A Family Adventure to Sea World San Diego

Appropriately located on the gorgeous San Diego coast, Sea World San Diego successfully mixes the fun and excitement of a theme park with the educational aspects of an aquarium. Sea World features five rides, a children's play area, numerous aquarium-type exhibits and a great variety of live entertainment/ shows.

The aquarium areas are nicely done; signs explain interesting details about the sea life on display. There is a World of the Sea Aquarium and a Freshwater Aquarium, so you get to see an amazing variety of sea life. The hands-on touch pools have staff available to answer questions and provide information on the types of sea life in the touch pool. The Tide Pool is full of beautifully colored starfish which can be touched. At the ray touch pool (called Forbidden Reef), buy some fish for $5 per plate and feed the rays. You can do the same at Rocky Point Preserve to feed the dolphins.

There are three rides included in the price of admission (there are two additional rides available at a fee of $3 each-- Bayside Skyride and Skytower Ride). Shipwreck Rapids is a raft ride. The rafts are circular and large enough to accommodate about eight people (our family of seven fit comfortably). There are many twists and turns, rapids and a tunnel but no major drops so this one is good for even younger children. If you want to spray someone on this ride, there are sprayers that you can put money into then spray the rafts as they go by. Journey to Atlantis is a log-style water ride / roller coaster. This ride starts with a large climb then drop. After the water ride part you go in a dark elevator type of contraption which takes you up to start a roller coaster. There is another small water area at the end. This one might be a little scary for young children. There is a child swap area though, so one parent can ride while the other waits then swap places without having to wait in the whole line again. You are almost certain to get wet on both of these rides! The Wild Arctic is a helicopter simulator ride which takes you over a beautiful Artic Landscape, but watch out for the winter storm blowing in. This turns into a rough ride. For those who have motion sickness or a health condition that does not allow them this sort of ride, there is a non-motion version available.

To truly experience what Sea World has to offer, take the time to go to the shows. Pets Rule has non-sea animals; some of whom were rescued from shelters. They have been trained to do a variety of tricks. It is very cute. The Dolphin Discovery Show at Dolphin Stadium and Shamu Believe Show at Shamu Stadium are both beautifully done and really allow you to see the abilities of these amazing animals. Clyde and Seamore's Risky Rescue at the Sea Lion and Otter Stadium is very funny. All are definitely worth seeing. If the park is open into the night, you will have a chance to see different shows at these stadiums, as well. I highly recommend the Shamu Rocks show. Look carefully at the seating, as most of the front rows are called a Soak Zone. Only sit here if you do not mind getting really wet! If you have little ones who love Sesame Street, be sure to see the Lights, Camera, Imagination performance at the 4D Theatre. It is way more than a movie! Don't be surprised if you get wet in this one too.

As with other theme parks, there are plenty of opportunities to buy snacks and souvenirs throughout the park. There are also sit-down restaurants. We found them to be priced in-line with other similar parks; not cheap but not as expensive as Disney parks. The kids were happy to find a variety of souvenirs in their price range. Overall I thought the souvenir prices were very reasonable. If your children love Build-a-Bear or similar, be sure to stop in at Wild Creations to have your own Shamu or dolphin stuffed. Other things to do while at Sea World: play at the new Sesame Street Bay of Play and visit the Clydesdales. There is even a scheduled Clydesdale Presentation and Photo Opportunity time.

If you have the budget to do so, Sea World offers a variety of other experiences. There are tours, animal interactions and dining experiences. The prices range from reasonable to quite pricey; there is an opportunity for almost any budget.

I highly recommend reserving a spot to Dine with Shamu. Though the price might seem overwhelming at first glance, we found this to be the highlight of our Sea World trip. The afternoon dining starts at $36 per adult. Breakfast with Shamu is a bit cheaper (starting at $24) and an amazing way to start your day at Sea World. We were seated pool side, where we could see perfectly how the trainers interact with "Shamu". At the same time we were served a very tasty buffet breakfast. Well worth the price!

There are several animal interactions available, including a dolphin interaction program. This starts at $160 and includes donning a wetsuit to get into the water with the dolphins. What an adventure! Tours are also available. The Behind-the-Scenes Tour is about an hour long and visits the training area and rescue and rehabilitation area. This tour starts from only $12 per adult. If you love penguins, spend a bit more for the Penguin Experience. Interact and learn about two types of penguin. Whether you opt for an extra experience or regular admission, you are sure to learn a lot about the ocean and its inhabitants.

As if a great day with your family isn't enough to feel good about, here is an interesting tidbit of information to make you feel even better about the money spent on admission to the park. Sea World is involved in the rescue and recovery of injured and endangered sea life. Most of the sea life they help is eventually returned to its natural habitat, while a few sea animals will stay on at the park (based upon necessity).

Here are some tips for making your trip the best possible.

If you sit in a soak zone during a show, you will most likely get wet....very wet! Remember that the water is salt water so it is not kind to electronics. If you would like to sit in the soak zone, you might want to purchase a disposable camera to use during the shows. Otherwise, you will probably spend most of the show worrying about shielding your camera.

Planning on going on the water rides or sitting in the soak zone? Dress appropriately for easy drying. If you wear denim, you are likely to stay wet and uncomfortable most of the day. Light airy cotton clothing dries quickly and is more comfortable even while wet.

The best show seats fill up early so get to the stadium at least 30 minutes in advance. There are vendors who walk around selling snacks, drinks and other essentials such as water proof cameras and towels or blankets. There are pre-show activities to keep you entertained while you wait for the show to start.

If you have already seen the shows you wanted to see, try to ride the rides while others are in the shows. We noticed the lines were considerably shorter during show times, especially during Shamu's show.

Exiting the parking lot at closing time is difficult. The parking lot is not well sign-posted for easy exiting. It is amazing to see people who have just enjoyed a day at a theme park become so rude and aggressive while trying to exit the parking lot. Be prepared to wait in line for quite awhile.

Sea World San Diego is located at 500 Sea World Drive. Their phone number is 800.257.4268. Ticket prices begin at $59 for adults and $49 for children. There is a AAA discount available or check the Entertainment Book for a discount coupon. Parking is $10 per day. If you are leaving and returning the same day, just show your parking receipt when you re-enter the parking lot. There is preferred parking available for $15. This is worth the extra if you are arriving later in the day when the parking lot if already quite full. Sea World's hours vary greatly depending on time of year and day of the week. Contact them for an updated schedule.