Las Vegas: Bellagio brings the ocean indoors in its summer gardens

You won’t find Disney’s Dory here, but you might find some of her relatives. A mermaid and sea horses as well as real fish and thousands of flowers are on display this summer at the gardens at Bellagio Las Vegas.

The hotel-casino resort’s Conservatory & Botanical Gardens has been transformed into a water world featuring real fish as well as ones crafted from floral designs.

Guests can begin their tour in the East Garden and venture through a tunnel surrounded by two large, saltwater aquariums full of coral reefs and schools of fish.

The passageway leads to a 35-foot-long shipwreck set atop a reef in the West Garden. As mock scuba divers explore the wreckage, visitors spot a 15-foot whale made from 1,000 succulent plants.

A mermaid crafted of sand and adorned with 350 carnations is perched nearby.

In the South Garden, three oversized seahorses frolic in shades of purple, green and orange. A giant clam and a larger-than-life sea turtle are also part of the display.

A total of 80,000 flowers -- including salvia, calla lilies, pineapple lilies, chrysanthemums and miniature roses -- were used to create the undersea world, a Bellagio statement says.

The free exhibit continues through Sept. 10 and is open 24/7. The gardens are located just inside the doors that lead to the parking garage.

A reminder for visitors: Parking is no longer free at MGM Resorts properties. Self parking at Bellagio is free for the first 60 minutes. After that, it jumps to $7 for one to four hours, with a maximum charge of $10 for up to 24 hours.

Info: Bellagio Conservatory & Botanical Gardens

MORE:

Let ‘Star Trek’s’ George Takei lead you on a zero-gravity flight over Las Vegas

Good times light the nights in San Diego’s Gaslamp Quarter

Hilton Garden Inn comes to Waikiki Beach in a really big way

See Disney’s lineup of 2017 fall cruises from San Diego to Mexico