Marine Parks and Zoos in St. Augustine, Florida

Not only is St. Augustine rich in history and culture, it boasts a variety of fun and fascinating activities that can be enjoyed by the entire family. Located on Florida's First Coast on the Atlantic, here you will find beaches, boating, fishing, and botanical gardens, as well as some terrific marine and zoological parks. Here is what you should know about visiting the marine parks and zoos in St. Augustine, Florida.

Marineland, opened in 1938, is the world's oldest marine park and the world's first oceanarium. Their Dolphin Conservation Center is a 1.3 million gallon series of dolphin habitats. They offer a wide selection of interactive programs, including Dolphin Designs, in which you and a dolphin combine your efforts to create art. The Discover Dolphins program affords you the opportunity to enter the dolphins' actual habitat for a wet and wild hands-on experience for an exhilarating twenty minutes. And The Quest program gives you the chance to swim alongside dolphins in a truly unique aquatic encounter. These programs range in price from $75 to $275. General admission to Marineland is only $5 for adults and $2.50 for children twelve and under, and reservations for general admission are not necessary. But if you want to book one of the dolphin programs, it is urged that you do so early. The marine park is open seven days a week from 8:30 to 4:30, except in inclement weather. Check out their website for further information and updates at http://www.marineland.net/index.htm.

Just across the way is the Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience. Be sure to check them out while you are in the area. For more information, visit their website at http://www.whitney.ufl.edu/.

When many people think of Florida, they think of alligators. After all, Florida is full of them (there is one alligator for every nine humans residing in the Sunshine State), and they are a truly fascinating reptile. Many would love to see an alligator or two up close, just not too close, and surely not without something between them. That is where the St. Augustine Alligator Farm comes in. There you can meet Maximo, a Saltwater Crocodile more than fifteen feet long and over 1250 pounds. He is the oldest animal at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. You can also take a look at some Albino Alligators, truly rare and mystical creatures from the bayous of Louisiana. In addition to gators and crocs, you will observe a number of exotic birds and mammals at the St. Augustine Alligator Farm. Regular admission rates are only $17.95 for adults, and $9.95 for children. This zoological park is open from nine a.m. until five p.m. daily, with extended hours during the summer months. Visit their website at http://www.alligatorfarm.us/.

Enjoy visiting the marine parks and zoos in St. Augustine, Florida!