‘Tis the season for holiday cheer and Christmas wonder. But that also means that ‘tis the season for traffic congestion, crowded malls, high expenses, increased to-do lists, and ruined diets. Sometimes you just need to get away from it all—or maybe you want to find a little holly and jolliness already set up and waiting for you: no cookies to bake, trees to decorate, or lights to hang—somewhere where you can simply sit back and enjoy the Christmas splendor.
For less than a tank full of gas, you can drive to Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi and get your Christmas on, while still relaxing and forgetting the holiday hassle that often comes along with that holiday cheer. The impressive, 3.2 million-square foot casino is a winter wonderland on the Gulf Coast. The halls are completely decked with over 200 festively decorated Christmas trees and more than 2,000 poinsettias spread throughout the 32 stories of luxurious space, along with giant nutcrackers and ornaments about as big as Santa’s sleigh. In fact, there’s so much Christmas décor that it takes two off-site warehouses to store it all in the off-season. Anywhere you go throughout the expansive resort and casino, it’s merry and bright.
There are plenty of activities and dining and entertainment options to choose from. Of course, you can always gamble at one of the 1,639 slot machines, 143 video poker machines, or 80 gaming tables in the casino. But if life is already enough of a gamble for you, spend your money on shopping instead. The shopping promenade is home to a variety of fun boutiques and shops that sell everything from socks to jewelry to ornaments or toys. And if Christmas still has your blood pressure levels up, you can opt for a nice massage or perhaps a facial at the Beau Rivage Spa and Salon, or burn off your holiday-induced anxiety with a swim in the tropical pool or a workout in the fitness center. It’s beginning to look a lot like a stress-free Christmas.
Hungry? Dine at one of Beau Rivage’s 10 restaurants or cafés, such as The Buffet, BR Prime steakhouse, or Jia, a Latin-Asian fusion restaurant unique in this part of the Gulf. Jia offers an extensive sushi menu, including causa: a Japan-meets-Peru version of sushi. It’s sushi with the rice removed and replaced with a potato base topped with the seafood of your choice, and it’s absolutely delicious. Jia also offers teppanyaki tables with live hibachi chefs, where the food is presented with both flavor and flair. Everyone loves dinner and a show, and these chefs sure know how to entertain.
Speaking of shows, Beau Rivage is now presenting Christmas Dreams, 2018’s rendition of their annual holiday show. The show is a Christmas spectacular that includes ice skating, aerial acts, and songs from an extremely talented group of performers. You’ll see skaters leaping and swinging each other around in amazing and risky ice-based stunts, while Santa and company sing and joke and entertain us with their wit and vocal skills. It even snows. The show takes place in the posh Beau Rivage Theatre, which houses 1,550 seats, a $3 million state-of-the-art sound and lighting system, and a noteworthy selection of refreshments. The stage is frozen and so are the virgin daiquiris. Christmas Dreams plays until December 27, and Better Than Ezra and The Molly Ringwalds will be playing later in the month.
If you are staying overnight in one of the nearly 1,800 beautiful, nicely embellished rooms or suites at Beau Rivage, you’ll certainly want to take advantage of brunch the next day at either BR Prime or The Buffet. Champagne Brunch is available every weekend at The Buffet, and, for the first time ever this year, BR Prime is now offering their newest holiday tradition: Brunch with Santa.
Brunch at the steakhouse is particularly decadent and features omelet and carving stations, fresh-made gnocchi, a seafood raw bar complete with a Santa Claus ice sculpture, and all the usual brunch fare, like Eggs Benedict, French toast, cheese grits, fresh fruit, and so much more. Not to mention, the dessert tables and pastry buffet include enough goodies to construct a life-size gingerbread house large enough for you and six elves to all live in. Everyone gives in to holiday indulgences, so you might as well take in those extra calories in style.
While you’re at brunch, be sure to get your photo taken with Santa—included in the price of the meal—and tell him what you want for Christmas, such as more hours in the day, pothole repair, or the Saints to win the Super Bowl. Santa is also available for photos in the lobby during certain hours.
So, put down that plastic Frosty the Snowman lawn decoration, leave the cookies unbaked and the turkey unstuffed, and stop checking your Amazon order status. All your Christmas preparations can wait. Haven’t you earned some time away—a little Christmas without all the chaos? Sometimes you really don’t want to be home for Christmas. Beau Rivage is the perfect holiday escape.