This glitzy casino resort delivers the thrilling gaming and nightlife getaway you've been craving without having to leave the kids behind.

If you think Las Vegas is the only place to find amazing casinos, then Connecticut’s Mohegan Sun will prove you wrong. With more than 30,000-square-feet of gaming space and 1,200 rooms (including 180 suites), the Mohegan Sun is the East coast’s version of famous casinos like the MGM Grand and Bellagio, and it’s classier than casinos in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The entertainment is high class too, with big name performers appearing in their huge theater every weekend.

You can have the weekend getaway you’ve been yearning for, and you won’t mind having the kids come along once you see the hotel’s great childcare services and the kid-friendly attractions nearby. The Mohegan Sun is just two-and-a-half hours away from New York and two hours from Boston. If you’re on a family road trip, you can make a luxurious “pit stop” here while traveling to one of these major cities.

The Mohegan Sun, which claims to be the second largest casino in the world and the largest convention and meetings destination in the Northeast, opened in 1996 and was expanded in 2001. Styles are constantly being refreshed and thanks to constant attention from the staff, it still looks brand new. More than 30,000 people visit daily to enjoy its 30 dining choices, three clubs and lounges, two gaming areas, the Mohegan Sun Arena for sporting events, and the Cabaret Theatre for concerts and comedy shows.

The Mohegan Sun complex, owned by the Mohegan Tribe, is set among 240 acres along the Thames River in southeastern Connecticut. Like the rest of Mohegan Sun, the 34-story glass and steel hotel exterior and interior reflect Mohegan tribal stories, traditions and designs as well as the Tribe’s affinity with nature. Materials incorporate the local rock and smoky quartz once used to make arrowheads.  The gleaming exterior reflects the surrounding landscape while towering above it.

From waterfalls to mountains made of crystal, the Native American designs create an extravagance that will make you feel like you’re right on the Vegas Strip. The hotel casino is extremely clean and well kept. Each luxurious room has a work station, plus a television with email access, the latest WiFi and dataport options, and movies or video games on demand that the children will love. 

Kids Request the Kids Quest

Don’t worry, you don’t have to leave your kids at home or lock them in your hotel room while you enjoy the casino or take a break in their elegant Elemis Spa. Mohegan Sun’s Kids Quest is an hourly childcare service (rates vary depending on whether kids are 6 weeks to 29 months, or 30 months to 12 years), which is open from 9am-11pm on weekdays and 9am-2am on weekends and holidays. Kids Quest is staffed by licensed professionals who are trained in First Aid and CPR.

Children 6-weeks to 12-years can enjoy games and activities appropriate for their age group. Infants and toddlers have their own special area complete with baby swings and cribs. Safety should not be a concern because you can rent a pager from the Kids Quest front desk so a staff member can notify you no matter where you are in the casino, and the counselors require a photo ID for adults to pick up a child.

Within the Kids Quest are areas known as Barbieland and Construction Quarry, a place for crawling through tunnels and tubes, climbing up ladders and spilling down chutes. Older children and teens have an indoor playground with slides, ladders and tunnels. They can also enjoy the beautiful, palm-tree-lined pool, basketball, volleyball, video games and karaoke. Kids will certainly appreciate that this complex is the home of the WNBA basketball team, the Connecticut Sun, and will marvel at the hotel’s décor — a seven-story waterfall cascades down in the shopping zone.

If that’s not enough, Techno Quest is a state-of-the-art arcade that gives kids the opportunity to play with top-of-the-line games from Sony, Sega, Nintendo and Microsoft at no additional charge.

The casino itself boasts a unique, domed, ever-changing and twinkling planetarium roof which kids can admire but of course, they strictly enforce the state’s 21-year-old minimum for gambling and drinking.

Nearby Mystic Attractions

The surrounding area is known as “Mystic Country,” a region rich in museums, attractions, vineyards and more. If you’ve got the whole family with you, there are a few obvious attractions that are worth a visit. You should check out the Children’s Museum of Southeastern Connecticut (860/691-1111), Mystic Seaport, the largest maritime museum in the US, Mystic Marinelife Aquarium (860/572-5955), and the Essex Steam Train and Riverboat Ride (800/377-3987).

Depending on season, boating, fishing, golfing, biking, ice skiing and skating are some fun nearby recreation options for your family. Year-round possibilities include performing arts shows, factory outlets and a variety of great local shops.
 
An unusual historic sight is the Historic Ship Nautilus & Submarine Force Museum, which follows the development of submarines, from David Bushnell’s Turtle, constructed in 1776 to the Navy’s modern submarines. Another historic sight, the Old Lighthouse Museum, dates back to 1823 and kids will enjoy climbing upstairs. More for teens and parents is the Monte Cristo Cottage, the boyhood home of playwright Eugene O’Neill in New London.

For outdoors excurions, Connecticut River Expeditions: RiverQuest offers cruises to spot local flora and birdlife, as well as eco-tours and cruises past neighborhoods of large and historic homes. At the Connecticut College Arboretum in New London, families can tour the gardens, hiking trails and 700 acres of native plant collections. In Mystic, the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center has 7 miles of hiking trails within a 125-acre sanctuary. Teens and parents may be interested in following the Connecticut Wine Trail past a number of local wineries and vineyards.