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5-Star Review: Harrah’s Cherokee Casino in North Carolina

If you’re looking for a perfect vacation getaway in North Carolina, you’ve found the best option: Harrah’s Casino and Resort. This property has everything you need from fun entertainment, amazing food and beverage, gambling, and so much more! This is the best casino in North Carolina, so keep reading to find out why it’s worth your visit!!

First, a little about Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort:

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is located in western North Carolina in the town of Cherokee. It is nestled in the mountains between the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the Blue Ridge Parkway. It’s about a three hour drive from Charlotte, NC and Atlanta, GA making it easily accessible!

This resort features over 1,100 guest rooms, a huge casino area, large variety of dining options, and so much more! You truly don’t have to leave property throughout your entire stay!

I am going to review each part of my experience at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort – click below to skip ahead to a specific section:
Rooms | Casino | Food and Beverage | Entertainment | Shopping | FAQ | Things To Do Nearby

Harrah's Cherokee Resort - full review

Harrah’s Room & Amenities –

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort recently upgraded their rooms in the Cherokee Tower – and they’re stunning! Exactly what you want and need for a vacation: large room, big TV, small beverage fridge, well-lit, seating area, desk, and more! The bathroom is also well-lit and features a rain shower head and standard shower head!

Harrah’s provided complimentary room amenities that include: coffee bar, shampoo, conditioner, soaps, hand sanitizer, lotion, etc!

In terms of complimentary amenities on property, all guests will receive access to the 24/7 onsite gym, indoor pool, outdoor pool, and complimentary parking (both valet and self parking). The indoor pool is heated and open year round, so don’t forget to pack your bathing suit!

Harrah's Cherokee Casino resort rooms

Cherokee Casino –

Fun Fact – there are only four casino in North Carolina. The best NC casino is located here at Harrah’s Cherokee.

The Harrah’s Cherokee casino is part of Caesars Rewards, which means you can carry over your winning money from other Caesar’s properties (like the ones in Las Vegas) here to Cherokee! The casino itself is HUGE – over 150,000 feet full of gambling games! It features tons of slot machines, tables, a sportsbook, and more! This Cherokee Casino is open 24/7, with an adjacent food court!

One perk for me is that Harrah’s Casino no longer allows smoking indoors! This makes walking through the popular North Carolina casino much more pleasant! To smoke, guests must exit outside.


Food and Beverage –

The variety of Food and Beverage options at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort blew me away! They had anything and everything you could want right here on property.

Please note – reservations fill up quickly, especially if you plan to visit on the weekend. Make reservations in advance for any restaurant you are interested in visiting.

I personally loved the variety of options at Guy Fieri’s restaurant and loved the beer options at Wicked Weed! There are so many amazing places to check out and explore though, so you really can’t go wrong!

Onsite Harrah’s Restaurants:

  • BRIO Tuscan Grille – Italian cuisine
  • Wicked Weed – brewery from Asheville, NC
  • Guy Fieri’s Kitchen & Bar – southern food
  • Ruths’ Chris Steak House – popular steakhouse
  • Noodle Bar – casual Asian cuisine
  • Selu Garden Cafe – casual southern food
  • Starbucks
  • Various Bars
  • Food Court: Dunkin Donuts, UNO Pizza, Earl of Sandwich, and Johnny Rockets

Harrah’s onsite Entertainment –

Not only is Harrah’s Cherokee filled with fun casino games and good food, but they also have a ton of entertainment options.

For starters, Harrah’s has a large concert arena on property that brings in celebrities from all over the country. While we were there, Jamey Johnson performed on stage in front of a full house!

In addition to the live concerts, Harrah’s also has an arcade & bowling alley which is a perfect source of entertainment for adults and kids alike!


Harrah’s Shopping

This resort has everything from fancy jewelry to branded knickknacks available for purchase! There are around a dozen different shops throughout the resort that each offer unique things!

The main shopping area is called “River Shops” and it features 5 unique shops side by side:

  • Studio (luxury women’s apparel and jewelry)
  • Top Drawer (luxury men’s apparel)
  • Sequoyah Golf Shop
  • Hazelwood Soaps – featured in below image
  • The Cherokee Christmas Shops

Around the resort, you’ll also find a few additional stores and gift shops.

Hazelwood Soaps – onsite shop in Harrah’s Cherokee Resort

FAQ about Harrah’s

Is Harrah’s Cherokee an all inclusive resort?
No.

Do you need to be 21+ to stay at Harrah’s?
Nope! You do have to be 21+ to enter the Casino area though – you’ll be ID’ed every time you enter.

Is this the only casino in NC?
There are four casinos in North Carolina. The list of casinos in North Carolina is provided below:
1. Harrah’s Cherokee – featured here
2. Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River (in Murphy NC)
3. Cherokee Tribal Bingo (in Cherokee, only bingo)
4. Catawba Two Kings Casino Resort (in Kings Mountain NC)

Is Harrah’s Cherokee pet friendly?
They do offer a limited number of pet-friendly rooms, located in the Soco Tower (smoking rooms). A nonrefundable deposit will apply.


Things To Do Around Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

The town of Cherokee is a fun area to explore year round. It is located right next to the entrance of the Great Smoky Mountains and has plenty of outdoor hikes and activities nearby. You can also use this time to learn more about the Cherokee Indian Tribe by visiting the museum or going to their markets.

I personally loved visiting the Mingo Falls trail and the Great Smoky Mountains while in Cherokee, NC! They’re both so close to the Harrah’s Cherokee Casino (within 20 minutes) making them great for a quick afternoon trip!

To read more about what to do in Cherokee, check out this blog post!


Overall, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is a perfect vacation getaway to experience a fun atmosphere surrounded by mountains. I can’t wait to go back and restaurant-hop with friends or try my hand at gambling again.

Let me know your thoughts in the comments below – have you been to Harrah’s Cherokee?

xoxo lisa

PS: Save this review on Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort for later on Pinterest:

Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort Review

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Review: Harrah’s Casino & Resort

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8 Comments

  1. This casino/hotel combo sounds like a fun-filled experience! I had actually never heard of it before, so thanks for putting it on my radar. I have some family members who love gambling, so I’ll have to let them know 🙂

  2. This looks like a great place to stay and be entertained. I’ll admit I do like to play blackjack so I’d be at the tables a bit if I was there. Love that you can’t smoke in the casino – that’s one thing I still don’t really like in Vegas

  3. I love a good hotel and this one seem like the perfect one! Thank you for telling us about it. Also, I love your Starbucks mug in the above photo — I collect them too!

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