Party Bus to Margaritaville Resort Casino: Bossier City Group Guide

If your group is planning a casino night across the Red River, the single question that decides whether the evening flows or fragments is simple: how does everyone get there, park, and get home safely after a night of gaming and live music? Margaritaville Resort Casino sits at 777 Margaritaville Way, Bossier City, LA 71111 — roughly 6.8 miles from downtown Shreveport once you cross the bridge — and while the ride looks short on a map, navigating I-20 and the casino entrance on a busy Friday or Saturday night is a different story than a Tuesday afternoon.

This guide walks through the logistics that most other pages skip: how a bus drops off and picks up at Margaritaville, what the casino’s own bus group program offers, how to size the right vehicle for your crew, and what makes a Shreveport party bus rental the cleanest answer for a casino group outing. We book these trips regularly — bachelorette parties, birthday crews, corporate outings, and concert groups heading to the Paradise Theater — so the detail below comes from doing it, not from the casino’s brochure.

Why a Bus Makes Sense for This Trip

The math looks simple at first: six miles across the river, free parking in Margaritaville’s lot, everybody meets at the casino. Then reality sets in. On a Friday night when the Paradise Theater has a headliner, the I-20 approach to Exit 19B backs up, the valet line wraps around the porte-cochère, and whoever volunteered to stay sober is watching the group’s second round at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar from a distance.

One person drawing that short straw is the tax every group pays for not planning the ride.

A Shreveport party bus rental removes that tax entirely. Your group loads together from one pickup spot, the bus drops everyone at the main entrance, and when the last hand is played at 1 a.m., the bus is right there — no surge-priced rideshare scramble, no waiting 40 minutes because six different apps are all trying to pull from the same block. Everyone gets home.

Nobody drives.

Plus, the casino actively wants bus groups to come. Margaritaville operates a dedicated Casino Bus Trips program, with both day and overnight trips available and groups greeted personally on arrival. Your bus isn’t an afterthought — it’s expected.

Getting There: Route, Drop-Off, and What to Know

From downtown Shreveport, the route runs east on I-20, across the Red River bridge, to Exit 19B (Barksdale Blvd / Traffic Street) in Bossier City. Follow Traffic Street south to the casino entrance. The official directions from the casino are the same from both Dallas (I-20 East) and Monroe (I-20 West): take Exit 19B and follow Traffic Street directly to the property.

Under normal weeknight conditions, that’s a 12- to 15-minute drive from downtown Shreveport. On a concert night at the Paradise Theater or a big weekend, add 15 to 25 minutes for the Exit 19B back-up and the approach on Traffic Street as other casino-goers are funneling in from the same exit.

Drop-off is at the main entrance on Margaritaville Way. The casino property has extensive surface parking and a designated bus and RV parking area on-site, which is good news for larger groups: the bus has room to wait during your visit and return to the entrance when your group is ready to leave. Valet parking is available and free for personal vehicles, but for a charter bus, confirm parking arrangements with the casino’s bus groups team when you book — they are accustomed to coordinating this and will tell you exactly where to pull in.

What Is Margaritaville Resort Casino?

Margaritaville Resort Casino opened in June 2013 and has grown into the flagship entertainment property on the Bossier City side of the Shreveport-Bossier market, operated by Penn Entertainment under the Margaritaville brand. The scale surprises first-time visitors: this isn’t a slot barn. It’s a full resort complex anchored to the Red River waterfront, with a hotel tower, multiple restaurants, two notable bars, a full-service spa, an outdoor pool, and a dedicated entertainment theater on a single campus.

The casino floor covers 26,500 square feet with more than 1,200 slot machines and 50 table games — blackjack, roulette, craps, and poker are all represented. The Paradise Theater brings in national touring acts year-round: Cheap Trick, Gary Allan, Everclear, Collective Soul, and a steady mix of country, classic rock, and comedy acts have all played the room. For a group that wants gaming plus a show in one night, this property delivers both without anyone moving their car between venues.

The 395-room hotel has premium and luxury rooms with Red River views for groups planning an overnight stay, and the resort recently won Best Overall Property from Southern Gaming Magazine. The Jimmie Davis Bridge replacement project (currently underway with a target completion of early 2027) will eventually double vehicle capacity on the Red River crossing — more reason to let a bus handle the crossing now, before the new bridge opens and the route gets faster.

Dining and Bars: The Full Rundown

One of the strongest arguments for a bus is that your group can stay on property all night without anyone watching the clock because of a drive home. Margaritaville runs seven dining and bar outlets, so there’s always somewhere to land between casino sessions:

• Jimmy’s Steak & Seafood — the property’s upscale anchor, serving prime cuts and Gulf seafood with views of the Red River. Open Wednesday through Sunday evenings.
• Drago’s Seafood — a beloved New Orleans-born name, famous for charbroiled oysters and Friday all-you-can-eat crab legs. Sunday brunch runs weekly. Thursday through Sunday evenings.
• Bamboo Asian Café — Vietnamese and Asian-inspired menu, open late on Fridays and Saturdays (until midnight), which makes it ideal for a post-gaming dinner when most kitchens have already closed.
• Banyan Tree Café — 24-hour operation with breakfast items, made-to-order sandwiches, and pizza. It’s the spot for fueling up on arrival or winding down at the end of the night.
• 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar — the main casino bar, known for the “Fish Tanked” fishbowl cocktail and specialty blended drinks. Open until midnight on weekends.
• The Busted Coconut — a newly reimagined pool-deck bar on the second floor, with sweeping views of the Red River and downtown Shreveport across the water. Open daily from 9 a.m. through late evening.

Groups that arrive by bus often build in a dinner at Drago’s or Jimmy’s early in the evening, then move to the casino floor or the Paradise Theater, and finish with a round at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar before loading back up. That kind of end-to-end evening is exactly why the bus format works: nobody is tracking their own two-drink limit because somebody has to drive, and nobody is calculating rideshare math at midnight.

Paradise Theater: What Concert Groups Need to Know

If your trip is built around a show at the Paradise Theater, a few logistics matter. The theater sits on the casino property and holds events that typically seat a few hundred to 1,000+ guests depending on configuration. Ticketmaster, SeatGeek, and the official Margaritaville event calendar carry the current schedule — 2026 dates have included Cheap Trick, Gary Allan, Collective Soul, and Everclear, with more being added regularly.

On concert nights, the Exit 19B approach and the casino surface lots fill significantly faster than on a gaming-only evening. Groups that arrive by charter bus skip the parking search and the lot-entrance queue entirely: your bus pulls to the front entrance, your group steps off, and you’re inside before the people who drove are even settled in a spot. Post-show, when a few hundred people all need transportation at once, rideshare surge pricing on the Bossier City side can push fares well above what the ride cost on the way in.

Your bus is waiting — flat rate, same price as when you booked.

Book early for concert dates. Once a show is announced, demand for Shreveport-area bus rentals spikes fast, especially for weekend headliners. A party bus rental secured the week the tickets go on sale is a different situation than one booked two weeks before the show.

Call 318-908-2390 as soon as you have your ticket date locked in.

Which Vehicle Fits Your Group?

Matching the vehicle to your headcount is where the planning pays off. Our network of vehicles covers every group size that makes sense for a casino night, from a small bachelorette crew to a full corporate outing.

For a casino night, the sweet spot for most Shreveport groups is a 15- to 35-passenger party bus. The built-in bar, color-changing LED lighting, and premium sound system turn the 6.8-mile ride from downtown Shreveport into the opening act for the evening — the party starts when the door closes, not when you walk into the casino. ADA-accessible vehicles are always available; let us know when you call so we can arrange the right fit.

For larger groups — company holiday parties, association outings, church casino trips — a full-size charter bus gives you undercarriage storage, onboard restrooms, and enough seats so nobody is riding separately. We offer a massive variety of vehicles, meaning you never have to pay for seats you do not actually need. Call 318-908-2390 to match the vehicle to your headcount.

Margaritaville’s Own Casino Bus Group Program

Here is something most groups planning a first visit don’t know: Margaritaville actively runs a dedicated bus group program and has a specific page on its site for it. Per their published information, they offer both day and overnight bus group trips, and your group will be personally greeted on arrival. Group members need a valid government-issued photo ID — the standard casino requirement for gaming access.

That program is designed for casino-organized bus runs (tour operators, senior centers, club trips), but the drop-off experience is the same for a private party bus rental through Party Bus Shreveport: you pull to the front, step off together, and the property’s team is set up to handle group arrivals smoothly. If your group is large enough to qualify for the casino’s group program directly, it is worth contacting their meetings and groups team about packages alongside your transportation booking.

For meeting and event groups, the casino offers more than 7,000 square feet of event space, including the Paradise Theater itself for gatherings up to 400. A full-size charter bus delivering a corporate group to an on-property event is something the venue handles regularly — confirm the approach and parking spot with their event team, and we will coordinate the drop-off timing on our end.

Trip Types We Cover to Margaritaville

Different groups, same destination. A few of the casino runs we handle most often from the Shreveport-Bossier area:

• Bachelorette and birthday parties. A Saturday night at Margaritaville is one of the most-requested bachelorette destinations in the market. A party bus from downtown Shreveport, or from Barksdale or a hotel in the region, keeps the whole crew together from the first cocktail to last call at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar.
• Concert groups. When the Paradise Theater has a name on the marquee, groups from across Shreveport-Bossier and from Monroe, Longview, and Marshall come in for the show. A charter bus or minibus is the one vehicle type where nobody has to watch their drinks.
• Corporate and office outings. Company holiday parties, employee appreciation nights, and department team events regularly end up at Margaritaville. A charter bus from the office, with a return window set for 11 p.m. or midnight, keeps the night organized and gets everyone home without anyone making a call they’ll regret.
• Casino group trips. Senior centers, civic clubs, church groups — Margaritaville’s own bus program was built with these groups in mind, and a private charter bus rental gives the same door-to-door experience as a casino-organized run, on your schedule instead of theirs.
• Overnight stays. For groups booking rooms in the 395-room hotel tower, a charter bus handles the transfer from a Shreveport hotel or from the airport (Shreveport Regional Airport is roughly 9 miles away via I-20) to the resort, so the welcome-to-Bossier moment happens in the parking lot, not at a rental car counter.

Shreveport to Margaritaville: The Honest Look at Every Option

We book this route constantly, but let’s be straight: a party bus rental is not the right call for every group. Here is the honest comparison.

For one or two people, a rideshare across the I-20 bridge is fine — no reason to book a bus for a pair. But once your group grows past three or four cars’ worth of people, the coordination cost of separate vehicles and the designated-driver math tips clearly toward one bus. One vehicle, one pickup spot, one return window, one flat rate split across the whole group.

What a Bossier City Party Bus Rental Costs

Party Bus Shreveport offers all-inclusive pricing online in under 30 seconds — you will know the exact price before you ever book. A casino night run to Margaritaville is typically booked as a block of hours: pickup in downtown Shreveport (or a hotel, or a neighborhood), the run across the river, and a pre-set return window later that evening. Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, and the date, but there are no hidden costs.

For real ranges to anchor your budget: 14-passenger Sprinter limos run $170–$344/hour; 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger party buses run $244–$414/hour; and 35–50 passenger party buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour. A 3- or 4-hour block covers a typical casino night comfortably. Split across 20 people, the per-head cost is often less than a single round of drinks at the 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar — and it includes the designated driver.

The per-person math that settles most debates: on a Saturday night concert, rideshare surge pricing from Bossier City back to Shreveport at midnight can push $20–$35 per car each way. For a group of 20 in five separate cars, that’s potentially $200–$350 in Uber costs for the return trip alone — before you count the outbound rides. One bus covers both legs for one predictable number.

Call 318-908-2390 for a free, all-inclusive quote.

Booking, Timing, and Tips

Booking a party bus in Shreveport for a Margaritaville run is straightforward, and a little lead time makes it seamless:

1. Lock in the date and headcount. Casino nights are flexible on timing, but concert dates fill fast. Have your ticket date and an approximate passenger count ready.
2. Set your pickup and return window. Tell us where you are starting and what time you want the bus back. Most casino groups work a 4- to 6-hour window: arrive at 7 p.m., last pickup at 1 a.m. We keep the bus on-site so it’s ready when your group is.
3. Confirm any special needs. ADA accessibility, extra luggage storage for an overnight group, or a specific pickup sequence across multiple hotels — tell us upfront so the right vehicle is confirmed.

A few questions we hear before every casino run:

• Can the bus wait while we’re inside? Yes. The bus is booked as a block of hours. It waits on-property or nearby and returns to the entrance at your pre-set pickup time.
• What if we want to stay later than planned? Call us. We can often extend the window; the key is communicating before the originally booked end time rather than at midnight when everyone is ready to leave.
• Do we need to bring anything? A valid government-issued photo ID for the casino — Margaritaville requires it for gaming access. Everything else stays on the bus or in your pockets.
• Can we bring food or drinks on the party bus? Ask when you book. Our team will walk you through what’s permitted so there are no surprises on pickup.

Other Bossier City Stops to Add to Your Night

Margaritaville sits on the same stretch of Bossier City waterfront as several other entertainment options, which makes it easy to build a multi-stop evening if your group wants more than one address on the itinerary. The Louisiana Boardwalk is a few minutes south along the riverfront, with shopping, dining, and entertainment anchored to the Red River waterfront. Horseshoe Bossier City Hotel & Casino (711 Horseshoe Blvd) and Live! Casino & Hotel Louisiana (which opened February 2025 as Bossier’s first land-based casino) are both within a short ride on the same side of the bridge.

For a group that wants a full Bossier City crawl — dinner at one property, gaming at Margaritaville, a show at the Paradise Theater — a party bus is the only format where that itinerary actually works. Driving between three casino properties on a Saturday night, parking each time, and accounting for a designated driver at every stop is a logistics problem a bus simply cuts out. Tell us the stops and we will map out the route.

Frequently Asked Questions

Where exactly does a charter bus drop off at Margaritaville Resort Casino?

Drop-off is at the main entrance on Margaritaville Way. The property has a designated bus and RV parking area on-site for oversized vehicles, so the bus can wait during your visit rather than circling or leaving the property. For concert nights and large group visits, we recommend confirming the specific parking area with the casino’s bus groups team in advance.

How far is Margaritaville Resort Casino from downtown Shreveport?

About 6.8 miles via I-20 East to Exit 19B in Bossier City. Under normal conditions, the drive runs 12 to 15 minutes. On Friday and Saturday evenings and during concerts at the Paradise Theater, plan 25 to 35 minutes once Exit 19B backs up.

A party bus ride means your group doesn’t feel the difference.

Does Margaritaville have its own bus group program?

Yes. The casino offers a dedicated Casino Bus Trips program with both day and overnight options, and groups are personally greeted on arrival. Group members need a valid government-issued photo ID.

This is separate from booking a private charter bus through Party Bus Shreveport, but the two work well together: we handle transportation, the casino handles the welcome.

How much does a party bus rental to Margaritaville cost?

Pricing depends on vehicle size, total hours, and date. Most casino night bookings run 3 to 5 hours. For ranges: 15–20 passenger party buses run $204–$378/hour; 20–30 passenger buses run $244–$414/hour; 35–50 passenger buses and minibuses run $294–$490/hour.

The best way to get an exact number is to call 318-908-2390 with your date, headcount, and pickup location — we provide all-inclusive pricing in under 30 seconds with no hidden costs.

What concerts and events are coming up at the Paradise Theater?

The Paradise Theater hosts national touring acts year-round. Check the official Margaritaville event calendar for the current schedule, or browse Ticketmaster for the venue at 777 Margaritaville Way. 2026 has featured Cheap Trick, Gary Allan, Everclear, Collective Soul, and others — new dates are announced regularly. Book your bus as soon as your tickets are confirmed.

Can a party bus pick up from multiple Shreveport locations on the way to Bossier City?

Yes. We can build a route that sweeps downtown Shreveport hotels, neighborhoods along the I-20 corridor, or multiple residential pickup points before crossing the bridge to Margaritaville. Tell us the stops and a general departure time and we will line up the pickup stops in the right order.

What if our group wants to visit other Bossier City casinos on the same night?

A multi-stop Bossier City casino crawl is one of our most popular itinerary formats. The bus handles the transfer between properties, which means no parking shuffle and no swapping out who stays sober between stops. Tell us which casinos you want to visit, in what order, and we will map out the route.

The Louisiana Boardwalk area, Horseshoe Bossier City, and Live! Casino are all close enough to string together in one evening.

How far in advance should we book?

For a standard weekend casino night, two to three weeks of lead time is comfortable. For a concert date at the Paradise Theater or a peak-season Saturday (football weekends, holidays, New Year’s Eve), book as soon as your tickets are in hand. The vehicles that fit your group go first, and party buses for Saturday concert nights in Bossier City fill up faster than you would expect.

Call 318-908-2390 as early as possible to lock in your date.

Book Your Party Bus to Margaritaville Today

A casino night across the Red River is one of the best group outings in the Shreveport-Bossier area — 26,500 square feet of gaming, national acts at the Paradise Theater, seven bars and restaurants, and Red River views from the Busted Coconut. The only part that doesn’t have to be complicated is getting there and back. Party Bus Shreveport has access to a fleet of party buses, minibuses, charter buses, and Sprinter limos across the Shreveport-Bossier market, and our 24/7/365 reservation team is one call away to match you with the right vehicle at the right price. Give us a call any time at 318-908-2390 for an all-inclusive quote in under 30 seconds — or use our online tool for instant availability!