With a population (at last count) of over 13,000, they are a giant metropolis in comparison to Strawberry and Pine, the neighbor burgs we visited the same day.  There is more of everything, but the scenic backdrop of the mountains gives everything the “aah” factor.  You can relax in Payson.  It’s that kind of place.

There is shopping along the main street, including the Swiss Village shops which a resident we met at the Natural Bridge told us not to miss. We missed it, because we weren’t there for shopping. We just wanted to see what it was like for someone visiting and looking for scenery.

Things to do – besides shopping

Green Valley Park is a central recreational place where we saw people fishing, picnicking and just relaxing.

Fishermen do their thing at the scenic Green Valley Park

Green Valley Park - another view

Nearby, we saw a statue honoring firemen in front of the Rim Country Museum, which also had a reproduction of the Zane Grey Cabin (the Western writer who had lived in Rim Country).

With heavily treed areas in Rim Country, firemen are honored with this statue, acknowledging their part in keeping the citizens safe.

We drove around some more and located three golf courses, the location for their annual rodeo days, and the Mazatzal Casino and Hotel.   The casino, run by the Tonto Apache Indian Community, was a typical Arizona casino with all of the gaming action most people look for – slots, bingo, etc.  The hotel seemed well-kept and attractive, but we didn’t get to see a room.

Mazatzal Casino and Hotel - with another large wing not pictured

Dinner at Macky’s

When we finished driving around, we figured we were due for either an early dinner or a very late lunch. We headed to Macky’s , which had gotten good reviews online.  Although it was only around 4 PM, the staff treated us with great attention, like they always have people showing up at unusual hours.  The menu was voluminous, with everything from burgers to full dinners.  Mostly everything was in the $7.95 to $12.95 range.  I opted for a burger, but I didn’t make it easy for my very friendly waitress. (Sorry, I forgot her name!)  There were so many burgers with very exciting combinations, but what I wanted wasn’t any of those.  So, she gave me my guacamole on my bacon cheeseburger and we were both happy.  And unlike some restaurants, where they act like they’re being put out and doing you a favor, they were very nice about it.  My husband had the Philly cheesesteak and pronounced it “good.”

Macky's Grill

Did I mention that they are a Western-themed restaurant?  They have western music playing, interesting carvings on each booth, and even have the theme in the restrooms.  (No, I did not take a photo in the restroom!)

Carving on the booths is unique

We finished our meal with their “Southwest Cheesecake,” which had a combination of cheesecake in fried tortillas with ice cream, strawberries, and enormous clouds of whipped cream.  The cheesecake, nestled inside of the tortillas was warm and rich, was definitely enough for two.  It was unique and worth having. We were polite about sharing, but we ate every drop!

Southwest Cheesecake - sooo good!

Macky’s also has an outdoor patio and obviously likes to make guests feel welcomed.  We did!

So, we ended our visit to Payson with full bellies and glad we’d stopped.  As a place to vacation, it is really a quiet haven with outdoor activities as the central focus.

Find out more  at  http://www.paysonrimcountry.com/ – there are inns, small hotels, RV parks and other places to stay in if  you plan a visit.

Next up … We visit Scottsdale, AZ

For the culmination of the last four weeks, we decided to get out of town and head for Prescott, Arizona, less than 2 1/2 hours northwest of Phoenix.

Although containing only 1400+ acres, the Yavapai-Prescott tribe has done well within that small amount of land.  Originally, its economy consisted of timber, mining and agriculture along with a sand and gravel company.

Today with less than 200 tribal members they have managed to secure a Business Park, a 250-acre shopping center, a hotel and two casinos at the entrance to the city of Prescott.

Gaming at Bucky’s

The larger of the two gaming facilities, Bucky’s Casino sits atop a hill adjacent, and directly connected to the Prescott Hotel and Conference Center. The view from atop the hill is incredible which is attractive for hotel guests, but not so much for casino patrons who probably aren’t that enthralled by the view.

The casino is unique to others we have seen in the last few weeks in that a closed double door connects the hotel to the gaming floor.   Elsewhere, the hotel to casino entrances have been large and free flowing with no forbidding access.  (There are also two outside entrances directly into the casino).  The answer might lie in the fact that the hotel is a non-smoking property and the narrow hallway that connects from the front desk to the casino is much closer than the other properties we have seen.

Inside you find that there are actually three levels of gaming each with slot machines, but interspersed with table games on two of those levels.

As I walked in from the hotel entrance, I was greeted by a security guard, another startling addition to what I had seen over the last several weeks.  Guards were transparently scattered throughout the facility.  Maybe it was the smaller size of the casino that made them that much more visible, but I don’t recall feeling “watched” by humans as much as I did at Bucky’s.

I had the opportunity to actually see inside of a gaming machine as one was being repaired.  The internal electronics and maze of wiring was amazing.  This was nothing like the old “one-armed bandits” with the pull arms.  It was interesting that the maintenance tech was still working inside the machine when I made my way back around to that area.  He even seemed a little baffled by all of the electronics himself.

I had to chuckle as the gambler next to him was not the least bit interested in the inner workings of the identical machine on which he was playing.  It was his steely focused gaze on the screen of his own machine that was almost scary!

Other Diversions

Although the majority of the evening’s gaming were taking place at slot machines, there are Blackjack and Poker tables along with Keno.

If you need some food, Bucky’s Café is located on the third floor and is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.  Just outside is a full service bar.

I will have to say that Bucky’s is a much more intimate casino atmosphere than any I had encountered in the last few weeks as it does not have high ceilings, huge gaming floors and non-smoking gaming areas.

Low ceilings and a nearly packed house on the main slot machine floor reminded me of some of the small casinos in downtown Las Vegas.

www.buckyscasino.com

Tomorrow we’ll take a look at the excellent hotel property attached to the casino that is managed by small boutique firm with international holdings.

Take a look at our SHOP for gifts for yourself and others.

This week we’re featuring the only casino/hotel in southern Arizona.

DESERT DIAMOND CASINO & HOTEL

From a tent containing a bingo hall established in1984 to a $120 million hotel- casino, the Tohono O’odham nation completed its newest casino project in 2007 including its first hotel.

The quite new Desert Diamond Casino

Located adjacent to the Tucson International Airport, Desert Diamond Casino & Hotel is owned and operated by the Tohono O’odham Nation, the second largest tribal area in Arizona.  Another Desert Diamond Casino without a hotel property is located I-19 & Pima Mine Rd., approximately 10 miles south.

The 323,000-square-foot casino-hotel is located at 7350 S. Nogales Highway.  A 149 room hotel is connected to the 165,000 sq. ft. casino by an 8,000 sq. ft. conference center.

GAMBLING

The casino complex boasts over 1000 slot machines

• 500 Seat Bingo Hall
• 35 Seat Keno Room
• Separate non-smoking slot machine room
• Separate non-smoking poker and table game room

** Note: Smoke Alert!!!  After visiting several casinos over the last few weeks, all which allow smoking on the gaming floor, my opinion is that The Desert Diamond Casino ventilation system is not as adequate as the previous properties we have reviewed.

ENTERTAINMENT

Monsoon Night Club

Hours: Friday & Saturday 8:00PM

DINING

The Steakhouse

Cost: Prime Rib/Steaks: $16.95-$29.95

Hours: 4:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. 7 Days a Week

The Buffet
Cost: Lunch $9.99, Dinner $12.99

Monday Seafood Buffet $16.95

Sunday  Brunch $14.95

Lunch: $8.85
Dinner: $10.85

Food Court

Diamond Grill / Diamond Wok

Cost: Grill – Average Entrees 4.95   Wok – Average Entrees $5.95-7.95

Hours: 24 Hours

HOTEL

As an added benefit to your wallet, there is no lodging tax – a savings of 12.5% per room.

Desert Diamond Hotel with a Vegas kind of look

Facilities

Heated outdoor pool

Exercise facilities

Near the pool

Rooms

King and double rooms are available along with Executive Suites and Luxury VIP suites with one or two bedrooms.

Rooms include:

• Contemporary decor
• 32″ flat panel television (42” flat panels in suites)
• Large work desk
• Complimentary wireless internet access
• Refrigerator

www.desertdiamondcasino.com

This week we’re featuring another casino that’s been around for a while with a hotel property that has a familiar name.

HARRAH’S AK-CHIN RESORT & CASINO

Located 34 miles south of the Phoenix International Airport is the Ak-Chin Indian Nation.  A relatively small community, the Ak-Chin got into the gambling game back in the early 90s. 

Harrah's Ak-Chin Casino

With names like Caesars Palace, Paris, Bally’s, The Flamingo, and Rio in Las Vegas, what brought the Harrah’s corporation to what was then a town of about 1,000 population, 40 miles south of downtown Phoenix?

In December of 1994 Harrah’s was contracted to manage a 72,000-square foot casino built just south of the small town of Maricopa.  Expansion brought a 148-room resort hotel to the area. 

In an effort to bring gamblers to the area, there is even a fleet of buses that travel to the Phoenix and Tucson area and bring back players to the gaming establishment for free.

Remember that town of 1,000 I just mentioned?  Well, now there are almost 40,000 residents and Harrah’s renewed its contract until 2010. 

GAMBLING

In 2008, the gaming floor underwent a total renovation.  Although not enlarged, a new Arizona-themed color scheme was adopted and table games were placed down the middle of the gaming area.  The 40,000-square-foot casino has slots, table games (poker, blackjack) and keno.  There is also a new high tech bingo hall (the only Bingo Hall in the entire Harrah’s organization.)

Reel and video slots range from $.01 to $25.  There is also a high stakes room just off the main casino floor. 

Bingo is now held in what was formerly the ballroom.  Players receive a portable computerized game system from the desk out front.  Yes, that’s right, a portable, computerized game system which they take into the room.

Whatever happened to the old Bingo Cards????

ENTERTAINMENT

Oasis Lounge

Offering free entertainment on a stage just above the bartenders, the Oasis features bands and entertainment covering many music mixes. 

The Oasis is also known as a stopping place for “baby-boomer” bands.  Within the last few years, performers from the 60s and 70s have dropped by such as The Grassroots featuring Rob Grill, and The Classic Rock All-Stars with members of some the biggest bands of the 70s. Chubby Checker even twisted away on top of the bar. 

This month, 60s international recording artist Herman’s Hermits, featuring Peter Noone (Herman) will appear for two shows.

There’s not a lot of seating in the lounge area, but standing room is available and it certainly doesn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the crowds. 

Hours: Vary – Friday & Saturday: 9:00pm-1:00am

DINING

The Range Steakhouse

Long touted as the best restaurant in Maricopa, The Range is certainly the priciest.  It’s also a cousin to the restaurant with the same name located at Harrah’s Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. With steaks starting at $28.00, it’s pretty evident that you are in a casino/hotel environment (want the priciest food in almost any city, go to a hotel restaurant). 

It’s not a large restaurant (17 booths and seven tables (with room for a few more)), so the open kitchen is in view of anyone facing that direction.  There’s also a small bar just inside the door. 

I will have to say that “booths” might not be classiest idea for a high-priced steak/prime rib/lobster joint … but then again, you’re not there to eat the furniture!

Cost: $28 – $42 (Bison) Surf & Turf Combos $50-$60 

Hours: 4pm – 9pm (10pm Fridays & Saturdays)

The Harvest Buffet

Immediately next to the The Range Steakhouse, the Harvest Buffet features selections of salads, soups, hot entrees and hand-carved meats.  There is also a dessert bar.  Friday and Saturday night the food selection switches to a Seafood Buffet from 4pm to 10pm and there is a Sunday Champagne Brunch.

Cost: Lunch $9.99, Dinner $12.99

Friday/Saturday – Seafood Buffet $19.99

Sunday Brunch $15.99

Hours: Daily lunch and dinner

Agave’s Restaurant

This casual restaurant is actually down the hall from the casino, so smoke and the sound of gaming machines are far from the door.  Open for breakfast and lunch only, Agave’s entrees are reasonably priced for their location within the property.  The menu features the usual suspects for breakfast and sandwiches for lunch.

Cost: Breakfast: Average Entrees $7.00   Lunch: Entrees $10.50-$21.00

Hours: Open daily for breakfast and lunch – 7am to 2pm daily

Copper Cactus Grill

This walk-up grill just off of the gaming floor features sandwiches, hamburgers, hot dogs and pizza made to order.

Cost: $7.00 – $10.00

Hours: 24 hours

HOTEL

Although attached to the casino, the 144-room hotel is actually 20 separate buildings in a 2-story resort setting.  A swimming pool that curves around palm trees is also home to the Corkscrew swim-up bar. 

The pool

Rooms are 450 sq. ft. with either one king, or two queen beds. 

Although the hotel has no golf course, two are within easy driving distance.

For a town that still has no accommodations for out of town guests, this is the place to stay.

www.harrahsakchin.com