Las Vegas Insider

Skating penguins, dancing fountains underneath the golden bells, thousands of flowers and a 42-foot white fir decked out to impress are all part of the winter wonderland at the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens in Las Vegas.

This year, the Bellagio Hotel and Casino went all out with some 1,700 silver ornaments, 13,500 twinkling lights, and giant polar bears made of white carnations.

Creating the magic in the middle of the hotel is a full-time job for Andres Garcia, director of horticulture for the Bellagio. But even he was in awe when he finally saw the perfect tree for the holiday display on the hillside of Shasta County in Northern California. He told Las Vegas Weekly, "I walked around it, just like a little boy, taking pictures. It was magical. Amazing. Incredible. It was the best of the best."

The Conservatory is open around the clock through Jan. 2, 2012.