Spotlight: Mohegan Sun

The hotel lobby of Mohegan Sun.

Since 1996, Mohegan Sun, owned by the Mohegan Tribe of Connecticut, has evolved into so much more than a casino that people who don’t even care about gambling love to visit it. With scores of restaurants and bars, entertainment venues featuring big name acts, luxurious spas (undergoing renovations in the fall of 2017), two hotels that can accommodate more than 1,500 guests, and even an award-winning 18-hole golf course, there’s plenty to do to keep every kind of traveler happy.

Located on 185 acres along the Thames River in southeastern Connecticut, the property is quite convenient to Boston, New York, Providence and Hartford, making it an easy weekend trip. I’ve gone more than once for concerts in the 10,000-seat arena and enjoyed dining at several of the celebrity chef restaurants on the property. Here’s an overview of some of the highlights of Mohegan Sun.

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Gaming

The Mohegan Sun Casino, which is actually comprised of three different themed casinos – Casino of the Earth, Casino of the Sky and Casino of the Wind – offers more than 350,000 square feet of gaming. Whether you like slot machines or prefer to play poker, there’s a game for you.  In total, there are 5,000-plus slot machines and more than 350 table games, including blackjack, roulette, baccarat, craps and Pai Gow, plus a separate 42-table poker room.

The three casinos do have a very different feel from each other, all with different themes and décor. Casino of Earth has more than 2,500 slot machines, over 160 table games, plus the Hall of the Lost Tribes, a fully enclosed smoke-free room with nearly 400 slots, which is a great boon for nonsmokers who like to play. The 119,000 square-foot Casino of the Sky’s main feature is the world’s largest fully functional indoor planetarium dome and Wombi Rock, a multi-level onyx and alabaster structure that is home to a lounge and dance floor. Casino of the Wind offers more than 500 slot machines and 25 table games. There’s also a 35-foot high electronic and animated water wall.

mohegan sun
Taughannick Falls. (Photo: Mohegan Sun)

Dining

There’s a long list of celebrity chefs, as well as celebrities, who have restaurants at Mohegan Sun, including Todd English’s Tuscany, Michael Jordan’s Steak House, Jasper White’s Summer Shack and BALLO Italian Restaurant. In addition, there are a host of casual spots like Johnny Rockets, Bobby’s Burger Palace, Frank Pepe Pizzeria Napoletana, and Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville.

Mohegan also hosts a number of food and wine festivals over the course of the year, including the New England Food Truck Festival, Sun Brewfest, Sun Wine & Food Fest, Sun Whisky Union, and Sun BBQfest, among others. I’ve attended the Sun Wine & Food Fest, where a slew of famous chefs speak, cook, offer tastings and more.

Entertainment

Three different venues at Mohegan Sun can host crowds of varying sizes, from a 10,000-seat arena where acts like Prince, Bon Jovi, Keith Urban, and Justin Timberlake have played, to the more intimate 350-seat Wolf Den and a comedy club. In addition, Mohegan Sun has several night clubs, bars and lounges, including Avalon, The Lansdowne Irish Pub & Music House, VISTA Lounge and MIST, to keep the party going late into the night, whether you want to listen to an acoustic band or dance to a world-famous DJ.

Spa

The intimate Mandara Spa, located in the Earth Tower, is a seven-room sanctuary which features a couple’s suite and six dual-use rooms.

Golf

The Golf Mohegan Sun Golf Club is an 18-hole championship golf course, located just a short drive from the casino. It was originally designed by the late architect, Geoffrey Cornish, and in 2012, Mohegan Sun redesigned six holes, and put in all-new greens and fairways. Last year, the club redesigned the third hole green complex, added FlightScope training technology, a new golf fitness room, a new club repair shop, bought new high-end GPS enabled golf carts, and remodeled the golf shop. Golfers will also find the Pautipaug Pub a nice play to unwind after a round of golf, with a casual menu of dishes like sandwiches, burgers and steaks.

Have you ever been to Mohegan Sun? Tell us about your trip in the comments below!

Book through AAA for lower rates on rooms at Mohegan Sun.

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2 Thoughts on “Spotlight: Mohegan Sun

    1. Hi John!
      As a AAA member, you can get lower rates on staying at Mohegan Sun if you click on the link at the bottom of the story. And you can always find discounts and benefits available to you at AAA.com/Discounts.
      I hope that helps!

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