The moment you walk into the Live! Casino & Hotel in Bossier City, LA, along the banks of the Red River, whether you hear the siren song of the casino floor or not, you’ll be taken in by the vibe. With 549 luxurious rooms that range from two queens to a 3,000 square-foot penthouse, four full-service restaurants, a PBR nightclub, live music everywhere you look, a venue that seats up to 1,000 people, and an outdoor space that beckons during the warm Louisiana summer, it’s a chance to get away from it all. “It’s a place for you to come and unwind and get away from all the pressures of the world. As soon as you walk through the door, everything else kind of turns off,” says hotel manager Josh Robinson.
The property opened a year ago, and since then, it’s been a hot spot, entertaining guests from nearly every U.S. state and 12 countries. Groups of all types, including bachelorette and bachelor parties, family reunions, and couples on a weekend getaway, have enjoyed the resort's amenities, incredible food, and amazing entertainment.
You’ll find live music in the PBR Cowboy Bar every weekend, and karaoke on Thursdays. You might hear an acoustic band in The Prime Rib, the resort’s premier steakhouse. You might find a DJ in the R Bar, and there’s a stage at Sports & Social that often plays host to bands. The real experience? Seeing a live act at Live! Event Center. It’s part of the property, so guests can go directly from dinner to a show to see performers like Trace Adkins, the Eli Young Band, comedian Morgan Jay, and more. “It's an intimate entertainment experience, versus some of the larger venues or arenas, where you really get kind of a personal feel. It's a really great space for a show,” says Robinson.
If you’re a foodie, you know the cuisine in Louisiana just hits different, and the full-service restaurants at Live! lives up to that hype. If you prefer fine dining, The Prime Rib offers, of course, prime rib, but also steak and seafood. It’s one of Robinson’s favorite spots, and he says if you ask the chef to prepare your prime rib “seasoned and seared,” it takes the meal to a different level.
Then there’s Sports & Social, where you’ll find massive LED TVs showcasing sports games of all types, along with the type of pub food that makes you want to dig in: nachos, quesadillas, a to-die-for smashburger, and, because this is Louisiana, a killer red beans and rice dish, and fried catfish.
If you’re craving an Asian-inspired meal, Luk Fu is where you’ll find pho that’s out of this world, as well as Chinese, Korean, and Japanese menu options. Ridotto Grand Cafe is where you should go for the ultimate carb-loading experience. Dine on pasta, chicken parmesan, and pizza that Robinson raves about. “I've worked here since we opened, and I still think about it when I go home every day. The things that our pizza chef can do with that oven are pretty remarkable,” he says.
There’s also the R Bar at Ridotto, located just off the main restaurant, that offers small bites throughout the week, but really serves up an incredible ambiance. It has a library with a fireplace that invites guests to lounge with a book and truly relax.
If you’re visiting Live! Casino & Hotel between Memorial Day through Labor Day, it’ll be hard to drag yourself from the outdoor pool area. There’s oftentimes a DJ playing, plus plenty of lounge chairs and cabanas so you can spend a day in the sun. And if you want to explore beyond the hotel, there are a ton of things to do in both the Shreveport and the Northeast Louisiana area.
Live! Casino & Hotel is near the Shreveport Aquarium and the Sci-Port Discovery Center, plus the Brookshire Grocery Arena that hosts other live entertainment, as well as The Strand Theater, which is a must if you love musicals. If you want a bar scene, the Red River District in downtown Shreveport is a short ride-share away. There are festivals for every interest, and Robinson says the Red River Revel, one of the largest regional arts festivals in the country, is not to be missed.
If you love to be on the water, there are marinas with water rentals along the Red River, the closest of which is around two minutes from the hotel. There’s also an incredible lake system, including Cross Lake, Caddo Lake, and Cypress Bayou, all about 15 minutes away from Live!, and according to Robinson, this is where the real water action happens.
Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana is just over three hours away from Fort Worth, making it the perfect weekend getaway destination. Whether you love the thrill of cards or slots, or just want to enjoy your loved ones while enjoying world-class dining and entertainment, this spot should be on your road trip bucket list.
For more information about the hotel, booking rooms, live entertainment, and dining options, visit livech.com/louisiana.