Moonlighting: Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, 5223 N. Orient Road, Tampa; (866) 502-7529

The venue: Well, it's a casino, people. If you have no clue what that entails, Google awaits your search.

Hours: The casino is open 24/7/365. Center Bar: 8 a.m. to 5 a.m. daily; Lobby Bar: 10 a.m. to 3 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 5 a.m. Friday and Saturday; Pool Bar: 10 a.m. to sundown daily

The allure: The variety of bars and restaurants allow you to take in the high-rolling Hard Rock casino atmosphere without feeling the pressure to gamble your life away. Also? It's open all night.

Possible grievances: In the casino realm, everything costs more - and that includes the alcohol. Smokers are also welcome to light up at their leisure. (That may be part of the allure for some of you.)

Last call: Need a break from the clattering of chips and steady dose of slot machine sirens? Step into the Center Bar or Lobby Bar. The Hard Rock's eye-catching bartenders aren't stingy on their pours, either (well, it's about time). You'll find a nice variety of brews and mixed cocktails at both bars but, as mentioned above, it'll cost you. (Be on the lookout for the $2.50 bottled beer special.)

Standing tall and proud in the middle of the joint is the Center Bar, with its signature circular tower of flat-screens, which always display a variety of rock vids blasting away. Meanwhile, the comparatively smaller Lobby Bar - which bridges the hotel and casino - boasts an impressive tequila selection and some form of live entertainment (DJ, guitar player, etc.) on its modest dance floor. Weekend nights could lead to a standing-room-only situation, but there's a decent number of comfy leather stools, lounge chairs and table-tops at both locales.

Regarding the Pool Bar, if Mother Nature is kind, one can make camp at the handful of outdoor tables in front of the shack just off the pool area. This is where you'll be able to order that frozen drink if you feel the urge. (Fellas, don't get caught with a pina colada.) It's as simple as that.

At all three areas you'll get a steady influx of casino "donors" (this is classic people-watching, my friends), making pit-stops before they step back onto the sucker floor - I mean casino floor. Be prepared to possibly indulge in some random chatter with the people that post-up around you, too.

By the way, if you're only interested in trying to strike it rich at the tables or slots, the drinks are not complimentary. The old tactic of playing penny slots for free booze (that's how we roll in Vegas) isn't happening here.

This quasi-bar-crawl scene isn't a riot, but it can serve as a change of pace from the stereotypical Tampa nightlife. If sipping on a few drinks and mingling with - or ripping on - the patrons is considered a worthy pastime (it worked for us), this could be your ideal spot.