Casino Camping

Casino Camping

Drive by any casino in the southwest during the winter months and you are sure to see several recreational vehicles sitting in the parking lots. Some casinos may well have a couple of dozen motorhomes and fifth wheel trailers on the premises. Are all of these RVers inside trying their luck on the slot machines and blackjack tables? Probably not. They have discovered the benefits of what I call casino camping.

The Colorado River area separating Bullhead City, Arizona and Laughlin, Nevada is a popular snowbird nesting spot, and every year the population of the local RV parks swells as refugees from colder climates come to soak up the winter sunshine and escape the freezing weather back home.

Some of these snowbirds have found that the gambling casinos of places like Laughlin welcome their business, and are more than willing to exchange a bit of blacktop parking lot for the opportunity to lure these campers inside and to the gaming tables.

Different casinos handle RVers different ways. A few discourage overnight parking, most turn a blind eye to RVers as long as they keep a low profile and do not overstay their welcome, and some even go out of their way to let RVers know they want their business. Attempts to enforce a long standing but never used county ordinance to stop overnight RV parking has been put down, in large part due to the efforts of the Escapees RV Club www.escapees.com and the response from thousands of RVers, and it is business as usual on the river.

On a recent trip through Laughlin there were over twenty RVs parked at the Riverside Casino alone, though a sign in the parking lot said county ordinances forbid overnight parking. Friends we ran into there said they had been in the parking lot several days and had not been bothered by security asking them to move along. Interestingly enough, the Riverside also has a very nice fee based RV park directly across the street for visitors who prefer full hookups and the amenities of a resort.

Down the road a block or two, the River Palms Casino has an RV parking area on top of a hill across the street, with a shuttle bus that runs back and forth to the casino.. Parking was free, as long as you played the casino’s slot machines for a certain period of time within a given month. Several RVers we spoke to in the free dry camping area said they felt it was a good tradeoff - they got a free dry camping space with a great view of the Colorado River and Casino Row, and had fun playing the slots to earn their keep. It was closed during the problems with the county, but word is it is open again

A few miles south of Laughlin proper, the Avi Casino, on Indian land, was openly advertising for RVers to come and dry camp for free. The casino also has a fee based RV park, but there were plenty of RVs taking advantage of their free parking offer and free dump station. The Avi’s advertisements in local newspapers proclaimed free boondocking and dump station with no limit to the number of days one could stay.

In our travels across the country, we have also visited other casinos that welcome boondockers. In North Bend, Oregon, at Coos Bay, the Mill Casino had a sign advertising free overnight RV parking. The Apache Gold Casino in Globe, Arizona and Harrah’s, on the AkChin Indian Reservation near Phoenix, also welcome RVers to park overnight. Casinos in many Nevada cities and towns allow overnighters, and we have talked to RVers who have spent free nights in casinos from Minnesota to Florida.

Obviously, the casinos are not offering this service out of the goodness of their hearts. It is a smart business practice. When RVers park on their property overnight, there is a good chance they will wander inside for dinner and perhaps to try their luck on the gambling tables or drop a few coins into the slot machines. It’s a win-win situation, and seems to work well for everybody involved.

The casinos of Laughlin have a lot more to offer besides free parking. Some well known acts perform here, and a copy of the Laughlin Entertainer newspaper we picked up in mid-January last year carried ads for shows by Doug Kershaw, the Checkmates, the Ink Spots, Hank Thompson, Harvey Korman and Tim Conway, the Bellamy Brothers, Roy Clark, Mel Tellis, Chris LeDoux, Smokey Robinson, Lee Greenwood, the Mills Brothers, Ray Price, the Platters, Rich Little, Charo, Sawyer Brown, Little Richard, Grand Funk Railroad, the Doobie Brothers, Wynonna, and Neil McCoy. Other, lesser known acts present entertaining comedy shows and musical reviews featuring impersonators of great performers from the past.

If you don’t care to take in a show, maybe you would enjoy some of the other special events, from rodeos to top rank boxing matches held at the casinos. Some of the attractions are free, including the spectacular antique and classic car exhibit at the Riverside Casino, the free patriotic show On The Wings Of Eagles at the Ramada Express, and the World War II museum, also at the Ramada. And don’t forget my personal favorite casino activity, people watching!

Everybody appreciates the many dining opportunities offered in Laughlin, from budget priced buffets to fine dining in four star restaurants. Most casinos offer senior citizen discounts on meals, and at least one casino also offers a mid-week Baby Boomer discount. Many of the buffets feature a theme, such as Mongolian or Garden settings, and most offer special nights including Prime Rib Night and Friday Night Seafood Buffets. Several also offer a Sunday brunch buffet, including champagne.

Whether you come for the entertainment, the food, or just to take advantage of the free parking opportunities, casino camping has a lot to offer any RVer. Give it a try. The worst that will happen is that you will enjoy a good meal, maybe take in a show, and possibly lose a buck or two in the slot machines, while enjoying a night or two of free camping.

A great website on casino camping is www.casinocamper.com, with reviews of casinos coast to coast.

RVers Guide To Casino Parking Casinos are not just for gambling anymore. Did you know that many casinos offer RVers low cost overnight parking opportunities from coast to coast? These days more and more casinos are including RV hookups in their list of guest amenities. Still more allow RVers to dry camp in their parking lot overnight, or even for two or three nights. We have assembled a list of RV-friendly casinos from across the country where you will find a safe place to park for free or at low cost, enjoy a good meal and an evening’s entertainment as well if you need to unwind from a hard day on the road. To order our new RVers Guide To Casino Parking. Order your copy today and start saving money on your next trip! To order, send $6.95 to Gypsy Journal , 1400 Colorado #C-16, Boulder City, Nevada 89005 or go to our RV bookstore.