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| - For an attraction on the strip, the Secret Garden is pretty reasonably priced. $16/person for locals or military, children 3 and under are free, and you can bring in any food and drinks you want.
I've been 3 times now with my annual membership $50/adult, no discounts, and it's never been too crowded, not even on Father's Day weekend.
There are about 6 dolphins, I think, and they transfer them back and forth between 3 pools. You can get really close to the pool, but not close enough to touch the dolphins (nor is it allowed). The trainers do a "training session" (it's not really a show) for about 5-10 minutes approximately every 30 or 40 minutes. You'll see the dolphins swimming around, maybe doing a jump or 2, and catching a lot of fish in their mouths, but it's not Sea World, so they won't be putting on that kind of choreographed display.
You can also go to an underground viewing room, which is cool and gives you some pretty good views of the dolphins.
The often-overlooked area of the Secret Garden is the big cats exhibit. They have about 8 different cats (white lions, white tigers, leopards, panthers) in separate exhibits. Each area is not huge, but it seems well-planned with lots of vegetation, shade, and lounging spots for the animals. In addition, there seems to be no "back house" area where the animals can hideout, like at most zoos, so even if they're sleeping, you can always see them.
The cats are pretty impressive, and the dolphins are entertaining, so I definitely recommend the Secret Garden if you're travelling through town with kids, and I recommend it even more if you live here! Pack a lunch, see the animals, and relax in the sun or shade while enjoying your cheap eats!
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