If you’re not into poker or slot machines or roulette (and a lot of people aren’t), you might think there’d be absolutely nothing for you to do at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort. And, if you are into poker or slot machines or roulette, you might think that’s all there is to do at Harrah’s. But the truth is, it’s called a “resort” because there are lots of things to keep you busy outside of gambling, and I’m going to pull back the curtain on some of those activities and events now.
First, though, I want to start out by making it clear that a visit to Harrah’s — even if you don’t gamble — isn’t likely to be cheap. Most of the restaurants and shops are pretty pricey; the rooms are often expensive, as well, although room rates do vary at Harrah’s just as they do at almost all hotels.
That said, this Harrah’s location is about 50 miles west of Asheville, in the NC mountains, with Soco Creek running right through the property — and walking or sitting by its banks costs absolutely nothing. I can’t think of many sights or sounds that are as soothing to me as those associated with water flowing down a mountain stream. Sitting creekside, the glare and blare of the casino might as well be a million miles away. Truth be told, though, I spend more time walking by the creek than sitting by it. I’m a “step-counter,” so I stay fairly focused on trying to hit my 10,000-steps-a-day goal, and walking next to the creek is a peaceful way to meet that goal.
Speaking of water and relaxing/exercising (take your pick), here’s another Harrah’s freebie (well, sort of): two adjacent pools — one indoor, one outdoor — are available to hotel guests, and it won’t cost you a cent to swim in or relax by either. The outdoor pool area, which is much nicer than what you’d find at many other hotels, has plenty of lounge chairs (free), but if you want to kick it up a notch, you can splurge by renting your own private cabana; 12 are available, arranged in a half-circle around the outer boundary of the pool area. (The cost of the cabanas, like that of hotel rooms, changes depending on factors like day and demand.) There’s a pool bar, from which you can buy appetizers, pizza, wraps, and sliders, plus alcoholic and nonalcoholic beverages. Honestly, when the weather’s right, this is a great place to spend the day — the atmosphere manages to be both laid-back and summer-festive at the same time.
And while we’re in the pool area, I will mention that located nearby is Harrah’s fitness room; as with most hotels, this is another free amenity. I have to admit that I’ve popped my head in just to check it out — and, again, I’d say it’s nicer than what you’ll find in many hotels —but I’ve never worked out there (I just stick to walking).
For some people, a vacation is just not a vacation if it doesn’t include some shopping, and while Harrah’s isn’t jam-packed with shops, it does have a few, located upstairs, separate from the casino: Hazelwood Soap Co., Sequoyah National Golf Shop, Cherokee Outdoors, Studio (high-end women’s clothing and accessories, plus a section devoted entirely to Swarovski crystals), Rivershops Home (home décor items), and Georgia Colt (boutique children’s clothes and toys). Downstairs in the casino is the Gilded Basket, where you can pick up a snack, a “Harrah’s”-emblazoned sweatshirt, sunglasses, a pair of handcrafted earrings, and…well, lots of other stuff (in other words, it’s a variety store).
Now, let’s talk eats. Harrah’s has a decent variety of restaurants, but none are cheap. In fact, when checking in, it’s not at all uncommon to see folks schlepping a bag or two of groceries up to their room. At a minimum, I usually take my own soft drinks and snacks. The resort has enlisted big-name chefs to add some panache to the scene, boasting a Guy Fieri’s restaurant in the new convention center wing, and a Gordon Ramsay Food Market (basically a food court where you can get burgers, pizza, fish & chips, etc.). The Food Market has taken the place of a humongous buffet Harrah’s had pre-Covid, and ask any member of my family and they’ll tell you they’d love to have the buffet back.
Harrah’s has been open for about 26 years in Cherokee, and from the best I can remember, Selu Garden Café has been around if not the entire time, then awfully close to it. I recall eating supper there one night early on, and not caring for the food at all. It’s no longer even open for supper —now it’s just breakfast and lunch — and I have to say the breakfast really is tasty.
Generally speaking, I’ve had pretty good experiences at the restaurants at Harrah’s — Brio Tuscan Grille, Wicked Weed Brewing and Ruth’s Chris Steak House — although I’ve never tried Noodle Bar (Asian Fusion fare). No matter where you plan on dining, I advise checking to see if reservations are recommended or required — more and more, this seems to be the case at most of Harrah’s restaurants.
You can also catch a show at Harrah’s in the resort’s 3000-seat event venue. Without a doubt, the most memorable show Steve and I ever saw here was James Brown, when he was winding down his career. Brown would entertain for a couple of minutes, then step aside and let another singer or band member take over for quite some time; this scenario repeated itself during the entire course of the show; clearly, he didn’t have the stamina of his glory days, but it was cool to see him onstage anyway. In July, Harrah’s opened up another venue, The Comedy Zone; it’s so new, we haven’t had a chance to attend any shows yet.
A couple of other quick mentions regarding non-gambling activities: there’s a 24-lane bowling alley and arcade, and — on the other end of the spectrum — Mandara Spa (offering facials, massages, and mani-pedis). And the thing is, Harrah’s is ever-changing. Six months from now, something I’ve just talked about may have gone by the wayside, thus making room for an entirely new restaurant or shop or venue. For that reason, every time I go to Harrah’s, I’m constantly looking around to see what’s changed since my last visit. And you know what? There’s always something.
Next week: When I see a Little Free Library, it reminds me of Fort Collins, Colorado.
