We hit the road and we packed up our bags for a road trip to Michigan’s beautiful Upper Peninsula. One of the places we decided to check out was the quiet town of Brimley, Michigan and the Bay Mills Resort & Casino.
The journey to the resort was a picturesque one, traveling over the famous Mackinac Bridge and another hour or so to Brimley. Winding roads and lush foliage made for a enjoyable journey; and we were officially on vacation which is always a nice feeling.
When we pulled into Bay Mills Resort & Casino we noticed that across the street is a very nice golf course and a RV park. Both appeared to be quite busy, as was the resort parking lot. Bay Mills is located on the shores of Lake Superior and features over 140 hotel rooms. We later found out that it is an 18 hole championship golf course and there are 124 RV spots.
Our room was located on the main floor, and featured a lovely king size bed with quality linens and a jacuzzi tub! Mr. TCC is a big fan of jacuzzi baths so he made sure to try it out. He loved it!
There is also a family style suite available, if you are traveling with a larger party. Here are some photos from inside that suite:
Within the resort are different restaurants including a traditional buffet style restaurant called Sacy’s, the Player’s Lounge within the clubhouse of the golf course, Chum’s Cafe, North Winds Restaurant and the Back Bay Grill & Games. The BBG&G is where we ate dinner both nights, and it was simply delicious. The atmosphere of the BBG&G is casual, and the views are spectacular. The large windows look right out onto Lake Superior and you can watch the wildlife and the boats as you dine.
It was a very relaxed dining experience and the food was high quality and the portions were large. We tried the burgers and Gridiron fries. The fries were sinfully yummy, covered with cheese, bacon, green onions and sour cream. We would highly recommend them if you are in the mood for something ooey and gooey. Everything we tried at the restaurant was good.
It is good that the resort features so many dining options because the actual town of Brimley is a sleepy one, without many options for dining. We strongly suggest dining within the resort.
While at the resort we ventured into the gaming area, which is split into 2 separate areas within the resort. While we were not too lucky, we did have a ton of fun! Bay Mills Resort & Casino is the only Michigan casino that provides free beer, well drinks and wine while you are actively gaming. That alone is a big savings if you like to enjoy drinks while you are relaxing. We found that once we ordered a drink and tipped the wait staff (customarily the tip is $1 per drink) they came around often asking if we wanted drink refills. Please don’t forget to tip your wait staff at the resort, and take it from us – a tip is a sure fire way to keep the free drinks coming! Staying at the resort is very convenient, especially if you are drinking like we were. There is no need to worry about driving, once you arrive at the resort you have everything you need for an enjoyable stay.
Both mornings when I woke I snuck out with a coffee (complimentary, located in the casino in the self serve station) and perched myself on this bench. It was simply perfect; the best kind of vacation morning I could ask for. Quiet, calm, serene and beautiful. Needless to say, I highly recommend this bench!
If you want to know more about Bay Mills Casino, visit their website. They offer various casino promotions and tournaments, so be sure to check into them when you check in. You can also check the Bay Mills event calendar online. We were able to take advantage of the USA Day, which included 2/$1 hot dogs at the bar and $10 free when we reached 100 points on our FunCard. If you are gambling, be sure to get your free FunCard.
If your journey to Bay Mills Resort & Casino includes travel across the Mackinac Bridge, be sure to bring the toll receipt to the FunCard booth and they will credit you the toll amount in free play for the casino. Free is fun, even at the casino!
Due to the central location it is easy to visit some of the nearby attractions including Tahquamenon Falls, Mackinac Island or The Locks of Sault Ste. Marie. We visited the Falls while we were at the resort, and along the way stopped at several pull off spots to soak in the beauty of the state. Don’t just drive by these designated stopping locations; stop and enjoy. We saw 2 lighthouses while we were “on the road” to the Falls. They are free to walk around; some have admission fees to tour the museum but if you don’t want to spend money you are free to walk around the attraction and the shore.
