(5/5) We had such a great time at the Shark Reef Aquarium inside Mandalay Bay! It was the perfect indoor activity for our family and kept both the kids and adults entertained from start to finish. There was so much to see, including sharks, sea turtles, stingrays, jellyfish, piranhas, colorful tropical fish, crocodiles, and even a Komodo dragon. Our favorite part was walking through the underwater tunnel while sharks and giant sea turtles swam right above us--it felt like being under the ocean! Location: Inside Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip. Admission: Timed-entry tickets are about $29 for adults, $24 for children (ages 5-12), and free for kids 4 and under. Nevada residents receive a small discount with ID. Hours: Open daily from 10:00 AM-8:00 PM, with the last admission at 7:00 PM. Parking: We stayed at Mandalay Bay, so it was an easy walk. If you're driving, you can park in the Mandalay Bay self-parking garage and walk inside to the aquarium. Tips: * Plan to spend 1-2 hours exploring. * Buy your tickets online and reserve a timed entry, especially during busy times. * Great for all ages, but I'd especially recommend it for kids 2-10 years old. * Don't rush through the underwater tunnel--it's the highlight of the aquarium and perfect for photos! If you're visiting Las Vegas with kids or just love marine life, the Shark Reef Aquarium is definitely worth adding to your itinerary. It was one of our favorite family activities! read more

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I had a fantastic time at Shark Reef. It's been years since I went last. There are more poster boards, info screens, and aquariums. My favorite part was the hybrid pupfish. I included a few pictures with signs about the pupfish & the hybrid pupfish swimming around. read more

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It's so awesome that there's an aquarium on the Las Vegas Strip. I've gone to Vegas so many times since I became an adult, yet it took this trip to finally cross this place off my bucket list. I think the variety of sea creatures is amazing. I've been to aquariums all over the world, and this one feels unique! read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Shark - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

What a fun kid friendly place! My kids loved the "tunnel" going through the fish, and especially the tide pool. It was nice to also see other animals besides just marine creatures too. It is a bit in the smaller side for an aquarium, and depending on how young or easily entertained your kids are, you may or may not be done quickly. I know my kids could probably be happy here for hours and hours though. If you aren't a local, then I'm not sure if the ticket price on top of having to pay for parking would feel worth it, but then again that is dependent on each person and what they want to do for their family. This was our first time to the shark aquarium, even though we've been living out here for about seven years, and also a first for me even going to Mandalay Bay despite visiting Vegas often before having kids and moving out here. Just from the area of walking to go to the ticket area inside, Mandalay seems very spacious and beautiful. I could even see myself spending a good amount of time with the kids just walking around in the non-casino sections. read more

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Kid friendly aquarium in the casino! It does take a bit to walk back through the casino and convention center to get there. My daughter had an amazing time inside! She loved looking at all the cool fish and marine life. There were so many different things to look at. The shark experience at the end was so cool! So many viewing areas to see everything. You can easily walk through this aquarium in 15 mins, or spend a few hours enjoying it. read more

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A very small aquarium and steep entrance fee for what you get to see. I've been to quite a few aquariums and this one was not all that impressive. read more

low key, it's fun there's an aquarium on the strip, but it's not the best. it's a pretty tiny aquarium. $29 for adult tickets weren't the worst price ever, but that's a lot of money for not a lot of exhibits. we took pictures at the entrance, and they wanted $40 for a print off of one photo! oh my god that's ridiculous. they did have a couple sharks and i enjoyed the touch pool with the stingrays! but i live by the newport aquarium, and it is nothing compared to them. and i don't even really like the newport aquarium! oh well, it was fun to visit here, but i wouldn't do it again. read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

I really like this aquarium in Mandalay Bay. I took my toddler here and she was quite entertained! They give a great locals discount and kids over 5 are free. They have a wide variety of fish, sharks, stingrays, turtles, crocodiles, dragons and more. You'll see all shapes and sizes when it comes to the fish here. My favorite area is the massive shark tank! This place is a nice treat to visit! read more

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This place has been here forever but it never ceases to amaze the kids and the young at heart. It's a short spread but you get to see a lot of sharks , tropical fish and some alligators! Also a Komodo dragon. You get to touch a stingray if you dare . I brought my kids here 20 years ago and now I'm back with my grandkids. Still a worthy place to go to. This is one of the memorable places my kids will never forget . Come see it !!! read more

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I really wanted to like the Shark Reef Aquarium more, but unfortunately, my 16-month old decided to cry the entire time. So we were in and out in about 30 minutes or so. My eldest (5 years old) enjoyed seeing everything, especially the sharks and jellyfish. My middle child (2 years old) was indifferent. She stayed in her stroller the entire time and didn't want to get out to see anything. Also, the ticket prices and parking are a little steep for the amount of time spent there. read more

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We went to the Mandalay Bay Aquarium, in order to experience their behind the scenes tour and to feed their Sea Turtles. Mike was a great guide who explained everything about the aquarium. From their filtration system, the way in which each animal is cared for and handled, and how their conservation program engages other aquariums across the world. Feeding the Sea Turtles was a magical experience. It's amazing how much they consume and how they interact with their handlers. After feeding the turtles, we went through the entire aquarium. There, you could see a lot more sea and land animals, as well as a shallow skate petting area. The Shark Reef Aquarium is an enjoyable, and educational experience, that should be visited, especially out in the Vegas desert. read more

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Getting to the Mandalay Bay aquarium felt like quite the trek. It was nice walking through the hotel and lots to see but still quite the walk from the monorail. Overall a nice aquarium but exhibits were quite narrowed with lots of turns which can feel crowded when kids are running around. The pirate ship and large shark tank at the end was nice. There was a small sting ray petting exhibit but not much activity and movement happening while we were there. read more

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We were not impressed by this. $58 for two adults and it took us less than 20 minutes to walk through. We go to an aquarium in every city we visit, and this one is on the bottom of our list. A nice thing to do with kids in the city, but not an attractive destination for adults read more

Had a great time here! Nice little aquarium tucked behind Mandalay Bay. Spent at least an hour here looking at all the fish and exhibits. They had some lizards, Komodo dragon, snake in addition to the fish, rays, and sharks. Loved the educational aspect and how there was a touch pool for the sting rays and a small shark. The tunnels were so immersive. read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Shark in the large sunken ship tank - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

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Something to do with the family. It was 29.00 dollars a person per adults.(we don't have little ones anymore)so I don't get the price for that sorry. Small aquarium but it was fun, plenty of sharks to see and no crowds. At least not today. My kid enjoyed it. Glad we made it in. There was a stingray Part where you are able to touch but we were not interested lol. read more

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Cute little attraction to visit at Mandalay. It was a quick visit, we were in there for less then an hour including going through the gift shop at the end. read more

Cost is very fair, Im sure it's pretty expensive to properly care for all the animals. My husband and I had a nice time walking through the start to finish pathway to see all the reptiles and fish. Take your time and go slowly through, otherwise it'll be too short of a visit. We took about 45 minutes but I could have stared at the sharks in the last and largest aquarium for longer. read more

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Perfect for the kids and the kid in adults. Pricing supports it being on the strip and in a hotel. Self guided and best time to go on weekdays. Less people. On dry land animals are first. Once you make your way out of the reef you get to enjoy a virtual experience nexts door. It's something to do while visiting. Take your time to explore and watch the sharks swimming. They just as bored as you'll feel swimming in circles. read more

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Been here 3 times with different people and it is enjoyed by everyone every time I visit. Our favorite was the most recent visit on 12/2025 where we got a free printed picture with Santa! That was a nice surprise. There's an area where you can touch the rays. You get to see varieties from jellyfish, variety of fishes, piranhas, and sharks. read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

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The tickets are reasonable considering the experience, which is not much. As an adult with no kids, it is difficult to spend more than thirty minutes here. I would not visit again. It was interesting but nothing special. Park across the street at McDonald's for free. read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Jellyfish - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

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I wasn't impressed at all with this aquarium. It was very pricey for what it is. Honestly, I felt it was a waste of time and money. If you're on the fence about this, choose not to go. It's small and overcrowded with screaming kids read more

We came here because someone in our group had a coupon for discounted tickets. Otherwise it's about $29 for an adult. It may be kind of humid and warm inside but hey it was cold at the end of Nov 2025. I don't like the cold so I was fine with warm. We spent about 50 mins here and that's with taking pictures and videos. Someone said it takes 15 mins. That's completely false unless you just sped walked the whole thing and took quick glances. There was quite a bit of variety to look at. For the price, I mean you can't be that shocked since it's at Mandalay Bay on the Strip. I would recommend it for families, couples, and groups. It's a change of pace from all of the gambling, drinking, and smoking. read more

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First time visiting after being in the area and was impressed by the exhibits! There is a local discount so for two people it was $52 for entry. The air is warm humid since some of the exhibits are open, the water tunnels and shipwreck theme added to the experience. Overall would recommend if you are in the area! read more

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This was a unique experience. It gave us a break in our regular Vegas activity. We really enjoyed seeing all the different wildlife exhibits. One of my favorites was walking through the aquarium tunnel where several sharks swam around and above us. During our visit, we were lucky enough to see two divers in the Shark Tank cleaning and maintaining it. Wow, they sure are brave! There were staff on hand readily answering questions. And it also looked like there were a small group of children on a field trip. If you'd like to you can touch a stingray. They have information posted by each aquarium describing what's in the aquarium. They also have a large gift shop at the end. We had a lovely time at and would definitely recommend it to others. read more

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I had came here for my 21st birthday weekend a while ago and I think what stuck out to me the most was their Albino Alligator! Unfortunately when I went with my best friend and her daughter recently, he was not there it made me worried but they do have a new alligator! So fun and cool seeing them in person! Tickets are about 30 bucks not sure for kids but for adult's especially on the strip, it really isn't too bad. I'm always pretty mesmerized by the aqua beauty and loooove a good museum or anything involving animals fish sharks jellyfish you name it so this one's right on the money!! The only thing you're allowed to physically touch there are their stingrays (with a giant sign that says "please do not touch the eyes of tail") I assumed anyone wouldnt THINK of doing that but with Las Vegas I guess you never know lol. They also have a cute little gift shop upon your exit with lot and lots of merch stuffed animals for kiddos you name it. Overall I love this aquarium! There are a few others I've been to of course, and for being out in the desert I'm highly impressed keeping these animals/marine life safe and happy!! Would come back every time just to admire the beauty of it all Definitely bring your kids they love it as much as us grown ups do! read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - My best friend's daughter was just as into it as we were! - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

This place is AMAZING. Im so glad mandalay did the local discount because if it wasnt for a instagram influencer, I would have never know this was here. I hope they extend the deal because Locals are eating this up. I seen 6 people I know here on a Tuesday! LETS GO Mandalay Bay for keeping local Love alive in Vegas. This place is very informative, hands on ( i touched a sting ray!!!!!!!!), and the different kinds of fishes and jelly fish keep you super engaged! I seen sharks that i have never even heard of. I seen fish i never knew existed, I touched a bunch of sting rays! This place is great for Instagram-able pictures. Everything here has an exciting background! read more

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I am extremely disappointed with our experience at Shark Reef. What was supposed to be a fun and memorable family outing turned into a stressful and heartbreaking experience for our daughter and our entire family. We fully understood that the activity was intended for children ages 5 and up. However, staff scanned and accepted my daughter's ticket without any issue and allowed us to go through the entire process, which naturally led us to believe she was approved to participate. It wasn't until we reached the very front, after waiting and getting her excited for the experience, that staff suddenly stopped us and told her she could not participate. Having to tell a child at the last second that she was no longer allowed to join after already being checked in was incredibly upsetting. Our daughter immediately started crying and was devastated. My wife and I then had to step away to comfort and carry her while everyone else continued on. Because of how poorly this was handled, neither my wife nor I were able to enjoy the experience either. The issue is not the rule itself we respected the age requirement. The problem is the complete lack of communication and professionalism. If there was an issue with her eligibility, it should have been addressed before her ticket was scanned and before we waited through the line and built up her expectations. Instead of creating a positive family memory, this experience left us frustrated, embarrassed, and deeply disappointed. We spent time, money, and effort planning this outing only to have it ruined by poor organization and careless handling of the situation. Families deserve better communication and better treatment than this. read more

CASINO PARKING- Mandalay Bay Casino Locals Special 3 hours FREE NEVADA LOCALS SPECIAL- in honor of celebrating 25 years! Only Tuesdays- until August 26, 2025 $10 each admission Box office opens at 9:30 am Opens at 10 am DOES NOT TAKE SPLIT PAYMENTS My suggestion is to get there early, because we go there at 2 pm but were placed at the 3 pm line (keep in mind that there were two lines during this time frame). There were quite a few people here too. I took yesterday off due to my son's "Welcome Back" event at School. Otherwise, I'm working. A family-friendly attraction that doesn't disappoint. Educational too. And you also learn about Conservation efforts too. Accredited and features 2000 species. Yes, you can bypass the Pictures part. Yes, the first part is a bit humid. To mimic the "natural environment". Golden alligators, Komodo Dragon- it's huge. Piranhas, which have sharp teeth, and are interesting; found out that they often prey on dead or dying animals, so they serve a very important purpose within the ocean ecosystem. Small sharks, like leopard sharks are in the first aquarium. In the next one, is a long neck river turtle. The rays petting part is a one finger touch and children must lie on their bellies; safety is emphasized here. We were getting a show as the dark one was chasing the lighter ones. I reached it to touch it (I am short) and it was fleshy- kinda spongy feeling and slimy feeling, kinda gross. If you have little ones, tell them to touch it lightly, though. There is paper towel and sanitizer. Check out the invasive species, Lionfish, in their own aquarium. Also in this area, are the Giant Octopus, that was definitely my favorite one here; it went through three different color changes within minutes! The dangerous jellyfish have their own aquarium. They look ethereal. Almost like from a different world. Spotted the sea turtle up above in the tunnel part; also were some cute scallop hammerheads; I say cute, because they are smal. Some animals are no longer a part of the attraction like the horseshoe crabs, passed away in 2020, sad face. Also, the large snake was missing too. In the main part of the aquarium is the bowfin guitarfish; there was a large one and a small one. There were so many sharks to see, like the galapagos shark. There is a sitting area here. Gift Shop: No Pricing on items unless it was in the Sale section Small Plush items were $27 and $28! I usually like to purchase a bookmark or a postcard, but doesn't care either of those. read more

We had a fun time as some 30 year olds with no kids! There are a couple reptile exhibits in addition to the regular aquatic exhibits. The tanks are decorated nicely with a general reef or shipwreck theme. There's quite a few sharks in each tank swimming amongst the fish and they are easy to spot. The underwater tunnels are pretty cool to have an almost 360° view of all the fishes and is a good photo opportunity spot. There's also a spot where you can pet the sting rays. The aquarium itself is somewhat small compared to stand-alone aquariums, but it is quite decent given that this is inside a hotel on the Las Vegas strip. It shouldn't take longer than an hour or so to get through the entire thing, depending how busy it is to wait for your turn to look at each exhibit. I came on a Tuesday around 10:45am and it was much busier than expected. I was only able to get tickets for 1pm entry. It was also summertime and there were a lot of families with kids. There two separate lines, one for the box office and one for the entry to the exhibits, so make sure you're in the right line as it can be difficult to tell from the back when they are really long. There's staff standing and walking around to help. When I went, they were wearing blue T-shirts. It took about 30-45 mins to stand in line for the box office and about 30-45 mins for the entry line, so with the 1pm tickets I really got into the exhibits around 1:30pm-1:45pm. We took advantage of the $10 Tuesday deal for locals, which was amazing. I haven't been back in 15+ years. Currently it's $24 for children and $29 for adults for timed entry tickets. It's a little pricey for the size of the place, but it's a convenient on the strip option for families. I was pretty satisfied with my overall experience! read more

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PSA for Las Vegas locals: From now until 8/26/25, tickets to the Shark Reef Aquarium are just $10 every Tuesday! Tickets must be purchased in person with a valid Nevada ID, and you get 3 hours of free parking in the garage. This was my first time visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium, and I couldn't pass up the discounted local pricing. Be aware that tickets are first-come, first-served. When we bought ours around 3:45 PM, the next available entry wasn't until 5 PM due to the crowds. We passed the time walking around Mandalay Bay, but a heads-up: if you plan to re-park to reset your 3-hour parking limit, do it before entering the aquarium, since there's no validation and no re-entry once you exit. The aquarium itself is on the smaller side, but there's a great variety. From komodo dragons and sharks to jellyfish, stingrays, and colorful fish from all over the world. We spent about 40 minutes exploring at a relaxed pace and reading the displays. It's definitely a fun and educational visit, especially for families with kids (and there were a lot of them when we went). While I personally wouldn't pay full price ($30) to go again, I think it's absolutely worth doing once. read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

First time visiting the Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay. They have a local special: $3.00 off per resident. Overall, it was a nice experience. We got lucky and came during a time when there weren't a lot of people there. We got to see so many species of shark and other water animals. I loved looking at the lionfish, piranhas, lookdown fishes, and jellyfish. I got to see a starfish and octopus sleeping close to each other. It was so cute. As you walk through the aquarium, there is a stingray section. Where visitors are allowed to gently touch the top of a stingray. Jay used this opportunity to touch one. I opted out; I can tell they didn't want to be touched. At the end of this experience, we got to see greensaw fish. They are so interesting to look at. I never knew they existed. We picked up a keychain souvenir and left. This was such a nice experience to have in Vegas. Thank you. read more

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Great family activity for all ages. Friendly and knowledgable staff. Beautiful habitats and healthy creatures

This was just a fantastic place to get out of the heat, learn something new, and see some pretty amazing wonders. Pricing is about on par for Las Vegas, and the virtual reality movie experience was really quite cool. This will entertain adults and children Alike and can easily accommodate the full spectrum of family ages. It would also be a great date idea! It's just the right size to spend about an hour and a half, maybe a little bit more. So it's the perfect side excursion for a Vegas trip. read more

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For what it is (an aquarium experience in a casino), it's pretty amazing. It won't take more than an hour if you have impatient kids who want to keep pushing forward, but if you slow down, read the educational signs, and enjoy the animal viewings, it'll be worth it. The touch pool for the rays was a little depressing (the rays did not look happy to be there), but the overall facility looked well-maintained and the animals well taken care of. A little pricey for a family, but otherwise an enjoyable excursion! read more

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I would rate this place at a 3 star due to the fact there isn't too much other than a few large spaces with AWESOME species but there was a worker there named Kori? i believe.. and He was amazing and very informative about piranhas and other animals aswell. He even went as far as giving me very helpful life advice, abit overpriced but It was still a very nice place to go to! read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Shark - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

Awesome exhibit located inside Mandalay Bay that's worth the admission fee and the trek to experience. The aquarium is a host to an array of not only aquatic life, but many other reptiles are also on display. You can pretty much see and photograph all they have to offer in one hour or less. Of course everyone loves to see the sharks and they have plenty to see! My personal favorites, the sawfish and the hammerhead, both were a little camera shy but certainly make their presence known. If you have the time available and need a break from all the casino action, the shark reef makes an excellent pit stop! read more

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Pricey for an aquarium this size but understandable given that it's on the strip inside a hotel. It's quite neat - not just the sea creatures you see but the underwater shipwreck type of structures. There is also an area you can touch some sea life. We also went to the theater for the VR experience, that was a nice experience too despite me disliking the VR headset. My 6 year old enjoyed it too. read more

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I enjoyed the total experience. The tour of the underwater sea animals was just okay. It was pretty humid and the alligators were lethargic. Once I saw the sea jelly display the tour started picking up. There was a wait to purchase tickets, but the line kept moving. The staff was helpful, but sparse. I found my way to the virtual show afterward. There was no real direction given. read more

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It was worth money for the experience! Everyone loved it and during Christmas there was an underwater Santa! So fun! Do your kids a favor and take them there! read more

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Such a cute spot located inside the Mandalay Bay. I booked this experience through Expedia and also included the VR experience. It's not a big aquarium so an hour is more than enough time. I really enjoyed the VR part which was only about 6 minutes long but it was cool! read more

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay - Aquariums Near Me - Las Vegas, Nevada

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