Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino
Prairie Meadows has 1,900 slot machines and table games such as blackjack, roulette and craps. There's plenty of poker action as well, with tables featuring Texas hold 'em, Omaha hi-low and seven-card stud. From April through October, the racetrack offers live thoroughbred, quarter horse and harness racing, or bet on simulcast horse and greyhound racing throughout the year.
As for food, Prairie Meadows is home to AJ's Steakhouse and the Triple Crown eatery, which offer breakfast, lunch and dinner buffets. If it's entertainment you're after, the musical lineup features big-name acts.
Prairie Meadows Racetrack and Casino
1 Prairie Meadows Drive
Altoona, Iowa 50009
Tel: (800) 325-9015
www.prairiemeadows.com
Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel
For a nearby alternative, head 55 miles northeast from Altoona to Tama, home of the Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel, which bills itself as the "largest full-service casino in the Midwest." As the name would suggest, bingo is a top attraction here, as is the smoke-free poker room, live keno and horse and dog betting. Other games include reel and video slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat and pai gow.
The hotel at Meskwaki has more than 400 deluxe rooms and suites, an indoor pool, five restaurants and a spa. And if you need to stretch your legs, head 25 miles northeast to Hickory Hills Park, a 723-acre facility with hiking and cross-country skiing trails and a disc golf course. Its centerpiece is a "paha," an American Indian word for a piece of high ground.
Meskwaki Bingo Casino Hotel
1504 305th St.
Tama, Iowa 52339
Tel: (800) 728-GAME
www.meskwaki.com
Terrible's Lakeside Casino Resort
Drive 60 miles south from Altoona to Terrible's Lakeside Casino Resort in Osceola, home to more than 1,000 slot and video poker machines. Terrible's has two live poker tables and poker and blackjack tournaments, as well as craps, roulette, Texas shoot out, pai gow and Texas hold 'em. The casino also has a restaurant, a hotel with fitness room, and an RV park with concrete pads and full hookups.
The casino is in a large, docked boat that is required by law to cruise Osceoloa's West Lake 100 days each year from April 1 to Oct. 1. West Lake is a popular spot for fishing, but if you want to add some hiking or biking to your trip, nearby options include Lake Ahquabi State Park (20 miles northeast of the casino), Clanton Creek Recreation Area (24 miles northwest) and Stephens State Forest (35 miles east).
Terrible's Lakeside Casino Resort
777 Casino Drive
Osceola, Iowa 50213
Tel: (641) 342-9511
www.terribleslakeside.com
