Mermaids are magical, enchanting creatures, and Vegas is possibly the only place in the world where you can see them in the desert – because at Silverton, you can find an aquarium stocked with beautiful tropical fish with even more beautiful mermaids swimming among them.
Ok, so they might not be real mermaids – but you don’t need to tell your kids that. And if you plan to take your children to see them – or perhaps just go and check them out yourself – in this post, we have all the info you need.
What and Where Is Silverton?
- Address: Silverton Casino Hotel, 3333 Blue Diamond Rd, Las Vegas, NV 89139
- Phone: 702-263-7777
The Silverton Hotel and Casino is a resort located at the southern end of the Las Vegas Valley, several miles to the south of the main Las Vegas Strip.
It consists of a small hotel – that is currently closed and under refurbishment – along with a casino and several restaurants.
It now forms part of the Silverton Village, a complex of shops and restaurants that includes a Cracker Barrel and a Starbucks as well as places to eat pizza, sushi, ramen and more. The site also includes a Bass Pros Shops outlet as well as the Hyatt Place Hotel.
The Aquarium and The Mermaids
Although there are plenty of other activities to do at Silverton and Silverton Village, the resort is probably most famous for its aquarium featuring daily mermaid shows, an original and unique attraction in Vegas.
The aquarium is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week – but the real magic happens several times a day from Thursdays to Sundays when real mermaids can be seen swimming with the tropical fish in the aquarium and interacting with visitors on the other side of the glass.
Of course, they’re not real mermaids – they’re actors, mostly with backgrounds as synchronized swimmers, dressed up in elegant and intricately decorated mermaids’ tails.
Most shows last an hour and 15 minutes – with one longer show per day – and you can gaze on in wonder as they perform tricks, blow bubble kisses, provide photo ops and generally enchant the audiences, as all good mermaids should.
It’s a show that young kids will adore – and that older kids and even adults should thoroughly enjoy too.
Even when the mermaids aren’t performing, the aquarium is still worth a look since it contains thousands of tropical fish – along with three species each of stingrays and sharks.
Furthermore, there’s an interactive stingray feeding session twice daily, something else worth making the time to join, and when you need a break, you can also enjoy a drink in the Mermaid Lounge while marveling at the graceful jellyfish in their impressive 500-gallon LED-lit tank.
Better still, the aquarium and the mermaid shows don’t cost anything to see, making this one of the best free attractions in the whole of Vegas.
Mermaid School
For kids – or even adults – who are particularly taken by the mermaids and want to experience the mermaid lifestyle for themselves, Silverton Aquarium also offers the chance to attend a special “mermaid school”.
This gives participants the opportunity to learn how to swim like a mermaid before putting their skills to the test in the aquarium themselves.
This option is open to children aged 7-12, to adults aged 19 and above or to families. For some reason, there doesn’t currently appear to be a separate option for teens aged 13-18, but if you have teens who want to try, they can still join the family activity with you.
The mermaid school experience begins with a “warm-up” class where you’ll learn how to swim like a mermaid followed by a photo op and a swim in the aquarium wearing a mermaid tail.
Participants get a behind-the-scenes tour of the aquarium too, and the experience also includes a voucher for a scoop of gelato at Sundance Grill, a voucher for a 15 percent discount on breakfast or brunch at Sundance Grill and a certificate of completion.
All equipment is provided, including goggles and, of course, the all-important mermaid tail – so all you need to bring is swimwear and a towel.
However, the activity is designed for competent swimmers only, so it’s not suitable for those who don’t feel comfortable in the water or who can’t swim.
Mermaid tails are available in all sizes, right up to XXXL.
Opening Times for The Aquarium
The aquarium is open 24/7, so you can visit it at any time of day or night while you’re at the resort.
Mermaid show times
- Thu-Sat – 12pm-1:15pm, 2pm-3:15pm, 5pm-8:15pm
- Sun – 10:30am-12:45pm, 2pm-3:15pm, 5pm-6:15pm
Mermaid school prices
- Kids: 7-12 – $175 per child
- Adults: 19+ – $225 per participant
- Families: $199 per participant
Interactive stingray feeding times
- Daily – 1:30pm, 4:30pm
What Else Is There to Do at Silverton?
While Silverton is primarily known for its aquarium and mermaids attraction, there’s plenty of other stuff to do while you’re there.
The resort boasts its own casino that, although modest by Vegas standards, offers a full range of slots and table games.
For example, there are all the favorites like blackjack tables, Texas hold ’em and roulette, and you can also try your luck with a game of video poker. There’s a race and sportsbook too for those who prefer to bet on the horses or a big game.
Above all, the casino prides itself on its friendly and helpful dealers whose job it is to make sure you enjoy your time there and feel comfortable and welcome whether you win or lose, something you’re unlikely to experience in Vegas’ more famous mega-casinos.
The resort also has a good range of eating options, including Twin Creeks steakhouse, Mi Casa Grill Cantina for Mexican, Su Casa Sushi and Sundance Grill for burgers.
While you’re out exploring Silverton Village, don’t forget to check out the 18,000-gallon freshwater fish aquarium at the Bass Pros Shops outlet too.
So in short, if you make the trip down to see the mermaids, you won’t find yourself short of other things to do while you’re there – and you certainly won’t be going hungry.
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What About the Hotel at Silverton?
The hotel at Silverton – along with the pool – is currently closed and undergoing renovation. The plan is to reopen it as a 300-room boutique hotel featuring “rustic-luxe” rooms with curated décor and three different “design stories”.
The hotel will feature “Cowboy Kitsch” rooms, “Rustic Modern” rooms and “Refined Lodges”. The hotel, along with the pool, is set to reopen soon in 2023.
In the meantime, if you want to stay near the resort, the mermaids and Silverton Village, you can book into the Hyatt Place Hotel instead.
A Unique Attraction and Fun for All the Family
There’s no end to the range of attractions in Vegas, and at the Silverton, you can enjoy the spectacle of watching mermaids swim with tropical fish – or even learn how to be a mermaid yourself.
And while you’re there, you’ll find plenty of other attractions and eating options to keep you busy, making a trip down to Silverton Village a fun day out for all the family.