Surprises were in store when we celebrated husband Chuck’s 62nd birthday at the Tulalip Resort Casino.
It’s one of those often-viewed locations off the freeway as we zip north. I wondered how much the rooms cost, and were they nice? I am always pleased to report on overnight spots around Snoh
omish County.
I’ve written about places we’ve stayed including a tree house in Gold Bar, yurts in Arlington, the house for rent at Kayak Point in Stanwood, historic cabins at Cama Beach State Park on Camano Island and log houses at Flowing Lake State Park in Snohomish.
We drove to Canada with our best friends on a Saturday morning and spent a couple of hours in British Columbia. We stopped at the beach in White Rock — nice view — did a little shopping, then spent an hour and a half in line waiting to cross back over the border to our country.
American patrol agents selected our truck for an “agricultural” check.
Did that mean they were looking for green stuff that is grown in the ground, then smoked?
The four of us were ushered inside a big office building and asked to sit on a bench. It was rather unnerving.
(Another time, Chuck and I drove into Canada for a day, leaving from our camping spot at Lake Tyee in Concrete, then returning to spend the night in our trailer. Unfortunately, we were dumb and bought our evening’s hamburger and assorted groceries in a B.C. store before we crossed back into the USA. Some border guard had a nice ground beef meal, confiscated from our back seat.)
During this more recent encounter with guards, a dog sniffed our entire truck. It was deemed all right that we bought a beverage at the duty-free store and we got back on the road.
When we were ushered into our room at Tulalip, it inspired a my-oh-my gasp. It should have been nice, costing about $385 for one night. We had a view of I-5. I don’t know why we were in an wheelchair-accessible room with a spacious rain-forest shower.
We played a game of Upwords with our friends, Tom and Jackie Williams, who live in Lynnwood. They know I say any old oddball thing to get attention.
I suggested that after being best friends for 25 years, perhaps we should use the mammoth cave for a group shower.
They groaned.
Dinner was scrumptious at the casino buffet, which was only a short indoor walk from the hotel rooms. The only problem is they don’t serve a nice fluffy dinner roll, my favorite, and I would like the same chocolate pudding cake they offer at Old Country Buffet.
It’s a good price, with our senior discounts, at under $20 each.
We signed up for the casino player’s club and bought a $25 slot ticket for only $20. Chuck got more rewards because it was his birthday.
It was like a big kid’s Chuck E. Cheese’s experience.
We also got 10 percent off our room, which in this case was a delightful $38 in savings.
I was surprised to see at the hotel several brides in gorgeous gowns. The indoor pool was closed for a while because of a wedding ceremony around the aqua setting.
Arleen Edward, director of Catering and Conference Services, said the hotel was built with weddings in mind.
“There was a vision for the pool area, to take the outdoor feel indoors,” Edward said. “We had the grand staircase built.”
Brides can sashay down the staircase like in the movies. They can dress for their nuptials in a second-floor bridal lounge.
“There is a bathroom makeup counter,” Edward said. “You have an area to get everybody ready, go down the stairs one at a time — it’s planned that way.”
They are doing about 30 weddings this year and are accommodating brides and grooms from Seattle and eastern Washington. Some swap the pool ambiance for a ballroom.
My daughter, Kati, was married at Belle Chapel in Snohomish. It was darling, quaint and perfectly met our needs. My friends Les and Patti Wright, who live Lynnwood, found a dandy place to get married — at the Edmonds Senior Center, with its spectacular view of the bay and ferry.
Our foursome thought it was a hoot seeing brides in white gowns and men in tuxedos flittering around Tulalip. We headed home the next morning after depositing generous tips in the casino.
Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.
Talk to us
> Give us your news tips.
> Send us a letter to the editor.
> More Herald contact information.
