Casino Road Trip

Back story: Rocky Gap Casino Resort was built and opened in 1998 as a resort hotel by the state of Maryland on the banks of the man-made Lake Habeeb in the tiny hamlet of Flintstone. The property, which was a financial disaster, was sold to a private operator in 2012 and became the state’s third licensed casino in 2013.

Getting there: The complex is an easy, all-interstate (295, 95, 695, 70, 68) drive that takes 4-4.5 hours from South Jersey (depending on location).

First impressions: Located in the shadow of Tussey Mountain in the far-western part of the state, Rocky Gap ranks as one of the most remote gaming halls in the East. After passing through a couple hours’ worth of some of the mid-Atlantic region’s most scenic territory, visitors arrive at the smallish (for a casino-hotel) property that looks far more like a rustic lodge than a typical glass-and-steel casino-hotel. The lake completes the peaceful, bucolic tableau.

The far-from-the-rat-race atmosphere continues inside with a low-key, woodsy reception area.

Accommodations: The six-story hotel boasts 198 rooms, all of which were remodeled between 2018 and 2020. Standard rooms are spacious enough that one doesn’t feel cramped. Although our clean, comfortable room didn’t have a microwave or mini-fridge, we did appreciate the two electric outlets and two USB ports on each of the night table lamps.

The bathroom features a nice-sized

shower, although the half-door design

takes a little getting used to. And the lake-view rooms are a must.

Game on: The casino floor is as small as you’ll find anywhere, with just under 700 electronic units and 17 gaming tables. In keeping with the property’s overall vibe, the gambling space keeps the glitz and sensory overload to a minimum. While the casino is a no-smoking facility, there are two open-air smoking decks overlooking the lake with a total of about 35 machines.

With sports betting now legal in Maryland, a book located just off the main entrance is expected to open sometime this year.

Let’s eat: Rocky Gap has but two full-service eateries, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing, as the main dining room, the aptly named Lakeside Grille, is definitely worth multiple visits.

The Lakeside is a warm, relaxing space done up in dark wood and stone, and offers a panoramic lake-and-mountain view (in the daylight, of course). But more importantly, its kitchen staff can go skillet-to-skillet against any group of casino stove jockeys anywhere.

The menu leans toward standard gaming hall steakhouse fare, but with many creative twists. This is best exemplified by the Crispy Calamari Fries—grilled octopus cut into French-fry-like pieces and prepared with sweet soy sauce, sriracha aoli and roasted peanuts. It may be the greatest appetizer I’ve ever had in a casino restaurant.