Short Game Extra - Travel The NW

Down by the bay

Swinomish Golf Links, casino and lodge features fine dining and a relaxing vibe for players looking for a local getaway

It’s a lot more than golf when you book a supremely affordable stay-and-play package at Swinomish Golf Links, owned by the Swinomish Casino and Lodge.

Why not make it a destination for a little longer?

With a panoramic variety of views, Swinomish Golf Links sits between Fidalgo Bay and Similk Bay with Mount Baker as a benevolent backdrop.

Anacortes can be found well under two hours north and then west of Seattle and less than an hour south of Bellingham. It is a gateway point to the wealth of recreational opportunities for which the northwestern region of Washington is so well-known.

But if casino-adjacent golf is your bliss, why go farther afield? Swinomish’s delightful golf course (6,182 yards, par 72, 68.7/116) offers generous landing areas on its treelined fairways and approachable greens, with challenge added by elevation changes on many holes.

The hardest is No. 7, a dogleg-left par 5 of 520 yards. And you’ll need to navigate some water near the green to achieve your score on No. 16, a tricky 403-yard par 4.

After your 18 holes (or more, if you wish), the casino and lodge offer a nearby panoply of food and entertainment options — and a place to lay your head.

The 98-room Swinomish Lodge offers stay-and-play packages for $189 a night (plus tax) and include unlimited golf. Add a second night’s stay (and another day of as much golf as you can play) for only $100. Call (888) 288-8883 to make a lodge reservation.

Something to consider when planning your stay-and-play: Book some time at the Swinomish Golf Links Performance Center. Here, you’ll find a competitive selection of top-brand merchandise and knowledgeable staff to help you find the gear that suits your game and physique.

State-of-the-art golf simulators offer statistical readouts of the sweet perfection of your golf swing or pinpoint the (tiny) tweaks that might be necessary. The simulation experience also helps the certified club-fitters in the Performance Center fine-tune your selection of shafts and lie angles.

So, forget about golf for a while now that you’ve done your daily duty. Looking for some food? Your dining options in and around the casino are nearly unlimited, from the fine cuisine of 13moons to the casual splendiferousness of Fatburger.

The acclaimed 13moons offers an upscale menu of the freshest Alder wood-grilled seafood and handcut meats (don’t skip over the Marsala Mushroom Pork Chop). The lodge-like atmosphere is enhanced throughout by Swinomish Native tribal art.

If you’re a vodka martini guy or gal, you’ve found your place at 13moons. The lounge also boasts a well-curated wine list, premium spirits and great representation from the plentiful craft beer makers of northwest Washington.

For a classic American food experience, check out Carver’s Café any time of day. Soups, sandwiches, salads, burgers, classic entrées, breakfast and desserts, all in a setting rich with historical Swinomish photos and art and furnishings hand-carved by Swinomish artists Kevin “Wa lee hub” Paul, Frank Campbell and Nakiya Edwards.

If you feel like you need a sports bar after tucking away the clubs for the day, they have one at Swinomish, and it’s a cut above the run-of-the mill. All the sports bar classic food items are here, of course, available among the thousand (give or take) TV screens. You can get a sports bet down here, too, in the new Unibet Sportsbook at Swinomish. Place bets on big-time sporting events using one of the eight convenient betting kiosks.

Lovers of fast Asian food in the region know about Manchu Wok. You better believe the orange chicken is irresistible.

At the very nucleus of the Swinomish Casino floor is the Center Bar, which means you’re never far from the table games and slot machines while you sip a hand-crafted cocktail or one of a dozen beers on tap.

Did we mention they have a Fatburger? ‘The Last Great Hamburger Stand’ inspires true loyalty among its fans — the classic burger menu starts with the Fatburger Original and includes the somewhat excessive (but incredibly satisfying) XXXL Triple Kingburger. Or try the Cajun chicken sandwich, which we bet was not on the original Fatburger menu back in 1952.

All the fun and food you could want. And golf, too. It’s here at Swinomish.

Swinomish Golf Links SwinomishCasinoandLodge.com/golf/ is located at 12518 Christianson Road, Anacortes, WA, (360) 293-3444.