Rocky Gap Casino in Maryland is a unique property, nestled in the woods and mountains of western Maryland and adjacent to a state park, with a more diversified array of activities than your standard casino.
I visited early in July of 2021 and enjoyed a multi-day visit to the area. Here’s some of my thoughts around the property and what it has to offer.
The Casino Floor
The casino floor is among the smaller I’ve seen, with about 600 slot machines. The bulk of machines on the floor were lower denomination and multi-denomination machines, but there was a small high limit room of about 25 machines (including a couple of video poker machines), and some slightly higher denomination machines on the main floor (mostly of the quarter and dollar variety).
There was a decent selection of video poker machines, and I didn’t see much diversity in the selection of games or pay tables across their video poker. The pay tables were better than Vegas strip, but a step or two down from full pay machines.
Table games were not in particularly plentiful supply when I visited, despite the casino being busy – about half the table games were actually in play. Their single craps table was $10 minimums throughout the weekend I visited.
Blackjack started at $10 minimums and all the tables open refreshingly had a 3:2 Blackjack payout. Tables under $25 minimums were using a continuous shuffling machine, while at $25 they had a standard shoe.
They had some other card game types open like 3 Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, also at a $10 minimum bet.
Hotel Rooms
While I stayed off property for this trip as room rates were high and I had no previous comps built up there, but I got to check out a room that a friend was staying in. They’re advertising newly renovated rooms and they appeared so, with muted colors but a modern feel to them.
One side of the hotel looks out onto the lake, while the other looks out onto the golf course side of the property, so there’s definitely different views depending on which direction you’re facing, and which floor you’re on.
Comp Program
Rocky Gap is the only non-Nevada property in the True Rewards program, which I recently covered here. Whether it’s the non-competition in Maryland vs. Nevada or some other factor, I wasn’t pleased with the lower non-casino earning rate or the higher redemption rate for free play vs. their Nevada properties.
However, if you’re one who may want to play at their Nevada properties when there and are close enough to their Maryland property, it’s nice to have a card where you can build your tier and earn/redeem points in both regions.
Restaurants
They don’t have that many food options on site. They have the Signatures Bar & Grill, featuring standard grill fare, the Lobby Lounge & Cafe, serving up smaller bites and quick hot food items, and the Lakeside Grille, their primary restaurant.
I ate a Lakeside Grille a total of four times through the weekend, and at its best it was great, and at its worst it was a challenge. One of the visits our server never showed up but a bartender jumped in and took care of us, saving the experience.
One of the meals I opted for a steak, and wasn’t particularly impressed by it (nor was another member of my party). But other menu items, like the Wagyu burger and their Calamari Fries, hit the spot.
Other Observations
Rocky Gap’s location means it’s a more diverse property than most. It sits right on a lake, next to a state park, meaning there’s a lot of activities, both on property and nearby.
Their lake has access to paddle boats, canoes, kayaks and more, for instance. They have fire pits and other great setups out behind the property and a terrace bar to serve that area of the property. They have a golf course and putting green on site as well.
Next door at the state park you can find beach amenities as well, among other features, so there’s plenty to explore.
The property as a whole is on the small side, so if you’re one to like to bounce around gambling, you may exhaust the property fast. Ditto those who like a diversity of food experiences. But for those who like to get out of the casino and explore, there is a lot to enjoy here.
