Best casino in north carolina
Discover North Carolina’s premier casino destinations. Get details on gaming floors, resort amenities, dining, and entertainment options for your next visit.
North Carolina Casino Guide Finding Premier Gaming and Entertainment
For those seeking the premier gaming establishment within the state’s borders, Harrah’s Cherokee stands out as the immediate recommendation. This expansive complex, managed by Caesars Entertainment, provides a sprawling gaming floor with over 3,000 slot machines and more than 160 table games. Visitors will find traditional options like blackjack, craps, and roulette, alongside live poker rooms featuring Texas Hold’em and Omaha tournaments with substantial prize pools.
Beyond the gaming floor, the property offers a comprehensive resort experience. Accommodation options include several hotel towers with over 1,800 rooms, providing a range of choices from standard kings to luxury suites. Dining is a significant component, with establishments like Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar and Gordon Ramsay Food Market offering diverse culinary selections. The 3,000-seat Event Center regularly hosts concerts and performances from internationally recognized artists, adding another layer to the entertainment offerings.
Another significant venue is Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River, located in Murphy. While smaller than its Cherokee counterpart, it presents a more focused and accessible gaming environment. This location features approximately 1,000 video gaming machines and 70 traditional table games. It serves as a strong alternative for visitors in the westernmost part of the region or for those who prefer a less crowded setting without sacrificing a quality gaming selection. It also includes a food court with several quick-service options, making it a convenient stop for entertainment.
Best Casino in North Carolina
Harrah’s Cherokee stands out as the premier gaming destination in the state. This establishment, operated by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, provides over 150,000 square feet dedicated to gaming. Visitors find more than 160 live dealer tables featuring classics like Blackjack, Roulette, and Craps. The poker room alone spans 32 tables, hosting daily tournaments and cash games.
The selection of slot machines exceeds 4,000 unique titles. These include traditional reel slots, modern video poker, and progressive jackpot machines with payouts often reaching six figures. High rollers are accommodated in an exclusive high-limit area, offering table games with minimums starting at $100 and private gaming salons for a more secluded experience. The Caesars Sportsbook on-site allows for wagering on a wide array of professional and collegiate sports via betting windows and self-service kiosks.
Beyond the gaming floor, the property features a 21-story hotel with over 1,800 rooms and suites. Dining options are extensive, with 15 different restaurants ranging from Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar to the upscale Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Entertainment is anchored by the 3,000-seat event center, which attracts internationally recognized musical acts and comedians. For relaxation, the Mandara Spa offers a full menu of treatments.
Comparing Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort and Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River: A Side-by-Side Analysis of Games and Amenities
For an expansive gaming and resort-style experience, select Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. For a more focused and intimate gaming session, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is the superior choice.
Gaming Selection and Floor Space
- Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort: Features a vast 150,000-square-foot gaming floor. It offers over 3,000 slot machines. Table game enthusiasts will find more than 160 tables, including live dealer games like Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, and Baccarat. The facility also houses a large, 16-table World Series of Poker room.
- Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River: Presents a more compact 60,000-square-foot gaming area. The selection includes over 1,000 slot machines and 70 traditional table games. This location offers electronic Baccarat and digital Blackjack alongside live dealers, but lacks a dedicated poker room.
Dining and Culinary Options
Dining choices directly reflect the scale of each establishment.
- Cherokee Casino Resort: Provides over ten distinct dining venues. Options range from the high-end Ruth’s Chris Steak House to the casual Selu Garden Café. The establishment also features a large food court with multiple fast-service options like Dunkin’ and Domino’s, catering to a wide array of tastes and budgets.
- Cherokee Valley River: Features a single, multi-purpose food court. The Landing Café offers a variety of items from Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs to Asian noodle dishes. Starbucks provides a coffee and pastry option. The dining here is designed for convenience and quick meals.
Amenities and Entertainment
The non-gaming amenities differ significantly between the two properties.
- Cherokee Casino Resort: Offers extensive resort facilities. This includes the Mandara Spa, multiple shopping outlets like Swarovski, and an indoor pool. The 3,000-seat Event Center hosts major concerts and performances. A 24-lane bowling alley, UltraStar Multi-tainment Center, provides family-friendly entertainment.
- Cherokee Valley River: Functions primarily as a gaming destination. Its amenities are limited to the gaming floor, the food court, and the attached hotel. There are no large-scale entertainment venues, spas, or shopping districts on site.
Accommodations
- Cherokee Casino Resort: Boasts four hotel towers with over 1,800 rooms and suites, offering varied levels of luxury and stunning mountain views.
- Cherokee Valley River: Has one hotel tower with just over 300 rooms, providing comfortable and modern lodging for guests.
Maximizing Your Visit: A Guide to Player Rewards, Promotions, and Comps Available at NC Casinos
Enroll in the Caesars Rewards program immediately upon arrival at either Harrah’s Cherokee establishment or Catawba Two Kings Gaming Center. This single action is the gateway to accumulating Reward Credits (RCs) and Tier Credits (TCs). Provide your government-issued ID at the player’s club desk to receive your card. Insert this card into every slot machine or present it to the dealer at any table game before you begin play. Failure to do so means you earn nothing for your wagers.
Your Tier Score, based on TCs earned, wazamba Casino your status level: Gold (0-4,999 TCs), Platinum (5,000+ TCs), Diamond (15,000+ TCs), and Diamond Plus (25,000+ TCs). Each level unlocks progressively valuable benefits. Platinum status, for instance, grants complimentary self or valet parking and priority lines. Reaching Diamond level provides access to the exclusive Laurel Lounge, offering complimentary food and beverages, and waives resort fees on hotel stays.
Reward Credits are your currency for comps. Accumulate them through gaming, dining, shopping, and hotel stays within the network. The conversion rate is straightforward: 100 RCs equal $1 in value. Redeem these credits directly for meals at restaurants like Brio & Grille or Wicked Weed, for hotel rooms, or for merchandise at on-site retail outlets. You can check your RC and TC balances at any kiosk on the gaming floor or through the Caesars Rewards mobile application.
Monitor the promotions calendar on the establishment’s official website. Look for Tier Credit multiplier events, often held on specific weekdays, where you can earn 5X or 10X the normal TCs for your play, accelerating your climb to a higher status level. Also, identify gift giveaways, which typically require earning a certain number of TCs within a promotional day to receive a specific item, such as electronics or kitchenware. Free play offers are frequently sent via email or direct mail based on your historical play data, so ensure your contact information is current.
When booking your stay, always log into your Caesars Rewards account online. This will display personalized room rates, often significantly lower than public prices, and may include fully comped room offers for mid-week stays, even for lower-tier members. Before checking out, visit the player’s club desk and ask a host to review your play. Based on your gaming activity during the trip, they may be able to apply additional comps to your bill, reducing or eliminating charges for dining and other amenities.
Beyond the Slots: Exploring Dining, Entertainment, and Hotel Options at North Carolina’s Top Casino Destinations
For an upscale dining experience, Brio Tuscan Grille at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River presents classic Italian dishes, with reservations recommended for weekend evenings. Its counterpart, Harrah’s Cherokee, offers Ruth’s Chris Steak House, where a prime ribeye costs approximately $70. For a more casual meal, the Food Court at the Valley River location provides options like Papa John’s and Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs. The main Cherokee establishment features a larger selection, including Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar, known for its Bacon Mac ‘N’ Cheese Burger.
Entertainment at the Cherokee resort is centered around the 3,000-seat Event Center, which regularly hosts musicians like Tim McGraw and comedians such as Jerry Seinfeld. Ticket prices typically range from $50 to over $150, depending on the performer. The Myst Bar, also on-site, offers live regional bands with no cover charge on Fridays and Saturdays. The Valley River location provides a more subdued atmosphere, focusing primarily on the gaming floor itself.
Accommodations at Harrah’s Cherokee include four hotel towers: the Cherokee, the Soco, the Creek, and The Rush. The Rush Tower offers premium, modern rooms with higher-floor views of the Smoky Mountains. Standard room rates fluctuate, starting around $150 on weekdays and exceeding $400 on peak weekends. The Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River hotel is a single tower with 300 rooms, offering a more streamlined and accessible lodging option, with rates generally lower than the main resort. Both locations provide direct, covered access to the gaming areas.
For recreation, the Mandara Spa at the Cherokee location offers services like the 50-minute Balinese Massage. Guests can also access an indoor pool and an outdoor pool deck, the latter being seasonal. The Sequoyah National Golf Club, managed by the resort, is an 18-hole course designed by Robert Trent Jones II. Green fees vary by season and time of day. The Valley River establishment does not have comparable spa or golf facilities.
