Best Poker Bay Area

I travel a lot and I play a lot of poker. One of my favorite treats is to combine the two by going on a poker vacation. Over the past few years I’ve been to dozens of places where I’ve combined poker play and vacationing. I’ve also done a bit of research on the top places that I haven’t yet gotten around to visiting. I’d like to share my experiences and thoughts on these places – and on what makes a great poker vacation.

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From my perspective, a great poker vacation combines great poker with a location that is also worthy of a visit. Great poker itself is a combination of different factors including variety of game, variety of stakes, good poker room management, a reasonable rake, good food, a convenient location, reasonable hotel rates, and lots of loose, easy action. That being said, as this list of 10 poker destinations reveals, some places are more worthy because of some qualities than others.

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Here is my list of the top 10 poker vacation destinations:

#1 Las Vegas

This is my number one poker vacation spot. How could it not be? It has, without question, the world’s largest number and densest concentration of poker rooms. In the Greater Las Vegas area, there are currently 58 poker rooms. On any given day you can find between 50 and 100 tournaments – from $15 to $25 low limit events in places like Poker Palace in North Las Vegas and Joker’s Wild and Sam’s Town on the Boulder Highway, to $300 to $600 events at the Bellagio, The Wynn, and the Venetian. And there are mid-limit events costing $60 to $200 at the Orleans, The Golden Nugget, the Station casinos, and just about every other poker room in town.

Las Vegas is also home to the lowest hotel rates (I just stayed in Las Vegas for the low, low rate of $8.50 a night), the largest variety of restaurants (especially Mexican and Asian restaurants), not to mention all of the shows, concerts, and night clubs. For those who enjoy the outdoors there are also scenic hiking and biking trails in the mountains and in the desert, as well as water sports and fishing. And as my poker buddy Andrei regularly reminds me, there are some of the greatest golf courses in the world in Las Vegas.

Transportation to, from, and within Las Vegas is very inexpensive – with frequent discounted flights to the city and then the cheapest rental car rates around. All in all, if you don’t mind the distraction of 24/7 gambling action and entertainment, there is absolutely no better place in the world for a poker vacation. (And I didn’t even talk about day trips to poker destinations Mesquite to the northeast and Laughlin to the south).

#2 Southern California

I define this area as Los Angeles and its suburbs all the way down to San Diego and its suburbs. It encompasses an area that is about three hours north to south and an hour and half east to west (without traffic). All totaled, there are 26 poker rooms in that area, including some of the largest poker rooms in the world

Southern California (SoCal as it is called colloquially) is surpassed, in my opinion, only by Las Vegas as a destination for a poker vacation. While it loses points somewhat in the poker room diversity column, it still has the second largest number of poker rooms of any area in the world. And these poker rooms, unlike many of the tiny rooms in Las Vegas, are often cavernous – with 100 or more tables. There are also frequent major tournaments as well as many daily tournaments in SoCal rooms. When you combine all of this with the largest concentration of recreational poker players in the world, you have the juiciest, most action packed poker games on the planet. What’s not to love?

Southern California has a huge amount to offer away from the felt as well. While LA is not quite the 24 hour city that Las Vegas or New York are, it is an area loaded with night life, outdoor recreation, scenic beauty, and enormous cultural diversity. Think Hollywood, Santa Monica, Venice Beach, and Beverly Hills. LA and its surrounding environs have long been tourist and business destinations in their own right. Unlike Las Vegas, if any in your vacation group are non-gamblers, they can have the vacation of their dreams as well – even if you the addicted poker player are locked into constant poker action for the duration of the trip.

Transportation to and within SoCal is also very convenient, with inexpensive rental cars and flights. Hotel and motel rentals are surely more expensive than they are in Las Vegas. But given the huge number of rooms in the area, the careful traveler can still find reasonably priced ones.

All in all, SoCal is right at the top of any list of ideal poker vacation destinations.

#3 Southeastern Connecticut

At first glance you might leave this area off your top list of great poker destinations. There are, after all, only two poker rooms in the entire area. That’s a big comedown from Las Vegas, SoCal, or any of the top ten poker destinations for that matter. Even so, I include it in my top three list because of the wealth of poker games in these two Connecticut rooms. Between them, there are more poker games, at more limits, with more action that at any of the other poker rooms (with the exception of LA and Las Vegas). And with the extraordinary number and variety of other activities available within these two mega-casinos, they rise to the top of my poker vacation list.

Foxwoods, in Ledyard, CT, is the larger of the two casinos and poker rooms – with 98 poker tables downstairs and a new tournament area of 65 poker tables upstairs. It is an incredible room, superior in number and variety of games to just about any poker room in the world – rivaling even the mighty Commerce Casino in Los Angeles. It’s located in a huge, full-service casino, with regular shows, concerts, athletic competitions, movies, high-end shopping, and of course the full range of casino games like slots, craps, blackjack, baccarat, pai gow, sic bo, and roulette. It also has three full service hotels on the premises – with beautiful spas, gyms, pools, saunas, an entertainment center for kids, and the like. There are fifteen restaurants for guests and visitors, not to mention the buffet, two night clubs, snack bars, and the café inside the poker room. Foxwoods even has two golf courses (yep, poker and golf again!). It’s truly a destination casino resort – with more square footage, gaming, and bells and whistles than any casino in the world.

Mohegan Sun is a similarly spectacular, though smaller and somewhat better organized and more coherent version of Foxwoods. Many prefer it, with their top name restaurants and better coordinated floor plan. The poker is excellent too, though not nearly as large or as diverse at Foxwoods. Even so, it provides a nice change of pace, as well as a series of daily tournaments to compliment the full schedule of poker tournaments at Foxwoods

To be sure, the southeastern area does not have nearly as much to offer to the vacationer as SoCal or Las Vegas. There is the seaside town of Mystic, with a museum and shops about 30 miles away. There’s the natural beauty of the Connecticut woods – with hiking trails and nearby fishing. The revitalized and vibrant city of Providence is 50 minutes away; Boston is 90 minutes and Manhattan is two hours. But if you’re coming to Foxwoods or Mohegan Sun to play poker, it’s the attractions of Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun that you’ll get. Fortunately, for me and nearly all who make the trip, what the casinos offer is more than enough to make a poker vacation here spectacular.

#4 Atlantic City

This has been described aptly as the Las Vegas of the East. It surely fits the bill to the extent that there is a very densely packed group of poker rooms to choose from. Though not as large and diverse as Las Vegas, the poker is still fantastic and varied. There’s the Borgata – perhaps the most luxurious poker room of them all. For big action, great tournaments, and the best stud action outside of Foxwoods there’s the Taj Majal, and then there are another eight rooms to round out the action. For your family members who don’t like gambling, there’s a great boardwalk for shopping and strolling, and of course you’re right on one of the most spectacular beaches in the world. The best source of information for poker in Atlantic City, NJ is ‘Poker in AC‘.

#5 Northern California

Though not quite as spectacular as the poker in and around the LA/SD area in the south, the poker in Northern California is nothing to sneeze at either. With a diverse group of 20 or so rooms to choose from (new ones open and old ones close regularly so it’s tough to give an accurate count), there’s almost as much variety as anywhere on earth. Lead by great rooms like Artichoke Joe’s in San Bruno, The Oaks in Emeryville, Lucky Chances just south of San Francisco in Colma, Bay 101 and Garden City Casino in San Jose, there’s great poker within an hour or so of San Francisco – one of the most beautiful tourist destinations in the United States.

#6 Florida

There are now some 30 poker rooms in the state, clustered up and down the east and west coast, especially around the major metropolitan areas. There are even a few rooms thrown in to the panhandle and interior for good measure (though none yet in or near Orlando). Check out Ante Up Magazine for a complete list of places. They’ve just raised the cap on the no limit games – so there’s a plethora of great poker everywhere – with serious action spurred on by pent up demand for big games. And what’s not to like about all of the other vacation options in this the sunshine state – with beautiful beaches, great weather, and great restaurants in and around the major cities.

#7 Mississippi

Mississippi started to catch poker fever back in the late ‘90s, when they legalized “Riverboat” gambling in the state. It allowed full scale casino gambling to develop on the Mississippi and in the gulf. Tunica in the north and Gulfport/Biloxi in the South were the principal beneficiaries of this change in the law – with Vicksburg and Philadelphia also getting in on the casino action. Today, Tunica is a mini-Las Vegas, with five active poker rooms within a few miles of each other. The Gulfport/Biloxi area isn’t too shabby either – with four poker rooms to choose from. There are decent big city things to do near both of these destinations: Memphis is less than an hour away from Tunica; New Orleans is less than an hour away from Gulfport/Biloxi. I made a week’s vacation out of a trip that started in Tunica, went south to the Civil War site of Vicksburg through some wonderfully interesting small southern cities, then across to historic Philadelphia, then down to Biloxi and Gulfport on the Gulf of Mexico. I played poker all along the way. I’d recommend it or even something less ambitious to anyone who likes poker, American history, and scenic beauty.

#8 Oklahoma

This might not be on most folk’s list of great destinations for poker. But that’s just because they haven’t kept up with the times. Oklahoma has been going poker crazy for a few years. Though the numbers change as new poker rooms open and old ones close, at last count there were 25 rooms in the state – including huge ones like the Hard Rock outside of Tulsa and the Winstar down by the Texas border. I’ve played in 11 of these on a trip a couple of years back, and the landscape has become even more crowded with rooms since then. Keep in mind that the chief industries of Oklahoma, oil and farming, are each historically gambling games. Oklahoma is also a decent place to visit even without the casinos, as I discovered during my poker-playing trip a couple of years back – with great restaurants and museums in both Tulsa and Oklahoma City. The Poker Atlas will help you find your way around the rooms in the state.

#9 Seattle, Washington

Seattle is a beautiful city with plenty of places to visit and enjoy – from nearby islands, to downtown markets, great museums, excellent shopping, and of course incredible coffee. What some don’t know is that there is also a great mix of poker rooms surrounding the city. Some date back to the middle part of the last century, when Washington was one of only three places with legal poker. Now, one can find relatively small poker rooms all across the state of Washington, with twenty or so grouped around the Seattle metropolitan area. Stakes tend to be relatively low (I couldn’t find any games bigger than $10/20 when I was there – but that was a while ago), but there’s regular $200+ tournament action in a few rooms.

#10 New Hampshire

New Hampshire is a great place for tournament poker. (They have cash games, but at 10% up to a $7 max – and with only low limit stakes – I wouldn’t recommend them). Consisting of ten rooms, primarily in the southern third of the state, New Hampshire spreads no limit hold’em tournaments sufficient to satisfy anyone who likes all but the biggest games. Ranging in stakes from small one table affairs that range from $40 to $120, up to huge mega-stacks that have hundreds of contestants for $200 or so, with prize pools reaching upwards of $50,000, New Hampshire also has a large percentage of amateurs. The rake generally isn’t bad at all – about the same as the lower-staked casino tournaments (15-25%). The two biggest places, Seabrook and Rockingham, are located right next to the Massachusetts border, making driving from Boston’s Logan airport, very easy. The other rooms, smaller to be sure, are scattered across the state, making for a great one-week vacation of driving through the scenic beauty of New Hampshire, from one room to the other – sampling lovely bed and breakfasts, motels, restaurants, and the like, along the way.

Honorable mention

There are many other great places to play poker while on vacation. They didn’t make my top ten list, but for reasons of geography, cost, or curiosity they may be perfect for you. Here are some places with good poker and good vacation potential, listed in no especial order.

Pennsylvania – They just opened up poker rooms around Pittsburgh and Philadelphia. There’s nothing like new rooms for great easy action.

West Virginia – Three rooms just west of Pittsburgh and then south to Charleston. Beautiful country. Let’s hope that the nearby action in Pennsylvania doesn’t destroy these great rooms.

Arizona – Large number of rooms around Phoenix and Tucson. Great for a golf-poker twofer. And if you like visiting spring training games – what could be nicer?

New Mexico – Between and around Santa Fe and Albuquerque there are nine rooms with low limit action and tournaments. The high desert is a site to behold. And the poker ain’t too shabby either.

Minnesota – There’s the large Canterbury Park and a few other rooms in the greater Twin Cities area, and then half a dozen other rooms sprinkled about the state. If you like fishing, as I do, a great vacation could have you travelling to a lake for walleye fishing in the day, and poker at night…

Louisville, KY – Louisville is a great city in its own right – with museums, restaurant, nightlife, and the scenic beauty of the mighty Ohio running through it. Right across the river in Indiana is one of the best Midwest casinos, Caesar’s Indiana. And if you want some adventure you can head up the river to the northeast toward Cincinnati or into the interior of Indiana for some other poker room action.

Denver – A mile high and lots of small games nearby. I wouldn’t go just for the low limit action, but if you’re going to be in Denver, don’t forget that there’s some good poker nearby.

Outside the US – There’s surely great poker in countries other than the US. I haven’t listed them here because they’ll be the subject of another article. But if you can’t wait, you can start doing your own research on the following places that I can at least briefly recommend: Canada, Costa Rica, United Kingdom, Austria, France, Aruba, Sweden, and Germany.

By Ashley Adams

Ashley Adams lives in Boston, Massachusetts and has been playing poker for decades. He is the author of two poker books and his specialty is 7-card stud and no-limit hold'em.

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California is a state with a mixed gambling history. These days, it technically allows all types of gambling in one form or another. However, the specifics of where and how you can enjoy these activities are heavily dependent on location and regulations. For instance, casino games are only legal at Indian casinos rather than resorts on state land.

Below we will break down the types of gambling you can enjoy in Northern California.

Northern California Indian Casinos

Tribal casinos are currently legal in California thanks to laws between the state and federal government and the Indian tribes who maintain various territorial pockets throughout the state. At the time of writing, 63 tribal casinos operate in California. Combined, they produce over $8 billion in revenue every year.

Legality And Revenue

Indian casinos do not follow the same gambling regulations that other gambling sites do within the state. Because of this, resort-goers can find most major gambling activities within these resorts, including blackjack, poker, electronic games, slot machines, lottery games, bingo, and more. Gambling activities are either regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission or state authorities.

Because tribal casinos drawing so much revenue, casinos often feature distinct themes or special attractions or resorts. Northern California Indian casinos are largely positioned around Sacramento or the Bay Area, although a few stretch a little farther north. Most of these resorts may have themes revolving around wine country or the NorCal wilderness and mountains.

Be advised that you need to be 21-years-old to enter most of the top Northern California tribal casinos. This is despite the fact that the legal gambling age is 18-years-old. Many casinos require you to be 21-years-old since they serve alcohol on their premises.

Northern California tribal casinos don’t currently allow sports betting, but may bring in brick-and-mortar sports betting over the next few years.

Where To Play

Some of the best Northern California tribal casinos include:

Thunder Valley Casino Resort

This casino is just outside Sacramento and is one of the largest resorts in the entire state, featuring over 145,000 ft.². It offers 2,000 slot machines and over 100 gaming tables plus options for bingo and live poker. It’s 17-story tower hotel contains 297 rooms as well as a fine selection of excellent restaurants and other amenities. The casino is open 24 hours daily.

Table Mountain Casino

This casino is located north of Fresno. It’s actually due for a renovation, as it was built in 1987. It’s going to be replaced by a larger casino and hotel over the next few years. At the moment, it offers over 2,000 gaming machines, 10 poker tables, and a plethora of other table game opportunities.

Tachi Palace Casino Resort

This resort draws customers from all across the state, thanks to its expansive space and 45,000 square-foot concert venue. As a result, it’s a frequent location for entertainment tours and activities beyond regular gambling experiences. It also offers over 2,000 slot machines and a seven-table poker room. Other features include a 255-room hotel and spa along with nine restaurants for a variety of dining opportunities.

Northern California Card Rooms

California offers some of the best card rooms in the entire country. California card rooms are legal because they have players bet against one another instead of the house. The card rooms themselves make their profit by charging players small fees to enter games. Dealers rotate with every hand.

Games Available

Most California card rooms include staple poker varieties like Texas Hold’Em and Seven-Card Stud, although you can also find additional games depending on the location. Additionally, most California card rooms offer “Cal Games”, which are card games with rules tweaked to ensure their legality under California legislation. Cal Games include Blackjack, Pai Gow, Chinese Poker, and more.

Many of the best California card rooms also offer tons of poker tournaments for both beginners and experts. This draws plenty of traffic, especially at more popular card rooms. Tournament buy-ins and pools can range from the tens of dollars up to the hundreds or thousands of dollars.

All players need to be 18-years-old to legally gamble in a California card room.

Where To Play

There are 66 card rooms currently operating in California. Here are some of the best you can find in Northern California:

Bay 101

Bay 101 is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in San Jose, CA. They’re a great choice thanks to their proximity to the San Jose airport, making them a prime stopover destination for travelers who get a poker itch. They offer a variety of poker games and tournaments, and frequently draw experienced crowds to offer moderate to high-skill poker action.

California Grand Casino

This casino is actually the oldest continually operating poker room in the world, as it’s been offering poker since 1854. It served as stagecoach and Pony Express stop before becoming an explicit casino. Weekly tournaments and Cal Games are included, like blackjack, pai gow, and three-card poker for even more variety. The casino was moved into a new and modern building in 2009, so it offers fresh amenities and plenty of creature comforts.

Capitol Casino

This casino is a relatively simplistic entertainment venue without a lot of bells and whistles, but they offer plenty of excellent poker action. They also offer excellent restaurant and bar options, so it’s a good place for general entertainment and enjoyment. They draw crowds from all over the Sacramento area and offer daily and weekly tournaments.

Northern California Race Tracks

Horse racing is one of the few types of wagering fully legal in California at in-person locations and online horse racing apps. Horse racing was legalized in 1933 using a pari-mutuel model. In short, this meant that bettors wager against each other while the horse track facilities take a small cut of the overall pool in order to make a profit.

Most Northern and Southern California horse racing tracks emphasize thoroughbred races, although you can find Quarter Horse races at a few select tracks. There used to be many more tracks in general, but the overall decline in attendance and several other factors have resulted in only a few major California horse tracks remaining open today.

Those who enjoy horse racing can make straight and exotic bets depending on a track’s offerings. You’ll also be able to find 27 satellite locations that offer off-track horse race betting if you don’t want to use a mobile app. There’s only one really excellent Northern California horse racing track compared to the three you can find in the southern half of the state:

Golden Gate Fields Race Track

This 140-acre horse racing track is located in Berkeley, right next to the San Francisco Bay. As a result, attendees benefit from expansive views of the local Bay Area and generally pleasant weather all year round. It’s also the only major thoroughbred racetrack in Northern California.

Golden Gate Fields features a one-mile synthetic track and a turf course that measures 9/10 of a mile. It can fit thousands of customers and features on-site parking for visitor convenience. Horse racing enthusiasts will enjoy several graded events that are held every year, including the Berkeley Handicap, San Francisco Mile Stakes, and California Derby.

Admission is always free for children. There are plenty of comfortable facilities for both regular attendees and for those who are part of various clubs. Guests are even able to meet jockeys and see horses at the paddocks. The location is convenient since there are tons of hotels and dining options fairly nearby.

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Northern California Gambling FAQ

As with Southern California, it depends on the activity in question. Gambling in general is legal only for those 18-years-old or older. However, you have to be 21-years-old to enter some Indian casinos because of alcohol restrictions.

This is largely because of the higher concentration of large metropolitan areas in the southern half of the state. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego have naturally drawn more gambling locations over time.

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No. State authorities and the National Indian Gaming Commission are responsible for regulating all gambling institutions in California. They hold all institutions to the same standards.

No. Sports betting is technically illegal. However, new legislation may allow Indian casinos to bring brick-and-mortar sports betting to their casinos.

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For the purpose of this article, we define Northern California as anything north of Fresno. Big metropolitan areas in Northern California include the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.