Well, we wanted some cheap camping in between some very expensive WA state park camping and the Tulallip Casino in Marysville WA seemed like a good choice. We've never casino camped before, we were here just 2 weeks after getting solar installed, and we wanted to test how well everything worked.
Pros: Free, with very quiet overnight parking, sites were marked out with lines/numbers for the RV's, lots of close shopping including the Outlet Mall, restaurant choices galore!!
Cons: Blacktop camping with very close sites
Overall, we enjoyed it and would do it again. Much quieter than Wally World docking and this casino allowed a 7 night stay so we hung around for 5 nights. The close shopping, including an auto parts store was very handy especially when we had a part that needed to be replaced on our truck. We tried a couple of the casino restaurants, since we're not gamblers, seemed like a good way to "thank" them for their hospitality. Didn't want the buffet, but truly enjoyed the Asian restaurant in the casino.
Had enough sunshine / sun breaks (a true Western WA description of the sun in June) that we managed to get through 4 days without once having to run the generator, so no additional purchase of gas.
For us, our bottom line was $65 in restaurant expense for 5 nights of quiet, blacktop camping, close to where we needed to be that week and bonus, got a visit from my Dad and his wife who came to see our "rolling palace" on wheels. They didn't get a chance to see it last summer after we got it home, sold the house and went off on an 11 month journey before returning to our old home base region, so they wanted to see our new home. Since we generally eat out at least once a week, our only additional expense was the second meal out so we are thinking we got 5 nights of RV parking for the price of a $35 meal, not too bad.
One note, we noticed a progressively noisier fireworks "practice" each night as we got closer to the 4th of July. Glad we got out of there before this weekend and the next week leading up to the Independence Day party. We would definitely do this again, but I think we'll try to avoid the 2 weeks before the holiday when the locals start their celebrations early.
Camper Chronicles said
08:50 AM Jun 28, 2014
Very interesting. Our first casino experience was mixed BUT we had to pay for the site. We do like to gamble but found the casino pretty boring and on the expensive side. It was very neat, very safe, and very convenient though. I would like to try it again out west where the camping is free.
rajmoore said
07:55 PM Jun 28, 2014
What exactly is casino camping?
NWescapee said
09:43 PM Jun 28, 2014
Ron - many casinos offer free overnight parking for self-contained units. Some actually have an RV park with amenities. For us those work best for short term stays or an enroute stay, we do not spend extended times at them, but I've talked to some people who love to play the slots and they enjoy being able to park their home on wheels on property and visit the casino whenever they feel like it.
bjoyce said
09:50 PM Jun 28, 2014
Most casinos allow you to dry camp in their parking lot or "camp at the casino", even some with real campgrounds. They expect you to eat and/or gamble while staying. There are ones that do not allow dry camping, from abuse, to keep their real campground occupied (short sighted, but happens) or for local ordinance reasons (some cities in Nevada for example). There are even some casinos that have hookups and allow free stays, I know there are some in Michigan. There are online guides to casino camping.
We like dry camping at casinos since they have a designated area, they allow you to use your jacks and put out your slides. Often if you register, you can stay a while.
TheNewhalls said
10:34 PM Jun 28, 2014
We stayed at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, IA for one night. We enjoyed the experience and would/will do it again. Of course Eileen winning at the slot machines helped a lot. They had both paid full hook-ups for $30 a night and dry camping. We stay in the dry camping area.
Dale & Ruth, How much solar did you get?
NWescapee said
11:41 PM Jun 29, 2014
Gene & Ellen - solar in Western WA can be difficult, Marysville WA is in the "convergence zone" which has some drastic weather changes the rest of the Puget Sound is spared at times. Overall, we didn't have to run our generator more than a few hours in total. We have 945 watts of solar panels with a 2000 watt inverter, 600 AMP of battery and in mid-June got by without having to run the generator much with both of us working full time from the RV which means extra lighting, 2 laptops with a second monitor for one of them, and some ancillary equipment for other work related chores. If we weren't working in the RV during the day with the power consumption needed for work, we would have probably not needed the generator. Hoping that for our stops in July that the sun will finally come out in force and we won't need to even think about the generator!!
TheNewhalls said
07:52 AM Jun 30, 2014
Thanks, we're thinking of adding solar to our motor home. We have a 1,000 watt inverter, but haven't tested it very much. So far we've only dry camped for a couple of days at a time without using our generator. We would like to be able to extend that to about five days.
bjoyce said
09:30 AM Jun 30, 2014
945 watts of solar! That is almost Jack Mayer territory.
BiggarView said
10:38 AM Jun 30, 2014
Geez, I'm getting solar envy
NWescapee said
01:58 PM Jun 30, 2014
LOL, yes, it's a lot of solar, but you have 2 people who are still working full-time and believe me, when we spend a full day in the RV, working and living, even when we try to conserve power, we find we're using a lot of AMP hours from our batteries. I will also say that on some of the cloudy Western WA June days, it took every little sun break and solar power that was trying to come through the clouds to get our batteries totally charged before dark.
However, the expense was a little higher than we budgeted, might be spending more time Casino camping and in Quartzsite the second half of this year than we originally planned. Have to recoup some of the expense But for us, it's truly about being able to work and carry on our normal activities without having to think about starting the generator 3 times a day. And, on the days when Dale has errands to run or an art show to set up and he takes the truck (with the generator in it) away from the RV, I can still work and not have to worry about my battery life on the laptop, cell phone, use the second monitor, etc.
FastEagle said
05:30 AM Jul 4, 2014
What you might find at a lot of Indian casinos.
At the Mohawk Indian Casino in up-state NY, near Massena, there is a large section of double parking spots large enough for big rigs. After entering the casino I asked a member of the management staff about parking and was told casino guests were welcome to park there at no cost and the whole area is well light and security patrols the area 24/7. Great little casino out in the middle of nowhere. Very good buffet. All first time customers get $15 with a players card application.
Gene & Ellen - solar in Western WA can be difficult, Marysville WA is in the "convergence zone" which has some drastic weather changes the rest of the Puget Sound is spared at times. Overall, we didn't have to run our generator more than a few hours in total. We have 945 watts of solar panels with a 2000 watt inverter, 600 AMP of battery and in mid-June got by without having to run the generator much with both of us working full time from the RV which means extra lighting, 2 laptops with a second monitor for one of them, and some ancillary equipment for other work related chores. If we weren't working in the RV during the day with the power consumption needed for work, we would have probably not needed the generator. Hoping that for our stops in July that the sun will finally come out in force and we won't need to even think about the generator!!
Wow, that's one heck of a solar system. If you don't mind my asking, what would something like that set a fellow back both weight and cost wise? Let me guess and you can tell me if I'm close: 750 lbs and about $5,000?
Well, we wanted some cheap camping in between some very expensive WA state park camping and the Tulallip Casino in Marysville WA seemed like a good choice. We've never casino camped before, we were here just 2 weeks after getting solar installed, and we wanted to test how well everything worked.
Pros: Free, with very quiet overnight parking, sites were marked out with lines/numbers for the RV's, lots of close shopping including the Outlet Mall, restaurant choices galore!!
Cons: Blacktop camping with very close sites
Overall, we enjoyed it and would do it again. Much quieter than Wally World docking and this casino allowed a 7 night stay so we hung around for 5 nights. The close shopping, including an auto parts store was very handy especially when we had a part that needed to be replaced on our truck. We tried a couple of the casino restaurants, since we're not gamblers, seemed like a good way to "thank" them for their hospitality. Didn't want the buffet, but truly enjoyed the Asian restaurant in the casino.
Had enough sunshine / sun breaks (a true Western WA description of the sun in June) that we managed to get through 4 days without once having to run the generator, so no additional purchase of gas.
For us, our bottom line was $65 in restaurant expense for 5 nights of quiet, blacktop camping, close to where we needed to be that week and bonus, got a visit from my Dad and his wife who came to see our "rolling palace" on wheels. They didn't get a chance to see it last summer after we got it home, sold the house and went off on an 11 month journey before returning to our old home base region, so they wanted to see our new home. Since we generally eat out at least once a week, our only additional expense was the second meal out so we are thinking we got 5 nights of RV parking for the price of a $35 meal, not too bad.
One note, we noticed a progressively noisier fireworks "practice" each night as we got closer to the 4th of July. Glad we got out of there before this weekend and the next week leading up to the Independence Day party. We would definitely do this again, but I think we'll try to avoid the 2 weeks before the holiday when the locals start their celebrations early.
We like dry camping at casinos since they have a designated area, they allow you to use your jacks and put out your slides. Often if you register, you can stay a while.
We stayed at the Horseshoe Casino in Council Bluffs, IA for one night. We enjoyed the experience and would/will do it again. Of course Eileen winning at the slot machines helped a lot. They had both paid full hook-ups for $30 a night and dry camping. We stay in the dry camping area.
Dale & Ruth, How much solar did you get?
Thanks, we're thinking of adding solar to our motor home. We have a 1,000 watt inverter, but haven't tested it very much. So far we've only dry camped for a couple of days at a time without using our generator. We would like to be able to extend that to about five days.
Geez, I'm getting solar envy
LOL, yes, it's a lot of solar, but you have 2 people who are still working full-time and believe me, when we spend a full day in the RV, working and living, even when we try to conserve power, we find we're using a lot of AMP hours from our batteries. I will also say that on some of the cloudy Western WA June days, it took every little sun break and solar power that was trying to come through the clouds to get our batteries totally charged before dark.
However, the expense was a little higher than we budgeted, might be spending more time Casino camping and in Quartzsite the second half of this year than we originally planned. Have to recoup some of the expense
But for us, it's truly about being able to work and carry on our normal activities without having to think about starting the generator 3 times a day. And, on the days when Dale has errands to run or an art show to set up and he takes the truck (with the generator in it) away from the RV, I can still work and not have to worry about my battery life on the laptop, cell phone, use the second monitor, etc.
At the Mohawk Indian Casino in up-state NY, near Massena, there is a large section of double parking spots large enough for big rigs. After entering the casino I asked a member of the management staff about parking and was told casino guests were welcome to park there at no cost and the whole area is well light and security patrols the area 24/7. Great little casino out in the middle of nowhere. Very good buffet. All first time customers get $15 with a players card application.
www.mohawkcasino.com/
www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php
www.irv2.com/photopost/showfull.php
FastEagle
Wow, that's one heck of a solar system. If you don't mind my asking, what would something like that set a fellow back both weight and cost wise? Let me guess and you can tell me if I'm close: 750 lbs and about $5,000?