Have you ever been to a concert and afterwards thought, ?Wouldn?t it be nice to not have to drive home and instead head back to a nice hotel room?? Well, I thought that recently when I found out one of my favorite bands, the Wallflowers, was coming to town to Humphrey?s, a perfectly fine outdoor venue on Shelter Island, by the way. But doing a bit more investigating and I found that the band was scheduled to play the night before at the Pechanga Resort & Casino in Temecula, a mere 50 minutes away.

If it?s been a while since you?ve been to a concert, then maybe it?s time to reconsider. Oh, I know all the excuses because I?ve recited them myself: it?s too expensive, too crowded, not worth the traffic hassle, lousy sound, yadda, yadda, yadda. And frankly, I would have to agree ? for the most part. But it doesn?t have to be this way ? and the area Indian casinos are upping the ante in the San Diego concert going experience.

Aha! A lightbulb goes off in my head: Why not make going to a concert a part of a two-night casino getaway? Think about it. You arrive early, check in to your hotel room, do a little gambling (or a lot, if it?s your inclination), eat a great meal, relax by the pool. Just chill. Oh yeah, and at night, you take in a concert in a great venue. Yep, the youthful days of sitting up in the rafters of a cavernous sports arena drinking overpriced flat beer are certain to become a faint memory.

Pechanga: The Resort

I had previously visited the Pechanga Resort & Casino once, briefly, so this visit was the first where I could immerse myself in what the resort has to offer.

My wife and I headed up I-15 on a Thursday evening, making the drive up to Temecula in less than an hour. In fact, the drive to Pechanga (located just across the San Diego County line in Riverside County) is probably the easiest of any of the San Diego area casinos: no winding, treacherous two-lane roads to navigate; just a couple of miles off the I-15/State Route 79 exit and down the wide Pechanga Parkway. It?s about an easy drive as can be.
Driving along Pechanga Parkway, the Pechanga Resort & Casino rises above the surrounding residential area in what can only be described as impressive, and you realize the claim that it is the largest casino in California ? if not the entire West Coast ? is entirely justified. The resort, which completed an extensive expansion in November 2004, features a hotel tower housing 522 rooms and suites. In fact, the Pechanga Resort & Casino sports the prestigious AAA Four Diamond rating.

And it certainly is reflected in the operation. We were lucky to stay in one of the resort?s 63 suites (a very affordable $189/night early in the week, higher closer to the weekend), and I must say it was absolutely fabulous. First class all the way, the generously roomy suite was appointed in tasteful, modern contemporary furnishings and fixtures, with flagstone accents on the walls, along with a granite topped wet bar. And that was just the living room area!

The bedroom quarter was a striking combination of tastefulness and luxury ? far and away the best I?ve ever experienced. And then there was the bathroom ? actually a one-and-a-half masterpiece with separate tub, shower and toilet in a clever layout that would befit any custom home. From what we could tell by taking a peek while housekeeping was servicing them, the regular guest rooms ($129 midweek) were just as elegantly appointed. As for amenities, the hotel?s third level features a health club offering massages, a state-of-the-art fitness area, and a nifty outdoor pool with several cabanas to shade yourself. The pool deck became a favorite of my wife.

As I?ve said before, the Indian casinos in Southern California spare no expense in their facilities, but Pechanga?s is about as exquisite as any around, and would rival any number of Las Vegas properties. Oh yeah, did I mention there were three (!) TVs scattered throughout. The one bedroom suite was absolutely fabulous.

Pechanga: The Casino

In a word, huge. Pechanga?s wide open, Vegas-style gaming area, adjoining the hotel tower, is a 188,000 square foot casino floor with 2,000 of the latest and most popular slot machines. According to public relations manager Ciara Coyle, the Pechanga casino floor, after the recent expansion, is actually larger than the MGM Grand casino in Las Vegas. Accompanying Coyle on a tour of the casino, I wouldn?t bet against that statement, and it certainly justifies Pechanga?s claim as the largest casino on the West Coast.