Traveling USA

The Casino de Montr?�al gets about 15,000 gamblers per weekday, 25,000 on a weekend day. It’s not hard to see why. With 3,000 slot machines alone, there’s a lot of action. But that only begins to cover the possibilities in this gaming house in Quebec.

Once upon a time locals had to go to Atlantic City in New Jersey, or be satisfied with backroom penny ante games. Now tourists and Qu?�b?�cois (the name for inhabitants of the far eastern Canadian province) have an alternative.

Originally built as the French Pavilion for Expo ‘67, the casino is an architectural landmark. Over $300 million was spent renovating the building and the investors appear to have gotten their money’s worth. It sparkles like a big brooch near the water.

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Ocean Shores, Washington began as a highly touted real estate development, but over the years it has settled into its present incarnation as a fine family resort town on the central coast of Washington State.

The 6,000 acre peninsula is just 75 miles west of the state capitol of Olympia and close enough to Seattle (132 miles) and Portland (165 miles) to draw weekend visitors year ’round. In fact, it’s Washington’s most visited seaside destination, with mile after mile of wide, sandy beaches completely open to the public.

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There’s so much to do in and around Lake Tahoe, that it’s hard to squeeze it all into one trip. If you can only get away for a few days, try South Lake Tahoe which is, of course, on the southern end of the lake where California and Nevada meet.

The Nevada side of the state line is home to the casinos. When I spend my money, I like to get something in return, so I’m not much of a gambler, but the casinos offer much more than a spin of the wheel, a roll of the dice and the magic of disappearing money. They also provide plenty of options for dining and entertainment that impart a vibrancy and flare to the area. Not many ski areas come with casinos and that is part of appeal of this world-class resort.

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