Getting Here: 2 hours 55 minutes from Poughkeepsie
Rates: Starting at $133/night
Website: www.turningstone.com
Vibe & Crowd: If you like the smoky, constantly bleeping and flickering vibe of casino gaming floors, you’ll love Turning Stone. If you don’t… you’ll still love Turning Stone. With a massive, multilevel gaming floor surrounded by bright, clean retail, dining, and entertainment options galore, the resort draws visitors of all types, from families, couples, and seniors to European tourists.
Place Your Bets: Turning Stone won 16 Casino Player Magazine Best of Gaming Awards in 2016, and in November debuted Casino Blu, its contemporary, smoker-friendly gaming floor, as part of a $20-million resort upgrade. Expect new, high-limit gaming areas, plus Midi Baccarat, Pai Gow Poker, and Blackjack.
Beyond Gaming: The resort is a golfer’s paradise, complete with three championship courses and two 9-hole courses, as well as an on-premises golf superstore and 40-station indoor driving range. The Atunyote course will ruin you for golfing anywhere else in New York State, with stunning vistas and impeccable conditions on every hole. TS Steakhouse, on the 21st floor of The Tower, offers panoramic views and locally sourced steakhouse fare, plus a penthouse bar and stogies in the smoking parlor. The Gig (rock club), The Turquoise Tiger (cocktail lounge, below), and Lava (nightclub) are just a few of the entertainment possibilities. Or opt for a treatment at the contemporary Skana spa, which honors Native American healing traditions.
Ace the Experience: Book a room at The Lodge for the best of both worlds: private, luxurious suites (with pampering touches like dreamcatchers on your pillow at turndown) connected to all the casino action via the covered Sky Bridge — so you don’t even have to step outside to get your gaming on when it’s freezing or sweltering.
