If you think the mega-casino resorts of Las Vegas have a lot going on, then prepare to be dazzled by Foxwoods Casino Resort.

Located in Ledyard, Connecticut, Foxwoods Casino is a premier resort destination owned and operated by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

Not satisfied with just one hotel and casino, Foxwoods has five casinos and three hotels all under one roof as well as multiple bars and restaurants, and a huge variety of attractions and entertainment too. 

Foxwoods Casino famously has the tagline ‘The Wonder of it All,’ so I went along to check it out for myself to see if it really was as impressive as it sounded.

Foxwoods began as a high-stakes bingo hall back in 1986. In 1992 it added table games and a year later it brought in slot games. It’s come a long way since those early days, though.

The first hotel tower, the Grand Pequot Tower, opened in 1997, and there is now also the Great Cedar Hotel and the Fox Tower too. The latter was the MGM Grand Tower until 2013 when it was rebranded, incidentally.

Along the way it has continued to expand, not only with accommodation but also in event space, pools, attractions, restaurants, and bars, meaning it is a one-stop-shop for entertainment for all guests, including families. 

The resort is 9,000,000 square feet in total, and if you want to see it all, you’d better not mind walking as that is a lot of ground space to cover. 

Just to give you a glimpse of what you can expect at Foxwoods Casino – there’s a outdoor zipline, bowling alley, Topgolf suite, arcade, escape room, golf course, karting track, museum, and a seasonal ice-rink. And that’s before I’ve even mentioned the Tanger outlet shopping mall. 

From the outside, Foxwoods casino is attractive in design, with a white and blue facia on all of its buildings. Inside, it is contemporary, clean and has lots of art installations and fun features. 

On first sight I was impressed with both its size and style and absolutely loved the way it just seemed to pop out of nowhere when I was driving along winding roads. 

Because it is located in the centre of a vast wooded area, its presence is largely hidden and disguised. It was actually quite a surprise when it suddenly just appeared on such a huge scale in front of me so it immediately had touch of wow factor.

Location

Although Foxwoods is set amongst woodland and feels like it’s in the middle of nowhere, it is actually an easy place to travel to.

If travelling by car, Foxwoods is just a couple of hours from both New York and Boston and around a 50-minute drive from the capital of Connecticut, Hartford. It is also a similar distance from Providence and around an hour from Worcester.

There are four parking garages on site offering plenty of free parking. So, whether you’re staying at the hotel or just visiting the casino, you don’t have to worry about parking fees.

An Uber pick-up and drop-off point has been recently added to the Grand Pequot Tower Valet and Great Cedar Garage too.

Foxwoods also has great general transport links whether you’re travelling by plane, train, or ferry.

If travelling by plane, there are a number of airports close by. 

Local airports include Groton-New London Airport (14 miles), Westerly State Airport (15 miles), T.F. Green Airport (41 miles), Tweed New Haven Connecticut Airport (59 miles) and Bradley International Airport (60 miles).

A little further away are Boston’s Logan Airport (100 miles) and New York’s  LaGuardia International Airport and JFK Airport, which are both around 140 miles away.

If you’re travelling from Long Island, then you can catch the daily high-speed ferry to nearby New London, Connecticut. It is then just 14 miles to Foxwoods from there.

Finally, if you travel by train, then the Northeast Corridor offers some of the best train service in the country with a stop in New London. 

With standard and express train service from places such as Boston, New York, Philadelphia and Washington D.C, you can make your way to Foxwoods easily and conveniently from almost anywhere.

Foxwoods is also located less than 10 miles from another huge casino resort Mohegan Sun, meaning it’s easy to tick two brilliant properties off your list in the same trip.

Foxwoods in unlike any other casino I’ve reviewed in that the gaming space is spread over several different casino floors which are then all connected by internal walkways. They are:

• The Fox Tower Casino
• Grand Pequot Casino
• Great Cedar Casino
• Rainmaker Casino
• Pequot Woodlands Casino

Together, they provide 340,000 square feet of gambling space, which is the third biggest in North America just behind neighbours Mohegan Sun and the colossal WinStar World Casino Resort in Oklahoma.

I found the internal design of each casino floor to be different but all very pleasant. There wasn’t one theme running through them. Some had polished hard floors with big circular lighting, while others had patterned carpets with swirled neon lighting. All were clean, comfortable and enjoyable though.

It is clear that the resort has been built in stages with different parts added on as it developed rather than one purpose-built property as a whole. What that means for guests though, is a lot of walking!

Each casino floor is separated by a range of shops, bars, restaurants, and attractions which you must navigate to get to the next casino. Although when added together they offer a huge gambling space overall, none of the actual individual casinos struck me as being particularly big.

The busiest casino floor by far on my visit was the Grand Pequot Casino, which is the central hub of the resort. This casino floor kind of spilled out into the main walkway and had a huge glass-domed ceiling right outside letting in loads of natural light. 

The quietest and I think, smallest casino, was Rainmaker Casino. It had beautiful water features, indoor tree displays, and waterfalls around it, so it felt like more of a tranquil place to gamble.

The Fox Tower casino is the one that is separated the most from the others. Although it is connected by an internal walkway and the Tanger Outlets shopping area it is the furthest away to walk and, being honest, a little inconvenient. 

Foxwoods casino is predominantly smoke-free now, with the exception of some designated smoking areas. 

Table Games Selection

With such a large gaming space to play with, you would expect a lot of table games and, more importantly, plenty of variety. And I’m pleased to say Foxwoods Casino didn’t disappoint.

There are around 250 table games in total, but I admit I looked that up – there was no way I was counting! The factsheet also confirmed there’s more than 20 different game varieties as well.

As well as the most popular games of blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps, there were several poker pit variations too. The games varied depending on which casino you were playing in, though. 

As I visited on a weekend, the tables were busy. The standards of the tables and chairs looked decent, if not immaculate. I didn’t see any specific damage, they just looked well-used. 

The smallest minimum bet I saw was $10 through the day, but in the evening it was mostly $15 to $25 plus. 

I did notice that there is a Happy Hour Blackjack promotion offering $5 blackjack every Friday from 11am to 6pm in the Fox Tower Casino, which is a nice touch.

If you’re a poker player, then you will enjoy the 54-table poker room. Open daily from 9am, you can take part in daily No Limit Hold’em tournaments with buy-ins from $135 to $395. 

There’s also special events such as a High Hand Frenzy tournament with $500 payouts on the hour plus satellite WSOP Millionaire Maker tournaments too.

Classic table games:

• Blackjack
• Roulette
• Craps
• Baccarat
• Three Card Poker 

Variants:

• Criss Cross Poker
• Pai Gow Poker
• Pai Gow Tiles
• Let it Ride Poker
• Spanish 21
• Jackpot Hold’em
• Super 4 Poker
• Mini Baccarat
• 3 Dice Baccarat

While some of the Foxwoods casinos have 24-hour tables games, others have restricted hours. For example, table games in the Grand Cedar Casino only operate noon to 5am, but Pequot Woodlands Casino is open all the time.

For those who enjoy electronic table games, Foxwoods Casino has the Play Arena in the Grand Cedar Casino. This is stadium gambling with a large video wall where you can play three live table games simultaneously. 

So called ‘Dealertainers’ spin the wheel and turn the cards for baccarat, blackjack and roulette as you watch all the action from a personal play station.

Slots

You’ll find slots in all five gaming floors at Foxwoods Casino and there’s around 3,500 in total.

Most of the casinos are mainly filled with modern video slots although you can find some more traditional three-reel games throughout too. If you prefer traditional games, then I saw the biggest range in the Fox Tower Casino.

With such a huge number of slots, the variety is great and I had no trouble getting on every game I wanted to play, despite it being busy. I found all of my favourite slots to play including: 

• Dragon Link
• Huff n More Puff
• Lightning Link
• Ultimate Fire Link
• Little Shop of Horrors
• Buffalo
• Coin Combo

I had a little bit of luck on Dragon Link and Lightning Link here but ended up chasing the dream on Huff n More Puff and the wolf wasn’t in a generous mood unfortunately. But I had great fun regardless. 

If you enjoy some Bingo, then it doesn’t really come much bigger and better than at Foxwoods Casino. The High Stakes Bingo Hall is over 30,000 square feet with 2,200 seats and offers higher stakes Bingo games five days a week. I walked past this a few times and saw a queue outside almost every time. 

Bar-Top Gaming

I found bar-top gaming throughout Foxwoods Casino in a variety of different bars.

There are too many to go into, but check out Centrale Fox Tower, DraftKings Sportsbook, Play Bar, Spin Bar, TopGolf Swing Suite Bar, and Truth Bar.

To play bar-top games, simply pull up a bar stool, insert your money and choose your game. Usually bar-top games offer a range of options such as video poker, blackjack, keno or slots.

The great news is that Foxwoods Casino do comp drinks while you play bar-top games. This comes as standard in Las Vegas but many non-Vegas casinos don’t offer it so it’s a big plus.

Each casino is different in how they determine when you’re entitled to a free drink, but I did see a light system operating at a couple of the bars at Foxwoods Casino.

Just continue playing and when your light changes colour, the bartender will usually approach and ask what drink you would like for free. Don’t forget to tip though!

Foxwoods Casino Sportsbook         

Located in the Grand Cedar Casino, DraftKings Sportsbook is where you want to be for all the biggest sports action.

The two-storey bar is open every day and has wall-to-wall TV’s plus a huge 50 feet by 30 feet LED screen showing every sport you could want.

For me, this was a Vegas-level sportsbook, and I don’t say that lightly. With different levels, screens everywhere, a lively bar with bar-top games and a full food menu, it was just a really fun place to be.

If you want to place sports bets, you can use the live windows which are usually open until midnight. Alternatively, I saw 24-hour sports betting kiosks throughout Foxwoods Casino.

As a rule, I’m a big fan of sportsbooks. I love beer, food, sports, and gambling so it ticks all of my boxes. I stopped by here for a while, watched some soccer, and got a BBQ pulled pork sandwich which was outrageously good. 

I probably should have stopped there to be honest, but the Brownie Overload dessert sounded too tempting. Naturally, a food coma followed which put me out of action for a couple of hours, but it was worth every spoonful. 

If you want to grab a bargain, then there is a Happy Hour at the sportsbook available Monday to Thursday 3pm to 6pm and 10pm to midnight over the weekend offering reduced priced appetizers, snacks and drinks.

Waitress Service

I saw waitress service on all five casino floors at Foxwoods Casino and thankfully drinks were comped for those playing at the slots and table games.

I didn’t try out all of the casinos for waitress service, although that does sound like a potentially good pub/casino crawl. However, I did get drinks in both the Fox Tower Casino and the Grand Pequot Casino and the service was great.

If you’re not sure what to order, then just ask what they have. As a general guide, you can usually get beers, wines, spirits and cocktails. And again, tipping is your key to getting more frequent service.

I usually tip between $2 and $5 per drink depending on what I order. $2 for a simple beer and $4 or $5 for a fancy cocktail. It’s still way cheaper than buying directly from the bar and you don’t have to leave your game.

It was nice to see waitress service in operation at Foxwoods. It’s something that even the best online casinos can’t offer after all.

High Limit Gaming at Foxwoods Casino

There are three high limit gaming areas at Foxwoods Casino at the Grand Pequot Casino, the Great Cedar Casino, and, at the Fox Tower Casino.

Although all fairly small in size, they offer a more refined gambling experience with high denomination slots and high-limit table games.

If you haven’t tried high-limit gaming areas before, then they are worth a look, but only if you have the budget of course. Table game minimums tend to start from $50 plus which can be off-putting for some. However, slot minimums do usually start from a more reasonable $5. So, if this is within your budget, then why not give it a go.

Often, high limit areas have other perks such as private restrooms, snacks and more dedicated waitress service too

Cash and Payment Options

Cash is the way to go when it comes to gambling. Card payments won’t be accepted on the casino floor.

If you don’t have cash on you, then you can use the available ATM machines at Foxwoods Casino, but they may charge elevated withdrawal fees.

When playing slots, you insert cash into the game, but be aware that Foxwoods Casino operates a ticket system. So, although you put cash in, you won’t get cash back out, you’ll get a ticket instead. 

This ticket, known as a TITO (ticket in, ticket out) acts as your slot currency. You can just insert it into more games instead of cash to continue playing or redeem it for cash at one of the terminals around the casino.

With table games, you give cash to your dealer to buy-in and then you are given chips in return, which is the table game currency. If you’re lucky enough to leave with money at the end, then just cash in your chips at the cashier cage. It’s all part of what makes the land-based properties the fastest payout online casinos.

For all non-gambling activity at Foxwoods Casino, you can use card payments as you would expect.

There are just over 2,200 rooms at Foxwoods Casino Resort situated over three hotel towers. 

The Grand Pequot Tower is the flagship of the resort and has held AAA Four Diamond status for 14 consecutive years. The other two towers are the Fox Tower and the Great Cedar Tower and are not quite so extravagant. In all honestly, though, all of the accommodation looked to be of a quality standard, but I ended up booking a room at the Fox Tower.

The Fox Tower lobby was elegant and attractive in design. A large circular lobby, it was contemporary and sleek with a rounded window wall overlooking the gardens outside and big orange/gold feature lighting.

In the centre stood four marble pillars with a water fountain feature in the middle adding a little grandeur into the mix too.

The check-in staff were helpful, although there was a queue so I had around a ten minute wait to get my key. The overall first impression of the hotel was good though and this continued in the elevators and corridors which were clean and well-presented.

Foxwoods Rooms

I booked a Deluxe King Room, which is the most basic you can get, and my immediate reaction was that it looked fairly spacious with large light windows.

At 400 square feet, it isn’t extraordinary big, but it’s good enough. The décor was quite plain but pleasant. The walls were blue and cream, the carpet was grey with patterned swirls and the furniture was dark wood. 

As well as the bed, there were bedside tables, a TV unit with drawers, a desk and chair, and a separate armchair close to the window.

The bathroom was a really good size, with a large tiled walk-in shower that include a seating area. There was just one sink, but a good-sized mirror with excellent lighting. However, the toilet area didn’t have its own door, which would have made it better.

I found all the usual amenities – hairdryer, iron/ironing board, TV, bathroom toiletries and I eventually found the safe even though it was hidden in the top drawer of the bedside cabinet!

A personal fridge for your own drinks was a great touch too and I liked the quirky shaped windows which were at opposing angles to each other which seemed to bring in more light. I was lucky that I had a great view of both the forest and the Fox Tower Pool below from my room.

All-in-all the room was nothing spectacular but it was impressive for a basic room standard and I enjoyed spending time in it. 

If you are a pet-lover, then unfortunately you will have to leave your furry friend at home as Foxwoods does not allow pets in resort.

Bars

With around 18 to 20 bars in total, it’s quite hard to keep track of them all at Foxwoods Casino. 

However, some are situated amongst other attractions such as TopGolf and High Rollers Luxury Lanes, while others are inside restaurants such as Guy Fieri’s Kitchen and Bar, Hard Rock Café, and Wahlburgers.

The main bar areas that I looked around were:

• DraftKings Sportbook – casual sports bar with lively atmosphere
• Centrale Fox Tower – stylish lobby bar with fun vibe day and night
• Play Bar – open casino bar right in the middle of all the action
• Truth – sophisticated refined bar with handcrafted cocktails

If you’re into the nightclub scene then Shrine is the place for you. Open five nights a week, Shrine was voted Best Nightclub experience in Connecticut for nine years and regularly hosts celebrity DJ’s. 

Buffets and Restaurant

You are literally spoiled or choice when it comes to dining at Foxwoods Casino. From fine dining, casual eats, branded restaurants, celebrity chefs and cheap bites, there is an extraordinary amount or options. Even more so than most Vegas casinos. 

Fine Dining options include Gordon Ramsey’s Hell’s Kitchen, David Burke Prime, Cedars Steaks and Oysters, and Red Lantern. I’ve eaten at Hell’s Kitchen before and the Sticky Toffee Pudding is an absolute must-try.

Meanwhile more casual food options include Hard Rock Café, California Pizza Kitchen, Guy Fieri’s Kitchen and Bar, Sugar Factory and The Scorpion Bar.

If you prefer quick eats then Juniors, Johnny Rockets, Wahlburgers or Panda Express might be more what you’re looking for. And don’t forget there is also a food court with Subway and Wingstop plus several other snack stops like Cinnabon and Dunkin’ Donuts too.

Shows and Entertainment

The Premier Theatre and the Great Cedar Showroom are the two main event venues at Foxwoods Casino.

The Premier Theatre is an impressive 4,600 seated venue hosting many headline acts. Current line-ups include Miranda Lambert, Nikki Glaser, Donny Osmond and Jerry Seinfeld.

The Great Cedar Showroom, formerly known as Fox Theatre, holds around 1,400 and hosts medium sized shows such as comedians, tribute acts, sports events and magic shows.

Outside of these two venues there are other special events such as Wave Pool Parties, Drag Brunches, Live DJ sets and Grace by Nia is a new Supper Club with entertainment while you dine.

That is just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to attractions at Foxwood’s Casino. 

Foxwoods HighFlyer is the biggest zipline in Connecticut and launches from a 33-story hotel tower. If that doesn’t get your adrenaline pumping, then take a spin on the Monza karting track with multiple-levels and hairpin turns.

Or why not try the XD Dark Ride which is a simulated 7-D multi-sensory immersive experience that you can enjoy with your friends. Or the Treehouse Arcade packed with arcade games, pinball machines and games of yesteryear to enjoy. 

If you prefer a more relaxed but fun-filled experience, then the TopGolf Swing Suite and High Roller Luxury Lanes are excellent group activities for all the family to enjoy golf games and ten pin bowling.

Alternatively, you can try to free yourself from the Spellbound Escape Rooms, or if you really need to let off steam then the Smash Adventure allows you to throw, smash and whack various items in a contained safe space. 

If outside activities are more in your wheelhouse then, as well as the Lakes of Isles Golf course, there are also Pequot trails you can follow if you want to stretch your legs. 

Finally, if you prefer more sedate indoor activities, then you can so pottery painting at Ready, Glaze, Fire or visit the Mashantucket Pequot Museum which brings to life the story of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

There’s one thing for sure, you won’t be bored at Foxwoods Casino!

Foxwoods Pool

There are a few pools at Foxwoods Casino, however, they were not all open on my visit.

The Great Cedar Hotel pool was closed but the Grand Pequot Tower pool and the Fox Tower outdoor pool were open. 

I only managed to walk around the Fox Tower pool which was small but situated in nicely presented grounds with trees and shrubbery and plenty of poolside beds. Cabanas and comfortable beds were available to hire for a more VIP experience.

At the Grand Pequot Tower, children are allowed in the pool but only until lunchtime when it becomes an adult pool only. 

There are also two spas at Foxwoods – the G Spa and Salon and the Norwich Spa at Foxwoods. Both offer various pampering treatments and relaxation spaces and, as far as I could tell, the G Spa also includes an indoor pool.

Spa

Foxwoods has a sizeable Spa facility for guests. The Norwich Spa at Foxwoods is located in the Grand Pequot Tower and offers general sensory treatments such as massages and facials.  

There is a luxury versio called G Spa and Salon too with an additional pool complex. 

Foxwoods Rewards is the, rather unimaginatively named, player loyalty program at Foxwoods Casino. Just like all other casino rewards programs, guests are encouraged to sign up, track all of their spend on the card, and then receive benefits and perks in return.

With Foxwoods Rewards, you can build up Tier Credits and Rewards Points which help you climb the status tiers and earn rewards along the way.

To sign up, you must be 21 years or older, and you’ll need to take photo ID with you to the Foxwoods Rewards Desk. Once registered, you’ll be given your first members card which will allow you to accrue points.

The various tiers and benefits you can receive are summarised below:

• Wonder (0 – 499 tier credits): discounted room rates, free ride on the HighFlyer and XD Dark Ride plus monthly point multipliers
• Gold (500 – 2,199 tier credits): as above plus 5 -10% food and shopping discount, complimentary show tickets and golf plus discounted partner offers
• Platinum (2,200 – 6,999 tier credits): as above plus complimentary stays, 15% dining, spa and shopping discounts, complimentary Norwegian Cruise and Caesars Las Vegas stays
• Diamond (7,000+ tier credits): as above plus free bingo admissions, VIP Lounge access, 20% food, spa and dining discounts and Arcade cards every month

Although climbing the tiers enables you to receive a wider variety of benefits, it isn’t necessary for you to receive benefits at all.

Rewards Points are the key to receiving rewards as they have a monetary value and can be redeemed against Foxwoods Casino services such as hotel stays, dining, entertainment, golf, spa treatments, and with selected retailers too. 

To build up Reward Points, use your card every time you gamble in Foxwoods, whether at the slots or tables, and also when paying for a hotel room. 

Should you join Foxwoods Rewards?

I always advise joining a casino rewards program because it opens the door to receiving great perks for spending no additional money.

Foxwoods Rewards is free to join and all you have to do is insert your card into a slot machine when you spin or hand your card over to your table dealer when you play. That’s it.

In return, all of your gambling spend is then logged on the casino system and you’ll get offered discounts, freebies and promotions to entice you back. What’s not to like?

At the time of writing, new Foxwoods Rewards members can take advantage of a sign-up offer. Play slots or table games, or both, on the day you sign up to Foxwoods Rewards and you can get up to $250 in future offers based on your first day losses. Check out the website for full information.

Well, where do I start? This casino isn’t a mega-casino, is a monster-casino. There is so much to do and so much to love about it, but also some things to consider.

I loved the discreet location, surrounded by woodland, and found the resort itself to be attractive and comfortable throughout. My room was pleasant, and there was a huge array of activities and entertainment to keep me busy as well as vast dining options too.

Casino wise, the range of slots suited me as I prefer more modern slots, but it might be limited for those who like a bigger selection of traditional games.  The table game variety and minimum bet levels were good, and I had great waitress service too.

On the negative side, the resort is badly laid out. It required a huge amount of walking between the Fox Tower, where I was based, and the main hub, especially when it involved going back and forward several times each day. 

Plus, because the main walkway is all one long stretch, the sheer amount of people made it difficult to walk anywhere fast. I was regularly stuck behind families or groups and just couldn’t’ get past them.

Because the casinos themselves are quite small, when it is busy they can get very crowded, very quickly. So, sometimes there is a necessity to move between the casinos in order to play on the slots you want, which can be inconvenient.

On the whole, though, Foxwoods has enough positives to far outweigh the negatives. I really enjoyed my time here and I would have no hesitation in coming back, in fact I’m really looking forward to it.