The Lucky Getaway

“You must be 21 years old to enter the casino,” says the sign at the doorway.

“Yes, I am 21 years old,” says this reporter, “and I am ready to enter the casino.”

For any child, grandchild, niece or nephew who has had family members make the drive to one of the many casinos that have sprung out almost in the middle of nowhere, being able to legally walk onto a casino floor must be a welcome event.

No longer would you have to settle on the arcade or even Circus Circus-type amusements. Now you have the chance to gamble away what little money a college student may have.

Nonetheless, a trip to Thunder Valley Casino in Lincoln, 30 minutes outside of Sacramento, can be fun for people of all ages.

Traveling to Thunder Valley Resort is a trip unto itself. Along the way, a good place to stop is at the Vacaville Commons and Vacaville Outlets, a good seven city blocks of department stores, brand outlets, and fast food restaurants.

Depending on who you are with on this two-hour drive from San Francisco, a stop one-hour in might be a necessary, yet fun detour. (And the traffic when driving back to the Bay Area in the evening just might prompt a little stop to re-energize.)

When finally exiting the freeway into Lincoln, you are surrounded by seemingly endless fields with several structures upon the horizon.

Traversing the long winding road, and the signs pointing to “Casino,” you realize the first of the cluster of buildings is Thunder Valley.

After finding a spot in the large parking lot surrounding the building, excitement builds up.
And as soon as you open the doors, you are immediately bombarded with the sights, sounds, and smells of a typical casino you might find in Reno or Las Vegas.

The ringing sound effects and bright lights of the slot machines, the occasional shout of joy from the card tables or a jackpot, and the thick air of cigarette smoke; all things you expect when entering a casino.

Thunder Valley has over 2,600 slot machines on its casino floor and 150 machines in a non-smoking game room. There are also plenty of tables for Blackjack, Baccarat, Three and Four Card Poker, and Texas Hold 'Em.

For a brief and fulfilling respite from the bells and whistles of the casino floor, Thunder Valley has a 500-seat Feast Buffet that features food from around the world. For as low as $9.99 on weekdays, you can sample as many dishes as you like from chow mein to spaghetti to baked ham. The buffet serves brunch from 9:00am-3:00pm, allowing one to have breakfast, then lunch, and a big dessert in the span of an hour.

Also at Thunder Valley, the Koi Palace, a casual dining Chinese restaurant, and a Food Court featuring Starbucks, Panda Express, and Fatburger.

There are often different promotions and special games, such as the slot tournament, depending on the time of year.

Walking through the casino, there is a wide range of players. From young adults to senior citizens, the draw of a fun day at the casino appeals to all ages (above 21, of course).

Unfortunately, the one thing that is lacking from Thunder Valley is a place for children to enjoy themselves. A particularly sad picture on the day was of a young girl sitting in the food court with her Panda Express soda cup looking completely bored out of her mind. She'll have to wait a couple more years for her chance to laugh at the sign on the door.

Thunder Valley Casino
1200 Athens Avenue
Lincoln, CA 95648
Phone: (916) 408-7777
Toll-free: (877) 468-8777
http://www.thundervalleyresort.com/