Oh boy, let me tell you about the Bellagio Fountain in Las Vegas! It’s a total showstopper and draws in crowds of tourists year-round. Every day and night, it puts on the most spectacular free show in Vegas! Occasionally, however, there’s that one person who wants to make a splash and try to swim in Bellagio Lake. It’s like they can’t resist the allure of this iconic attraction!
Swimming in the Bellagio Fountain is prohibited. Going for a swim in the fountain will get you arrested. Jumping into the fountain’s water can be dangerous since the lake is not designed for people to swim. Moreover, you can cause damage to some elements and ruin the show for others.
In this article, I’ll explain why swimming in the Bellagio Fountain is not a good idea and give you additional information on the fountain and how you can catch a show if you’re visiting Vegas. Keep reading to learn more.
So let’s get this out of the way first. People do jump into the fountain waters and swim on occasion. I can’t say that this is an everyday occurrence, but it is reported in the local news fairly often. When it comes to taking a swim in the Bellagio Fountains, drinking or other substances are often involved, but sometimes it’s just jackassery, like in the following video.
The Bellagio Fountain is massive and may look like an excellent place to swim, especially if it’s really hot outside. Some may even consider it a challenge, as some people do with other famous landmark fountains.
However, you can’t swim in the Bellagio Fountain, at least not without consequences.
If you think you can get away with swimming in the Bellagio Fountain without the police getting involved, think again. Several reports of arrests were made over the years of people who had jumped and swam in the Bellagio Fountain.
Those who jump in the fountain are usually charged with misdemeanor trespassing. In Nevada, this charge can result in a $1000 fine or up to six months in jail. No matter how fun or refreshing it may seem, swimming in the Bellagio Fountain would cause more trouble than it’s worth.
Even if you, hypothetically, could escape punishment somehow, you still shouldn’t swim in the Bellagio Fountain. The fountain pool is not designed for swimming, so it can be dangerous for you. The pool is quite deep, and there are several obstacles at the bottom, like tubes, jets, and objects that people throw.
It may seem similar to swimming in a typical pool, but the fact that it’s not designed for swimming should keep you away. In the past, there have been incidents where people have risked their lives or even drowned while swimming in the fountain.
As mentioned, jets and other components in the Bellagio Fountain pool are handled by professionals who work for the hotel. While swimming, you might accidentally break or damage one of these parts. As a result, you will be charged with property damage in addition to trespassing, which can increase your fine or potential time in the county jail.
As a side note, the Bellagio Fountain was originally only designed to last for 5 years, and the Bellagio engineers have done an excellent job of keeping it running for over two decades. So as you might imagine, some of the original parts of the fountain can be very expensive to repair if damaged or broken.
The Bellagio Fountain cost over $40 million dollars to build, so the words “you broke it, you bought it” have a huge significance. In other words, a swimmer who damages the Bellagio Fountain will be in a world of financial hurt in addition to the legal ramifications.
Millions of people visit Vegas annually, and most stop at the Bellagio Fountain to enjoy the show. Someone jumping in the fountain pool can interrupt the show until the person is caught or gets away. In fact, the show will usually be stopped if the fountain team determines someone is in the water, and this may cause the cancellation of upcoming shows while they determine if any damage has occurred.
So, if you’re considering swimming in the Bellagio Fountain as a challenge, just remember that plenty of folks out there have come to Vegas to enjoy the fountain show and have a good time. So let’s be respectful and leave the fountain splashing to the choreographed water shows, okay?
Having said all that, there are instances where you may see people legitimately swimming in the Bellagio Fountain. The difference, however, is they aren’t swimming for fun. It’s their job.
Bellagio Fountain scuba divers regularly dive into the lake’s blue waters to inspect and maintain the mechanical parts of the fountain, as well as to remove objects that get dropped or thrown into the water. You may even see a small boat in the middle of the fountain. Again, these are Bellagio employees with a legitimate reason for swimming in the fountain.
Take a look at the behind-the-scenes action of the fountain “bat cave” in the video below.
The Bellagio Fountain pool is relatively deep. The average depth of the pool is about 8 feet (2.5 meters), but it’s even deeper near the water jets. The pool’s deepest point reaches about 13 feet (4 meters). During the show, the fountain can shoot water as high as 460 feet (140 meters).
The water of the Bellagio Fountain comes from a private well underneath the Bellagio Hotel property. This well was originally used as the water source for a golf course and was repurposed to supply the fountain and the lake. Interestingly, the Bellagio Fountain uses less water than the old golf course did. The water is filtered, although not all of it can be filtered daily.
The visual and musical show at the Bellagio Fountains is renowned for its awe-inspiring display. Each day, crowds gather to witness the fountains shoot water in a synchronized fashion, accompanied by popular tunes. The entire show is computer-controlled, guaranteeing flawless synchronization of the water and music.
Because it’s such a famous landmark and puts on amazing free shows, the Bellagio Fountain is probably one of the most recognizable attractions in Vegas. You can regularly see it in movies and tv shows, most notably “Ocean’s Eleven.”
Watch the final scene of the movie in the video below.
So, how can you catch this world-famous show that the Bellagio Fountains put on?
You can see it every day for free. All you need to do is show up near the fountain, find a good spot, and enjoy the show. You can even see the show from your hotel or restaurant window.
During the week, there is a fountain show every half an hour between 3 PM and 8 PM. However, after 8 PM, there is one every 15 minutes until midnight. The view is much better during nighttime when there are lights that make the view even more breathtaking.
During the weekend, fountain shows start at noon and continue similarly to weekdays until midnight. If there are issues with the fountain or harsh weather conditions, the shows are canceled until the situation returns to normal.
You can get all the info you need to know about the Bellagio Fountain show times, including the song list, on our website by clicking the link.
So, there you have it – the Bellagio Fountain is definitely a must-see when you’re in Vegas, but please don’t be tempted to take a dip in the fountain. As much as it may seem like a fun challenge, it’s actually illegal and could land you in some serious trouble.
So, let’s all admire the fountain’s majestic beauty from a safe distance and keep the swimming to the hotel pool, shall we?
This content was originally published here.