A Sure Bet in Kansas

We left Arkansas on June 25, en route to our one-night stopover in Peculiar, Missouri. The RV GPS app we use clocked us at about a 90-minute straight shot that morning, and it was not wrong. An uneventful couple of hours on the road and we were (finally) out of Arkansas.

We checked in at Peculiar Park Place RV Park and were escorted to our pull-through site by what appeared to be one of the owners. What a nice guy! The whole check-in experience was super welcoming and you definitely got that friendly vibe the minute you stepped inside the office. I love that they are Good Sam members (10% discount on our stay) and they even had fresh popcorn bagged up for each guest to take with them on arrival. A nice touch.

As per our RV route plan, we left Peculiar the next morning and headed north to Praire Band Casino and Resort, near Topeka, Kansas. A little off the beaten path, we chose the Casino for a 5-day stop mostly because of the cost as we do like to balance out our fancy RV resort stays with some economical choices. For just $30 a night ($25 if you get a Players Card), you can stay in one of the 67 pull-through, full hook-up sites in the park and take advantage of all of the amenities the resort has to offer. And if you’re hankering for a game of poker, the RV park is within walking distance to the casino — or you can call them and they’ll come to pick you up.

We arrived at the park on a Sunday and the sign on the door at the gatehouse read “Closed.” So, we basically chose a site, got all set up and went to the front desk at the casino / hotel and checked in.

The casino itself was not unlike any other casino you’ll visit. Upon entering, you’re greeted with the typical lobby bar and fancy (overpriced) steakhouse. Beeps and chimes of busy slot machines filledl the air. As did, the stale smell of cigarette smoke (and maybe a little despair?) There was a cafe and a pub-style eatery with a really good, inexpensive menu. We were just thrilled to see a real live restaurant after being so secluded the last few weeks.

The courtyard of the hotel was nicely done with a beautiful water feature, a place to lounge, and even a couple of soaking tubs for guests.

Dave took advantage of the proximity to Firekeeper Golf Course and booked himself a round of golf. A top-rated course, he said it did not disappoint. He said the greens were amazing and he was able to join a father and son who were preparing for the teen’s entry in a tournament the next day. Pretty cool.

We are not big gamblers, so the fact that we were staying AT a casino was of little value to us. We did however go to the casino every morning to load up our cards with the free promotion of the day. This allowed me to play the slot machines with THEIR money and we played a game of bingo last night, for free, as well. I think it’s safe to say I can easily wait another 25 years before I pick up another dauber. (No, we didn’t win )