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Lucky Landings: 12 Chances To Win
by Carrie Miner
 From the California coast to the Mississippi delta, from the Nevada desert to the New Jersey cape, glittering gaming destinations prove you don’t have to be a member of the jet set to sample their decadent delights.
Today’s destinations cater to much more than vice. In addition to games of chance and theatrical shows, today’s top gaming spots feature outstanding restaurants, luxurious hotel accommodations, as well as golf and spa treatments to sooth tired muscles after a night at the tables.Just a short flight away from anywhere, aviators can sample everything from the world-renowned casinos and resorts in Las Vegas or Atlantic City to the lesser-known destinations along the Mississippi River and in the country’s Indian nations.
With so many to choose from, it’s hard to pin down the best of the best. But here are a few of our favorites places where you’ll find fair skies and lucky landings.
 Phoenix, AZ
Known for its spectacular scenery, rich history and diverse cultures, Arizona tops the charts as one of the hottest tourist destinations in the country.
Home to 21 federally recognized native American tribes—which together own more than a quarter of Arizona’s land—the tribes have been steadily increasing the land’s value by opening casinos throughout the state. But you don’t have to travel to the far reaches of Arizona to sample these spirited resorts.
Just 11 miles south of Sky Harbor Airport [PHX] in Phoenix, Wild Horse Pass Casino (800.946.4452; www.wingilariver.com/wildhorsepass.php) offers a relaxed approach to gaming with 750 slot machines, poker, blackjack, keno and bingo. This destination resort, located in the traditional homelands of the Pima and Maricopa tribes, features lodging at the four-star Sheraton Wild Horse Pass Resort, two 18-hole Troon-managed golf courses and the 17,500-square-foot Aji Spa. Scenic boat rides, cascading waterfalls and gleaming pools transform this desert destination into an oasis. Best of all, after you’ve collected your winnings at the tables, you can immerse yourself in the Native experience with indigenous foods at the Kai restaurant or trail rides through the desert with an Indian guide.
 San Diego, CA
A bit further west, the Barona Band of Mission Indians followed the seasonal cycle of the land for hundreds of years, before being placed on the Capitan Grande Reservation in 1891 by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
In 1932, the tribe was forced to move again and finally settled on a 7,000-acre working cattle ranch in the California foothills just 30 minutes outside of modern San Diego. Fifty years later, this determined band of Native Americans won a court ruling to open the first Indian bingo hall in California.
Today, Barona Valley Ranch Resort & Casino (619.443.2300; 888.7.BARONA; www.barona.com) is one of the largest Native American casinos in the country and is certified as having the loosest slots in San Diego and the best high stakes blackjack in California.
The 310,000-square-foot casino features 2,000 slot machines, 59 gaming tables, a poker room, off-track betting parlor, a bingo hall and several dining options. Easily accessed from Gillespie Field [SEE], this sprawling ranch-styled resort is also home to the Barona Creek Golf Club – a “Top 10 New Course in America” by Golf Magazine in 2001.
 Las Vegas, NV
Las Vegas’ fortune has revolved around Lady Luck since Nevada legalized gambling in 1931. More than 35 million people visit the Glittering Gulch each year, taking advantage
of the laws permitting a wide variety of games of chance including traditional card and dice games, race and sports books, slot machines and international games originating in Europe and Asia.
Of the myriad resort casinos in Las Vegas, the Bellagio (702.693.7111; 888.987.6667; www.bellagio.com) embodies the best of the best as one of the most opulent, high-end resorts in the world. Located on the southwest corner of the Las Vegas Strip and Flamingo Road, the Bellagio is only a few miles from the North Las Vegas (VGT), but can also be reached from our favorite runway, Henderson Executive field (HND).
Modeled after northern Italy’s village of Bellagio on the shores of Lake Como, this 36-story luxury resort features seven fine-dining restaurants, the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens, the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, a spa and salon, performances by Cirque du Soleil, luxury stores and the resort’s famous choreographed musical fountains. With a final price tag of $1.8 billion, this spectacular hotel and casino is one of the most magnificent and expensive ever built.
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