Tunica

Tunica is a casino resort town in the northwest part of Mississippi on the Mississippi River.

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, [phone], [phone], [phone] (fax), . The Tunica Airport includes an 11,000 sq ft terminal with first class amenities and full aviation services. Recent construction of a 7,000 feet runway allows the landing of larger jets.

Get around

There is no longer an inter-casino shuttle service.

Casinos

• Bally's Casino, 1450 Ballys Blvd, [phone], 1-800-38BALLY, . Conveniently located in the heart of Tunica. Opened since December 18, 1995. Offers 40,000-square feet of gaming space with over a thousand slots and twenty six table games in a rustic western-themed hotel casino. Three restaurants offer a wide range of choices.
• Fitzgerald's Casino, 2120 Lucky Lane, [phone], 1-800-522-4700, . Remodeled rooms recently, with castle facade. Next to Tunica Riverpark Museum and Riverboat attraction.
• Gold Strike Casino Resort, 1010 Casino Center Drive, 1-888-24K-PLAY (1-888-245-7529), . 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.
• Harrah's Tunica, 13615 Old Highway 61, [phone], [phone] (toll-free), . Formerly Grand Casino Tunica, this Harrah's is the largest casino resort between Las Vegas and Atlantic City. Offers three hotel towers, convention center, state-of-the-art event and entertainment center, RV resort, full-service Bellissimo Spa & Salon, Hale Irwin-designed Cottonwoods Golf Course, Willows Trap, Skeet & Sporting Clays, 2 outdoor pools, 1 indoor pool, tennis courts, shuffle board and a series of restaurants. Dining options include LB's Steakhouse or Murano's Italian Restaurant. 24-hour gaming action with 140,000 square feet of gaming in four themed gaming areas including slots, table games, poker room, a non-smoking gaming area, and the Total Rewards Center. Voted Best Blackjack, Best Roulette & Best Baccarat by the 2004 Casino Players Awards.
• Hollywood Casino Tunica, 1150 Casino Strip Resort, [phone], [phone], . Located 35 miles south of Memphis in the heart of Tunica's Casino Strip. With a 54,000 square foot gaming floor, a 494-room luxury hotel, a 123-space RV Park, three award-winning 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." Voted "Best Place to Play" by Casino Player Magazine.
• Horseshoe Hotel Casino, 1021 Casino Center Drive, [phone], 1-800-303-7463, . Located in the three-property, centrally located Casino Center. 65,000 square foot casino with more than 2,000 slot machines, more than 70 table games, including craps, roulette, Caribbean stud, and poker in the poker room. Hotel with more than 500 room 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, seafood cuisine at Cafe Sonoma and a 24-hour snack bar. New Orleans Cuisine available at N'awlins Louisiana Cuisine. Fresh Gulf coast fish flown in daily. Horseshoe guests may use amenties at Grand Casino including Bellissimo Spa & Salon, Willows Trap, Skeet & Sporting Clays, and Cottonwoods Golf Course.
• Resorts Tunica Casino & Hotel, [phone], . 35,000 square foot casino with slots, video poker, and table games. 200 room hotel and suites offer a variety of amenities. In addition to the hotel/casino offerings, guests of Resorts Tunica and Bally's Tunica can enjoy a round of golf at the pristine River Bend Links. Four dining outlets.
• Sam's Town, 1477 Casino Strip Resorts Blvd., 1-800-456-0711, [phone], . Two floors of table games and slots, plus live poker and live keno, three restaurants including The Great Buffet, Corky’s BBQ Buffet and Twain’s Casual Fine Dining, 18-hole golf course, pool, hot tub, gym and sauna. 1600-seat River Palace Entertainment Center featuring entertainment every weekend.
• Sheraton Casino, 1107 Casino Center Drive, 1-800-391-3777, [phone], . 1,300 of the latest slot and video machines and 42 table games, including Blackjack, Craps, roulette, Caribbean Stud, Let-It-Ride, Pai Gow, and Three Card Poker. Non-smoking gaming areas are also available for both slot and table games. Hotel with 134 all king suites with spas in every room. Sheraton guests may use amenities at Grand Casino including Bellissimo Spa & Salon, Willows Trap, Skeet & Sporting Clays, and Cottonwoods Golf Course. Dining options include Louie's Steakhouse, Big Kitchen Buffet, Reno's Café or TJ Cinnamon's.

Do

• Tunica River Queen, Tunica RiverPark, . 300-seat paddle-wheeler allowing passengers river cruises on the mighty Mississippi River. Beginning at 9 each night the Tunica Queen remains docked and operates as a 60-seat supper club and nightclub. For Ticket Information. (Riverboat operations the Tunica RiverPark are suspended from October 31st, 2005 until the Spring of 2006.)
• Tunica Air Races. June 1 - 4, 2006. Air racing, vintage airplanes, and aerial acrobatics. This years performers include US Army Golden Knights Championship Parachute Team, the world's only flying B-29 (FIFI), and various acrobatic pilots. 

See

• Tunica RiverPark, . The Tunica RiverPark offers and 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. The Tunica Queen offers four daily river excursions that depart from the RiverPark each day.
• 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 was recently named a Mississippi Main Street Community. 
• Gateway to the Blues Museum and Visitor Center, ☎ [phone]. Adults $10, Kids (under 12) $5. (updated Jan 2018)

Buy

Eat

• Paula Dean buffet - Southern cuisine under Harrah's Tunica

Drink

Sleep

• Westgate Tunica Resort, 1724 Casino Center Dr. Robinsonville. A Mississippi resort hotel with lodging and accommodations offering one bedroom and deluxe suites with a full kitchen and washer/dryer, plus it is close to the casinos, attractions and fun things to do. Pet Friendly. 
• Key West Inn. Inexpensive motel near the casinos. Large rooms with mini refrigerators and microwaves. Free breakfast. 

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

• Oxford (Mississippi)
• Memphis (Tennessee)

Routes through Tunica

Cape Girardeau ← Memphis ←

N  S

→ Clarksdale → Vicksburg