Located on Windsor’s riverfront overlooking the Detroit skyline, Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel attracts approximately 6 million visitors per year. From a slot machine “paradise” and the most exciting table games to live entertainment and luxurious hotel amenities, at Caesars Windsor, there is something for everyone!
Caesars Windsor History
It was opened in a temporary location in September of 1994 and became the first casino in Ontario. The permanent casino and hotel opened to the public on July 29, 1998. In 2008, the name was changed to Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel and the establishment was revamped.
Caesars Windsor is owned by the province of Ontario through the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, as is Casino Niagara and Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort. Operated by Harrah’s Entertainment, Caesars Windsor Hotel now has 2 towers: “Forum” Hotel has 23 stories and opened in 1998.
Caesars Windsor Casino
The main attraction at Caesars Windsor, without a doubt, is the casino. Caesars is considered a slot machine “paradise” with the most popular and exciting games on the market. Here, visitors will find their favorite slots, video poker and progressive slots.
Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel has the most sensational game tables in all of Canada, hosting Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Baccarat and Pai Gaw Poker. As well, the casino has a world-class poker room that is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. There are daily and monthly no limit Texas Hold ‘Em tournaments and table limit poker games including Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha and Seven Card Stud.
At Legends Sports Bar, people can wager on 2-4 different games at a time. There is close to 6,500 square feet of viewing area with large hi-definition televisions, theater-style seating and booths for added comfort.
Caesars Windsor Hotel
Boasting a newly added 10,000 square foot atrium fitness center complete with an indoor pool, sauna, whirlpool and contemporary fitness equipment, it is the only four-diamond hotel in downtown Windsor.
Within the 2 towers, “Forum” and “Augustus”, there are 758 beautifully arranged guest rooms overlooking the trails of the Windsor waterfront and the Detroit skyline. Luxurious amenities include 24-hour room service, full concierge service and complete valet parking. In addition, there is now a 100,000 square foot convention center.
Caesars Windsor Events and Entertainment
The Colosseum at Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel is an entertainment venue with 5,000 seats and cutting edge sound and lighting. The Colosseum hosts live entertainment with some of the biggest names in the industry!
Cosmos Lounge, one of the new bars, has a relaxing atmosphere with comfortable chairs and seating for 100 people. Cosmos is a full-service bar with a diverse drink menu.
Vu Bar, another addition to the newly renovated casino and hotel, has a 70s retro feel with curved ceilings, rounded seats and globe lighting. Located on the second floor behind rippled glass walls, it has a spectacular view of Detroit. Vu Bar plays soothing jazz music and provides customers with 20 signature cocktails.
Staying at Caesars Windsor Casino and Hotel
With the addition of a new hotel, 2 bars, a venue for live entertainment and many other extras, Caesars Windsor offers visitors a wide array of activities. Guests will be reluctant to leave!
For more information related to other aspects of Ontario, below are some details:
Port Perry, Ontario: A Big Thumbs Up!
The town of Port Perry, Ontario, along the shores of Lake Scugog is a quiet, peaceful little town, full of tidy houses, pretty perennial gardens, and historical buildings of various vintages. It is a place where you would expect to run into your neighbors on a regular basis; a place where small town values are held dear. Walk down the main street and you might be reminded of any number of towns in any number of other places across North America but this one is different. There is something magical about this town. You feel it as you descend the gently sloping main street, towards sparkling Lake Scugog.
History
The town’s origins date back to the early 19th century when several mills emerged in the area. By mid-century, there was a regular stage to nearby Whitby for .25c. Two major fires during the 1880s resulted in a rebuilding of parts of Queen Street where you will still find most of the Victorian architecture that exists today. Adding to the historical interest of the area, the “Mississaugas of Scugog Island First Nation”, have had a reserve on Scugog Island since the middle of the 19th century. Today, the reserve owns and manages The Blue Heron Charity Casino located there. Many of the homes in the town date from 19th to the early 20th century and are well-maintained and responsibly restored.
More recent arrivals to the area will tell you they came to escape the big city, as a chance to live and raise their children in a heritage community, a healthy, small town environment. They will assure you that it’s worth the commute. Even though it is an hour to the city on a good day; even though driving to Toronto five days a week in snowy January can be daunting, they insist that it is well worth it!
Hollywood has come to Port Perry numerous times as well. The TV show, “The West Wing” filmed several episodes here in 2006, using the Port Perry setting disguised as a New England town. The town has also appeared in numerous other films featuring stars like Ray Romano and Gene Hackman, to name a few.
Worth A Visit
What makes the town of Port Perry such a charmer? Maybe it’s the main street with its quaint, narrow shops, filled with an array of crafts, collectibles, clothing, and the work of artisans and native craftsmen. Or perhaps it is the well-maintained architecture of the town. There are a number of charming little restaurants offering everything from fish and chips to afternoon tea.
As you might expect, there are also numerous bed and breakfasts, beckoning, cozy spots that make you want to stay for a while. The shopping along Queen Street is second to none. Arts and crafts shops, many of them local, are full of unique items. There are antique stores and numerous boutique clothing shops as well.
This is a place where you can walk along the main street on a warm July day and find musicians singing and playing the bongos and guitar on the post office steps. Attend the annual bass fishing competition during the first weekend in July. Between April and October, take an afternoon cruise around Lake Scugog, eat a light lunch, and enjoy the scenery or take an evening cruise instead and enjoy live entertainment. Grab an ice-cream cone at the local Dairy Queen and sit on the grassy knoll overlooking the lake while you watch the boats go by. Or visit the nearby Ocala Winery, open year round, for a tour. Every Labor Day weekend, the Port Perry Agricultural Fair is an event not to be missed if you want to experience a truly authentic fall fair.
Returning each year for the past few decades or so, one cannot miss that some of the surrounding farmland on the outskirts of town has disappeared, replaced by new home developments and upcoming “smart centres”. As the influence of nearby Toronto looms ever closer, somehow, the town of Port Perry has managed to hold its own, so far confining the influences of urban life to the outskirts where most of the newer construction is located.
Yet, the actual town itself continues to retain its original charm. Clearly, the locals want it to stay that way. “Thumbs up”, they write to the local paper, for improved parks and landscaping. “Thumbs down” to the rusty staples from the notices put up along the “new wooden waterfront trellis structure”. They take pride in their community and it shows.
