Tunica
Tunica is a casino resort town in the northwest part of Mississippi on the Mississippi River.
Understand
Just a few years ago Tunica was nothing more than a farming community with fields of cotton, beans and rice. Tunica County was the poorest county in the United States and had a very high unemployment rate. Within a few years Tunica has evolved into the 3rd largest gaming market in the US behind Las Vegas and Atlantic City. In Tunica you can find abundant gaming, Las Vegas style entertainment, world class golf and various dining options.
Get in
- Drive about an hour from Memphis, Tennessee.
- Tunica Airport, 2986 Beatline Road, two miles south of Tunica and approximately one mile east of U.S. Highway 61, ☏ +1-877-359-8864, ☏ +1 662-357-7330, fax +1 662-357-7331, . Tunica Airport includes a terminal with first class amenities and full aviation services.
Get around
There is no longer an inter-casino shuttle service.
Casinos
- 1 1st Jackpot Casino Tunica (formerly Bally's), 1450 Jackpot Blvd, toll-free: +1-866-422-5597. Offers 40,000-square feet of gaming space with about 900 slots, table games, and sportsbook in a casino with an 1800s Delta regional theme. Three restaurants offer a wide range of choices.
- Fitz Tunica Casino & Hotel (formerly Fitzgerald's), 2120 Lucky Ln, ☏ +1 662 363-5825, toll-free: +1-800-522-4700. Has castle facade.
- 2 Gold Strike Casino Resort, 1010 Casino Center Dr, toll-free: +1-888-24K-PLAY (5-7529). The 317-foot-tall, 31-story, facility is one of the tallest buildings in the State of Mississippi. Over 1,400 reel and video slot machines, over 40 table games and a twelve-table poker room. The 1,200-room resort with a variety of rooms and suites, several of which are complemented by views of the majestic Mississippi River. Indoor pool, spa with massage therapy and tanning available by appointment. Business services provided by the front desk include photocopies, fax services and Federal Express shipping. Fine to informal dining can be found in three stand-alone restaurants and food court, including a seafood buffet on Fridays.
- 3 Hollywood Casino Tunica, 1150 Casino Strip Resort Blvd, toll-free: +1-800-871-0711. A 54,000-square-foot gaming floor, a 494-room luxury hotel, a 123-space RV Park, three restaurants and access to a championship golf course at River Bend Links. There's also a movie memorabilia collection, including the biplane from Hitchcock's famed thriller, "North by Northwest," the Harrier jet from "True Lies," the "Batmobile" and a 6,000 pound scale model of "Titanic."
- 4 Horseshoe Hotel Casino, 1021 Casino Center Dr, ☏ +1 662 357-5500, toll-free: +1-800-303-7463. 65,000-square-foot casino with more than 1,100 slot machines, more than 70 table games, including craps, roulette, Caribbean stud, and poker in the poker room, as well as a race and sports book. Hotel with more than 500 rooms in a 14-story tower with 311 suites, a health spa, swimming pool, meeting rooms, restaurants and retail shops. Dining options include Jack Binion's Steak House, around-the-globe variety at the Village Square Buffet, and breakfast at JB's Cafe. Asian cuisine available at Lucky 8 Asian Bistro.
- 5 Sam's Town, 1477 Casino Strip Resorts Blvd, ☏ +1 662 363-0711, toll-free: +1-800-456-0711. Two floors of table games and slots, plus live poker, live keno, and sportsbook, four restaurants including The Great Buffet, Flights, Smokey Joe's and Twain’s Steakhouse, 18-hole golf course, pool, hot tub, gym and sauna. 1600-seat River Palace Entertainment Center featuring entertainment every weekend.
Do
- 6 Tunica Arena and Expo Center, 3873 U.S. Hwy 61 N, ☏ +1 662 363-3299. Largest indoor arena in Mississippi, regularly hosting rodeos and trade shows.
- 7 Tunica National Golf & Tennis, ☏ +1 662-357-0777, toll-free: +1-866-TEE-OFF1 (833-6331). M-Th $54, F-Su & Holidays $65, Seniors (65+) M-Th $40, Twilight or 9 holes $40-43.
See
- 1 Tunica RiverPark, ☏ +1 662-357-0050, toll-free: +1-866-51-RIVER (74837). Offers an extensive, interactive center that showcases the life of the Mississippi River and its history. Museum features exhibits, 48 foot observation deck, and 4 large aquariums with native river life. The park includes a 130 acre forest with walking trails along the Mississippi River. The exhibits focus on the Delta, its wildlife, the levee system, and the economic impact on the region.
- Town of Tunica. 10 miles south of the casino resort area. Downtown Tunica is filled with Southern Charm. Things to see are many unique shops, a pickle factory, large selection of antiques, a picturesque park, and the Veterans Memorial. A downtown revitalization had made Tunica a nice town to visit. The city has been named a Mississippi Main Street Community.
- 2 Gateway to the Blues Museum and Visitor Center, ☏ +1-888-488-6422. Adults $10, kids (under 12) $5.
Buy
Eat
- 1 Hollywood Cafe, 1585 Old Commerce Rd, Robinsville, ☏ +1 662 363-1225. M-Th 11AM-8PM, F Sa 11AM-9PM, Su Closed.
- Blue and White Restaurant, 1335 Hwy 61 N, ☏ +1 662-363-1371.
Drink
- Frank's Pub & Grille, 2981 Harrahs Parkway S Extended, ☏ +1 662-373-4482.
Sleep
- 1 Westgate Tunica Resort, 1724 Casino Center Dr, ☏ +1 662-357-9200. Check-in: 4PM, check-out: 10AM. Robinsonville. A resort hotel offering one bedroom and deluxe suites with a full kitchen and washer/dryer. It also has an outdoor pool, spa tub, fitness room and arcade. Non-smoking. Pets allowed with $100 cleaning fee.
- Key West Inn, 11635 Highway 61 N, ☏ +1 662-363-0021, Tunicasouth@staykeywesthotels.com. Check-in: 3PM, check-out: 11AM. Inexpensive motel near the casinos. Large rooms with mini refrigerators and microwaves. Free breakfast. Pet friendly.
Stay safe
Being that there are no walkable streets in Tunica, there is very little street crime. Casinos are very safe places as almost every square inch of the property is covered by video surveillance. That said, a bump and grab purse snatching on a crowded casino floor, while extremely unlikely, is not impossible. Just keep your possessions close, and you should have nothing else to worry about.
Go next
| Routes through Tunica |
| Cape Girardeau ← Memphis ← | N  S |
→ Clarksdale → Vicksburg |