- My family spent three days at Foxwoods Casino Resort for my grandmother’s 92nd birthday.
- There was plenty to do besides gambling, including go-karting, hiking and shopping.
- We were all separated during the day, but gathered every night to have dinner together.
All three generations of my family spent three days at Foxwoods Casino Resort in Connecticut, celebrating my grandmother’s 92nd birthday.
The resort casino is one of the largest in the world, with six casinos, over 2,200 hotel rooms and dozens of restaurants. Plus, earlier in the year, the property announced it was investing $30 million in new renovation projects — including the luxury Grand Bar that opened last month.
Although it may not be the first thing that comes to mind, a casino can be a great destination for a multi-generational family vacation.
There was something for everyone – whether you wanted to play or not
The Foxwoods property was extensive. Actium/Shutterstock
Gambling is the main activity at a casino, but the Foxwoods property also had a zip line, go-karts, ax throwing, a breakout room, bowling, an arcade and more.
With a large age group, we were aware of how people wanted to plan their days: spend time at the casino, shop at the mall, relax at the spa, hike or try a from the many interactive games and activities.
Most days, we split into groups based on what people were interested in—and were quite surprised to bump into each other along the way.
Although there was more than enough to keep us entertained on the property, we also wanted to get some fresh air. After all, it was the height of the New England fall.
We tested several nearby hiking trails, taking in the gorgeous foliage. There are several different trail options, and one took us right to the Mashantucket Pequot Native American Museum, one of the largest Native American history museums in the world.
The trails also led back to the property, so we could easily check multiple activities off our list in one afternoon.
At dinner, we would reunite to celebrate our matriarch
We all ate dinner together every night. Meredith Wilshere
At the end of each night, the family would get together to celebrate my grandmother’s birthday at various restaurants on the property.
Since we were a group of nine, we made sure to have reservations.
After dinner, my family split up once again – some enjoyed more time in the casino and others try their hand at bowling or arcade games.
The property was large, but luckily, it was accessible to all of us
The property was huge. It took us at least 10 to 15 minutes to get from our hotel to the various Foxwoods restaurants where we had dinner.
However, the resort had clear walkways, elevators, escalators and walkways for movement. Our hotel also offers motorized wheelchairs upon request.
Accessibility is important to my family, especially when traveling with someone in their 90s. It was easy to navigate the long corridors with motorized walkways and long staircases with clearly marked elevators.
Foxwoods Casino was the perfect destination for a multi-generational trip
My whole family enjoyed the trip. Meredith Wilshere
No matter your age, there is something for everyone to do at Foxwoods. Even families with younger children can have an enjoyable getaway – just without the gambling.
Whether you’re watching a show, going down a zip-line, trying your luck at the casino games, or walking around the massive property, there’s excitement all around.
I loved the opportunity to travel with so many relatives and celebrate my grandmother’s birthday. We were a large group, but we all found plenty to do throughout the short trip.