See a show, dine overlooking Niagara Falls, stay in a luxury hotel and try your luck, too

For many people, the perfect night out or a weekend away includes great food or live entertainment, some shopping or a relaxing spa treatment, along with some fun and excitement. While a restaurant can serve a delicious meal and a shopping mall can offer fashion-forward clothes, a casino resort can deliver it all.

As an entertainment choice, Ontario casinos are right up there among the best. For instance, Casino Rama, in Orillia, Ont., receives about three million visitors per year, from across North America. Customers are drawn to Casino Rama by the 2,500 slot machines – including themed slot titles such as Cleopatra and Wheel of Fortune. The site also has 110 table games, including four-card and five-card stud, Mississippi Mud, pai gow, baccarat and traditional roulette, craps and blackjack.

The gaming floor at Fallsview Casino, in Niagara Falls, Ont., is one of the largest in the world, and its neighbour, Casino Niagara, has a mix of more than 1,800 spinning, video and video poker machines plus two floors of table games. Caesars Windsor, in Windsor, Ont., has 2,300 slots, more than 70 table games on two floors and it is a World Series of Poker satellite property.

“We’ve always got a lot going on,” said Scott Jenkins, director of advertising for Caesars Windsor, the largest casino resort in Canada. “There’s a lot going on from a gaming perspective but also there are so many other options.”

Entertainers galore

For starters, Ontario’s four casino resorts consistently host the top names in show business – comedians and musicians of all genres – in their state-of-the art theatres. The 1,500-seat Avalon theatre at the Fallsview Casino is an incredibly intimate way to see entertainers such as Ringo Starr, Diana Ross and Keith Urban up close and personal. The Coliseum at Caesars Windsor and the Entertainment Centre at Casino Rama boast 5,000 seats each, host comedians such as Russell Peters and Chris Rock, singers like Dolly Parton and KISS, and acts representing rock, country, golden oldies and everything in between. And great comedy can always be found at Yuk Yuk’s at Casino Niagara.

“We present big-name entertainment that isn’t expensive,” said Jenna Hunter, spokeswoman for Casino Rama. “We’re comparable in size to Massey Hall but parking is free and ample, our sound quality is second to none and every seat in the house is a great seat.”

Options for diners

If concert-goers are hungry before or after their show, they’re only steps away from great restaurants of all kinds.

“People love the variety of food here,” Jenkins said of Caesars Windsor. “There’s Neros Steakhouse, which we believe is the best steakhouse in the area, the Market Buffet, Legends Sports Bar and VU Bar, which gives you a phenomenal view of the Detroit skyline.”

Similarly, Casino Rama and Fallsview Casino host numerous different on-site restaurants, with Fallsview’s Club 21, a steak and seafood eatery, boasting breathtaking views of Niagara Falls.

A night of gambling, dining and taking in a concert at a casino resort can cost the same as a night out at a hockey game or a musical show in a big city.

“If you were planning to go out for a night and spend $120 on hockey tickets and $100 on dinner and a couple of drinks, you can have that same experience at the casino, but with more choice,” said Hunter, noting that Casino Rama features 10 dining outlets. “There’s no pressure to gamble, but if you chose to make gambling part of your entertainment choice, slot machines can be played for under $1.”

The amount that people actually spend on games when visiting an Ontario casino varies widely, but the average daily spend for a regular customer at Fallsview Casino is estimated to be between $50 and $75. And every Ontario casino features a Responsible Gaming Resource Centre offering information and resources about gambling, tips on responsible play and ways to get help confidentially.

Beyond the property

There’s also a lot going on outside the casino resorts, for those who choose to spend more than just a few hours away from home. At Casino Rama, guests can visit the front desk to arrange winter ice fishing on Lake Couchiching, mountain biking at Hardwood Ski and Bike, golf games at Taboo Resort on Lake Muskoka or a private cottage rental somewhere nearby.

“We’re always looking for new and fun things to offer,” Hunter said. “There’s always something to do outside the casino.”

In Niagara Falls, that something would naturally be a visit to the Falls, a ride underneath on the Maid of the Mist and an afternoon of wine tasting in nearby Niagara-on-the-Lake. And at Caesars Windsor, visitors can stay and luxuriate in the CAA Four Diamond rated hotel and spa.

There’s something for everyone at Ontario’s casino resorts. Whether you’re a gambler, a diner, a music fan or all of the above, you can learn more by visiting www.olg.ca/slots-casinos.