Up next on our Big Texas vacation is SeaWorld. As a biologist, conservationist and passionate parent, I couldn’t wait to get to the park and now we are sharing our 5 reasons to visit SeaWorld with your family.
Disclosure: We partnered with SeaWorld. All opinions are my own.
SeaWorld San Antonio
One of the big reasons that we chose San Antonio was to visit SeaWorld. San Antonio had so much to offer in general, but a big draw for those of us who are landlocked is that ocean life experience. I have only been to SeaWorld a couple times, but I remember how much I loved it as a kid and an adult and I wanted our kids to experience and learn from the experts at SeaWorld.
If you are just landing here today, you should know that I am a biologist and I teach biology. I have an affinity for nature and conservation and supporting causes that support the health of our Earth and the best interest of all living organisms. SeaWorld has made a lot of incredible headway in their conservation efforts and in listening to their faction.
1. The Shows
If you are visiting SeaWorld, you know that you need to schedule your day to catch the shows. From their Ocean Discovery Show, to Pets Ahoy and of course their end of the day orca show, One Ocean, each show brings something special to your visit. With their focus on conservation and educating the public about the animals, their needs and how SeaWorld is helping their species in the wild along with how we can help, SeaWorld is leading the way in conservation.
I was so excited for the shows and made sure that we mapped out our day to watch them. The first show we watched was Ocean Discovery which has beluga whales, pacific white-sided dolphins and even a couple of macaws. Through the show we were able to see the trainers interact with the animals and learn about their feeding habits, the care they are receiving and the reasons they are currently residing at SeaWorld.
My kids loved the show, I loved the show and it was amazing to see these incredible animals up close and learn all about them. Our favorite part of the show was when the trainer and the Beluga whale came to the edge of the tank to say bye at the end.
We ended our day with One Ocean. I haven’t been to SeaWorld in 10 years and let me tell you how much the orca show has changed. No longer are the trainers in the actual water with the orcas having them do tricks to impress the audience. Instead, One Ocean takes visitors on a walk through conservation throughout the world, through our role in helping all organisms, through our connection in this Earth and highlights the orcas as a representation of the animals in our ocean needing our support. Although the orcas do show off and splash the audience and jump, they can choose not to participate and they definitely did.
2. The Education
My kids walked out of SeaWorld with a much better understanding of the animals, their habitats and conservation as a whole. Every space that we went, they were learning. From alligators, to birds, to penguins and of course the incredible whales and dolphins, this day was hands on and memory making…which is the BEST way to learn!
One of the highlights was walking into Animal Connections and Conservation Center and seeing this beautiful cockatoo. We went during the weekday and there were not a lot of people in there when we arrived (there were shows going on at the same time), my kids walked right in and two of the amazing employees greeted them and told them all about the bird and then offered to let them hold her! It was awesome and my kids who are normally so shy, stepped right up and smiled big!
The penguin encounter was yet another space where families could learn and see the animals at the same time. You walk in and take a moving walkway through the penguin enclosure. While cruising through, my kids were reading the types of penguins in the enclosure and identifying them. they also learned fun facts about them and were loving watching them interact.
Oh and also, PUFFINS! You guys, I stood there like a giddy child, laughing, observing and asking the employee at SeaWorld all the questions! It was so much fun. You just cannot beat experiencing wildlife and learning about them. Education is the best and SeaWorld does a great job!
3. The Food!
I have to be honest here, food at SeaWorld can be pretty pricey. Since we knew we would be in the park all day, we decided to purchase the all day dining deal. It comes with an entree, side/dessert and a beverage every 2 hours while in the park. It was not cheap, but we were very glad we purchased it.
For our family of four it was just over $100 for us to purchase the dining plan and using it just one time paid for itself. Now of course we could have eaten in the park for much cheaper and not splurged on full meals, but we were on vacation and it just made sense for us. In addition, the food was very good. We enjoyed everything that we ate and had plenty of food leftover.
4. The Fun
One thing that I was not expecting was the Bay of Play that SeaWorld San Antonio has. It is a children’s amusement park, splash park and climbing enclosure, centered in the park and has an awesome Sesame Street theme. My kids had the best time playing there…who am I kidding, we all did!
SeaWorld has rides! When I was a kid, there were only 2 rides at SeaWorld and they were both for adults, now there is the entire children’s area, and many more rides for everyone. We rode everything in the Bay of Play and even got our big guy on the Wave Breaker roller coaster! It was a fun surprise to the day and made our experience even better than expected.
Honestly, look at those faces. Like the entire day was like this. So many smiles, so much joy and memories we will not soon forget! Fun was easy to find in the park and next time we will plan ahead with a swimsuit bag for the kids to cool off and enjoy more of SeaWorld’s Bay of Play!
5. It is Family Focused
SeaWorld is a place for families. We saw families there from all over the country, celebrating so many different milestones and just enjoying the park experience. Everywhere we went there were large families and groups laughing, learning and taking in every moment together. SeaWorld has so much to offer and has something for every visitor in every age group.
We are so thankful for our time at SeaWorld San Antonio and cannot wait to return in the future. I love supporting an incredible business that supports conservation, education and family friendly entertainment. For more information on everything SeaWorld San Antonio has to offer check them out online.
