Ready or Not, Here We Go

Multiple plans were outlined, our bags were packed and our travel day had arrived. Our exciting work adventure had begun!

Off to a great start

Our Allegiant flight into Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport landed ten minutes early. The luggage was slow to meet us in baggage claim. Forty minutes after landing, we were waiting for the Enterprise shuttle bus. The rental car pickup went smoothly. Less than ten minutes after arriving, we were in a Nissan Altima. We took a moment to connect the Bluetooth and reshuffle a few luggage items. 

Already ahead of schedule, we stopped by a Walgreens for drinks and snacks. After a quick fast food bite, we were headed to South Bend, Indiana. Our check-in was late, but 13 minutes sooner than estimated. Before 10pm, we were getting settled in for our first night on the road. A quick rearrangement of our suitcases was needed. Packing for space is not the same as packing for quick access and easy use.

Day 2 

The second day was when the real work and fun began. The jet lag and time difference worked together to make it easier for us to get to sleep the first night. Day two started with us leaving a half hour sooner than we planned. We visited all four Four Winds properties, Blue Chip, Gun Lake and Firekeepers. 

The Four Winds properties have a similar style. The New Buffalo location was the largest with the most dining and gaming options. The South Bend location is adding a hotel to expand the property. The properties have beautiful artwork features. Blue Chip had a new sports bar that was not open at the time of our visit. The sports bar at Firekeepers has a second level that allows fans to watch multiple screens while enjoying a drink or a quick bite. Overall, we spent less time than allotted inside the casino properties. 

Day 3

Since we were ahead of schedule, we took a detour the morning of day three. Growing up as a University of Michigan fan, I have always wanted to visit Michigan Stadium. Since we stayed the night in Ann Arbor, we detoured for a quick visit and a couple photos. (My next goal: to watch a game in the stadium).

Our next day of casino visits began with a trip into Detroit to MGM Detroit, MotorCity and Greektown. Music and auto themes were prevalent throughout MotorCity. The Greektown Casino has a unique setup within the historic brick buildings. Our next three visits were to Hollywood Casino Toledo, MGM Northfield Park and JACK Thistledown Racino. 

We decided to stay for our first horse race of the trip while we were at MGM Northfield Park. We bet on two horses to show. Beginner’s luck gave us a net win of $0.75. This would be the luckiest we would get when betting the horses. 

With one additional casino completed than scheduled, we attempted to visit JACK Cleveland. Chaotic parking on a Saturday night led us to call it a night instead. The hotel we chose happened to be hosting the Oscar Meyer Wienermobile, so I could not resist a selfie!