The Scenic Route Home From Vegas: Seven Casinos In Two Days

As much as I love road trips, the drive home always seems to drag. The fun is in the rearview mirror, the memories made — and staring me in the face are 17 hours of interstate and all the work I missed while on vacation waiting impatiently back home.

Over the winter holidays, I had a blast on the drive from Texas to Vegas and I took a particularly close look at Eureka Casino in Mesquite, Nevada. But after a packed Las Vegas trip like that, 17 hours behind the wheel can feel like 34.

In an effort to stretch out the adventure just a little longer, I changed my return route so I could visit a few more casinos — including one of my longtime favorites.

First stop: Railroad Pass Hotel & Casino

I didn’t even make it out of the Las Vegas metro area before pulling off at Railroad Pass. There were two reasons for the stop. First, this trip was a throwback to the road trips I took in college, and Railroad Pass was always my first and last stop for low-limit blackjack. Second, the travel center next door sells what I firmly believe is the world’s best beef jerky. Naturally, I needed to stock up for the drive home.

Unfortunately, only one of those reasons still exists — and it isn’t the blackjack.

A couple of years ago, Railroad Pass removed its table games, leaving only slots and sports betting. I’d like to say the casino feels like a shell of its former self without live gaming, but truthfully, I rarely saw anyone playing the tables here anyway. I doubt the change has significantly impacted the property.

With no live games to survey, I did a quick walkthrough, fueled up next door, purchased $60 worth of beef jerky (no regrets), and pointed the car toward Arizona.

Second stop: Bucky’s Casino

The drive from Las Vegas to Bucky’s Casino in Prescott, Arizona, always feels longer than it should. Traffic circles and small towns break up the highway just enough to keep you from ever settling into cruise control.

Bucky’s is the larger of Prescott’s two casinos and the only one with table games. Its casino floor has one of the more interesting layouts I’ve encountered: three tightly packed levels that don’t sit directly on top of one another. It’s an impressive use of limited space.

The real star, though, is the adjacent Prescott Resort, perched atop a hill with sweeping, million-dollar views in every direction.

The table games at Bucky’s occupy a lofted second level overlooking the main floor. I found a $10 blackjack table with a couple of open seats and settled in. My blackjack luck in Vegas had been outstanding and it followed me into Arizona. It wasn’t a massive win, but after a well-timed split and double, I walked away comfortably in the green.

The New Year’s Eve crowd was building as the 11 p.m. hour approached. That night’s limits included $5 double-zero roulette, Heads-Up Hold’em, and High Card Flush, along with $10 six-deck 3:2 blackjack and 5x odds craps.

As I was leaving, a security guard asked whether I had any weapons in my bag — a question that might have been more useful on the way in than on the way out. I climbed back into the rental car I had grown so familiar with and headed toward Phoenix.

Third stop: Talking Stick Resort

I unintentionally timed the drive perfectly, cresting the mountains just as the clock struck midnight on New Year’s Eve. From that vantage point, I watched fireworks explode across the Valley of the Sun in every direction — a spectacular welcome to 2026.

My first Phoenix-area stop and last of the night was Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale.

I expected the casino floor to be thinning out when I arrived around 1 a.m. I was wrong. The place was absolutely packed. There was not a single open seat at a table game in the entire casino.

Even if I’d wanted to play, it wasn’t happening. Limits were some of the highest I’ve seen there: $15 for I Luv Suits, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em; $25 for six-deck 3:2 blackjack (including continuous shuffler games), double-zero roulette, and 5x odds craps; and $50 for Face-Up Pai Gow Poker.

With an early morning ahead and another long travel day looming, I kept the visit short, though the people-watching alone was worth the stop.

Fourth stop: Gila River Casino – Santan Mountain

The alarm came far too early the next morning. Adding to the surprise was rainy, balmy, early-January Arizona weather — not exactly what I’d envisioned.

My first stop of the day was Gila River Casino – Santan Mountain, one of the Phoenix metro’s newest properties and one of my personal favorites. At 10 a.m., only a handful of patrons lingered on the casino floor, understandable after the previous night’s festivities.

One of the casino’s most underrated features is its floor-to-ceiling windows, which flood the space with natural light. Even on a cloudy day, the openness is refreshing.

I regret not allocating more time here. Table limits have dropped since my last visit in February 2025 and I would have loved to squeeze in a blackjack session. Instead, I took a lap, admiring the clean, modern layout, complete with a BetMGM sportsbook, expansive table games pit, central bar, and impressive food hall.

Thursday morning limits included $10 six-deck 3:2 blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack; $15 Face-Up Pai Gow Poker, 5x odds craps, double-zero roulette, and Double Down Madness; plus $50 baccarat and $100 double-deck 3:2 blackjack in the high-limit room (not yet open at that hour).

Time, unfortunately, was not on my side.

Fifth stop: Gila River Resort & Casino – Wild Horse Pass

My 2025 began with a brutal blackjack session at Delaware Park. I’m pleased to report that 2026 is off to a much stronger start.

At Wild Horse Pass (pictured at top of article), I joined a table with one other player who was wagering $500-$1,000 per hand (plus hefty side bets), while I played my far more modest $15-$25 hands. After receiving his blessing to jump in mid-shoe, I started off in a small hole, but momentum quickly shifted.

My doubles hit. The dealer busted. The table turned friendly. After two six-deck shoes, I colored up $105 ahead.

I’ve never actually seen Wild Horse Pass during peak hours; my visits always seem to fall on quiet weekday mornings. Even without the crowds, it’s a fun and relatively upscale property that still manages to maintain approachable limits.

Morning limits included $10 six-deck 3:2 blackjack and Free Bet Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, double-zero roulette, and 5x odds craps, along with $50 baccarat in the high-limit room.

Sixth stop: Casino del Sol

Tucson is home to one of my favorite casinos in the country: Casino del Sol. It’s so successful that a second location is currently under construction in north Tucson.

My in-laws live here and this casino is typically part of our routine when visiting. Being there without them felt unusual.

I quickly found my favorite game, Spanish 21, which is increasingly rare in Las Vegas. It turned into the kind of session every player hopes for: get ahead early and never look back. The wins kept stacking.

Casino del Sol may very well be Arizona’s nicest gaming property. The main wing is designed to resemble a Mediterranean village at sunset, giving the illusion of being outdoors. Despite the upscale atmosphere, table limits remain reasonable and the dining options range from casual to refined.

I bought in for $200 and walked away holding a purple $500 chip.

Midday Thursday limits included $10 Three Card Poker, High Card Flush, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, 5x odds craps, and double-zero roulette; $15 six-deck 3:2 blackjack and Spanish 21; and $25 double-deck 3:2 blackjack.

A near-perfect way to cap the gambling portion of the trip.

Seventh stop: Desert Diamond Casino & Hotel – Tucson

Desert Diamond wasn’t originally intended to be my final stop, but classic time mismanagement forced my hand. My projected arrival home had slipped to 6 a.m. and with work the next morning, this would have to be it.

It was a beautiful 70-degree, cloudy, New Year’s Day in Tucson — hard to believe that in roughly another 90 days, it could be pushing 100-plus. I savored the mild air, knowing colder weather awaited back home.

Desert Diamond is consistently one of the most bustling daytime casinos in the area. I suspect weekday promotions draw the crowds, because both of my recent visits, on weekday afternoons, have been surprisingly busy. This day was no exception. Finding parking at 3 p.m. on New Year’s Day required patience.

Inside, slot play dominated, though the long central table games pit was active as well. I had no intention of playing — the road was calling — but seeing another Spanish 21 table made it tempting to press my luck one more time.

Thursday limits included $10 six-deck 3:2 blackjack, Spanish 21, double-zero roulette, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em; $15 10x odds craps; and $25 three-deck blackjack, a rarity I’ve encountered only at Desert Diamond properties.

Reflections on the road home

The drive home after a long road trip is never easy. But building in worthwhile stops along the way makes it far more enjoyable.

Although I didn’t have time to visit every Arizona casino on my list, I managed to experience several of the best in the state and even turned a profit along the way.

For table game players, Arizona is a hidden gem. The properties are expansive and often luxurious, but you can still find a wide variety of games with limits that suit nearly any bankroll.

After leaving Las Vegas, I visited seven casinos across southern Nevada and Arizona — part of the 68 total casinos I explored during this trip.

And just like that, the road carried me home.