From Flatscreens to Free Drinks: A Detour Worth the Bet
What began as a casual northbound drift toward Maryland Live—wedged between D.C.’s bustle and Baltimore’s grit—quickly fizzled. The clatter of real chips and the cadence of dealers were replaced by the cold glow of video Blackjack and automated Poker. Soulless. We didn’t linger.
With spontaneity as our copilot, we set sights westward—90 minutes out, into the folds of the Blue Ridge. The route skimmed along the Potomac and wound us through Harpers Ferry, where time seems to settle like mist over the river. Just ten miles further, the lights of Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races flickered to life.
Here, the thrill returned: live tables, complimentary drinks, and a buffet that—though now a relic—once served as the evening’s anchor. A night of high stakes and low inhibitions unfolded.
The bonus? We’d stumbled into the fringe of Virginia Wine Country, where no fewer than twenty wineries clustered within a half-hour’s radius. The kind of place where you could swirl Viognier by day and bet on a long shot by night.
Sun-drenched tastings. Neon-soaked nights. Sometimes the best escapes come unplanned.
