Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I am going to be driving from Atlanta to Las Vegas in the near future. Instead of driving 10-14 hours a day and staying in flea bag hotels, etc. I was thinking I could hop from poker room to poker room and "play" my way across the country. I know that Tunica is a nice 7 hour drive from my house. So starting in Tunica going to Las Vegas, what Poker rooms would you hit up that are 6-8 hour drives apart, give or take.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Why would you want to do this? I think it would be easier/cheaper to fly to vegas and play all the poker you want.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Why would you want to do this? I think it would be easier/cheaper to fly to vegas and play all the poker you want.

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perhaps he's staying on the west coast for an extended period of time.

this doesn't sound like he just wants to go play poker in vegas.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

FWIW I did more or less the same last fall, going on an extended road trip from Boston to California and back. In my case the motive was to visit friends and other contacts along the way; playing certainly played a big part in my routing, but it wasn't the only thing i did.

I don't know what i can say/do to help you, but here's a rough itinerary for you off the top of my head:

NORTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
St. Louis
Kansas City

[Option 1: Harrah's Praire Band, near Topeka, KS]

[Option 2: Council Bluffs, IA (Omaha)
Now you've got a bit of a gap without getting outrageously north
Deadwood, SD]

Colorado
Vegas

SOUTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
Shreveport
Oklahoma (several new ones)
little bit of a gap
Albuquerque (Sandia is quite nice)
Vegas

Keep us posted! Maybe blog from the road or something?

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Why would you want to do this? I think it would be easier/cheaper to fly to vegas and play all the poker you want.

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Can't see the fun in taking a road trip, seeing new places, meeting new people? So sad.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Instead of driving 10-14 hours a day and staying in flea bag hotels, etc. I was thinking I could hop from poker room to poker room and "play" my way across the country.

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If your goal is to not stay in flea bag hotels, I don't think staying at casinos is the logical alternative. Why not just stay in nice hotels? If you plan on hitting a casino every night, you're going to be adding a lot of extra time to your trip. Despite their ubiquity, it's not like there is one off every interstate. You're going to be tacking a lot of time onto your driving to get to some of these places.

Not to be too critical, but I'm just questioning your logic. It sounds like you do not want to stay at cheap hotels, and your conclusion is that to avoid doing this you should stay at casinos and play poker. I don't really see the link there.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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[ QUOTE ]

Why would you want to do this? I think it would be easier/cheaper to fly to vegas and play all the poker you want.

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Can't see the fun in taking a road trip, seeing new places, meeting new people? So sad.

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None of this was reflected in the original post. That's why I asked.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

If you are going to stop in LV, might as well stop in Phoenix as it is about 6-7 hours drive from LV. Casino Arizona is the main room here with tons of tables and games spread except NL.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Oklahoma (several new ones)
little bit of a gap
Albuquerque (Sandia is quite nice)


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I think you need to decid in Oklahoma whether to head for NM or CO. The disadvantage to CO is that you're stuck going through Utah, where you wont find action, whereas if you go through NM/AZ, you can play when you cross into Southern NV.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Dang, you might as well have asked your parents, with some of these answers. Sounds cool to me, go for it.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

[ QUOTE ]
FWIW I did more or less the same last fall, going on an extended road trip from Boston to California

NORTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
St. Louis
Kansas City

[Option 1: Harrah's Praire Band, near Topeka, KS]

[/ QUOTE ]

I did this exact same thing driving from Chicago down to LA after graduation. Poker via No Limit only...Here was my route:

Chicago - played NL in the East Chicago boats
St Louis - Ameristar + Harrah's made for real good action
Kansas City - Isle of Capri and Harrahs in one day
ALL THE WAY TO VEGAS from KC...

South route might be better, Arizona has lots...

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I want to do this because I am moving to vegas for an extended period of time (a few years or until I go broke and have to get a real job), so I will need to take my car with me... hence driving instead of flying.

From door to door it is about a 30 hour drive. I could hop on the interstate and drive 10-15 hours a day and make it in about 3 days, stopping at whatever hotel I find when I am tired. However, adding an extra 5-6 hours in exchange for a few days of poker in different poker rooms, and adding a little income along the way.... seems to be a lot more interesting of a trip. I don't have a specific timeline I have meet... so I might as well enjoy my trip.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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I want to do this because I am moving to vegas for an extended period of time (a few years or until I go broke and have to get a real job), so I will need to take my car with me... hence driving instead of flying.

From door to door it is about a 30 hour drive. I could hop on the interstate and drive 10-15 hours a day and make it in about 3 days, stopping at whatever hotel I find when I am tired. However, adding an extra 5-6 hours in exchange for a few days of poker in different poker rooms, and adding a little income along the way.... seems to be a lot more interesting of a trip. I don't have a specific timeline I have meet... so I might as well enjoy my trip.

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Go hobo style, your backseat is your hotel, jsut doesn't come with en-suite bathroom.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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I want to do this because I am moving to vegas for an extended period of time (a few years or until I go broke and have to get a real job),

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Now I'm even more confused. If you are going to LIVE in the mecca of poker, why do you need to stop along the way to play poker? This is like me going out of my way to stop at every McDonald's and Taco Bell on my way to a fantastic buffet where I plan on stuffing my face.

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and adding a little income along the way....

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I don't suppose you've entertained the thought that you are probably more likely to LOSE money along the way playing poker than you are to win?

Whatever the case, I wish you a good trip, sir. Colorado is nice.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

If you come through the south, then Sandia in Albuquerque has some great games. Plus they are opening the hotel up on 1 Dec. Suppose to be very nice

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

The reason for stopping along the way instead of going directly to the Meca of Poker by the quickest possible route is simply for entertainment value. I enjoy new places, new people, new casinos, new games, etc... so if I am driving by them I might as well stop and see something new.

As for losing money instead of winning. That could happen no matter where I was playing, but I win more often than I lose... so it is +EV to stop and play poker instead of driving [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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The reason for stopping along the way instead of going directly to the Meca of Poker by the quickest possible route is simply for entertainment value. I enjoy new places, new people, new casinos, new games, etc... so if I am driving by them I might as well stop and see something new.

As for losing money instead of winning. That could happen no matter where I was playing, but I win more often than I lose... so it is +EV to stop and play poker instead of driving [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

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I like your style pipster, you sound a like lot me. When I got to Vegas the week after I graduated I got stupid, I drank a lot with friends and pissed a lot of poker money away by playing -EV games which I now have not played since.

Stick to poker, play well and be disciplined.

I myself am thinking of moving to vegas come March next year...good luck with everything.

-surf

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

[ QUOTE ]


NORTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
St. Louis
Kansas City

[Option 1: Harrah's Praire Band, near Topeka, KS]

[Option 2: Council Bluffs, IA (Omaha)
Now you've got a bit of a gap without getting outrageously north
Deadwood, SD]

Colorado
Vegas

SOUTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
Shreveport
Oklahoma (several new ones)
little bit of a gap
Albuquerque (Sandia is quite nice)
Vegas


[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds like my kind of trip! I've visited all 50 states, mostly due to work, and have recently started to try to play poker in as many as possible... I would also propose a far northern route:

Gary (Chicago) -- several
Minneapolis - Canterbury
North Dakota - Deadwood
Montana's dealers choice bar room games (really unique experience)
Jackpot, NV (has poker? this is the ID/NV border)
Mesquite, NV (Utah/NV border)

On the southern route, you should also consider
Shreveport, LA - a couple
Phoenix, AZ (huge rooms)
even Tucson has a small room.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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[ QUOTE ]


NORTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
St. Louis
Kansas City

[Option 1: Harrah's Praire Band, near Topeka, KS]

[Option 2: Council Bluffs, IA (Omaha)
Now you've got a bit of a gap without getting outrageously north
Deadwood, SD]

Colorado
Vegas

SOUTHERN ROUTE
Tunica
Shreveport
Oklahoma (several new ones)
little bit of a gap
Albuquerque (Sandia is quite nice)
Vegas


[/ QUOTE ]

This sounds like my kind of trip! I've visited all 50 states, mostly due to work, and have recently started to try to play poker in as many as possible... I would also propose a far northern route:

Gary (Chicago) -- several
Minneapolis - Canterbury
North Dakota - Deadwood
Montana's dealers choice bar room games (really unique experience)
Jackpot, NV (has poker? this is the ID/NV border)
Mesquite, NV (Utah/NV border)

On the southern route, you should also consider
Shreveport, LA - a couple
Phoenix, AZ (huge rooms)
even Tucson has a small room.

[/ QUOTE ]

Add Turtle Lake, WI to the Northern Route.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

sorry, guess the link would have been helpful.
http://www.cardplayer.com/poker-room/

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Add Turtle Lake, WI to the Northern Route.

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Why the hell would someone from Atlanta drive to Wisconsin just to drive back down to Vegas.

He said CROSS COUNTRY, not from bottom to top and back.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Didn't care much for this...

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...your backseat is your hotel...

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But your use of this...

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...en-suite bathroom...

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...impressed me.

[img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Add Turtle Lake, WI to the Northern Route.

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Why the hell would someone from Atlanta drive to Wisconsin just to drive back down to Vegas.

He said CROSS COUNTRY, not from bottom to top and back.

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Hey, any excuse to explore as much as possible. Real travelers never regret taking the non-direct route between one place and another.

If he didn't want side trips, he'd just take a left on I-20 and be there in about 24 hours.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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Add Turtle Lake, WI to the Northern Route.

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Why the hell would someone from Atlanta drive to Wisconsin just to drive back down to Vegas.

He said CROSS COUNTRY, not from bottom to top and back.

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Hey, any excuse to explore as much as possible. Real travelers never regret taking the non-direct route between one place and another.

If he didn't want side trips, he'd just take a left on I-20 and be there in about 24 hours.

[/ QUOTE ]

The quickest path between two points is a straight line, not an upsidedown triangle.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I would vote for the southern route.

Tunica NW to Springfield, MO, where you get on I-44. No poker in Springfield, but if you like outdoor stuff, the original location of Bass Pro Shops (it's huge) is worth a stop.

Once on I-44 you will be doing the modern day version of Route 66. Down through Joplin and into Oklahoma. 90 mi from Springfield, you hit Miami OK with two poker rooms. Buffalo Run and Quapaw. 2 1/2 hours further west you are in Tulsa, where you have Cherokee and Creek Nation. After that, your next poker stop will probably be Albuquerque.

If you Google Route 66, you'll find some sites dedicated to driving the route and checking out some of the restored vintage motels and landmarks, if you are interested.

Whichever route you choose...have a great time!

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Agree, the Sandia is great and great management. If you go that route, stop by the Casino Arizona in Scottsdale Arizona for some ACTION, or go play one of the $30 tourneys at Fort McDowell in Scottsdale. Great games in both.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I like your far north route, but if you skip Jackpot, there is Wendover, NV which has 2 adequate rooms and a great room (diamond in the rough) at the Rainbow Casino, and it is JUST off of the I-80 freeway right on the border. If you come through Utah, PM me for some good local games too!

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

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I like your far north route, but if you skip Jackpot, there is Wendover, NV which has 2 adequate rooms and a great room (diamond in the rough) at the Rainbow Casino, and it is JUST off of the I-80 freeway right on the border. If you come through Utah, PM me for some good local games too!

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God dammit, how did I miss this one last year ?

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Honestly, I just moved back to Utah from Phoenix, and if you'd have asked me three years ago about Poker in Wendover, I wouldn't have had any idea. Of course now, the big draw is tourney style, and the 2 adequate rooms are spreading MAINLY low spread limit games (2-5 spread), but on a weekend, the whole town fires up and there are about 3 or 4 great 2-5 NL games in all rooms, but the Rainbow really stands out. I play there, but it is a 110 mile commute for me and really eats into my BB/hr... I need to move to Vegas!
Next time you are out this way, let me know.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Tunica is cool to stop and play poker. You can get a low priced hotel room poker rate there for $25-30 at the Horseshoe and Goldstrike and the Strike comped me a few free buffets and I got the poker rate after playing overnight.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Percula, they aren't spreading NL yet? is it stil the spread 150 game? Its been about 10 months since I was there.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Alright, the ideal trip would be:

Atlanta to Tunica, Tunica to St Louis, St Louis to Kansas City, Kansas City to Texas, Texas to Arizona, Arizona to Vegas...that would be pretty nice.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I think this is the one I have settled on... never been to Kansas City or St. Louis and the country girls in Texas are always a worthwhile site. I have friends in Phoenix. Looks like 2-3 days in each place... time to start setting up the blog for the trip and my adventure into playing poker regularly in Vegas!

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Alright, the ideal trip would be:

Atlanta to Tunica, Tunica to St Louis, St Louis to Kansas City, Kansas City to Texas, Texas to Arizona, Arizona to Vegas...that would be pretty nice.

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Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

Just curious, where would you play poker in Texas? In the backrooms of West Texas that presumably gave Hold 'em its name, or is there now some legal poker there that I don't know about?

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I didn't mean play in TX, just stop in Texas, it would make sense though since you're on your way to the NM and AZ casinos to go through the northern tip of the state.

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

I am planning the same kind of trip. But will be traveling along I80. I found this link that list casinos by state.

http://us.casinocity.com/

Good Luck
Phix

Re: Travelling Cross Country via Poker Rooms
 

This is a pretty amazing post. I am seriously considering doing the exact thing this spring in March/April. I'm throwing caution to the wind and getting there however I can. I was originally planning to drive cross-country with my own car, but I think it would be very cool to get wherever I am going via bus, train, boat, whatever . . .

It just seems like the type of thing that ought to be done once per lifetime . . .

I'm definitely interested in hearing from anyone else who has done this / planning to do it.