How Southern California casinos are celebrating the Year of the Rabbit
Lunar New Year activities include traditional decor, lion and dragon dances, dining and gaming specials and more.
This Lunar New Year marks the Year of the Rabbit, which is believed to be the tamest of the 12 animals in the Chinese zodiac. Though 2023 is set to be a bit more gentle, it doesn’t mean that it will lack excitement.
Southern California casinos will commemorate the Year of the Rabbit with celebrations that include elaborate meals and dining specials, traditional dance performances and decorations, as well as themed gambling and spa specials.
Here’s what casinos are offering this Lunar New Year.
Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs
401 E. Amado Road, Palm Springs. 888-999-1995. aguacalientecasinos.com.
360 Sports will offer Crab Rangoon ($10), Mongolian beef with jasmine rice ($16), and Pad Thai ($16).
The Lunar New Year dining specials are available 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting Sunday, Jan. 22 through Sunday, Feb. 5.
Agua Caliente Resort Casino Spa Rancho Mirage
32-250 Bob Hope Drive, Rancho Mirage. 888-999-1995. aguacalientecasinos.com.
Jade, the restaurant inside The District, and the Waters Café will serve lobster ginger and scallion stir fry ($30) and crispy garlic ginger tilapia ($22).
The Lunar New Year dining specials are available 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m.–10 p.m. Friday and Saturday starting Sunday, Jan. 22 through Sunday, Feb. 5.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino
84-245 Indio Springs Drive, Indio. 760-345-2450. fantasyspringsresort.com.
Beginning at 6 a.m. Friday, Jan. 27, guests playing table games can earn entry tickets for Lunar New Year drawings. Through Jan. 28, a total of $28,888 in cash and free play will be awarded, as well as a grand prize of a trip for two to anywhere in the world.
Fantasy Springs Resort Casino will also host a traditional lion dance at 7 p.m. Jan. 28 on the casino floor.
Harrah’s Resort Southern California
777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center. 760-751-3100. harrahssocal.com
The Valley Center casino will be decorated with red and gold colors, hanging banners and lanterns, and a large gardenscape and rabbit statue inside the Hotel Lobby from Jan. 15-Feb. 7. Lion dancers will roam the property on Monday, Jan. 23.
The newly opened Salt & Fin seafood restaurant will serve whole steamed fish with a choice of Branzino or Onofrio’s catch of the day steamed over broth of Soy, served with a light salad of fresh herbs, julienned ginger, Fresno chilies and garlic. 4:30–10 p.m. Friday, Jan. 20 through Sunday Jan. 22. $60.
Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa
49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon. 951-849-3080. morongocasinoresort.com
Dragon and lion dancers will perform hourly throughout the casino from 7-10 p.m. on Friday, Jan. 27 and Saturday, Jan. 28. Morongo also has a couple of dining specials for the holiday that will run from Jan. 23-Feb. 5.
Fiesta Taco will serve Asian shrimp tacos made with garlic and lime grilled shrimp, kimchi slaw, sweet & spicy aioli, sliced jalapenos, micro-cilantro and lime for $3.99 each.
The Good Times Café will serve steamed white fish with pepper, onion, lemon-sweet chili soy sauce, ginger-garlic cabbage, steamed white rice, crispy noodles and sponge cake for $14.99.
Mozen Asian kitchen will serve long-life noodles stir-fried with beef, shrimp, chicken, long-cut scallions, white onion and shredded carrots for $22.
Pescato Oyster Bar will serve seafood Miso Udon made with tofu, Alaskan crab, Littleneck clams, green-lipped mussels, Mexican Shrimp and Udon Noodles for $42.
The Irish/Hong Kongese singer-songwriter Chris Wong will perform a special concert at the casino’s Grand Ballroom at 5 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 22. Tickets are $68-$168 at Ticketmaster.com.
Pechanga Resort Casino
45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula. 951-693-1819. pechanga.com.
Pechanga will have lion dancers perform on the casino floor by the north entrance and a firecracker celebration at 3 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 28.
The property is also offering special hotel rates that include $20 of free play. Lunar New Year hotel rates start at $122 Monday-Thursday from now until Feb. 9. Guests can call 877-711-2946 or book hotel rooms online at pechanga.com/stay using the LNY122 reference code.
Spa Pechanga is offering a spa special that includes a sweet cream salt scrub, clementine oil and a take-home bag that includes a 2-ounce of clementine massage oil and exfoliating gloves. According to the casino’s website, Asian cultures often gift citrus for the holiday because its fragrance is said to ward off bad luck, and its sweetness ushers in wealth and prosperity. The 50-minute massage is $195 for the traditional and $215 for the therapeutic options.