A special thanks to Seaworld Orlando for providing us with free admission to their park so we could enjoy a beautiful day immersing ourselves in wonder!

Our family decided to leave home for Thanksgiving and spend the week in Orlando! One of our favorite places here in Atlanta is the Georgia Aquarium, so there was no question about it that the we would need to spend a day visiting SeaWorld Orlando during our trip. Opening on December 15, 1973, visitors can experience awe-inspiring shows, one-of-a-kind attractions and up-close animal interactions where the aquatic world comes alive. There is more than enough shows, activities, exhibits, shops and fun to be had and plan to make it an all day event if visiting. If you are looking for a place where the aquatic world comes alive, then this is exactly what you are searching for.

Before I get into the exhibits, shows and fun that we had during our trip, I would like to go over some of the major attractions in the park. In addition to the attractions included in your regular admission ticket, you also have the opportunity to purchase exclusive park experiences. These include the dolphin encounter, dolphins up close tour, a behind the scenes tour, the wild arctic up close tour, a private VIP tour, beluga interaction program, marine mammal keeper interaction, sea lions up close tour, penguin up close tour and the expedition seaworld guided tour.

If you have children that enjoy going on rides, consider taking them to the area of the park called Shamu’s Happy Harbor, where children between 42 inches and 48 inches tall can enjoy some fun rides! There is also some other great rides and fun around the park, which include a sky tower, some flamingo paddle boats, a wild arctic ride, empire of the penguin, a journey to Atlanta and two roller coaster rides for the thrill seekers! If you visit during November 21st- December 31 you will have the opportunity to experience SeaWorlds Christmas celebration, you can view the image above to get an idea of the beautiful holiday decorations displayed throughout the park.

One of our first stops during our visit too SeaWorld was the Dolphin Nursery, where you will have the opportunity to view newborn bottlenose dolphins. The Dolphin Nursery is a great place to introduce your children to the beauty of life in the animal world from its very first chapters. Watch as dolphin calves practice jumping, playing, and communicating with their moms and other newborns through clicks and vocalizations. There was even a very informative employee that answered everyone’s questions and passed on her knowledge of dolphins to the many eager young children.

Our entire family can agree that our favorite part of SeaWorld was the One Ocean Shamu show! The majestic killer whales join you on a journey into a world that drenches your senses in vivid colors, vitality, and the global rhythms of the ocean in our all-new Shamu show! Dancing fountains set the stage as you connect with thrilling sea creatures, feel the energy and spirit of life underneath the sea, and realize that we are all part of one world, one ocean. This show does a fantastic job involving the crowd into the excitement and action of the show. The whales are simply breathtaking and it is hard to fathom the fact that you are actually seeing such a beautiful creature right before your eyes.

They whales do much more than swim around and you will find yourself laughing, gasping, clapping, and jumping for joy all throughout the show. Witnessing the whales interact with their trainers and audience is amazing, I just loved when they would wave, splash and leap out of the water.

This is defiantly a show you do not want to miss if you make a visit to SeaWorld and I guarantee it will be the highlight of your trip!

There are a few other shows for you to catch during your trip, which include the Clyde and Seamore’s Sea Lion High comedy show, the blue horizons theatrical dolphin show and the pets ahoy show featuring an odd group of animals you don’t want to miss!

There are so many exhibits throughout the park where you can view some amazing creatures up close. During our visit we met an adorable opossum, some gorgeous flamingos and my daughter even had the opportunity to visit with a baby alligator. A few other popular hands on exhibits include the turtle trek, shamu underwater viewing, dolphin cove, wild arctic, shark encounter, stingray lagoon (one of our absolute favorites), pelican preserve, the jewel of the sea aquarium and lastly… Antarctica: Empire of the Penguin!

Meal time is the best time to meet some playful Atlantic Bottlenose dolphins, sea lions, and sting rays, who you can even feed by hand! Check out the image below to see my son feeding a very friendly sea lion! These guys were extremely vocal and interacted with all the guest. They would shout to you and nod their head when you offered them food. Wave your hand at them and you will be surprised to discover that they wave right back to you. What made the sea lion exhibit even more magical were the many wild birds that wondered the area, it was great to view these beautiful creatures up close!

Overall our family was thrilled with our visit to SeaWorld Orlando and are so grateful for the opportunity to have experienced this magical place. There was far more to experience there than we could have managed with three young kids, but hope to return again some day when they are older so we can enjoy the entire park. If you are planning a trip to the Orlando area, this is one place you are not going to want to miss out on!