and games on their social media pages. It can be in the ambiance and the scenery, or it can even be as simple as a free cup of coffee on the casino floor. There are a lot of reasons why guests feel lucky at Seven Feathers, but to truly understand it, you need to visit it yourself to experience the luck!

Snoqualmie Casino Snoqualmie, WA

High above the Seattle city lights and situated among natural surroundings with majestic views of the Cascade Mountains, Snoqualmie Casino in Washington offers visitors a first-class getaway with all of the best amenities, focusing the perfect blend of Vegas-style gaming and entertainment coupled with the warmth of a Northwest flair. It features fast-paced thrills on the gaming floor, upscale lounges and bars, top-tier talent performances in two concert venues, exceptional restaurants, and hospitality that’s beyond compare.

When it comes to gambling, there’s plenty of variety to appease any player. Their 1,700 dazzling slot machines include all of the tried and true favorites, along with a wide assortment of the hottest new machines. Table game enthusiasts won’t be disappointed either with 54 classic gaming tables to choose from. Whether it’s blackjack or craps, Spanish 21, roulette, baccarat or fortune pai gow, you will always leave with a story.

And as most gamblers know, it’s best not to play on an empty stomach. Vista Prime Steaks & Seafood is Snoqualmie Casino’s newest enhanced Northwest-inspired dining experience. Set against the backdrop of the majestic Snoqualmie Valley, Vista delivers a meal to remember with exceptional regional favorites and classic steakhouse fare served with a modern twist. Guests will delight in a captivating atmosphere complete with sensational table-side service sure to elevate a night of dining and entertainment.

The 12 Moons restaurant has a menu as unique as the casino’s location. Highlights include freshly roasted duck in a custom duck oven, wokfired specialties from around the world and an elegant, 13- seat sushi bar serving up the freshest cuts of the day. But if you are on a hot streak and can only spare a few minutes, there are casual dining options that allow you to get back to the gaming floor quickly. The two top picks are the Falls Buffet, offering five action stations of world-class comfort food with favorite dishes such as King Crab, Prime Rib and Dim Sum; and the Sno Deli, which offers top notch sandwiches when time is of the essence.

Don’t forget to stop and catch your breath by enjoying your favorite cocktails at one of the local watering holes. The Mist Bar has the games, the food and all of the libations to keep your night going strong. Mist bartenders are waiting to serve-up a great selection of the Northwest’s famous craft beers along with a rotating menu of seasonal cocktails made to order. Or check out the 12 Moons Asian Lounge to add some “smooth” to your supper. This classic piano bar features live music, tapas and finely crafted cocktails. And last, but by no means least, the Vista Bar features incredible views, an exquisite seasonal menu and vast selection of amazing wines.

For more information, visit www.snocasino.com.

Spirit Mountain Casino Grand Ronde, OR

Spirit Mountain Casino is a premier destination for anyone looking to get away from it all. Conveniently located approximately 65 miles southwest of Portland and only 25 minutes from the coast, in Grand Ronde, OR, you can enjoy an expansive selection of gaming, luxury accommodations and great food.

The Lodge at Spirit Mountain Casino offers a luxurious resort experience like no other in the Pacific Northwest. Choose from a variety of accommodations ranging from spacious deluxe suites to standard rooms to fit any budget. Amenities include 24-hour service staff ready to attend your every need, from bellhops to fast Wi-Fi. Spacious living areas, plush beds and courteous customer service are all waiting for you at Spirit Mountain.

The hotel is just one side of Spirit Mountain— restaurants provide a gourmet dining experience for every appetite. And with 90,000 square feet of gaming space full of blackjack tables, roulette, slot machines and more, you won’t find a more inclusive, all-around enjoyable casino to visit.

For whatever culinary mood you are in, Spirit Mountain satisfies every appetite. At Legends Restaurant you can treat yourself to first-class service amid the casual, relaxed atmosphere that makes the Pacific Northwest famous. With enticing selections such as the Northwest seafood linguine, Hazelnut spinach salad or Porterhouse steak, you’ll be recharged in no time. If you want to catch your favorite sports events, stop at Mountain View Sports Bar. Offering a massive 14-foot 4K video wall and 17 HD flat-screen TVs, you’ll never miss out on your favorite sporting event. The bar menu features burgers, buffalo wings, nachos, NW microbrews and domestic beer on tap. The Cedar Plank Buffet offers something for everyone with its three-course plated meal deals—please check for time of operations before you go.

As one of Spirit Mountain Casino’s finest casual dining options, Summit View Lounge features a full- service bar, flat-screen televisions and live entertainment on select evenings. After a full day of gaming, enjoy their Legendary Burger, artichoke linguine, savory duck wings or other delicious bites.

Spirit Mountain Casino has it all, so test your luck and find your fortune at the Northwest’s premier gaming destination. All of your favorite table games are here—exhilarating blackjack, tempting roulette and the laid-back fun of Pai Gow.

Spirit Mountain Casino also offers sports betting through a partnership with BetMGM. Place your bets on all the biggest professional and college sporting events and leagues from around the world, including the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLS, NCAA, international soccer leagues, golf, auto racing and more.

The sports-betting lounge features a high-definition video wall, 82-inch TVs, comfortable seating and a full-service bar with food menu.

The flashing lights and the sound of JACKPOTS are hard to resist. Arguably one of the most popular games in any casino, slots provide hours of entertainment for gamers of any skill level.

Spirit Mountain Casino features hundreds of the most popular slots on the market. Whether you’re looking for more traditional single-game slots, multi-game machines, touch-screen, or even progressive jackpots, there are a variety of games to choose from. Be sure to check out popular games such as African Diamond, Buffalo Grand, China Shores, Lock It Link Night Life, and Ultimate Forelink Glacier Gold, just to name a few.

Be sure to join the Coyote Club rewards program. Membership in the Coyote Club is free, and once a member, guests can earn points through gaming and redeem them for food, lodging and other exciting benefits. Either stop by the Coyote Club Desk inside the casino or sign up online.

For more information, visit www.spiritmountain.com.