Gambling Spots
Desert Diamond Casino Hotel
7350 S. Nogales Highway, Tucson
520-294-7777, ddcaz.com

From its roots as a nearly three-decade-old bingo hall to its transformation into a 320,000-square-foot, $90 million hotel and casino that debuted in 2007, this Diamond glitters in its Tohono O’odham Nation setting.

To get your game on, select from more than 170,000 square feet of slots, blackjack, poker (including a non-smoking salon), keno and bingo. When you need a private place to count your winnings, 151 rooms and suites offer spacious retreats, accessed off a two-story circular lobby next to a courtyard with a swimming pool and fire pit, and decorated in a desert palette of sand, ivory and black.

When hunger pangs strike, head to The Steak House for an upscale setting tucked behind private doors and boasting an exhibition kitchen, but with periodic casino-friendly specials like a $9.95 half-pound prime rib.

Or, if you can break away from your winning streak, check out a variety of diversions, such as country singer Kellie Pickler in concert June 2, or Bravo Top Chef Masters host Curtis Stone’s cooking demo June 11.

Rates: Summer rates range from $99 to $350, including continental breakfast. Note, too, that the casino-hotel is a tax-free establishment, which saves more than 12.5 percent over other properties.


BlueWater Resort & Casino
11300 Resort Drive, Parker
928-669-7777, bluewaterfun.com

For a taste of Sin City right here in Arizona, head to this glittery Vegas-caliber resort just south of Lake Havasu City. Its 8,000-square-foot casino, courtesy of the Colorado River Indian Tribes, is enough to lure gambling guests and keep them busy with 475 modern and traditional slots, blackjack, poker and bingo.

But the resort offers plenty of other distractions as well, such as concerts, mini-golf, a three-story water park and beach area, upscale dining at The River Willow, movie theaters, and the Colorado River marina, which nestles up to the property with 164 boat slips and watercraft rentals.

At some point you may even want to head to your bed for some rest, and that’s not a bad thing, since the resort boasts 200 plush rooms, all with a balcony or patio overlooking the majestic river. Suites have outdoor areas big enough to party with 50 friends. And if you’re planning an Ocean’s Eleven getaway, book a marina-level room, which allows guests direct access to their boats or the beach.

Rates: Rates start at $90 per night Monday through Thursday. Marina rooms start at $100 per night Monday through Thursday, and $140 per night Fridays and Saturdays.


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