Sometimes you just want to take in a little slice of Vegas. Trying to see all
that Las Vegas has to offer is overwhelming. You will miss some of the best
that this fun city has to offer if you don't take your time and take lots of
pictures. You are after all... a tourist.



A little helpful guide is what you need. This guide is just for the Bellagio, but you must set aside about 3 hours to really get the feel of this great hotel and see all the treats they offer - for free!

Start this little tour in the mid to late afternoon. Trust me… it will be the perfect time!

Driving or not, start your tour at the top of the Bellagio main parking garage . The view is far enough away from traffic and the garage is open on top… so it feels like you're in the trees. You can see exactly where you are in relation to some of the other must see casinos.

















Back down to the main floor, the Botanical Gardens and Conservatory are just off the lobby… just inside the doors that bring you in from the parking garage. The ceiling is glass so that's why you want to see it in the afternoon. The light is really special this time of day. This area is usually full of tourists, but well worth spending a lot of time enjoying the flowers and design that goes into making the gardens a tourist attraction.














If you visit on just the right day, you can catch the changing of the guard - er... flowers. Five times a year the Conservatory and Botanical Gardens at Bellagion changes the entire theme of the 13,500 square-foot atrium. It is a real treat to see these artists at work. All the design work is done in the basement and then the floor is moved and as if by magic... the new show rises from below to the main garden floor.








Sketches are on display, so you can see what the final project will look like.

This is the 2006 January, Chinese New Year Display. This year the themed garden included a real century-old unusual Banyan tree. The tree was from West Palm Beach scheduled for removal. It was a Florida landmark and it stood over 100 feet tall and 40 feet in diameter.









When you're finished soaking up all that tranquility from the entire garden area inside and out… take the back exit area down the hall. Soon you will find the giant chocolate fountain at the Jean-Phillippe Patisserie.

This is the grail for chocolate lovers. Even if you don't want to shop in chocolate land, you will be amazed at the ribbons of white, medium and dark confectionary grade chocolate falling before your eyes. It is mezmerizing.

Six pumps circulate up to 2 tons of chcolate in over 500 feet of stainless steel piping. The cholate is circulating at 120 degrees F. and the entire fountain is enclosed in glass and climate controled at 95 degrees F.


The chocolate fountain rises 27 feet from the lower pump room and 6 ceiling spouts disburse chocolate 14 feet above the floor level. The chocolate then cascades into 25 had-crafted artistic glass vessels. It took over 2 years of engeneering, planning and design to accomplish this fantastic indoor fountain.

Jean-Philippe Maury, is the Bellagio Executive Pastry Chef... I wish I could get a tiny version of this fountain for my own kitchen. Who wouldn't love that?

The next part of the tour begins here.





Bellagio Garden Prints at Art.com