I thought it might be useful, with the proliferation and diversity of Indian casinos in California, to have a thread where people post their experiences. We've been to only two, so I'll offer my thoughts.

**Cache Creek - west of Sacramento

This was a very unpleasant experience. We visited during the Christmas holidays last year and haven't been back, so maybe things have improved. It was extremely crowded. Parking was almost impossible and it took us nearly half an hour to find a parking place. Finally, they opened an unpaved, muddy remote lot and provided shuttle service (about once/15 minutes).

The casino seems to be in some sort of huge tent and everything was very tacky. It was so crowded it was almost impossible to find space at a table or a vacant machine. Food was poor, at best. No lodging at or anywhere near the casino. The place is pretty isolated with no interesting town or other activities nearby. Sacramento is about 30 minutes away.

**Jackson Racheria - east of Stockton

Much more pleasant experience. Parking in paved remote lot with shuttle service every 2-3 minutes. Very pleasant, though crowded, casino. Good club program with easy perks. Restaurant good, though not outstanding, with both buffet and menu available. Reasonable prices.

Hotel on the grounds very pleasant, though not elegant. Numerous good lodging alternatives nearby both in Jackson and Sutter Creek. Many good restaurants and other interesting tourist-type activities, wine-tasting, and the usual gold rush sites in the area.

** Table Mountain - north of Fresno.

Just a casino with no hotel, pretty isolated. Moderate size with 2 main rooms. Biggest room has low ceilings, narrow aisles, not very confortable. Smaller backroom is a little roomier. Standard fare of slots and video poker. Very few tables.

Restaurant in back has decent food and very low prices, especially on daily specials.


** Chukchansi - a bit farther north of Fresno on Route 41, just south of the town of Coursegold and about 1/2 way between Fresno and the entrance to Yosemite.

This is definitely the nicest California casino of the six we've visited. Large open casino with high ceilings and reasonable aisles. Lots of cashier booths with almost no waiting, even when crowded. Good mix of a wide variety of slots and VP. People very friendly and my wife is convinced (after 2 vitis) that they have the loosest slots anywhere we've played.

Excellent "fine dining" restaurant, good buffet, and excellent "causal" restaurant as well, all with reasonable prices.

Bump - any additions? I'd be interested in the San Diego casinos.

We've enjoyed the casino, food, and entertainment at Chukchansi Gold.

Our only complaint is that every time we call to attempt to make a hotel reservation we are told only smoking rooms are available. All of the non-smoking rooms are always taken. So we have yet to stay.

After 20 years of business travel I guess I'm no longer willing to compromise my preferences just to stay at a particular property.

We had the same situation but took the smoking room. It was totally unsmoky - no smell or any indication it was a smoking room other than the clean ashtrays. I've found that to be the case in many hotels recently. I guess it's always a risk, but more often than not for us it's been OK.

Thanks for the info Jerry,

We may try it sometime but would probably do an early check-in to be able to get a room that was acceptable. On a trip last year in Oregon all the non-smoking rooms were taken at a property, but it took several tries to end up in a smoking room that had a level of smoke smell that was acceptable to us.

The only place I've been able to make it too is Barona Valley Ranch and Casino. I first went there the week after 9/11 on a weekday and they were still in a very small building. Since then, they have greatly expanded the property and added the hotel and golf course.

I have not stayed there; I only go to eat and play. I like their buffet for dinner. Not top of the line, but solid buffet offerings with a seafood, Chinese, Italian, American, and Mexican stations, to name a few. They give a 10% (I think) discount to customers who have a rating card and one guest.

Friday nights at the casino are really busy and it can be very hard to get a seat at a table. Pretty much like Vegas on a holiday weekend. I notice a lot of college kids playing the cheap ($10) blackjack tables. Lots of slot action as well.

Getting there is a bit of a hike and the last 10 miles or so are up a windy and narrow two lane mountain road. I'd guess it to be about a 35 min drive or so from Mission Valley.

The legal age to gamble at Barona is 18 (I still get carded) unlike the 2 other casinos in the area I have been to (Pala and Pachanga) where the age is 21. You get a lot of kids that don't know what they are doing at the tables.

I prefer Pala. Limits for BJ vary from 5 dollars on weekdays to a couple of 10 dollar tables available most of the time. The casino was recently remodeled and expanded. On the lower limit tables, they use CSM, dealer hit on soft 17 and surrender is available. A good thing about both Pala and Pachanga is that there is separate enclosed non smoking gambling area.