Yaamava Resort & Casino at San Manuel is a large, adults-only tribal casino resort in Highland, California, near San Bernardino. Its biggest draw is choice: more than 7,500 advertised slots, extensive table gaming, an upscale hotel, several dining options, and headline concerts. I’d shortlist it for a casino-focused overnight getaway, especially one built around a show. The trade-off is that this is a substantial resort outing, not necessarily a cheap, quick gambling stop. Everyone on the premises must be 21 or older.
Yaamava at a glance
| Address | 777 San Manuel Boulevard, Highland, CA 92346 |
|---|---|
| Casino type | Tribal casino resort |
| Owner and operator | Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation |
| Casino hours | 24 hours daily |
| Minimum age | 21 throughout the property, including the hotel, restaurants, and events |
| Slots | Advertised as 7,500-plus |
| Table games | Advertised as 150-plus |
| Video poker | More than 200 machines advertised |
| Poker room | No |
| Retail sportsbook | No |
| Hotel | 432 rooms and suites |
| Check-in / check-out | 4 p.m. / 11 a.m. |
| Self-parking | Complimentary |
| Smoking | Smoke-free main casino, theater, and hotel; designated smoking-and-gaming patios |
| Rewards program | Club Serrano |
| Reservations and information | 800-359-2464 |
Gaming figures are advertised counts, not a fixed inventory. Information dated October 15, 2026.
What kind of casino is Yaamava?
Many Southern California gamblers still associate this property with the San Manuel name. Today, the important distinction is its resort setup: you can gamble, have dinner, attend a concert, and go upstairs to bed without arranging another drive.
The hotel, pool, Serrano Spa, and fitness center also give a couple options when only one person wants to spend the afternoon on the casino floor. That matters more to me than a long amenities list. A resort earns its keep when it makes the whole trip easier, not merely when it gives you more things to buy.
Highland is not a walkable casino district. Yaamava works best as a destination in its own right rather than a base for hopping between neighboring casinos. For alternatives around the state, see our guide to California casinos.
Casino floor: slots, video poker, and table games
Selection is the main reason to choose Yaamava over a smaller gambling stop. The resort advertises more than 7,500 slots, more than 150 table games, and five high-limit gaming areas. These operator-published figures give you a useful sense of the property’s scale.
That scale has a practical downside: finding your restaurant, your preferred game, or the person who wandered off to play video poker requires a little coordination. Pick a specific meeting point. “By the slots” narrows things down about as well as “by the cars” in the garage.
Slots and video poker
Slots are the centerpiece, with high-limit options supplementing the main floor. Yaamava also advertises more than 200 video poker machines, making this more than a token video poker offering. Titles, denominations, and locations can change, so ask about a must-have game before making a special trip.
I would choose this casino for breadth of selection, not because a large inventory says anything about your chances of winning. A jackpot announcement is not a payback report, and a crowded machine bank is not evidence of better odds.
On video poker, inspect the pay table before playing. On slots, check the total wager, not just the denomination printed on the cabinet. A penny game can be considerably more expensive than the name suggests.
Table games
The property lists blackjack, pai gow poker, mini-baccarat, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, and Mississippi Stud. Its FAQ lists California Craps as currently unavailable, so I would not build a visit around playing it.
Yaamava says it does not charge a collection fee for its table and blackjack games. That is a useful distinction for visitors accustomed to California cardrooms, although it does not replace checking the rules and payouts at the actual table.
Do not mistake a broad advertised betting range for a promise that your preferred low-minimum game will have an open seat. Limits depend on the table and demand. Check the posted minimum, blackjack payout, side-bet rules, and any baccarat commission or payout arrangement before buying in.
Poker room
Yaamava has no dedicated player-versus-player poker room. Video poker and poker-themed casino table games are different products, so do not arrive expecting a cash-game seat or a poker tournament.
Sportsbook
Yaamava has no on-property retail sportsbook. The 909 offers sports viewing, food, and drinks, but watching a game there does not mean you can place a sports wager.
Hotel: rooms, deposits, and booking costs
The 432-room hotel includes guest rooms, deluxe suites, and larger one- and two-bedroom suites. This is the overnight-resort side of the market, not a motel attached to a slot floor.
The strongest argument for staying is a show-and-dinner evening without a late freeway drive afterward. For a short gambling session, though, I would compare the full hotel bill with the value of simply driving home.
- Check-in: 4 p.m.
- Check-out: 11 a.m.
- Incidental deposit: $100 per night on a credit card. The property states a refund period of five to seven days after checkout.
- Taxes and fees: The FAQ states a combined 10% occupancy tax and tourism assessment, with no additional reservation fees for bookings made directly by phone or through the property website.
- Breakfast: Not included.
- Payment: The booking FAQ requires a credit card or points/rewards and says cash payment is not accepted.
- Smoking: All hotel rooms are non-smoking.
The incidental deposit is refundable, but it still occupies credit-card capacity during your trip. Keep it separate from both your room budget and your gambling bankroll.
The FAQ gives nonmembers a cancellation deadline 24 hours before arrival and Club Serrano members a same-day deadline of 4 p.m. Pacific. Read your confirmation for the terms attached to your reservation rather than assuming every rate has identical flexibility.
Pool, spa, and fitness facilities
The pool deck, cabanas, Serrano Spa, and hotel fitness center give an overnight visit more variety than gambling and eating. I see them as the strongest reason to extend a concert trip into a longer stay, provided you intend to use them.
Pool hours vary by season. Check access rules and current hours, and price spa treatments and cabanas separately. Being a hotel guest does not make every resort service complimentary.
Restaurants and bars
The useful thing about Yaamava’s dining lineup is the range of meal styles. You can plan an occasion dinner, choose a buffet, or get something quicker without leaving the property.
| Restaurant | Best fit | Planning advice |
|---|---|---|
| The Pines Modern Steakhouse | A steakhouse dinner or special occasion | Reserve ahead when dinner is central to the evening. |
| Hong Bao Kitchen | A sit-down meal featuring Asian specialties | Leave time for full service before a show. |
| Serrano Buffet | Variety rather than choosing one entrée | Check the current service period and price. |
| Serrano Vista Cafe | A casual meal | Check hours rather than assuming casino hours apply. |
| The 909 | Sports viewing, drinks, and food-hall choices | A better match for watching a game than seeking a quiet dinner. |
| Big Mo’ Café and TuTu’s Food Court | Quick or late-night food | The property advertises around-the-clock options. |
Bars include Deuces, Overlook Bar, Tropical Storm Bar, Bar Bar Bar, and Tukut Lounge. Schedules and lounge dress rules can differ. A casino open all night does not mean every bar is serving all night.
My concert-night advice is simple: choose dinner first, then decide how much gambling fits around it. Reversing that order is an excellent way to discover that your reservation and the theater doors are competing for the same half-hour.
Outside food and beverages are generally prohibited, with sealed water bottles excepted under the casino’s stated policy. Hotel guests also face restrictions on personal food and drinks, so do not assume you can stock the room from a grocery run.
Yaamava’ Theater and concert arrival advice
Yaamava’ Theater hosts touring performers in a venue with approximately 2,500 to 3,000 seats, depending on configuration. Tukut Lounge performances, comedy, DJs, and other events add smaller-scale entertainment options.
The resort recommends arriving at least 60 minutes before theater doors open, not merely an hour before the performance. Build that into your plan, particularly if dinner is involved.
Check the individual event’s bag, entry, and ticket rules. Everyone attending must be 21 or older, and a ticket does not override that restriction. The property identifies AXS as its authorized ticket-selling agent.
Parking, directions, and visitor policies
Yaamava is at 777 San Manuel Boulevard in Highland. According to the property, Ontario International Airport is approximately 26 miles away, while San Bernardino International Airport is about five miles away. Compare flight options and ground transportation rather than choosing solely by distance.
I would not budget the Los Angeles drive around a single optimistic travel-time claim. Check traffic in both directions, especially when your trip includes a fixed reservation or showtime.
- Self-parking: Complimentary, with North and South parking structures. Photograph your garage, level, and parking location.
- Valet: Complimentary for hotel guests, limited to one vehicle per room reservation. Day-visitor access is offered to Diamond and Turquoise members, so do not assume valet is available to everyone.
- Garage access: The North garage has a fourth-level pedestrian bridge with moving walkways. A South garage courtesy shuttle operates 24 hours daily.
- Rideshare: The main parking and theater instructions direct pickups and drop-offs to Level 4 of the North garage. Follow current signs and confirm your pickup point before requesting a car.
- EV charging: Free charging is advertised in the garages, but availability is not guaranteed.
- Identification: Bring valid, unexpired identification. The age restriction applies to dining, lodging, and entertainment, not just gambling.
- Accessibility: Accessible rooms, parking, and theater seating are available. Bring any wheelchair, walker, or other mobility device you need; the property says it does not supply them on-site.
- Smoking: Principal indoor venues are smoke-free. Designated smoking-and-gaming patios provide exceptions, with the gaming patios reserved for actively playing guests.
Club Serrano rewards
Club Serrano is free to join and connects eligible play with points, rewards, tier progress, and offers under the program’s rules. The app and online account provide access to offers, balances, and hotel-booking features.
Use your card if you want your play recorded, and read the terms before counting an offer toward your trip budget. A room discount that does not apply on your concert date is not much help with that evening.
I would never increase my gambling just to chase a meal, a tier, or a room offer. Those benefits are worth considering when they fit play you already intended to make, not when they persuade you to spend more.
Trip-cost examples: beyond the room rate
A useful budget separates actual expenses from refundable deposits and optional services. These examples use published policies and clearly labeled assumptions, not quoted room availability.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Yaamava Resort & Casino Highland: Published regulatory listing status | The California Gambling Control Commission lists the property as Active under the San Manuel Tribal Gaming Commission. |
| Yaamava admission: Age policy extends beyond gambling | The entire establishment is restricted to adults 21 and older, including events and dining outlets. |
| Bear Springs Hotel versus Yaamava: All-ages lodging alternative and transportation | The partner hotel accepts all ages and offers a complimentary around-the-clock shuttle, unlike Yaamava’s adults-only premises. |
| Yaamava gaming selection: Published machine and table offerings | The gaming FAQ advertises over 7,500 slots, 150-plus table games, and over 200 video poker machines. Its broad advertised betting range is not a guarantee of an available low-minimum table. |
| Yaamava sports betting: Availability | The casino explicitly says it does not offer sports betting. |
| Yaamava table games: Collection charge | The FAQ states that table and blackjack card games have no collection charge. |
| Yaamava smoking and gaming patios: Restricted smoking access | The general FAQ permits smoking only in three smoking and gaming patio rooms, reserved for actively playing guests. |
| Yaamava self-parking: Published visitor cost | Parking is complimentary, with overflow parking also advertised. |
| Yaamava hotel valet: Cost and vehicle allowance | Hotel guests receive complimentary valet for one vehicle per room reservation. |
| Yaamava accessibility planning: Mobility-device availability | Guests should bring their own wheelchairs, walkers, or canes; the property says these are not available on-site. |
| Yaamava hotel pricing: Published taxes and direct-booking fees | The FAQ gives a combined 10% occupancy tax and tourism assessment, with no additional reservation fees for bookings made by phone or through the property website. |
| Yaamava hotel incidentals: Refundable deposit and payment method | A $100.00 nightly incidental deposit requires a credit card, with a stated refund period of five to seven days after checkout. |
| Yaamava hotel cancellation: Member versus nonmember deadlines | The FAQ publishes a prior-day deadline for nonmembers and a same-day deadline for Club Serrano members, followed by a stated late-cancellation or no-show charge. |
| Yaamava hotel booking: Cash versus card or rewards | The booking FAQ requires a credit card or points/rewards and says cash is not accepted for payment. |
| Yaamava hotel breakfast: Inclusion in room price | Breakfast is not included in the room price; in-room dining is offered around the clock. |
| Yaamava pool: Seasonal operating hours | The FAQ publishes longer pool hours in season than off season, with seasonal variation in poolside dining hours. |
| Yaamava personal-check cashing: Club Serrano tier fee comparison | Classic, Emerald, and Amber members pay 4%, 2%, and 1%, respectively; Diamond and Turquoise members have the fees waived. |
| Yaamava in-room dining: Published service and delivery charges in April 2024 PDF | The supplied older menu adds a 21% service charge and a $5.00 delivery fee to all orders; current applicability needs confirmation. |
| Yaamava in-room dining cheeseburger: Published menu price in April 2024 PDF | The supplied older menu lists the cheeseburger at $22.00 before service charge, delivery, and any tax. |
| Yaamava in-room dining filet mignon: Published menu price in April 2024 PDF | The supplied older menu lists filet mignon at $54.00 before service charge, delivery, and any tax. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Room taxes and assessment on an illustrative $300.00 nightly rate | $30.00 | Add the published taxes and assessment when comparing an advertised room rate with your overnight budget. |
| Credit-card incidental deposit for an illustrative two-night stay | $200.00 of refundable incidental deposit | Keep credit-card capacity available for the incidental deposit separately from your room cost and gambling bankroll. |
| Classic member fee for cashing an illustrative $500.00 personal check | $20.00 | Classic members pay the highest published check-cashing rate; account for this cost before relying on a personal check for casino funds. |
| Emerald member fee for cashing an illustrative $500.00 personal check | $10.00 | Use the same check amount to compare Emerald’s published fee with the Classic and Amber fees. |
| Amber member fee for cashing an illustrative $500.00 personal check | $5.00 | Amber has the lowest published non-waived check-cashing rate; this comparison does not justify increasing gambling to pursue a higher tier. |
| Published in-room dining service charge on one cheeseburger | $4.62 of service charge, excluding delivery and any tax | The menu price alone is not the delivered meal cost. Confirm the older PDF’s prices and charges before ordering. |
| Published filet mignon versus cheeseburger menu-price difference | $32.00 of menu-price difference, before service charge, delivery, and any tax | The published menu supports a concrete casual-meal versus steak-dinner comparison, but the older prices need confirmation before a visit. |
| Delivery-fee allocation when two diners share one in-room dining order | $2.50 per diner | Sharing one order spreads the fixed delivery fee, but it does not remove the percentage service charge. |
Research references: cgcc.ca.gov, yaamava.com 2, yaamava.com 3.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-15. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
At an illustrative $300 nightly room rate, the stated 10% tax and assessment adds $30. For an illustrative two-night stay, the $100 nightly incidental requirement means a separate $200 refundable deposit. Neither example is a current room-price offer.
How you obtain gambling cash can matter, too. On the same illustrative $500 personal check, the published check-cashing rates produce a $20 Classic fee, $10 Emerald fee, or $5 Amber fee. Diamond and Turquoise fees are waived. That is a reason to plan your funds, not to gamble your way toward a higher tier.
An older in-room dining menu posted in April 2024, with a 2.24 footer, lists a $22 cheeseburger, a 21% service charge, and a $5 delivery fee. The service charge alone works out to $4.62, before delivery and any tax. These are historical figures, not a current price guarantee, but they illustrate why I would check the complete delivered cost before ordering.
Strengths and trade-offs
The strongest case for visiting is the combination. A broad slot selection, substantial table gaming, restaurants, a theater, and an on-site hotel let you organize a complete adult evening in one place. Free self-parking is a useful value point, and smoke-free principal indoor venues are another practical advantage.
The main limitation is the commitment of time and money. A room, dinner, concert tickets, spa services, and gambling are separate spending decisions. The resort’s size also makes parking, walking distances, and meeting arrangements more important than at a compact casino.
Who is Yaamava best for?
I’d choose Yaamava for an adults-only casino getaway where slot variety, dinner, and a concert matter as much as the room itself. The hotel, pool, and spa make staying on-site useful, while free self-parking helps with arrival costs. Budget-first visitors and anyone wanting a compact, quick-in-and-out casino should compare smaller properties. Families need all-ages lodging, and concertgoers should allow substantial arrival time rather than treating parking as the last five minutes of the evening.
Frequently asked questions
Is Yaamava the same property as San Manuel Casino?
Yes. Yaamava Resort & Casino at San Manuel is the property many visitors know as San Manuel Casino. It is owned and operated by Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation.
Can children stay at Yaamava or eat at its restaurants?
No. The 21-and-over policy extends throughout the premises. The property identifies nearby partner Bear Springs Hotel as an all-ages lodging alternative with a complimentary 24-hour shuttle, but staying there does not allow anyone under 21 to enter Yaamava.
Is Yaamava open 24 hours?
Yes, the casino operates 24 hours daily. Restaurants, lounges, recreation facilities, and entertainment venues keep separate schedules.
Does Yaamava charge a resort fee?
The FAQ says there are no additional reservation fees for bookings made directly by phone or through the property website. It separately lists a combined 10% occupancy tax and tourism assessment, plus a refundable $100 nightly incidental deposit. Check your booking’s complete terms.
Is parking free?
Self-parking is complimentary. Hotel guests receive complimentary valet for one vehicle per reservation, while day-visitor valet eligibility is restricted.
Does Yaamava have live poker or a sportsbook?
No. It has neither a dedicated player-versus-player poker room nor an on-property retail sportsbook. Video poker, poker-themed table games, and sports-bar screens are different offerings.
Is Yaamava a good day trip from Los Angeles?
It can be if a large casino and several dining choices justify the drive for you. Check traffic in both directions. For a late concert, compare the convenience of an overnight room with its full cost rather than automatically adding a stay.
Sources
- Yaamava official FAQs: admission, games, hotel policies, dining, parking, accessibility, smoking, rewards, and theater logistics.
- Yaamava official resort overview: advertised gaming scale, accommodations, amenities, and entertainment.
- Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation property overview: ownership, property background, and high-limit offerings.
- California Gambling Control Commission tribal casino listing: active property listing.
Set your gambling budget separately from lodging, meals, and entertainment. If gambling stops being enjoyable or becomes difficult to control, call 1-800-GAMBLER or consult Yaamava’s responsible gaming resources.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.