Casino Outer Banks
Biggest Casino / Gaming Facility in North Carolina. Out of all casinos in North Carolina you'll find Harrahs Cherokee Casino to be the biggest. It has 3280 gaming machines and 100 table games. You can reach South Point Casino by phone at (828) 497-7777 or by clicking this link: Harrahs Cherokee Casino to see its information page. Casino Cruise in Outer Banks on YP.com. See reviews, photos, directions, phone numbers and more for the best Cruises in Outer Banks, NC.
When you think of the Outer Banks, it’s likely the beautiful beaches are first to come to mind. A popular attraction for rock and roll musicians is not as likely to be imagined. But ask any local over the age of 50 about the Nags Head Casino and you’ll be regaled with stories of legendary music acts and dancing the night away.
Originally built as a barracks in the early 1930s for the stonemasons who constructed the Wright Brothers National Memorial, the Nags Head Casino was purchased in 1937 by G. T. “Ras” Wescott. The two-story building housed duckpin bowling lanes, pool tables, and pinball machines on the first floor while a bar and expansive dance floor occupied upstairs. Ras was known for his special care of the wood dance floor, waxing and buffing it each day. To preserve it, he asked patrons to remove their shoes and dance barefoot. With the top-floor shutters open to the ocean breezes and young people grooving barefoot, the Casino was the epitome of summer fun.
Casino Near Outer Banks
- Roll out of bed and be rolling at the tables in no time—now that’s how you make the most of a casino vacation in Coastal North Carolina. You’re always a winner at Coastal North Carolina casino resorts.
- The Nags Head Casino was a place to take a date, or to meet someone new. Some couples who met and courted at the Casino, later went on to marry. Its location on the Beach Road in front of Jockey’s Ridge gave young lovers a private place to escape for a romantic walk while the sounds of the music drifted into the warm summer night.
- If its Southern Shores, that is the town directly south of Duck and North of Nags Head/Kitty Hawk. If you come across the bridge from the mainland from the north, when you head north along the beach.
During the 1930s and 1940s, big band music reigned, drawing crowds of up to 1000 people to the Nags Head Casino! During this time, Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, Guy Lombardo, Count Basie, Artie Shaw, and Woody Herman are a few of the acts who played. As doo-wop, Mowtown, and rock and roll gained popularity in the 1950s and 60s, bands like The Platters, Fats Domino, The Four Tops, Bill Deal and the Rhondels, and The Temptations entertained. According to Carmen Gray, founder of the Outer Banks Beachcomber Museum, “anybody who was anybody played at the Casino.” Until the 1970s, bands continued to make the trek to Nags Head to put on a show. And on nights when no band played, a Wurlitzer jukebox provided the music.
Closest Casino To Outer Banks
Unfortunately, the fun came to an end when Ras Wescott sold the building in the mid 1970s and soon after, the roof collapsed during a winter storm. Jockey’s Ridge Crossing shopping center now occupies the site of the beloved Casino. But Nags Head locals still reminisce about the raucous music, 25 cent PBRs, Wednesday night boxing matches, and walks on the beach after a night of dancing. For their generation, it truly was the place to be for both patrons and musicians. Bill Deal, from The Rhondels, remembers that “it was always packed. We never worried about having a crowd. The Casino certainly opened doors for a lot of groups. If you played the Casino, you’d made it.” For many, the time, the place, and the music will never be replicated, but the Casino will always be remembered.
Blog by Jessica T. Smith for the Coastal Cottage Company
North Carolina Casinos are not abundant in number. In fact, there is only one true casino in the state to speak of. Complementing this casino is a bingo hall, and you just might come across a video poker machine while you're out and about, though they are supposedly illegal. Other North Carolina gambling options include buying a lottery ticket, playing money-in poker with some friends, and enjoying the online games that are offered at sweepstakes parlors. The sweepstakes parlors masquerade as gambling houses of sorts, though the cards that people purchase to get online are actually used to check various gambling results.
If you're interested in the true North Carolina casinos, the western part of the state is where you want to go. This is where you will find the only casino in the state; the Harrah's Cherokee Casino (pictured above). This casino is located at the gates of the scenic Great Smoky Mountains National Park and offers gaming action around the clock. In the 82,000 square foot casino, more than 3,500 slots await, and for fans of table games, there are 30 of those to choose from.
Live dealers are in place at the Harrah's Cherokee tables, and while you don't use actual cards, real chips help to make for a more authentic experience. When you're not enjoying fun gaming action at the Harrah's Cherokee Casino, you can visit one of the dining venues to get something to eat or simply kick back with friends while you enjoy some drinks. Alcohol is now served throughout the entire casino, unlike in the past, so you can order your favorite adult beverages.
While there aren't any other true casinos in North Carolina to choose from, those who enjoy bingo can always consider a trip to Cherokee Tribal Bingo at 777 Casino Drive in Cherokee, North Carolina. Found less than two miles from the Harrah's Cherokee Casino, this bingo hall offers games every night of week save for Monday and Tuesday nights. The newly renovated venue can seat up to 1,200 people, and should you happen to win one of the bingo games, your award will be paid to you in cash. Cherokee Tribal Bingo is open year round, and should you get hungry on a visit, a sizable concession area is among the facilities.
The casinos in North Carolina might be few in number, but between the Harrah's Cherokee Casino and Cherokee Tribal Bingo, you can enjoy plenty of gaming action. Other facilities, such as a world-class golf course, only help to make the Harrah's Cherokee Casino a destination that is worth visiting while in the area, and you can book a room at the attached hotel if you're not in a hurry to leave. The surrounding area provides numerous options for things to do, and this is especially true if you enjoy outdoor activities such as hiking, mountain biking, and white water rafting.