Living in Vegas means something most tourists will never understand. You call home the same glittering neon paradise that millions travel across continents to experience. Yet here’s the thing: that Nevada ID in your wallet isn’t just for voting or proving residency. It’s basically a golden ticket to savings that most visitors don’t even know exist.
The Strip might look like it’s built for high rollers and weekend warriors with bottomless wallets, but locals have been quietly tapping into a parallel economy. One where resort fees disappear, parking becomes free, and that dinner you’ve been eyeing suddenly costs a quarter less. Honestly, it’s about time someone put all these secrets in one place.
Your Nevada ID Is Worth Real Money
Las Vegas welcomed about 41.7 million visitors in 2024, and the vast majority of them paid full freight for everything. You don’t have to. That driver’s license proves you’re part of the community that keeps this city running when the tourists go home.
Typically, local discounts in Las Vegas are available to residents who have a valid Nevada ID, and in general, these discounts are not just available to Las Vegas locals, but to all Nevadans. Still, you need to ask. Not every discount gets plastered on a billboard, and some of the best deals hide behind box office counters or reservation desks.
The truth is, many businesses want your repeat visit more than they want a tourist’s one-time splurge. They know you’ll come back if the value is right. That’s leverage.
Hotel Staycations With Actual Savings
Locals who book a staycation by March 31, 2026, can receive an additional 15% off for stays through March 31, 2026, with a valid Nevada ID at hotel check-in at Caesars properties. That’s on top of whatever base rate you snag, which often beats what out-of-town guests see online.
Red Rock Casino Resort Spa in Summerlin offers Nevada residents the best available rates and waived resort fees, while Virgin Hotels Las Vegas’s VIVL program gives you up to 35% off, and M Resort Spa & Casino in Henderson takes 30% off room rates and waives resort fees when stays are booked directly. Waived resort fees alone can save you fifty bucks or more per night.
Think about it: a weekend on the Strip without the hidden add-ons that make tourists wince at checkout. Some properties even throw in parking or dining credits for locals. The key is booking directly and flashing that ID at check-in, not hoping a third-party site will honor local rates.
Parking Perks Most Residents Miss
Now through Feb. 26, 2026, Nevada residents can enjoy complimentary self‑parking Sunday through Thursday at Caesars Entertainment’s eight Las Vegas resorts, and guests must have a valid Nevada ID to take advantage of the offer. These promotions pop up regularly, especially when visitor numbers dip mid-week.
Self-parking is free for the first three hours for Nevada residents at Caesars properties year-round – just scan your Nevada driver’s license at parking entry to redeem free parking. Three hours is enough for dinner and a stroll, maybe catch a show, without paying the typical fifteen to twenty bucks tourists fork over.
Parking fees have become one of the Strip’s most resented charges. Locals fought back, and casinos listened. Now you just need to know which properties honor local parking and when extended or full-day free parking promotions are running.
Food and Beverage Deals That Actually Deliver
Sunday through Thursday, Nevada residents who are Caesars Rewards members can save 25% on food and beverage, and locals can explore more than 100 restaurants, bars and lounges across Caesars Entertainment’s most desired Las Vegas destinations. That’s not just one or two venues; it’s an entire portfolio.
Bottle Blonde is taking 20% off your entire bill with a valid Nevada ID, and scattered across the valley are restaurants quietly offering ten to twenty percent off when you show proof of residency. Sometimes it’s listed on a website locals page, sometimes you have to ask your server.
Let’s be real: dining on the Strip can wreck a budget fast. Cutting a quarter off a hundred-dollar meal adds up over time, especially if you’re someone who likes to dine out regularly. Combine it with happy hour specials or weekday promotions and you’re eating like a tourist without the tourist bill.
Show and Attraction Discounts You Can Actually Use
Nevada residents get 20% off tickets for certain shows, and for immersive fun, head to AREA15 and explore Meow Wolf’s Omega Mart with $10 off tickets. Entertainment is one category where locals consistently score meaningful savings, from Broadway-style productions to quirky art installations.
The latest locals discounts from Caesars Entertainment include 20% off attractions like the High Roller observation wheel, FLY LINQ Zipline, and Eiffel Tower viewing deck, plus deals on hotel rooms, shows, and spa sessions. Twenty percent might not sound huge, but on a sixty-dollar ticket it’s twelve bucks back in your pocket.
The Mob Museum offers another angle. Their Tuesday deal for Nevada residents is buy-one-get-one admission after 1 p.m., though everyone in your party needs to show a Nevada ID. It’s these kinds of creative offers – not just flat discounts – that make living here worthwhile.
Loyalty Programs That Work Harder for Locals
Caesars Rewards, MGM Rewards, and other casino loyalty programs aren’t just for gamblers chasing comps. Locals can leverage these programs for everyday perks. Sign up is free, and even minimal play or spend can unlock tier benefits like priority check-in, room upgrades, or waived fees.
Unless you’re a frequent traveler and part of loyalty programs like MGM Rewards or Caesars Rewards, where some of these fees are occasionally waived, you’ll pay the standard rate. Locals who join and use their cards regularly often see better offers than tourists who gamble once a year.
Here’s the thing: casinos track your visits. If you show up regularly – even just for dinner or drinks, not gambling – you become valuable as a repeat customer. Some properties send locals-only mailers with free play, dining credits, or discounted room offers that never appear online.
The New Federal Rule on Fee Transparency
The Federal Trade Commission announced a final Junk Fees Rule in December 2024 to prohibit bait-and-switch pricing and other tactics used to hide total prices and bury junk fees in the live-event ticketing and short-term lodging industries. This rule took effect in May 2025.
The Final Rule requires businesses that offer a price for live-event tickets or short-term lodging to disclose the total price, inclusive of mandatory charges, and to do so more prominently than other pricing information. No more hunting through fine print to figure out what you’ll actually pay.
For locals, this changes the game when booking staycations or buying show tickets. You’ll see the real cost upfront, making it easier to compare deals and catch genuine local discounts versus inflated “sale” prices that still hide fees. Transparency helps everyone, but especially residents shopping around.
Understanding Resort Fees and How Locals Avoid Them
On the Strip, resort fees typically range from $45 to $55 per night before tax, climbing to around $62 with tax at luxury properties like Aria, Bellagio, Wynn, and Resorts World. That means a room advertised at $129 can actually cost closer to $190 or more once fees and taxes hit.
As of late 2025, most Strip hotels charge between $35 and $55 per night, plus tax, meaning a three-night stay can quietly add $120 to $180 to your bill. Locals who know which properties waive these fees – or book through locals-only promotions that include waivers – dodge this entirely.
Properties off-Strip or downtown often skip resort fees altogether or charge much less. If you’re planning a staycation, it’s worth checking whether a local rate includes fee waivers. Sometimes the savings on fees alone justify booking direct instead of through a discount site.
Booking Direct Versus Third-Party Sites
Third-party booking platforms rarely honor local discounts. They pull standard rates and tack on their own fees. If you want the true local price, you almost always need to book directly with the hotel or venue and present your Nevada ID at check-in.
Must show valid Nevada ID at time of check-in to receive discount, and must book direct online; walk up or call-in reservations are not eligible for some promotions. Read the terms carefully; some deals require advance booking, others allow same-day walk-ups.
Honestly, the extra five minutes it takes to go to a casino’s website instead of a travel aggregator can save you a surprising amount. Plus, booking direct often gives you more flexibility if plans change and you need to cancel or modify.
Making the Most of Weekday and Off-Peak Offers
Now through Thursday, Dec. 25, Nevada residents can enjoy a 25% food and beverage discount and complimentary self-parking at Caesars Entertainment’s eight Las Vegas resorts Sunday through Thursday. Notice the pattern: Sunday through Thursday. Weekends are prime tourist time, so deals skew toward slower days.
Locals can also get 20% hotel rooms at Resorts World, and come on Thursdays for 20% off most restaurant bills and select spa services, plus free entry to Zouk nightclub. Mid-week is when properties want to fill seats, tables, and rooms that would otherwise sit empty.
If your schedule allows it, planning outings on weekdays instead of Friday or Saturday can double your savings. You’ll also avoid the crowds, shorter waits, and generally have a better experience. It’s one of those lifestyle perks of living here that tourists can’t replicate.
Turning Your Nevada ID Into a Habit
The biggest mistake locals make is forgetting to ask. You walk into a box office, a restaurant, a hotel lobby, and assume the price you see is the price you pay. Sometimes that’s true. Often it’s not.
Not all discounts for locals are advertised, so your best bet is to check out the box office for any special offers or discounts for locals, and while this strategy is most reliable with attractions and shows, restaurants will also offer discounts not advertised online – make sure to have a valid ID with you at all times, as many places require proof of residency to qualify. Make it a reflex: ask if there’s a local rate or discount before you book or pay.
You live in a city built on hospitality and repeat business. Properties want you coming back, and they’re willing to shave prices to earn your loyalty. Your Nevada ID is leverage; use it every single time.
Living on or near the Strip doesn’t mean paying Strip prices. With a little planning and a lot of asking, you can enjoy world-class dining, entertainment, and accommodations at a fraction of what tourists pay. The deals are out there, hiding in plain sight, waiting for someone with a Nevada ID to claim them. So what are you waiting for? Go see what your hometown will give you just for being a local.
