Caesars Forum Shop Atlantis Aquarium

The Atlantis Aquarium at the Forum Shops inside Caesars Palace is one of Las Vegas's best free family activities, and it's consistently overlooked because people assume that anything inside a casino complex costs money. It doesn't. The 50,000-gallon aquarium is a free walkthrough display accessible to anyone who walks through the Forum Shops.

The tank is genuinely impressive for its setting. Real sharks (nurse sharks, sand tiger sharks) swim overhead and alongside you as you walk through the display. Tropical fish of various species populate the water, and the whole thing is built into the Atlantis-themed architecture of the Forum Shops, with columns and ruins creating a visually interesting backdrop.

Kids press their faces against the glass the same way they do at paid aquarium facilities.

Diver feedings happen on a schedule — if you can catch one, it's a legitimate bonus spectacle that kids love. Ask a Forum Shops staff member for the current feeding schedule.

The timing pairs perfectly with another free Forum Shops attraction: the talking statue fountain show. The Atlantis animated statue display runs hourly at the center of the mall, with fire effects and narrated mythology. Young kids (ages 3-9) find it genuinely impressive. It's kitschy in the best Las Vegas way, and it costs nothing.

The Forum Shops are open until midnight on weekends, making this one of the few legitimate family-friendly activities you can do late in the evening on the Strip. Park at Caesars for $10-20, or walk from adjacent Strip hotels for free.

Expect to spend 20-45 minutes between the aquarium and the fountain show — enough to satisfy young kids without requiring a dedicated afternoon.