My Favorite Casinos on the Mississippi Gulf Coast

I am a native of the Mississippi Gulf Coast and was just getting out of high school when the first casinos opened down here. Since then, Katrina has relocated several of them and the economy put a couple more out of business, but our tourism industry still thrives due in large part to our wide variety of casino offerings. Rather than run down every single casino on the coast, I am going to mention several of my personal favorites and why I like going there.

My favorite casino in Biloxi is the Boomtown simply because I have had the best luck there. Of all the casinos on the coast, I have won more often while playing slot machines there than anywhere else. In case you are wondering, I like to play the Double Diamond or Triple Diamond machines. Boomtown also has one of the best buffets, plus they have an amazing steak restaurant. I also like that they have an open parking lot instead of a garage, so it's easy and quick to get in and out of there. You can find out more about the Boomtown at www.BoomtownBiloxi.com.

If you are going to a casino strictly to eat, I think the buffet at the Island View in Gulfport is the best. Because it is close to my work, I eat there at least once or twice a month. They have the biggest shrimp I've seen on any casino buffet, plus they have a huge variety of dishes ranging from flank steak to pastas and even pizza. They also have a killer dessert area, and I always get some of the bread pudding. The Island View has open parking as well as a garage. You can find out more about the Island View at www.IslandViewCasino.com.

Another favorite of mine is the IP Casino in Biloxi. It's right next door to the Boomtown and they have some of best promotions available, plus their entertainment schedule boasts an impressive number of musicians and comedians. The IP Casino has a decent buffet, but the real treat there is an Asian fusion place called Tien that features hibachi, sushi, and much more. It's pricey, but very good. At one time, the IP also had a movie theater upstairs, but it went away a few years ago. Unfortunately, none of the casinos down here have any more family-friendly stuff to do besides eat. You can find out more about the IP at www.IPBiloxi.com.

The Hard Rock Casino in Biloxi is also a fun place to visit because it has a lot of things to do besides just gamble. They features a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse for those folks who can afford to spend a couple hundred bucks on some steaks, plus there is a the Hard Rock Café and a few other restaurants to enjoy. Their casino buffet is pretty average, but it does feature steak. The Hard Rock also has several clubs and plenty of well known musical acts come to play there, so there are many reasons to visit. You can also take the time to walk around the inside and look at all the guitars and music memorabilia they have collected. You can find out more at www.HardRockBiloxi.com.

There are plenty more casinos along the Mississippi gulf coast, but the Boomtown, Island View, IP, and Hard Rock are my personal favorites. The Beau Rivage is also another good one for being much nicer inside than the others, but I have had such poor luck on their slot machines that I quit going back.