Gambling is legal in the UK, so you’re not impressed by Las Vegas’ moniker “Sin City.” Big deal – but wait. There’s a lot more to do here besides rolling the dice. You can check out the desert sharks, Slotzilla, and several museums.
Sharks
One of the major attractions is the Shark Reef, an aquarium located in the city of Las Vegas. It’s North America’s only predatory-based aquarium.
There are lots of beasts here, including golden crocodiles, jellyfish, and piranhas – flesh-eating fish. There’s also moray eels, which are quite deadly. The most amazing thing about this aquarium? You get to dive into the water and play with these marine beasts. Oh yes.
This one is definitely not for the faint of heart. The dive lasts about 40 to 45 minutes, and the largest tank at Shark Reef contains 30 Sand Tigers, White Tip Reef, Gray Tip Reef, Zebra, Sandbar, Nurse, and Galapagos sharks.
If that wasn’t enough, there’s also moray eels, sea turtles, stingrays, and lots and lots of fish.
You never dive below 22 feet, so there’s no decompression to worry about. You’re also protected by a chain mail, anti-shark suit. Of course, if one of those sharks gets ahold of you it’s still scary, but you’ll be accompanied by a certified diver and led by a master diver. Oh, and the sharks have already been fed before you jump in with them. Good times.
Museums
Most people who come to Las Vegas chastise it for not being very culturally diverse. It’s true. Most of what you see here are casinos – well, downtown anyway. But, all that’s changing and, like everything else in Las Vegas, it’s changing quickly.
In 2012, the “Mob Museum” opened up. Officially, it’s called the National Museum of Organised Crime and Law Enforcement, and it’s all about the organised crime culture. There’s also the Discovery Children’s Museum and the Smith Center for the Performing Arts.
Finally, make sure you check out the national Atomic Testing Museum. It’s a museum based on the Nevada Test site, which is actually located 65 miles away from the museum. Inside, you’ll learn all about the weird and freaky experiments done in the name of science. There’s also a special exhibit on another fascinating Nevada desert mystery: Area 51.
Slotzilla
This $11 million project is open for business, and it’s the only place in Nevada where you can ride a 120-foot slot-machine-themed zip line. Get on on the lower level and take off 70-feet above the ground. Your top speed? 35 MPH. Distance? 1,700 feet. In true Las Vegas fashion, every time a rider starts his journey back toward the ground, a beacon lights up and the giant slot machine’s arm pulls down. It’s funny. It’s exhilarating. It’s Vegas, baby.
Karen Jordan travels the world with wide open eyes and a penchant for fun. She greatly enjoys blogging about the odd and the fantastic to inspire others to experience travel for themselves.
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