Mohegan Sun vs. Foxwoods: How to choose the perfect resort

David Weiner says he’s not much of a gambler. But that doesn’t stop the Smithtown resident from taking a couple of trips every year to one of the major resort casinos in Connecticut.

He’s been to both — Foxwoods and Mohegan Sun — and feels each is a great destination offering plenty of activities and great restaurants. For Weiner, it’s often “a guy trip,” and his group frequently chooses Foxwoods because it has a better golf course. “There is a lot of glitz and glamour,” he said, “but it’s very civilized.” He even once took his son to see Neil deGrasse Tyson at the Foxwoods arena. “It warmed my heart to see 5,000 people in an arena watch an astrophysicist talk about the value of science and education,” said Weiner, a dentist.

The two Connecticut resorts are on Native American land and are owned and run by tribal leaders (each has a museum devoted to the Indigenous cultures). Gaming is a big part of the action at both, but plenty of visitors never set foot in the casino. Wanting to pack a lot of punch into a long weekend, they come for everything from spas and fine dining to shopping, family-friendly activities, nightlife and concert venues that draw big names.

Both have huge casinos — we’re talking thousands of slot machines and hundreds of gaming tables. Foxwoods, on the Mashantucket Pequot reservation, is considered more family-friendly, mostly because of the adjacent water park that opened a year ago. Mohegan Sun, in Uncasville on Mohegan tribal land, is known for its overall luxury and impressive design elements, notably Dale Chihuly’s glass sculpture “River Blue.”

Here’s a look at what attracts people to each resort. Only around 10 miles apart, they’re about a 2½-hour drive from central Long Island. You can also get there by taking the Orient Point or Bridgeport ferries—it might take a bit longer, but the drive is broken up with a pleasant boat ride.

Hotels

Foxwoods has three main hotels. The Grand Pequot Tower, with more than 800 rooms, is in the middle of all the action, with the Norwich Spa on the ninth floor. The Fox Tower (formerly the MGM Grand), also with around 800 rooms, has a more contemporary, trendy feel and is closer to some of the nightlife and entertainment options, while the Great Cedar Hotel, with around 300 rooms, is described as cozy, a little quieter. You can also stay at the recently reopened Two Trees Inn, which is off property but budget-friendly and which has a regular shuttle to the resort.

The 1,400-room Sky Tower and the 400-room Earth Tower are the main hotels at Mohegan Sun. If you’re there for the action, go for the Sky Tower, where you’ll be near the arena, the indoor/outdoor pool and the Mandara Spa, along with a grand lobby featuring simulated cedar forests and reflecting pools. If you want some down time, the Earth Tower is a little more relaxed and has a patio and firepits.

Restaurants and nightlife

Foodies will recognize many of the names at both resorts — Gordon Ramsay, Guy Fieri and Martha Stewart have outposts at Foxwoods, Todd English and Michael Jordan at Mohegan Sun. You can find pretty much anything at either place, starting with your basics like Starbucks and Dunkin' and working up to high-end spots where you can blow your winnings on one well-aged porterhouse.

Long Islanders will recognize some local names at Mohegan Sun. Joining Michael Jordan’s Steak House and English’s Tuscany, John Tunney’s popular restaurant, The Farm Italy (which also has locations in Huntington and Westbury), opened there just over a year ago, and his more casual restaurant The Shed (with four locations on Long Island) has been running there since 2024.

Martha Stewart opened her restaurant, The Bedford, at Foxwoods last March, where 50 Cent was among opening night guests. Modeled after her farmhouse in Bedford, the restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. Guy Fieri's Foxwoods Kitchen & Bar is a big draw, as is Ramsay’s Hell’s Kitchen (but don’t expect to be part of his hit television show, which is taped in a replica of the restaurant and requires separate tickets; apply at hellskitchendining@us.itv.com).

As in Las Vegas, bars and lounges are everywhere you turn, from intimate spots like the Clay Pipe Cigar Bar at Mohegan Sun to the sprawling Scorpion Bar at Foxwoods.

Family fun

With a 91,000-square-foot water park, Great Wolf Lodge is a major attraction for families wanting to experience Foxwoods. In walking distance to the main property, the 549-room lodge also has a bowling alley (with shorter lanes perfect for kids) and an indoor adventure park. The main complex also has bowling, as well as an arcade, go-karts and a zipline.

Mohegan Sun has a play area called Kids Quest, where children 30 months to 12 years old will be supervised while their parents have some alone time. There’s an arcade for older kids, as well as an entertainment area where guests can snack while enjoying bowling and games like cornhole and shuffleboard.

Entertainment

Major arenas are a big draw at both resorts. The arena at Mohegan Sun is a massive, 10,000-square foot facility that brings in world tours and is also home to the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun basketball team. Upcoming events include Boys II Men on Sept. 19, Ricky Martin on Oct.18 and Metallica on Nov. 21.

The Premier Theater at Foxwoods is a bit more intimate, with only 4,000 seats, allowing guests to be much closer to the action. Steve Martin and Martin Short perform their comedy act on Sept. 25, but and the venue also favors blasts from the past, among them Paul Anka, who will perform on Nov. 7, The Temptations on Nov. 28, Jerry Seinfeld on Dec. 4 and Sebastian Maniscalco on Dec. 11-12.

Fitness and wellness

The main pool at Foxwoods is outdoors at Fox Tower, where there’s another indoor pool on the spa level for guests having treatments at the G Spa. There’s a second indoor pool, the Norwich Spa and a fitness center at Grand Pequot, which can also be used by people registered at Great Cedar.

The Sun Terrace Pool in Mohegan’s Sky Tower has a 10,000-square-foot solarium with an indoor pool and whirlpool, plus an adjacent outdoor terrace for warmer days. There’s a fitness center and a branch of the Balinese-inspired Mandara Spa.

For golfers, Foxwoods has two 18-hole courses and an indoor “Swing Suite” in the Fox Tower. Mohegan Sun has an 18-hole course about 10 miles from the main property.

Shopping

You’ll find mall staples like Sephora and Chicos at the Shops at Mohegan Sun, a two-story complex between the two towers with stores, lounges and restaurants. At Foxwoods, you’ll find Tanger Outlets, three stories of restaurant and shops, from the GAP to Michael Kors.