Bay Mills Casino Resort is beautifully positioned on the shores of St. Mary’s River and Lake Superior in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.

At the time of writing, Bay Mills Casino is undergoing a major $100million development which is due to be completed in the fall of 2025.

Already comprising of a hotel, casino, sportsbook, golf course and several restaurants, the development will bring huge expansion not only in the accommodation, but with the amenities too.

A pool complex, spa, salon, fitness centre, conference space, deli, and arcade are just some of the additions being made. While the outdoor area will get a complete overhaul with a boardwalk, gazebos, fishing piers and an updated marina.

Bay Mills Casino, which is operated by the Bay Mills Indian Community, is remaining open throughout the development, so I went along to take a look.

The Bay Mills reservation has a groundbreaking past when it comes to gambling in the United States.

Eleven years before Bay Mills Casino Resort was built, Kings Club Casino was opened on the same reservation as part of Bay Mills Blackjack Casino.

When Kings Club Casino opened in 1984, it was the first gaming facility owned by a Native American tribe in the United States to include slots and blackjack games instead of just bingo.

It paved the way for other tribal casinos to follow suit, which they did in abundance.

When Bay Mills Casino followed along in November 1995, it complemented the already popular Kings Club Casino and they ran alongside each other for many years.

However, Kings Club closed due to covid in March 2020 and a decision was taken not to re-open it, and to invest in Bay Mills Casino Resort instead. 

On approaching Bay Mills Casino, I couldn’t help but feel enamoured by its surroundings. With a waterfront location, Bay Mills Casino is surrounded by stunning views of Lake Superior, captivating woodland, and lush greenery. It felt completely tranquil, the perfect little getaway.

When I arrived outside, the one-story building didn’t look particularly impressive or imposing. It actually just blended discreetly within its surroundings. There were no big features or distinct architecture to set it apart, but it was well-presented.

There was an element of wow factor, but it came entirely from the location and backdrop, which, in all fairness, was pretty spectacular and difficult to compete with.

Inside, my first impression was that the resort felt a little old-fashioned but quaint. The 17,000 square feet of gaming space had high ceilings, patterned carpets and quite a retro feel to it. It wasn’t unclean by any means, but it did look a little dated.

The general atmosphere was friendly and fun. There was a nice buzz about the place and the waitresses serving comped drinks on the casino floor were warm and welcoming. Incidentally, comped alcoholic drinks are very rare in Michigan, it’s certainly the first time I’ve seen this in the state.

The casino is non-smoking although there are allocated smoking areas for those who want it.

You’ll find around 600 slots and a dozen table games at Bay Mills Casino.

Slots range from traditional three-reel games to the most modern video slots such as Dragon Link and Lightning Link.

I would say that I saw a higher ratio of more old-school games here than I have at most other casinos in Michigan. So, if you prefer the older traditional games, this would be a good choice.

That’s not to say they don’t have modern ones too though, there’s quite an even mix. There’s also a good amount of video poker as well.

The casino boasts about having the ‘friendliest dealers in Michigan’. I can’t confirm that 100%, but I can’t discount it either. 

Warm, approachable, patient and friendly, the dealers made everyone feel welcome which created a really relaxed and enjoyable playing experience.

I saw tables with six deck blackjack plus a handful of poker pit variations such as Three-Card Poker, Let it Ride, and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em. Live poker games were also available. 

Live table games are available every day but only from 2pm until midnight, so if you love the cards, chose your times wisely.

In terms of table limits, the expect to find the following at Bay Mills Casino:

I couldn’t find a specific high-limit gaming area for slots or tables, but you can request a high limit blackjack table if you want the added thrill. 

If you enjoy playing slot tournaments, then you can take part in the TGIF slot tournament every Friday 7pm to 9pm. You can earn between one and three entries into the tournament for every 25 base points you add to your Funcard, and the first prize is $500 cash. 

Sports betting is also available at Bay Mills Casino in the DraftKings Sportsbook. Featuring eight large HD TV screens showing sports, and odds boards with all the latest betting odds, you can place bets at one of six betting kiosks.

Bay Mills Casino Resort offers 143 rooms in what appears to be an intimate hideaway. There really isn’t that much around it, other than trees and water, so it does feel quite secluded. 

I booked a Standard King Room and think I might have got one of the recently renovated rooms as it was actually really nice.

Spacious and with a neutral colour palate, the room was clean throughout and well decorated. There were two bedside tables, an additional two chairs and a table close to the window and a large TV unit with drawers that included a desk area. 

The bathroom was well presented as well, with one sink in a granite top surface and an oversized shower. 

Amenities included hairdryer, iron/ironing board, good-sized bathroom toiletries, a safe, 50″ LCD television, plus a microwave, fridge and coffee maker, which I though was excellent for a standard room.

The room was certainly more modern than other parts I’d seen of the resort such as the casino, and I was really pleased with it. The only downside was that the window was quite small and my view wasn’t great. A bigger window with lake views would have been the icing on the cake. 

I did speak to some other guests who weren’t as happy with their rooms, so they probably had one that hadn’t been renovated. So, that’s worth looking out for.

The other additional accommodation offered at Bay Mills Casino is the Sunrise RV Park. 

Situated directly opposite the resort, there are 124 trailer sites costing between $35 and $40 per night depending on electrical hook-up. This was extremely popular on my visit which is understandable given the brilliant location. 

Staff

Customer service is clearly a priority at Bay Mills as I was made to feel welcome by every staff member I encountered.

The waitresses were happy to chat, and the bartenders and servers were friendly and professional. I asked a couple of members of staff for advice on local attractions and they were more than happy to assist. 

Food

There are currently three food options at Bay Mills Casino Resort.

Sacy’s has a huge breakfast menu and is open from 7am every day. You can grab omelettes, flatbreads and big breakfast plates until 12noon daily. 

In the evening Sacy’s reopens for dinner and serves a range of comfort food with a twist such as pizza, pasta and steak.

Back Bay Grill and Games, meanwhile, is the Upper Peninsula’s only waterfront sports bar. You can devour sumptuous food while watching all the latest sports action on the numerous TV screens situated throughout the bar.

The menu includes burgers, pizza, basket meals, and wings, but I would highly recommend you give the Nuclear Sauce a miss. It’s so hot that if you eat it, they reward you with a free t-shirt!

The Back Bay Grill and Games is open from 11am every day until late and it has a daily food special on with great discounts.

Finally, the Loft offers food with a view of the Wild Bluff’s signature Hole 18 from 11am to 7pm daily.

Serving a menu of paninis, burgers, appetizers and snacks, the themed golfing menu is fun with various puns such as ‘Sand Wedges’ instead of sandwiches and ‘On the Green’ instead of salads. 

The Loft is a perfect place to go for early evening drinks as it has incredible sunset views so I’m told.

I ordered pizza at Back Bay Grill and Games during my stay and found it to be excellent. The pizza was delicious with loads of toppings and the service and staff were fantastic. I also had breakfast at Sacy’s and can highly recommend the Northern Farmer Omelette. 

Entertainment

The main non-casino entertainment at Bay Mills Casino Resort is Wild Bluff’s championship 18-hole golf course. 

Not only can you enjoy a round of golf, but at Wild Bluff’s you can also practice your skills with a full-length driving range, expansive chipping area, and large putting green.

For those who enjoy live music, the Back Bay Grill often has live bands and musicians that you can watch. Keep an eye on the events page for details.

If you want to explore the area surrounding Bay Mills Casino then you have a huge range of tourist hot spots and picturesque attractions to visit. 

Brimley State Park is less than three miles away, while Point Iroquois Lighthouse is just over five miles. If snowmobiling is your thing, then there are several snowmobile trails you can follow too.

The Soo Locks is a huge tourist attraction. It’s an engineering marvel that has to be seen to be believed and it’s only 17 miles from Bay Mills Casino.

Dating back to the mid-1800’s, The Soo Locks allow vessels of all sizes to safely traverse the 21-foot drop in elevation of the St. Mary’s River between Lake Superior and Lakes Michigan and Huron.

If you’re happy to go a little further afield then just an hour away you can visit Tahquamenon Falls or Oswald’s Bear Ranch.

The greatest entertainment at Bay Mills Casino resort, though, is the casino itself and the location. Whether you want play all day in the casino or just sit back and admire the views over Lake Superior, it really is quite idyllic.

Bay Mills Casino offers access to anyone with mobility problems and/or wheelchair users. The hotel has accessible rooms and the amenities can all be accessed on one floor too. 

The loyalty program at Bay Mills Casino is called the Funcard Club.

Despite sounding like it’s a convenient place to put your kids for the day while you enjoy some poolside sun at a Spanish holiday resort, anyone can join the rewards program as long as you’re 21 years or over and have some photographic ID. Just go along to the rewards desk in Bay Mills Casino.

Once you’re a Funcard member you can pick up points by gambling in the casino and then redeem those points for various benefits such as slot freeplay, rooms, golf, food, or beverages.

There are different tiers of the program that you can work your way up, but it is not necessary to reach the higher levels in order to start receiving perks.

That’s because you earn tier points and ‘comp’ at the same time, so even on the lowest tiers you can still use the comp points you have earned to pay for goods and services.

The great news about the Funcard club it that you receive $5 freeplay just for signing up. The tiers are detailed below:

• Lake Michigan: 0 – 1,499 points
• Lake Huron: 1,500 – 14,999 points
• Lake Superior: 15,000 – 44,999 points
• Great Lakes: 45,000+ points

With each tier comes an increase in benefits such as discounted hotel rooms, VIP access, complimentary golf, personal hosts and invitations to exclusive events. 

To earn points, just insert your players card into a slot machine when you play or hand it to your dealer when you play at the tables.

To redeem points, you can simply comp yourself directly at the cashier by handing over your Funcard and ID. No need to wait for a coupon on go to the rewards desk, just do it directly at whatever service you want to use.

Funcard program also has a Player Portal that you can access anytime to see what promotions or rewards are available so you don’t have to wait for them to be sent to you.

Although you will typically find more promotions at the best online casinos, Bay Mills Casino does a good job at offering Funcard members incentives to play. Some examples include:

• Senior Day (Wednesdays) - All Seniors 50 and over who earn 20 points on their Funcard will receive $10 in Dining Credit and earn 2x Points.
• Veterans Appreciation Day (Thursdays) – All Veterans will receive double points between the hours of 6am-8pm and 25% off at any of our dining outlets.
• USA Day (Fridays) - Earn 50 points on your Funcard to qualify for $20 in freeplay
• Canadian Day (Sundays) - Earn 50 points to qualify for $20 in freeplay

Bay Mills Casino Resort also run a daily Play and Stay promotion, where you can earn an overnight stay for building up points in a single day up until 11.59pm.

150 points will get you a free night in the RV park (seasonal months), 500 points will get you a free night in the hotel Sunday through Thursday, while 750 points will make you eligible for a free night in the hotel any day of the week.

I have to be honest: I wasn’t expecting too much from Bay Mills Casino before I went there. It seemed to be in the middle of nowhere with a small casino space and, as I’m not a golfer, I thought there wouldn’t be enough to keep me interested for long.

While part of this is true, I didn’t factor in how charming and quaint it would be, how warm the staff would be and just how stunning the location was. 

As soon as I arrived, I felt like I was in my own little world and it really changed my mindset. 

Okay, so the casino is fairly small and therefore has limited variety. I’m more of a modern video slots player so there were a lot of traditional games that just didn’t appeal to me. 

However, that’s completely a personal opinion and I know many casino players who would actually prefer the range of older games. Plus, there were enough modern games to keep me playing for a few hours.

There are parts of the resort that do need an upgrade, the casino being one, and there wasn’t any eye-catching features inside either. Entertainment and amenities are currently limited - unless you love to golf or to go snowmobiling.

However, taking all of that into account, I still actually really enjoyed my one-night stay. At the moment, there wouldn’t be enough to keep my interest for much longer than that, but that’s what the development is all about.

Once they add the pool, spa, fitness complex and all the other external renovations too, then Bay Mills Casino is only going to get better. It has all the foundations of a fabulous resort and I’m looking forward to coming back when its complete.

⭐ Standout moment

The standout moment for me was arriving at Bay Mills Casino resort, taking in the breathtaking views and immediately warming up to the resort and its charm. It may not be a shiny brand new casino resort, but the location is stunning.

Bay Mills Casino certainly has some character. The two big positives of this resort is the location and the staff.

It is a little out of the way, so car is the only really option to get there. But, and it’s a big but, the drive here is spectacular with gorgeous views of the woodland and Lake Superior. 

And once you’re here, the staff really make you feel welcome. It has a very warm, friendly atmosphere and the resort is clean and comfortable throughout.

I think it’s fair to say that the current renovations are probably necessary. That’s not to say that it’s in disrepair or is unpleasant in anyway, it just needs a touch of modernisation here and there. So, I’m glad it’s getting the love it deserves.

If you’re looking for a high-adrenalin party-place casino, then this is not for you. Bay Mills Casino has a much slower-paced vibe, no one is in a hurry and even though there’s excitement and music in the casino, it’s still quite calm overall.

However, if you’re looking for a relaxed getaway with some casino action thrown in and maybe some sightseeing or golf, then Bay Mills Casino is a hidden gem that I’m confident you would love.

🧭 How to get there

Getting to Bay Mills can be tricky unless you have a car or an RV. Public transport is almost non-existent in this region unfortunately.

If arriving by car then M-28 is the nearest highway. Alternatively, you may be able to arrange transport from Brimley or Sault Ste. Marie which is around 17 miles away.

Bus charters are available on request if you want to bring an organised group, details are on the casino website.

There is plenty of free parking available on site for cars and off course the RV site opposite has 124 sites available. 

If coming by plane, then Chippewa County International Airport (CIU) and Sanderson Field (Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan) are the best local airports in the region.