Every casino has something to see or do during the day at little or no cost. It brings people in, and it gives something for you to do thats low-key without feeling too tourist-y. I think this was our second trip to Las Vegas. We decided to walk through the shark reef aquarium exhibit. I had found it at Mandalay Bay's website (or now they have their own site:
sharkreef.com) and instantly wrote it down on our "to do" list. If you love the ocean and marine life, you will thouroughly enjoy this. It costs $18 per adult (with reduced childrens rates), and I think worth every penny.
I would suggest going to this after breakfast, early in the day. Think of it as going to an underwater zoo. You will walk through the aquarium, and it feels almost like a tunnel at times, with the aquarium around you. I thought to myself, "Are they on show for us, or are we the show for them?" The coolest part was walking in a room where the floor was glass, as was the walls, and there are sea creatures of all types around you. Be prepared to see stingrays, turtles, octipii, over 10 different species of sharks, eels, various fish, and more. At one point you will walk through a glass tunnel where the sharks are swimming (very fast) over you. Right over your heads! There are no dolphin shows or penguins on display. It is, however, relatively quiet, peaceful, interesting, and fun. From the time you get to the entrance, this walk-through aquarium will take about an hour or so of your time. You will want to walk through it again on your next trip.
HINT: Wear good, comfortable walking shoes when you venture to Mandalay Bay. Besides navigating around the casino, you will be walking the aquarium, which feels rather large. Afterwards, Mandalay Bay has wonderful restaurants perfect for a quick lunch bite.
