Because of some absolutely horrific past experiences I’ve had with the Rio Hotel & Casino back when they were a part of Caesars Entertainment, I’ve been pretty avoidant of Caesars properties in general. However, once in a while, a hotel under the Caesars family will have something interesting enough that it’s still worth making a visit. In my opinion, one of those things is the Wildlife Habitat at the Flamingo Las Vegas Hotel & Casino.

The main reason I actually decided to go for a midday walk to the Flamingo was because I heard there were some renovations to their pool that was finally open to the public after a few delays, and Caesars played it up as if it was going to be some kind of revolutionary, innovative, state-of-the-art renovation, so I wanted to see it for myself and find it if that was true.

Funny enough, I could not figure out where the entrance to the pool was. The only entry point I could find had a security guard that said only registered hotel guests were permitted access, and the other meandering path I came across ended up spitting me out at the taxi and rideshare zone. I don’t even like pools, so I wasn’t particularly motivated to keep searching. Instead, I just went to the Wildlife Habitat to see the flamingos.

You need to calibrate your expectations properly when going to the Wildlife Habitat, because if you’re hoping to see a ton of flamingos, you’re going to be out of luck. I think there are fewer than ten flamingos on the property, along with a small, assorted collection of other birds, fish, and sea life spread throughout different sections of the habitat. It’s nothing too crazy, and it’s nothing even close to what you’d find at a zoo or aquarium, but it’s free to go in for a quick stroll, and it’s amusing to see something like this outdoors on the Las Vegas Strip.

I also had an opportunity to see the Garden Chapel. I don’t know if this is usually just open to the public or if I had some fortunate timing, but this back area was very serene and nearly devoid of tourists. There was the occasional sign saying that the wedding coordinator was away and would be returning shortly, which I guess implies that the area is only open during certain business hours, but I was lucky enough to be able to sightsee uninterrupted due to the attendant being busy.

Here are some photographs I captured during my visit: