How paid parking on the Strip works
Until 2016, every Strip resort parked you free, and it was one of the things that made Las Vegas feel generous. That year MGM Resorts introduced paid parking, Caesars Entertainment followed, and the model has spread. Today the typical structure is: a short free grace period (often the first hour, sometimes less), then a flat charge for the rest of the day, with a higher rate for valet and a per-24-hour charge for overnight hotel guests added to the folio. Rates rise on event weekends and are steepest at the luxury properties. Garages are gated with licence-plate recognition or ticket machines; pay at kiosks or via the resort's app before returning to the car.
The numbers, as of 2026 and always worth checking on the resort's own site: self-parking $15–25 per day at most MGM and Caesars properties, with valet $30–45 and higher at the top end; hotel guests pay a similar overnight rate per 24 hours. Some resorts charge more for the first few hours on weekends.
MGM Resorts properties
MGM Resorts owns the largest block of the Strip: Bellagio, Aria, Vdara, Cosmopolitan, Park MGM, New York-New York, MGM Grand, Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay Bay. All charge for self-parking after a short free window, with rates that climb from the value properties (Excalibur, Luxor) to the luxury ones (Bellagio, Aria, Cosmopolitan). Valet is extra everywhere. Overnight hotel guests pay a daily fee that is often, but not always, waived for MGM Rewards members at Pearl tier and above — the tier structure changes, so check the current benefits.
A useful quirk: one MGM parking payment generally covers in-and-out access at all MGM properties for the same 24-hour period, so a guest parked at Excalibur can drive to Bellagio without paying twice. Confirm at the kiosk, as the rule has been adjusted before.
Caesars Entertainment properties
Caesars Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood, Horseshoe, Flamingo, Harrah's, The LINQ and The Cromwell all charge for parking in the same pattern: a short free window, then a daily rate for self-parking and a higher rate for valet, with overnight guest charges on the folio. Caesars Rewards members at Platinum tier and above have historically parked free, and Nevada residents have periodically received free self-parking as a promotion. Caesars' garages are also generally cross-honoured — pay once, park at any Caesars property that day.
The Caesars Palace garage and the Paris/Planet Hollywood garages are among the easiest to reach from Frank Sinatra Drive and Koval Lane respectively, which matters on event nights when the Boulevard is jammed.
Wynn, Venetian, Resorts World and the independents
Wynn and Encore charge for self-parking and valet with a similar tiered structure; Wynn Rewards elite members get it free. The Venetian and Palazzo introduced paid parking later than the others and charge in the same range. Resorts World has offered free self-parking since opening, which makes it a favourite base for drivers at the north end, though that could change. Treasure Island, Sahara, Circus Circus and the Strat have kept self-parking free as of 2026 — a real advantage for anyone with a car, and part of why TI is a popular budget choice. Fontainebleau has charged since opening. Always check before a stay, because a free garage is a policy decision that can flip.
Free parking near the Strip
If you just need to leave a car for a few hours, the options are better than the Strip resorts suggest. Off-Strip casinos — the Palms, Rio, Gold Coast and Orleans to the west, Westgate to the east, Ellis Island and Tuscany just off the Boulevard — all park free and are a short walk or a cheap rideshare from the Strip. Fashion Show Mall and the Forum Shops have offered free or validated parking for shoppers. The Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood has had a validated-parking scheme. Locals headed to a Strip show routinely park at a free off-Strip garage and walk or take a short ride.
Downtown, Fremont Street casino garages typically validate for a few hours with a players card or a purchase, and a few, such as the Plaza and Main Street Station, offer free or low-cost parking; the city-run garages nearby are inexpensive. Full downtown detail is on our downtown-to-Strip page.
Tricks that reduce the bill
- Join the loyalty program before you arrive. Free parking is a standard mid-tier perk with MGM Rewards, Caesars Rewards and Wynn Rewards, and a status match from another program can get you there without play.
- Use the free window. An hour is enough to drop off luggage or grab a coffee; note the exact grace period on the entry sign.
- Park once per resort family. One MGM payment covers other MGM garages that day; same with Caesars.
- Park free off-Strip and rideshare in for an evening out — often cheaper than valet.
- Skip valet unless it is included. The self-park garages are close to the casino at most resorts; valet mainly buys you time at busy check-in periods.
- Watch event surcharges. On fight, festival and stadium nights the resorts nearest the venue raise rates sharply.
Do you need the car at all?
If you are reading this because you already have a car and a Strip hotel, the maths above is what it is. If you are still deciding, the parking fee is the deciding argument against a full-stay rental for most visitors: $15–25 a day for something you will use twice. Read our car-rental guide for the alternatives, and the transportation hub for how to move around without one. If you are choosing where to stay with a car, the free-parking resorts and off-Strip properties in our hotels guide are worth a look.