Primm Valley Resorts in Primm, Nevada

Category: Travel

buffalo bills signAbout 40 miles south of Las Vegas is the tiny little town of Primm. It’s located right at the state line where Nevada meets California. With only three hotel/casinos, you might not think this would be a destination in itself, but then you would be wrong. Primm is a microcosm of Las Vegas. It has comfortable lodging, gambling, a spa, restaurants, entertainment, and plenty of activities for kids. What it doesn’t have that it’s sister city to the North has, is traffic and congestion.

Buffalo Bill’s, Primm Valley Resort, and Whisky Pete’s make up the little town, and most people who work here commute from Las Vegas or its suburbs. Primm offers guests a different Nevada vacation, and if you really miss the crowds and traffic jams, Las Vegas is only 40 miles away.

The Hotels at Primm

 When you step into the lobby/casino of Buffalo Bill’s you’ll feel like you have been transported back to the old west. I thought I was walking onto the Bonanza set! There are plenty of machines and tables for gambling, but this hotel offers something fun for kids as well. There is an arcade area with rides, games, a movie theater, and food court, and the entire area is non-smoking, which translates into a comfortable environment in which kids can play.

Primm Valley  sign

The Log Flume ride quietly meanders through the resort, after initially dropping over 50 feet! The Frog Hopper is a miniature free-falling ride for the kiddies. The Desperado is a rollercoaster not for the faint of heart. It’s ranked among the top 10 coasters in the country and reaches 209 feet high. There are height requirements for each of these thrill rides, as well as The Vault, which is a 3-D high-def digital projection motion ride (the first in the United States) and the Maxflight Cyber Coaster, a virtual roller coaster. The Arcade has hours of enjoyment in store for kids, tweens, teens, etc.!

The rides are only open on weekends during the low season but from Memorial Day to Labor Day they are open daily from 10 am to 10 pm.

Primm Valley  coaster

This hotel has it all. Plus, I have to mention, the buffalo shaped swimming pool.

Primm Valley Resort sits next to Buffalo Bill’s. The décor here is more like the inside of an old west saloon. Besides the usual casino and hotel offerings, the Spa is a good place to relax and unwind. How about a massage, facial, or a respite in the sauna or steam room? Can you say, “Ahh?”

Primm Valley  spa

Besides the hotel/casino and spa, Primm Valley Resort is attached to the Fashion Outlets of Las Vegas. Just walk down the steps and you’re in the middle of a fabulous outlet mall, with over 100 designer outlet stores and bargains galore for everyone. If you don’t want to risk your luck and your money at the casino, these shops are filled with bargains to show for your visit to Primm.

And the third hotel is Whiskey Pete’s, which is across the I-15 from the other two. Whiskey Pete’s also boasts an old west décor on the inside, but from the outside you think it’s a medieval castle. This hotel is home to the real Bonnie and Clyde car – riddled with bullet holes.

Primm Valley  car

Getting from one hotel to another is easy, via the monorail system and the shuttle busses. So, if you stay at one hotel you can easily access the others without getting in your car. The Monorails run on a limited schedule however the shuttle busses run all the time.

Now, for my favorite part – the food! We dined at GP’s Steakhouse our first night and I have to say, the food was delicious. I have never seen flaming French Onion Soup before. And once the flame burned off, the soup was scrumptious. Noted for prime-rib and steaks, there are plenty of other options for diners. While there are not any vegetarian entrees per se, there are salads and side dishes that I sampled and enjoyed.

Primm Valley  restaurant

Other dining options in the three hotels include buffets, BBQ, Mexican food, pizza, Haagen-Daz ice cream, The Original Pancake House, Denny’s, IHOP, a pub, and at every hotel is a McDonalds!

Primm

Primm offers visitors a change of pace from the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas, while still providing all the fun, attractions, food, and comfortable lodging of the fancy hotels on the strip. For us it was less stressful than fighting the crowds and traffic, yet we did take a jaunt to Las Vegas for a few hours. It’s only 40 minutes away!

If you are in the mood for a quick get-away with (or without) your family, Primm is a nice destination. And, with the family-friendly dining options and the arcades and games, it’s a good place for the entire family. Plus two Tom Fazio-designed golf courses make this an even more appealing destination for many visitors. While I am not a golfer, I spoke with a couple golfers at the hotel and they told me the courses are “fabulous.”

Check out the various hotels for their different room prices. We had a Mini-Suite at Buffalo Bill’s that included a large sitting area, which made the accommodations extra spacious and comfortable. The mini suite is a large – and I do mean large – room with a little divider. One part is the sleeping area and the other is the lounging area. Having this additional space was an enjoyable experience and made the time we spent in the room very comfortable. Of course, we did spend time in the spa, in the restaurants, at the arcade, in the mall, and yes, we had to “walk” through the casino to get to the different areas. Primm Valley Resorts have a lot to offer in a laid-back, restful, and crowd-free environment. It was a great little escape for us and by the time we returned to the big city, we were well rested, had some great memories, and a trunk-full of bargains.

For reservations and more information, go to www.primmvalleyresorts.com.

Photos: Francine Brokaw

About the Author

Francine Brokaw has been covering all aspects of the entertainment business for 20 years. She also writes about technology and has been a travel writer for the past 12 years. She has been published in national and international newspapers and magazines as well as Internet websites. She has written her own book, Beyond the Red Carpet: The World of Entertainment Journalists, from Sourced Media Books.

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