There are so many great attractions in Las Vegas today that are perfect for people of all ages, from adults to kids. One of the best is the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay Hotel at the south end of the Strip.
The Shark Reef is one of the largest predator-based aquariums in the world, meaning it has more of the coolest fish, including an amazing 1200 different species. For a small sampling of what you can see there, check out the video below.
There are more than just sharks at the aquarium, as you can see. There are all different varieties of fish, both fresh and salt water, from sharks to saw fish to a beautiful assortment of rays.
In addition, there is a quite nice collection of reptiles at the facility that are fun to watch, including the strange, exotic, and endangered Komodo dragon of Indonesia, the largest reptile on Earth.
This is not some small casino display that you can pass through in a few minutes. In fact, it is quite an excellent and well respected aquarium that is fully accredited by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association (a rare distinction among aquariums).
For an extra fee (currently eight dollars), you can take a behind the scenes tour of the aquarium facilities and see how the over 2,000 animals on site are cared for on a daily basis.
For me, seeing this place behind the scenes made it all the more impressive – you get a fuller appreciation for just how much care and effort goes in to maintaining such a large collection of species and specimen.
This is a great activities for kids and teens, and there is a nice hands-on area that the young ones love, where they can experience the sea creatures up close and in person.
Allow a couple hours to see the entire facility, and maybe an extra hour or so if you would like to go on a tour behind the scenes. You can find out more at the Shark Reef website.
