The Extended Casino Experience

When you head out to a venue, be it a mall, a bar or a casino, you usually associate going to said venue with the name or type of said venue. Let’s take casinos for example. You’d think that the principal reason to go there is to enjoy all the casino games on offer.

For slot game lovers or those who occasionally enjoy a hand of cards, this is the case… but what about all the other people who go to casinos? Naturally, this will vary from space to space, but there’s a lot on offer at a casino in most cases! From family-friendly activities to a little retail therapy and even a spa experience or two, what else can you do at a casino beyond playing games? Let’s take a look.

Family Friendly

A Movie Date

Many bigger casino complexes or casino resorts have a cinema, some even more than one! Take the whole family along to catch a new release or a screening of an old, beloved classic. Grab a bucket of popcorn and a slushie and enjoy a rainy weekend indoors, going on an adventure with pirates, flying with superheroes or traveling to foreign lands. THeres also the potential for a classic “dinner and a movie” date with someone new and special, since a casino that has a cinema will certainly have a good choice of restaurants within the complex.

Blow Off Some Steam

Casinos often have physical activities that the whole family will enjoy too. Whether it’s raining or shining, playing indoors is often more practical than playing outdoors and doing that at home can be a lot for parents or older siblings to deal with! Load up the family and take them to the casino to burn off a little of that energy at the arcade, where games like Dance Dance Revolution and motorbike simulations give them the feeling of exertion that they’ve been longing for.

Some casinos even go so far as to have ice rinks installed where local hockey teams can practice, or you can take a date on a Friday night for a little “slow dance” across the ice. Climbing walls are sometimes an addition to spaces like arcades or ice rinks but they sometimes come in the form of an indoor play park too.

Think rope swings, trampoline and the like, but all in a safe environment. Talk about expending some energy! Tenpin bowling, laser tag, paintball and such things are also activities that you could expect to find in some locations that have access to more space.

A Meal From All Over The World

In terms of family-friendly options, almost every casino will have more than one dining choice as there’s usually a food court. If there’s no food court, worry not! There will certainly be a selection of family-friendly options dotted around. Picky eaters or dietary restrictions? No problem! Order takeout options from wherever everyone wants and grab a table or a bench to enjoy your meals.

When it’s time for dessert or to find some treats to take home, you should have no problem there either. Pick and mix style sweet shops are usually easy to find in casinos and usually include a selection of imported sweets from other countries that might be difficult to find and fun for you to try out.

Other Options

Get Some R&R

Rest and relaxation? At a casino? Yes, of course! Many casinos, whether attached to resorts or hotels, have salons, beauty parlors and overall spa locations. Some of these places, like hair salons, may allow kids, but many will probably be an over-18 or over-21 experience. Here is where the motto “treat yourself” really comes into play.

Book a spa experience to get a delicious massage, gel manicure or body wrap; book a hair salon experience to get a fresh look or just some extra style before an event or date night; head to the beauty parlor to get glammed before hitting the local nightlife scene. Casinos are usually considered luxury spaces, so luxuries like a salon day are well within easy reach.

Retail Therapy

Is there ever a bad time to do some shopping? Though the kind of stores and their size and number will be dictated by the size of the casino complex, there will undoubtedly be at least a few things to browse. The more opulent casinos will give you access to designer clothing brands like Gucci, Louis Vuitton or Louboutin. They will also provide luxury jewellery stores, should your taste turn more to stones than shoes and probably have an electronics store, maybe a bookstore, and the like available as well. Finding souvenirs to take home to friends and family will be no problem, as there are usually local souvenir-type stores (t-shirts, mugs, postcards- you know the type) in most casino complexes.

Haute Cuisine

This may be a little more unusual at casinos, depending on the country, but the best-known casinos worldwide have access to the highest calibre of fine dining on the planet. In the Casino Monte Carlo, you’ll find a combination of Mediterranean and French cuisine on par with the best standalone restaurants in the world.

Chef Hubert Keller at Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino in Las Vegas has created the magnificent FleurBurger 5000- Wagyu beef, foie gras, and truffles. The Wynn in Las Vegas has the first Chinese restaurant in the US to earn a Michelin star- Wing Lei. The design of these locations matches the prestige of their dishes perfectly, making them the perfect place for an anniversary supper, a graduation party, or even to stage a proposal.

Stage Productions

The variety here is almost endless, and while there may be a number of shoes that are suitable for all ages, the more prestigious ones are usually for adults only. Some of the more well-known shows naturally come from the entertainment capital of the world- Las Vegas. People like Cher, David Copperfield and Britney Spears have had residencies there and perform regularly. Cirque Du Soleil has been associated with Las Vegas casinos for years now, and their shows are so unique and unusual that people travel from all over the world to see them. There are often “play” style shows or an almost Broadway or West End calibre that focus on lots of different themes.

Music is often a big focus of casino entertainment as well, as huge bands on world tours often perform at casino venues as they’re often the largest in the area. This differs from residencies in that the tour will only have one or two dates at any given location. Smaller bar-style venues often host up-and-comers or local bands, may have open mic nights or comedy shows (which may happen at the bigger venues if the performer is famous) where you can release any tension by having a good laugh.

Enjoy A Drink

Whether you’re looking for mixologist-level cocktails or just a beer and maybe some bar snacks, you’ll likely be able to find it at a casino. Bars are as plentiful as fast food restaurants, so getting your hands on simple drinks and shots (and delicious, deep-fried bar snacks, of course) is simple enough.

Cocktails are also easy to find, but if you’re looking for a more luxurious experience, you may need to find the bars that are attached (see some of the gorgeous restaurants mentioned earlier) to fine-dining restaurants, in some cases. Larger casinos will certainly have access to a bigger selection, especially in major cities like London, Las Vegas, Paris and the like.

Other Activities

There are some more unusual activities that some casinos have access to. Monte Casino in Johannesburg, South Africa, has a World of Birds. Wonder around in the (enclosed) outdoors and see reptiles, birds and butterflies from different places. It’s a walk-through aviary with more than 60 species to visit! The Stratosphere Hotel and Casino has Strat tower- a plunging thrill ride wild enough to keep all adventure enthusiasts and adrenaline junkies happy. If you really take the time to look, you can find a fun and engaging activity to enjoy at whichever casino you attend!

The Casino Experience

Casinos have so much more to offer than just gambling. Meet new people, enjoy delicious treats, experience new cultures, and just have a good time. Next time you’re looking for something interesting to do, why not check out a casino for some fun entertainment ideas? You never know what you might find.