Surreal as it may seem, being in the middle of the desert as it is, Las Vegas actually offers not one, but two opportunities to truly swim with the fishes, or rather, with sharks and dolphins.
Back in the summer of 2009, Mandalay Bay's Shark Reef attraction introduced a new program called Dive with the Sharks, that offers guests who are qualified divers the opportunity to swim with rays, fish, and seven species of sharks. The experience, which lasts 3 to 4 hours, includes a guided tour of the aquarium and an approximately 45-minute dive that takes place within the 1.3-million gallon Shipwreck Exhibit. Limited reservations are available for Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, and Sunday afternoons and costs $625 per person or $1,000 for two, if booked together. Participants must be certified divers aged 18+. Click here for more information.
Siegfried & Roy's Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage also offers an interactive experience, where you can be a "dolphin trainer" for a day and play and help train some of the attractions dolphins, and learn about dolphin care. Guests must be age 13+ and at $495 per person, this one ain't cheap, either. Click here for more information and to make a reservation.
If those price tabs are too steep, there are numerous aquariums around Las Vegas, the majority of which are free to view. Check out the QoD for 7/10/2009 in the Archives for a complete list, with photographs.
