Weekend Getaway to Shreveport, Louisiana

Watch horse racing, visit casinos and gamble, enjoy great food and play golf.

Quick Tips:

The casinos are scattered through Shreveport and Bossier City mainly along Interstate 20. There are some really nice motels at reasonable rates just a few miles from the casinos and racetrack. At higher prices but more convenient, a person could stay at one of the casino hotels.

Best Way To Get Around:

Driving is the best way to get around, but there is ample public transportation. Naturally, taxis are plentiful. Walking or biking for exercise is fine, but not for commuting between locations.

The Jameson was fairly new and maintained really well. It was furnished very well and very clean. There was ample parking just outside the front entrance and required very little walking. The continental breakfast had a nice variety of food items, was fresh and tasted very good. The staff was very friendly.

We both had steak. The steaks were cooked to our satisfaction and the taste was excellent. The salad before the meal was really good also. The staff was friendly, prompt and efficient. The meal was really good.

There is a large, multi-level parking garage with elevators directly to the casino entrance, so you do not have to walk a lot before entering the casino. Once inside, the casino is really impressive. There are quite a few shops with gifts from fairly low prices to very expensive--a nice variety. There are various places to eat with varied menus and the food was really good. We thought the buffet was great. All we played were the slots. The payout was about average for big casinos. While smoking was allowed, the smoke was not overpowering the way it is at some of the smaller casinos in Shreveport and Bossier City. While we did not stay in their hotel, the lobby area was very impressive.

We paid about $60-70 per person for our group to watch the races from the main buffet area on the third or fourth level. This price included all of the food you wanted from the buffet from about 11am to about 6pm. The variety and quality was excellent--roast beef, roast pork, boiled shrimp, Cajun food, fried chicken, salad, dessert and MANY other things. Also included were drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic). We also received a racing form. The closed-circuit TV had a racing expert giving his picks for each race before the racing began. The windows for placing bets were plentiful and the cashiers were fast and friendly. There were also machines for people to place bets without the use of a cashier. There was a nice casino on the ground level so a person could play the slots, poker, etc. before and after the racing, or even during the racing, if he wanted a change of pace. This was a really fun day.