Las Vegas Casino Parking: Where to Park on the Strip
Pull up to a Strip casino and the first decision costs money before you ever touch a slot machine: where to park. Most of the big resorts charge for self-parking now, valet runs higher, and the rules shift depending on which company owns the building. A few independents still wave the fee. Here is how Las Vegas casino parking actually works — and how to land closest to the door you need.
The short version: the two largest operators — MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment — charge for both self-parking and valet at their Strip properties. Hotel guests, Nevada residents, and higher-tier loyalty members frequently pay nothing. Everyone else should plan for a fee and read the rest of this page first.
How Strip parking works
Strip parking splits along company lines. MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment properties generally charge for self-parking and valet. Rates aren't fixed — they move with the day of week, how long you stay, your rewards tier, and whether a concert, fight, or convention is in town. Because operators adjust those numbers periodically, the only reliable price is the one on their official site the week you travel: MGM Resorts for Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, and Mandalay Bay, and Caesars parking for Caesars Palace, Paris, and Planet Hollywood.
Not everyone pays. Hotel guests at most paid-parking properties get in-and-out self-parking privileges tied to their stay, so coming and going doesn't restart the meter. Nevada residents often get a free self-parking window when they show a valid in-state license at the garage or pay station. And MGM Rewards and Caesars Rewards members at the higher loyalty tiers can unlock free self-parking, sometimes free valet. Each of these perks has its own fine print and changes over time, so treat them as “likely free, confirm at the gate.”
A handful of independent Strip properties still offer free self-parking — always confirm current policy, because a casino that parks you free this season can add a fee next year. Free parking is also more common the farther you get from the center Strip: off-Strip and downtown garages skew free or cheap.
Parking by casino
Where you park inside a property matters as much as whether it's free. Garages sit at different corners, valet entrances feed different parts of the floor, and the walk from your car to the tables can be five minutes or fifteen. These guides cover the parking layout for individual properties:
Bellagio Parking
Paid self-park garage at the south end near The Cosmopolitan, plus valet. Free for Nevada residents up to roughly three hours with a valid in-state ID.
Read guide →Caesars Palace Parking
Eight-level self-park garage on Jay Sarno Way, plus valet at the Forum Shops and the main entrance. Multiple drop points feed different towers.
Read guide →Mandalay Bay Parking
Six-story garage off Frank Sinatra Drive with a covered skybridge straight to the casino floor — covered in depth in our Mandalay Bay casino guide.
Read guide →More property parking guides are on the way. For the full set of property layouts, see our Las Vegas casino guides.
Parking puts you at a garage entrance, not at the table, restaurant, or showroom you actually want. The walk from a Strip garage to the casino floor winds through retail, elevator banks, and unmarked corridors — the exact wayfinding Casino Compass maps indoors. Get Casino Compass free on the App Store and follow turn-by-turn directions from the garage to wherever you're headed.
General Strip parking tips
Use in-and-out if you're a hotel guest. Most paid-parking properties tie unlimited in-and-out self-parking to your room stay. Park once, come and go, and you avoid paying again each time you leave and return.
Lean on your rewards tier. MGM Rewards and Caesars Rewards unlock free parking at the higher tiers. If you carry status with either program — or with an airline or hotel partner that matches into it — check whether parking is already comped before you pay.
Show your Nevada ID. Locals routinely get a free self-parking window at MGM and Caesars garages with a valid in-state license. The free duration varies by property and changes periodically, so confirm it at the pay station rather than assuming last year's rule still holds.
Expect surge pricing on event nights. Fight weekends, big concerts, New Year's, and major conventions push parking rates up and fill garages early. On those dates, arrive well ahead of the crowd or skip the host property's garage entirely.
Plan ahead for oversized vehicles and RVs. Strip parking structures have low clearances and tight ramps that don't fit RVs, trailers, or lifted trucks. Oversized-vehicle parking is limited and property-specific — call ahead or look for a dedicated surface lot rather than risking a clearance bar.
Accessible parking is available at every Strip garage. ADA-accessible spaces and garage elevators are standard, but the closest accessible spaces to a given entrance or tower vary by property. Ask a parking attendant or the bell desk on arrival for the nearest accessible spaces and a step-free route inside.
Park cheap and walk or tram over. You don't have to park at your destination. Leaving the car at a cheaper or free adjacent garage and walking the indoor route — or riding the free tram between sister properties — often beats paying a premium at the front door. Our walking-route guides and Strip transportation guide show which neighbors connect on foot or by tram, and how to get around Vegas covers the bigger picture.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is parking free in Las Vegas?
It depends on the property. Off-Strip and downtown casinos are more likely to offer free self-parking, but most large Strip resorts owned by MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment charge for self-parking and valet. A handful of independent Strip properties still park you for free. Policies change, so confirm the current rate on the operator's official site before you arrive.
Do you have to pay to park at Strip casinos?
At most major Strip casinos, yes. MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment properties charge for both self-parking and valet, with rates that vary by day of week, length of stay, rewards tier, and whether a major event is in town. Hotel guests usually get in-and-out privileges, Nevada residents often get a free self-parking window, and higher loyalty tiers can park free. Everyone else should plan for a fee.
Is casino parking free for Nevada residents?
Often, within limits. Both MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment have offered a free self-parking window for Nevada residents who show a valid in-state driver's license or ID at the garage or pay station. The free window and the properties it covers change over time, so verify the current Nevada-resident policy on the operator's official parking page before relying on it.
Which Las Vegas casinos have free parking?
A handful of independent Strip properties still offer free self-parking, and free parking is more common downtown and off-Strip. We don't list specific casinos here because parking policies change frequently — a property that parks you free this season may add a fee next year. Always confirm the current policy on the casino's own website before you go.
How much is casino parking in Las Vegas?
It varies. Self-parking and valet rates at Strip casinos change by day of week, length of stay, rewards tier, and event demand, and the operators adjust them periodically. For current pricing, go to the official source: MGM Resorts for Bellagio, Aria, MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay and other MGM properties, and Caesars parking for Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood and other Caesars properties.
Parking policies, rates, and free-parking windows on the Strip change frequently, so this guide deliberately doesn't list dollar figures. For current pricing and the latest Nevada-resident and rewards-tier rules, use the official operator pages linked above — MGM Resorts and Caesars. Last reviewed June 2026.
Park once, then find your way in
Getting the car parked is half the battle. The other half is the walk from a garage you've never used to a casino floor designed to keep you wandering. Casino Compass gives you turn-by-turn indoor directions across 20+ Strip properties — from the garage elevator to the table, restaurant, or exit you're after.
