Barona Resort & Casino generates over 40,500 monthly Google searches. That number is bigger than most beach towns and coastal attractions in San Diego County. And it makes sense once you''ve been there. Barona isn''t a single building with some slot machines. It''s a full complex spread across Wildcat Canyon Road in Lakeside, about 40 minutes east of downtown San Diego.
The Casino
The biggest thing that sets Barona apart: it''s San Diego''s only fully non-smoking casino. Every table, every slot machine, every corner of the gaming floor is smoke-free. For a lot of people, that alone is worth the drive. The casino floor has over 2,000 slot machines, dozens of table games including blackjack, craps, baccarat, and pai gow, plus a dedicated poker room. Club Barona members get cash back points, and the promotions calendar runs year-round, including the Barona Fair Thursdays and 7x Cash Back Points on Tuesdays.
The resort hotel has earned consistently strong reviews, with over 16,135 ratings on Google and a solid reputation for comfortable rooms and attentive staff. It''s a AAA-rated property, and the pool area is a genuine draw during summer months.
Dining at Barona
Barona Oaks Steakhouse is the upscale option, with 106 reviews and a menu built around prime cuts and a solid wine list. Sage Cafe handles the casual dining with 366 reviews and an all-day menu. Italian Cucina does Italian comfort food. Old Fashioned Creamery at Barona serves ice cream and sweets. And Barona Coffee Company handles the morning caffeine run.
Golf, Racing, and Culture
Barona Creek Golf Club is an 18-hole course designed by Todd Eckenrode that sits in the valley below the casino. It draws 390 monthly searches and has 173 Google reviews. The course is well-maintained, the scenery is beautiful, and the green fees are reasonable compared to coastal courses.
Motorsports fans know Wildcat Canyon Road for two venues. Barona Speedway is a quarter-mile clay oval that runs dirt track racing on Saturday nights, with 374 reviews. Gates open at 2pm, racing starts at 6pm. Barona Drags is a 1/8-mile drag strip that hosts everything from amateur bracket racing to Race Wars events, with 216 reviews. And Barona Oaks Sports Center Motocross rounds out the motorsports trifecta with 122 reviews.
The Barona Cultural Center & Museum tells the story of the Barona Band of Mission Indians, with 143 reviews and exhibits that cover thousands of years of Kumeyaay history. It''s free to visit, and it''s one of the most underrated cultural attractions in the county.
Getting There
Barona is on Wildcat Canyon Road, about 5.8 miles north of Highway 67. The drive from downtown San Diego takes roughly 40 minutes via I-8 East to Highway 67 North. From the coast, budget about an hour. There''s plenty of free parking, and the resort offers valet service.
If you''re making a day of it, combine a Barona visit with a stop at nearby Hilliker''s Ranch for farm-fresh eggs on the way back, or grab dinner at Ottavio''s Italian Restaurant in downtown Lakeside. The full Lakeside entertainment directory has more options for planning your trip.
