Canadians looking for hot weather retirement in the winter traditionally head to the Southern United States. While many snowbirds like to stay put, a large number of Canadians like to travel from state to state in their recreational vehicle (RV). For those who like to gamble, parking can be a challenge. Fortunately, some casinos provide overnight parking for guests with RVs.
Top Destinations for Canadian Snowbirds
Canadians looking for hot weather retirement in the winter tend to head to the Southern United States because it’s the best way to avoid the cold weather, a slip on the ice, shovel snow, and to get a tan.
Some of the top destinations for snowbirds include Florida, Arizona, California, and to a lesser extent, Nevada.
Florida
The Sunshine State is the destination of choice for Canadian snowbirds in the U.S., with more Canadians visiting Florida during the winter months than any other state. Popular destinations on the east coast include Fort Lauderdale, Miami, Palm Beach, and Boca. Hot spots on the west coast include Sarasota, Tampa, Naples, Fort Myers, and St. Petersburg.
There are currently more than 140 casinos (big and small, landlocked, and on boats) throughout Florida with slots, poker, sports betting parlours, horse race tracks and greyhound tracks. For those who like big casinos, Florida is home to 16 commercial casinos.1
Arizona
Arizona is the destination of choice for Canadian snowbirds looking for a dry climate with warm days and cooler nights. The top communities for Canadian snowbirds in Arizona include Phoenix, Tucson, Sedona, Flagstaff, Mesa, Yuma, Tempe, and Prescott.
There are no commercial casinos in Arizona, but you’ll find close to 25 Vegas-style tribal casinos throughout the state.2
California
California is a big destination for Canadian snowbirds living in the western part of the country. Popular destinations along the California coast include San Diego and Santa Barbara. Those looking for a dryer climate head for Palm Springs, Palm Desert, and Napa, where they can also enjoy some wine.
Like many U.S. states, there are no commercial casinos in California. But it is home to 60 casinos and 90 poker casinos. These casinos can range from small country casinos to award-winning, Vegas-style casino resorts.3
Nevada
Millions visit Nevada every year, with snowbirds making up an ever increasing number. Some stay for the entire winter, others come for a short stay. Las Vegas, Henderson, Boulder City, Carson City, Laughlin, Mesquite, and Primm are all popular cities for Canadian snowbirds.
The top destination for gamblers, Nevada is home to approximately 275 commercial casinos, but you can gamble almost anywhere, from the airport to small pubs and gas stations.4
If you’re a Canadian snowbird looking for the perfect weather and place to gamble, there are some well-known casinos and hidden gems that provide daily, weekly, and monthly RV parking.
5 Casinos with RV Parking
Miccosukee Resort and Gaming
Owned and operated by the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians, the casino is 15 minutes west of downtown Miami, located on the southeastern edge of the Florida Everglades. The casino boasts over 1,700 gaming machines, a High-Limit Area, a 1,050-seat High-Stakes Bingo Hall, and 32-table High-Stakes poker room. As you would expect from any resort, the casino has a hotel, pool, spa, fine dining, and 1,200-seat entertainment centre.5
For Canadian snowbirds travelling in an RV, the casino is the only place in the area where you can park your RV for free. You just need to register when you arrive at the security desk. Keep in mind, this is just a spot to park your RV, so there are no hookup facilities.
Seminole Brighton Casino
This high-energy casino is located in Okeechobee, Florida, on Lake Okeechobee. The casino is one of seven owned and operated by the Seminole Tribe of Florida. The 27,000-square foot casino offers more than 400 slot machines, live poker, and high-stakes Bingo. The casino also has two restaurants.6
The casino provides free overnight RV parking (no hookups). Again, all you need to do is check in with security when you get there.
Hon-Dah Resort-Casino and Conference Center
Nestled in the White Mountains of Pinetop, Arizona, Hon-Dah Resort-Casino is owned and operated by the White Mountain Apache Tribe. The casino has a variety of games, including blackjack, live poker, and more than 800 slots. The casino also has a wide variety of dining options, hotel, pool, and entertainment.
Those with an RV can check into the year-round RV park, which has 356 sites, laundry facility, satellite TV, Wi-Fi, dump station, phone hookups, and security. The current fees, in U.S. dollars, are: $31.25 + taxes daily; $175.96 + tax, weekly; and $464.00 + taxes monthly.7
Pechanga Resort and Casino
Pechanga is the largest casino in the state of California at 188,000 square feet. Located in Southern California’s wine country, Pechanga is owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. It’s also the largest casino in the state, totalling 188,000 square feet.8
The casino’s RV Resort is the recipient of the MotorHome and Trailer Life Readers’ Choice Awards for RV Resorts. The RV Resort offers 168 sites, a picnic area, and open air pergolas. Amenities include water and sewer hookups, pool, laundry, cable TV, BBQ, carwash, Wi-Fi, heated pool, mini-mart, 24-hour security, and free shuttle bus to the casino.9
Rates range from $50.00 to $80.00 per day and $85.00 to $105.00 on holidays (Memorial Day, 4th of July, Pow Wow, Labour Day, and New Year’s Day).
Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & RV Park
The name says it all. Located in Laughlin, Nevada, Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & RV Park, is a well-established destination situated on the Colorado River, where you can look across into Arizona.
The casino has more than 1,400 slots and 50 live table games, live Bingo, and Keno. In addition to an arcade, laser-tag, movies, auto museum, entertainment, and dancing, the casino also has a 34-lane bowling alley.10
The multi-level, 740-space RV park offers full hookups, shower services, laundry, and complimentary shuttles to the casino. While staying at the RV park you can take advantage of the casino hotel’s amenities, including the pool, spa, and salon.11
Prices range from $27.50 per day for a 30-amp service and $33.00 per day for 50-amp service. If you’re staying for a week, the flat rate is $129.00.12
RMS, the Easiest Way to Get Your 30% Gaming Tax Back
If, during your winter travels to the U.S., you win a substantial amount of money, (typically over $1,200) playing poker, on the slots, betting on the greyhounds, sports betting, on the lottery, or even a game show, the IRS will withhold 30% of your winnings.
But, if you live in a country like Canada, which has signed a U.S. tax treaty, you may be eligible for a refund. Moreover, RMS can help you reclaim a portion or all of your taxable winnings.
There are a number of countries that currently do not have a U.S. tax treaty. However, if you reside in any of the following countries, you could still be eligible for a refund: Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.A.E.
Only RMS has the One Simple StepTM process. Our Customer Service Agents take care of the rest. It can take a minimum of one year for the IRS to review the claim and for RMS to receive the refund.
Contact RMS today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by emailing us at [email protected].
Sources:
1. “Florida,” Get To Know Gaming, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.gettoknowgaming.org/sites/default/files/AGA_FactSheet_Florida14.pdf.
2. “Arizona,” Ge To Know Gaming, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.gettoknowgaming.org/by-the-book?state-data#&state=US-AZ.
3. “California Casinos,” 500 Nations, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://500nations.com/California_Casinos.asp.
4. “Nevada, Get To Know Gaming, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.gettoknowgaming.org/sites/default/files/AGA_FactSheet_Nevada14.pdf.
5. “Resort,” Miccosukee Resort and Gaming, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.miccosukee.com/resort/.
6. “About Us,” Seminole Brighton Casino, last accessed October 4, 2016; https://www.seminolebrightoncasino.com/.
7. “Hon-Dah RV Park,” Hon-Dah Resort-Casino and Conference Center, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://hon-dah.com/hon-dah-rv-park/.
8. “Play,” Pechanga Resort and Casino, last accessed October 4, 2016; https://www.pechanga.com/play.
9. “RV Resort,” Pechanga Resort and Casino, last accessed October 4, 2016; https://www.pechanga.com/rvresort.
10. “Gaming,” Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & RV Park, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.riversideresort.com/casino.aspx?id=6562.
11. “Riverside Resort,” Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort & RV Park, last accessed October 4, 2016; http://www.riversideresort.com/rv-reservations.aspx.
12. Phone call with Brenda at Don Laughlin’s RV Park, 1-800-227-3849, October 4, 2016.