The Glitz & Glamour of Hollywood Casino is Shining Day & Night at Penn National
By Joyce Fohl
AAA Central Penn

If you read the papers, listen to the radio, see billboards or watch TV, you are aware we now have a casino known as Hollywood Casino at Penn National Racetrack. It is easily accessible from just about anywhere, located off exit 80 of I-81 in Grantville. The property is user friendly and provides free parking with easy access to the casino. The 2,020 slots have varying levels of play from one cent to $100. In other words, there’s something for everyone - and that includes horse racing.

We started our first visit with a tour of the casino and discovered, although large and diverse, it was easy to find our way around. We were extremely impressed with the cleanliness of the entire property as well as the friendliness and professionalism of the staff. There are 10 venues for dining and two restaurants opening this summer - a steakhouse and a buffet. We had lunch in Glitterati’s Pizza, where our chicken steak sandwiches were prepared for us while we watched. Our other nearby choices for lunch included V.I.Panini’s (handmade grilled Panini is their specialty) and Celebrity Grill where contemporary American favorites are offered. In close proximity to the above three restaurants is Extras, an interesting coffee bar where you can find pastries, fudge & candy, éclairs, canoli, cappuccino, lattes, and of course, coffee. This spot is open 24-7.

After lunch, we found ourselves at Rodeo Drive, the casino’s gift shop. I was prepared to see the usual touristy stuff, but was pleasantly surprised at the quality, pricing and diversity of items offered there. Here again, was something for everyone in a varied price range.

Hollywood Memories is an interesting venue where, as the name implies, one can see a collection of movie memorabilia on display. This is worth a look-see, especially for the movie buff.

Hollywood on the Roof is the spot for live entertainment Thursdays through Sundays with different groups performing throughout the year.

We finished our tour before our dinner reservations were ready, so we headed for the Hollywood Skybox Sports Bar for an adult beverage. This spot has multiple screens showing, as you might guess, sports, sports, sports! They offer a casual, well-priced menu and we were told by several people dining nearby, the food was very tasty.

We had reservations (recommended) at the Mountain-view Dining & Terrace Lounge. The menu had a variety of offerings, something for every palate. The price range was that of a finer restaurant, mid $20s and up. The wine menu was adequate. This multi-tiered restaurant offers a perfect view of the racetrack. In fact, our table was at the finish line. We tried the baked five onion soup and lobster bisque. The house salad with house dressing was excellent, served with a chilled fork and dish - impressive. We both chose prime rib served with creamy horseradish sauce as well as Béarnaise sauce; Yorkshire pudding and brussel sprouts accompanied the main course. The dessert menu was tempting; I chose derby pie with frozen Kahlua soufflé while my dining companion chose the cheese cake with Baileys whipped cream and white chocolate. Both were excellent. This restaurant is open only on race days. We were right in the midst of things, able to see every aspect of the races first hand - we even had a TV screen at the table for a complete view and recap of each race. We had a fun-filled day, capped off with a delightful dining experience.

For more information on Hollywood Casino’s hours of operation, entertainment and dining schedules, go to their web site at www.hcpn.com or call (717) 469-2211.

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